Do Not Fake the Voice of God – Methodist Presiding Bishop Warns Amid Prophetic Failures
The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Professor Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, has issued a strong warning against what he calls the rising culture of “deceptive prophetic phenomenon” in Christianity, following public fallout from failed prophecies linked to the just-ended New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primaries.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, January 31, 2026, Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu, who also serves as Baëta-Grau Professor of Pentecostalism at Trinity Theological Seminary (TTS), Ghana, described the extent of prophetic failures as tragic, both globally and locally.
His statement came after the NPP primaries elected Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as flagbearer for 2028 — an outcome that contradicted several widely publicised prophecies, forcing at least one prominent Ghanaian prophet to issue a public apology.
“The extent of catastrophic prophetic failures in Christianity today is tragic,” he wrote, placing Ghana’s experience within a broader crisis of credibility facing prophetic ministries.
He cited the recent case of US-based charismatic figure Shawn Bolz, who was exposed and dismissed by his church for allegedly mining personal information from the internet and presenting it as prophetic revelation.
“In the USA, Shawn Bolz, a so-called prophet, has recently been exposed and dismissed by his church for mining information on church members from the internet and using them as prophetic insights,” he noted. “It is happening in our country too!”
The bishop warned ministers — especially in the Methodist Church — against the temptation of “prophetic vainglory”.
“I pray no minister of the Methodist Church Ghana is tempted to travel this path of prophetic vainglory,” he stated.
He framed the issue as both a theological and moral failure at the heart of Christian ministry.
“How did we come to this as men/women called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the salvation of souls?” he asked.
At the centre of his critique was a violation of the Third Commandment:
“This whole deceptive prophetic phenomenon blatantly flouts a particular commandment: ‘Thou shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain…’”
He clarified that genuine prophecy is divine communication through human vessels — not performance or prediction for public acclaim.
“Prophecy is when the Lord speaks to his people through human vessels,” he stressed, ending with a direct admonition that has resonated widely online:
“Do not fake the voice of the Lord our God!”
The bishop’s intervention has reignited debate within Christian circles about accountability, discernment, and growing public scepticism toward prophetic declarations — especially those tied to politics and elections.
As religion and national life continue to intersect in Ghana, many see Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu’s message as a timely call for humility, integrity, and a return to doctrinal faithfulness in prophetic ministry.
