It’s very interesting and thought provoking to watch and listen to the various submissions been made both in Ghana and across international circles by both preachers, the general public and the church fraternity about the recent preachings and teachings of Dr Otabil on some of the most perceived disturbing and worrying practices and doctrinal issues in some of our churches and Christiandom recently especially Ghana.
Some have perceived his hard stance on these disturbing issues and coming out to outrightly condemning these practices and doctrinal errors practiced by some pastors and prophets as expressed in his teachings, and preachings as a direct attack and affront to the prophetic ministry and a total lack of understanding of how the spiritual realm and the prophetic ministry operates.

Some have also expressed their dissatisfaction of his recent crusade in an effort to awaken the consciousness of Christians to the best practices and teachings of doctrinal,Theological and scripturally balanced gospel in our churches as against the much publicized errors been perpetuated in some cases with impunity and total disregard to human dignity in some of our churches with very strong worded statements, posts and preachings, because his stance has been misconstrued as an attack against the Prophetic ministry rather than seeing it as helping to condemn and correct an impending cankerworm that have the potential to destroy the vine if not nap in the bud.

Others have also expressed their displeasure because they feel he is a teacher according to the fivefold ministry and not a prophet so he doesn’t have the locus to correct an office he does not function in.
Some even continue to buttress their point further by classifying him as not spiritual or a false teacher.

More so others have also expressed concern about his posture and tone in trying to address these worrying phenomenon going on in our churches lately seeing him as a head teacher and spiritual script marker who is trying to whip everybody in line and assuming an exalted position of claiming to know it all.

The most interesting part of all these debates, discussions and discourses going on is that, the ones who sees themselves as Dr Otabils followers and loyalist are rejoicing and are attacking those who are opposing his teachings without truly understanding what he meant and in some cases they’ve been emotional about it, while others who already are dissatisfied with some of the things of the church, have taken this as a weapon to further bastardize the church, while the followers or loyalists of those who follow and are in love with the Prophetic ministry and also revered and honour their prophets or pastors are disenchanted and are fighting tooth and nail to protect this perceived wrong practices in Christianity without a deeper reflection of what Dr Otabil is articulating.

In all of these one cannot totally fault the outbursts of these groups of people on their divided opinions, because to one they have undeniable results to show and prove the benefits these prophetic acts and prophets have done in improving their livelihood for a long time irrespective of their flaws and to the others who are in support of Dr Otabil recent teachings can also testify of how many people and homes that have fallen victims to these unfortunate practices all in the name of Prophetic directions, tokens, symbols, images etc.

In the midst of all these cacophony of different voices one needs to step out to have a better view of the entirety of the issues and help place it in the right context to avoid it been seen as a war against each other especially as Christians who Jesus Christ has purchased with His blood and given us the gifts of the fivefold ministry to edify and build up the church which is His body that is not divided but should work in harmony for the advancement of His kingdom on earth with love, Ephesians 4:7-16; I Corinthians 12:12-31: Romans 12:1-31: 1 Corinthians 13:1-10

THE MAN PASTOR MENSA OTABIL

It is imperative to really understand and appreciate the reason behind the seemingly hard stance by Dr Otabil on the troubling practices and doctrinal inaccuracy going on in some circles of our churches especially Charismatics in Ghana. He is not speaking or teaching as a novice but as a man who fully appreciates and understands the emergence of this sad reality among charismatics especially in Ghana and by large extent Nigeria and America due to the Charismatic and Neo Pentecostal movement which him and some of his contemporaries who are senior ministers now and are refered to as Charismatic or Apostolic fathers today.

I would find it a bit unfortunate if followers, loyalist,sons and daughters of Dr Otabil, the general Christian public and the ICGC family in general to think Dr Otabil is beyond criticism and also does not fully understand what he does or says and the traffic it generates.

He is fallible like any other human being, a very meek and God fearing man who wholeheartedly accepts criticisms and admits his mistakes when it matters and retraces his steps to correct it, like what you find today in his crusade against what is going on in our charismatic churches in Ghana, something most of the young, middle level pastors, followers, Christians, loyalists and ICGC members did not fully know what he and some of his contemporaries in the Charismatic circles today in their early ministry lives out of zeal and the fire in their bones did and preach certain things they are not proud of today hindsight that has contributed unfortunately to some of this practices we see and talk about today.

