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There are numerous false apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors/bishops and teachers, who are ministering in churches in Africa. They appear to be serving the Lord Jesus Christ.
These preachers bear the title, men of God, but they are self-styled ministers who set themselves into ministry without God’s approval. So they have no specific message and commands from God to live by and for ministry. They are not Christ’s servants.
Very often, these ministers criticize the reality of heaven and earth, mock rigorous preaching of the gospel of Christ, claim that God called no one into ministry, encourage people to return to the African Traditional Religion and question the usefulness of the Bible.
Yet, they preach from the Bible, pray in the name of Jesus, dress in the so-called priestly garments and call themselves prophets and bishops. This, they do, to cover up and deceive gullible people.
A mature Christian knows that such ministers are false. They have sneaked into the Church simply for money and fame. They are herbalists, magicians, diviners, fetish priests and traditional healers who have rebranded themselves.
When you meet any person who claims to have been called into ministry, to function either as an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor/bishop or teacher, ask him to disclose the exact message and commands God gave him during his call.
And find out if he constantly ministers within the purview and mandate of his calling and assignment. Again, find out if he abides in the teaching of Christ and testifies about the resurrected Saviour. Be sure if he is concerned about pointing people to Christ, making them know and grow in Him.
There are many false ministers who are doing the bidding of the devil. They started infiltrating the Church since its formation in the first-century during the days of the earliest apostles.
As already indicated, they distort and twist the truths of the gospel of Christ to deceive people to take their money. They have great appetite for the acquisition of worldly goods. They are carnal, earthly-minded devoid of the Holy Spirit.
The apostle Paul wrote a lot about these false ministers. For instance, in his letter to Titus, Paul drew his attention to false ministers whom he described as insubordinate, empty talkers, deceitful teachers, who teach lies for money.
“They must be silenced. By their wrong teaching they have already turned whole families away from the truth. SUCH LEADERS ONLY WANT YOUR MONEY” (Titus 1:11, NLT).
“For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4).
The Bible says false ministers deny Jesus Christ. They disown Him. They are ruled over by the spirit that operated in the life of Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus Christ for money.
But this does not mean they do not mention the Lord’s name in their ministrations. They do. They mention the name of Jesus Christ in their prayers, teachings, preaching, counselling and conversations. God does not forbid people from mentioning Christ’s name.
Now, to deny Jesus Christ is to reject his teachings and ordinances. It is to refuse to follow Jesus Christ by not abiding in His Word. It is to refuse to teach what He taught, preach what preached and walk the road to the cross which He commanded us to walk in.
By their fruit, particularly, in the area of teachings, we can easily know them. Let true Christians, therefore, open their eyes to detect their deceptive schemes and be bold to expose them and warn their families, friends and colleagues to be cautious about them.
By James Quansah
