Prophetism in Ghana's New Prophetic Churches

This article discusses the nature and features of a new prophetic phenomenon in Ghana. This is evident in the activities and practices of Ghana's New Prophetic Churches (NPC). These churches stress evil and the need to negate it among adherents. In this sort of prophetism, the person of the prophet is central. It is the prophet who is looked upon for a divine word and direction in the negotiation of evil. The prophets involve their clients in several prophetic rituals, some of which are bizarre, and thus raise questions in terms of their scriptural validity and authenticity. Critical in NPC prophetism is the role of music. Music provides the contextual matrix for interpreting NPC theological insights. The theology of the NPCs must be assessed to see how far they respond to the Ghanaian developmental needs.