He is a very intelligent and a thoughtful man who qualifies to critically address these issues and does everything on purpose to achieve a desire outcome or goal,very meticulous,bold, a good communicator, eloquent,very studious, an ardent researcher on not only on Theology but also across all fields. Contrary to the belief of most of his critics as seen him as arrogant, not spiritual,and prayerful, and that he is only a teacher and does not understand the prophetic and the other fivefold ministry is a bit debatable because Dr Otabil really operates in all the fivefold ministry that his contemporaries in ministry knows well as a fire brand not only in prayer but in preaching and operations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, something the early members and pastors of ICGC and full gospel businessmen fellowship etc can attest to; during the early days of ICGC and the emergence of what I call “the Otabilism nightmare” in Ghana’s Christianity discourse.

He was hard, passionate, persuasive, prophetic, evangelistic, Apostolic, eloquent and above all revolutionary in his preaching and teachings something that even caught the attention of late Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, during the early days of the revolution, this only few people know even in ICGC and Ghanaian public.

It is important to note that this is not the first time Dr Otabil is coming hard against the church, he forcefully preached against the practices of the Catholic Church, the Orthodox denomination and even imperialism and the dignity of the black man which birth one of his outstanding books Beyond the Rivers of Ethiopia in the early days of the emergence of Charismaticism, and Neo Pentecostalism in Ghana during the early days of ICGC an offshoot of the Kanda Fellowship, a Fellowship that had most of the seniors today in Charismatic Leadership.

He is a man I respect highly for his depth of wisdom, knowledge, spiritual insight, scripturally balanced, an astute theologian, a statesman, a passionate follower of Jesus Christ and a believer of order and excellence in Gods house and human dignity.

I am one of the few privileged ones who have benefited immensely from his tutelage and still benefit when I a sat at his feet to learn during my days in ICGC and still do and has helped and shaped my ministry journey and form a solid doctrinal foundation which has kept me going and survived.

I am not ashamed to defend him any day for his right course because he is a leader of leaders and I will forever see him as my mentor and father in the Lord irrespective of our disagreements or what one thinks of our differences because I am not a sycophant but a realist who gives praise where it is due and values people’s contribution to my life whether in good or bad times.

It is said that you don’t light a lamp in the dark to look at the face of one you know in the day, that is why I feel compelled as a pastor who by Gods grace operates in both the Apostolic and Prophetic offices to add my voice to what is going on as a vilification of Dr Mensa Otabil going on in Christian circles and on social media.

THE GENESIS OF THE PROBLEM OF CHARISMATICS IN GHANA:

It will interest you to know that even though the body of Jesus Christ from church history have had its fair share of the doctrinal problems of our day that Dr Otabil is forcefully trying to address, much to the dismay of some, the charismatic and the Pentecostal move in Ghana had been the generator of its own problems we see today in our churches due to the immaturity and zeal then of the fathers, you may or may not agree with me but the charismatic fathers themselves and the older generation of Christians in Ghana if they’ll be sincere with themselves will attest to this truth.

The irony of all of this is that some are not bold enough to come out and own the mistakes they made that had defined and shaped what the current generation is perpetuating like Dr Otabil is preaching to address, because he sees himself as partially contributing to it, and to be fair with himself and truthful to God looking back in his current matured state feels obligated to correct this errors in his time so as to save the younger generation the mistakes they the fathers have caused unfortunately.

They forcefully attacked the catholic, Pentecostals and the Orthodox churches then of been cold, their leaders as white washed tombs, broad of vipers etc, they preached against the then institution and leadership of the church from Matthew 23 as Jesus preached against the church at his time with such holy hunger and all the power within them.

They preached that bible schools, education and ecumenical bodies to regulate and guide the church are not important and that one doesn’t need to have theological knowledge or formal training per say to be in the pulpit or preach,Gods word and the Holy Spirit in them is in enough;they need to save souls, church government and structure inhibits the flow of the Holy Spirit because Jesus Christ is coming soon to rapture the church, like someone will put it time no day.

