Prophecies - Christian leaders urge caution
The request for prophecies to be conveyed to a higher political authority rather than declaring them openly has stirred interesting reactions from divergent standpoints.
For instance, while the Apostolic Fathers, a group of Christian religious leaders, has raised concern about the rising trend of prophecy and how it is handled, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has urged Ghanaians to take prophecies and warnings from credible spiritual leaders seriously, insisting that some tragedies could be prevented if such messages were heeded.
Last Sunday, the Office of the Presidential Envoy for Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations, led by Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, as part of strengthening national coordination on spiritual matters, especially in times of uncertainty and complexity, urged religious leaders to “inform all prophets, men and women of God under your oversight that any prophecy or spiritual insight of a national nature, especially those with implications for high-profile political leaders, governance, national security, or public stability should be formally relayed to the Office of the Presidential Envoy for urgent review and appropriate escalation”.
The decision, it said, was in the spirit of responsibility, discernment, and stewardship over the nation’s destiny.
Christian leaders
The Apostolic Fathers said prophecies were divisive, confusing and created many problems for society.
“We doubt whether regulation alone can bring sanity to this situation. However, we believe that if we, the fathers and the Church, sit down together, by grace and wisdom, we can sanitise the situation and the system,” the Spokesperson for the group, Apostle General Sam Korankye Ankrah, said.
He said this yesterday when he led members of the group to lay flowers at the Ceremonial Garden of the Presidency in Accra in honour of the eight persons who were killed in last Wednesday’s helicopter crash.
Joined by members of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) and the Church of Pentecost (CoP), a GPCC member, which also came with a different delegation, they later visited the residence of the President, John Dramani Mahama, to extend their support and condolences.
Rev. Korankye Ankrah said over the past few days, “I have observed with concern the rising trend of prophecy and how it is being handled.
“On this occasion, we call upon all brothers and sisters, all preachers, apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists, and all who do the work of God to take note.
“They need to understand that there is a Biblical blueprint for how we carry out God’s work.
There is corporate wisdom and knowledge in how these matters should be handled,” he emphasised.
He said what was happening now “is often like: ‘I prophesied, it came to pass, so I am powerful’. Much of this is unbiblical.
We urge all sons and daughters of the kingdom to be cautious and concerned about the paths they are taking in practising ministry and the gift of prophecy in Ghana”.
He prayed that God would grant the nation grace, and that they were taking up the challenge to help their younger colleagues now coming up to guide them in line with biblical theology, teachings and practice.
The First Vice-President of the GPCC, Dr Gordon Kisseih, reminded the nation of the enduring relevance of the Word of God, emphasising that even in times of tragedy, “we have a name to call on”.
He urged Ghanaians to come together, and appealed for unity and discouraged blame or fault-finding.
“Certainly, something may have gone wrong, but there are also things we do not know,” he said.
Rev. Kisseih reassured the public that God’s love was unconditional, stating that God did not favour those who missed the ill-fated flight over those who perished.
He urged all stakeholders and citizens to honour the fallen officers by intensifying efforts to eradicate the fight against galamsey.
On behalf of the CoP, the General Secretary, Apostle Samuel Gyau Obuobi, urged the President, Parliament, and government officials to remain strong and focused amid the tragedy.
He described the incident as deeply saddening and stressed the importance of learning from this tragedy to prevent similar future occurrences.
Apostle Obuobi called for national unity and collective effort to eradicate the galamsey menace once and for all, emphasising that preserving precious lives must be a priority for Ghana’s sustainable development.
Speaker
Meanwhile, speaking at a separate programme, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, urged Ghanaians to take seriously prophecies and warnings from credible spiritual leaders, noting that some tragedies could be prevented if such messages were heeded.
“We are spiritual people. We are very religious people. But I think we just read them like in school. We really don’t understand what we read. Because it could have been any of us,” he said.
Mr Bagbin was speaking yesterday when he led a delegation of parliamentary leaders to the residence of the late acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, Mohammad Muniru Limuna, to commiserate with his family.
The parliamentary delegation later visited Dr Boamah’s family to convey its condolences.
The visit formed part of Parliament’s show of solidarity with the bereaved families, as the nation mourns the loss of its distinguished public servants.
Religious nation
Following the tragedy, viral videos have surfaced on social media featuring some prophets alleging they had predicted the tragedy and issued warnings that were ignored.
The Speaker described Ghanaians as a deeply religious and spiritual people, but lamented that many often failed to act on the lessons and warnings contained in prophetic messages.
Citing the recent helicopter crash as an example, Mr Bagbin questioned how anyone could have foreseen that an aviation incident would cause such national grief.
He expressed concern that, instead of reflecting on possible warnings and learning from past events, many chose to dismiss or trivialise spiritual insights.
“Our people in the spiritual world —the Pastors, the Reverends, Imams — we should listen to them. It’s not all of them who are looking for money. Don’t take what they say for granted. If they say, act, act. I listen to all,” the Speaker stressed.
Mr Bagbin revealed that he had personally been the subject of threatening prophecies in the past, but said he acknowledged the spiritual authority of those making such declarations.
The Speaker underscored that just as he would not expect someone outside Parliament to know the intricacies of legislative work better than he did, he could not claim greater knowledge of spiritual matters than those dedicated to that calling.
He further stated that while not all prophetic messages might be accurate, they often carried lessons that could help avert danger or loss when given due consideration.
Christian Council
In a related development, the Christian Council of Ghana said it had formally reached out to the Presidency and requested a meeting to be held next week for further engagement and clarification on the request.
While awaiting this engagement, it reaffirmed its unwavering support for all national and inclusive efforts aimed at advancing ecumenical and interfaith collaboration in the interest of national unity, peace and security.
“In a nation where religion is misused to incite fear and panic, the risk of social instability and disorder grows significantly.
“We, therefore, call on all well-meaning Ghanaians, the media, religious leaders, and the general public to remain calm and exercise restraint. It is essential that we allow for proper dialogue and consultation with the Presidency to provide clarity and direction on this matter.
“In the interim, the Council urges all citizens to approach national issues — whether religious, political or socioeconomic — with objectivity, unity and a spirit of sober reflection.
Our shared commitment to peace and harmony must guide our discourse and actions,” the General Secretary of the Christian Council, Rev. Dr Cyril Fayose, said.