They frown on denominationalism as waste of time and building of churches, prosperity and material gain like cars, dresses, houses, money etc as waste and fleeting endeavours of men. Homiletics and Hermeneutics are not much considered by them, they preached freely as the Holy Ghost leads, stay long in rented church halls, classrooms, under trees etc and enjoy the flow of the Holy Spirit and the display of the gifts and operations of the Holy Spirit without restrictions, dance, praise and worship God loud to the nuisance of the public, they were revolutionary in their approach of the gospel, holiness, casting out of demons, winning of souls. etc.

Some eulogies titles, impartation, Apostolic garments and pride themselves of who they associate with, hence some follow popular preachers of their time both close and far without proper mentorship, try to dress, preach and even mimic their voices and style of preaching, saw them as their spiritual covering and fathers etc all in their ignorance state, though it helped in a way by Gods sovereignty to deal with them in their limited knowledge and zeal to overlooked.

However now in the dispensation of the increase of the knowledge of God and the world, they look back and realised some of the mistakes they have made not deliberate though but in their limited knowledge and zeal as Dr Otabil said recently in his teaching at the just ended conference of Soulos at Christ Temple East that God chose them from the wilderness in their raw state but the generation of today needs to be refined and guided to do the right things and not to repeat the mistakes of the past and added that it’s better to make your mistakes early so you have the time to correct it.

Another phenomenon that unsettled the church in Ghana was the Prophetic wave which swept across Ghana in the mid 80’s and 90’s that saw many hungry believers tasting for much spirituality of the gospel and God gathered at Apra house in Accra to listen to the teachings of Prophet Abu Bako, Prophet Tunder Bakari of Nigeria,Prophet Christopher Yaw Annor and others, including the Orion cinema Prophetic move by now Archbishop Salifu Amoaku, Prophet Owusu Bempah, Senior Prophet Opoku Nsiah and others.

These move took the Charismatic and The Pentecostal move in Ghana by surprise as many fell in love with altars, prophetic intercession, tokens and symbols, seed sowing, prophetic revelations, spiritual mappings etc. So is also the Atwea mountain fire and Kumasi Prohetic wave invasion that brought the emergence of Prophet Kusi Beeku, Evangelist Obambour Ebenezer Yaidom Boakye, Apai Life, Bishop Obinim, Rev Obofour etc who also faced the neglect of the fathers because their prophectic gifts were misconstrued so they didnt get the needed mentorship and guidance hence they have to mature by themselves and they are raising leaders and followers much to the structural challenges facing the Charismatic churches.

In view of these Prophetic move and teachings many fell in love with it and started practicing it in their churches and Christian gatherings without much guidance and knowledge. However instead of embracing this new move of God to properly teach it and guard people in it, the then perceived established fathers and authorities saw it as another gospel to derail their efforts because many of the people in their churches were leaving to this Prophetic meetings leaving their churches somehow empty, so they did everything to fight this move of God and those in the forefront of it.

The consequences is what we are witnessing today in the prophetic operations in our churches.

In conclusion it is very important to know where we’ve come from and where we are now with all these worrying phenomenon we are experiencing in our churches and from our pulpits now, to properly dissect or diagnose the problem so has to find a lasting solution to it as God by His spirit wants us to do, to help save the dignity of the body of Christ and not to rather attack and be divided in opinion but wholestically accept where we were wrong by admitting it, confess our role in contributing to it, apologies sincerely to the current generation and ask for their forgiveness and now set the tone for all of us to rebuild the broken walls of the kingdom of God, when we have repented in sackcloth and ashes, because what is seen being practiced now in our churches that we see as errors and worrying where inherited from the mistakes of the fathers sadly to say.

A child learns from both the verbal and non verbal communication of his or her parents. God is counting on our current generation of Charismatic leadership to set the best example and not excuse themselves from the problems we are castigating and frowning upon. “And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.” And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.” Acts 5:33-39 God bless us all !!!