From around 8pm today, hundreds of charismatic and orthodox churches in Ghana will begin tuning their equipment for the start of this year’s watch night service that will usher in 2022.
Never mind that Covid-19 active cases are soaring in many parts of the country, because already many churches have mounted huge billboards to advertise the time, guests and the theme of their services tonight, in what is more competition for attendance than a quest to win souls for Christ.
In the recent past, a key part of these watch night services has been death prophesies – more like a sad announcement about the death of famous people. These experienced pastors hardly mention names of people they claim the icy hands of death will lay its hands on in the coming year, but by the time they are done, you would know who they are talking about.
Others give us a hint of the notable persons that will win major political contests in the coming months or will be favoured to win a prestigious government appointment. Sometimes the prophesies are about showbiz personalities and other celebrities. It is always about the popular people.
So at popular and not-so-popular church auditoriums this night too, there will be various prophesies by ministers and self-acclaimed messengers of God about upcoming events in 2022.
These prophecies will begin by assuring the thousands of congregants about a better year in 2022 God’s protection as they trudge through the coming year. The messages will also urge them to dig deep in their pockets and give to the church for 'God rewards the cheerful giver'.
But as if playing on the psychology of their congregants, some of these so-called prophetic revelations will also dabble in doom.
READ ALSO: Why there won't be doom prophecies during this year's 31st Night Services
While these doom prophesies will most likely be watered down this year following a caution by the police to punish ministers whose prophesies will create fear and panic among the public, expect a few ‘anointed’ men of God to say exactly what the Holy Spirit will direct them to tell the world.
The Ghana Police Service raised eyebrows and stirred a series of legal debates when it announced that it will go after and prosecute any religious leader who will prophesy harm, danger and death of any individual or group without proof of the prophecy being true.
The same fate also awaits journalists who publish such information or share same via electronic means, especially where the said communication has the potential to cause fear and alarm to the public or endanger lives.
“We want to caution that under Ghanaian law, it is a crime for a person to publish or reproduce a statement, rumour or report which is likely to cause fear and alarm to the public or to disturb the public peace, where that person has no evidence to prove that the statement, rumour or report is true.
“It is also a crime for a person, by means of electronic communications service, to knowingly send a communication that is false or misleading and likely to prejudice the efficiency of life-saving service or to endanger the safety of any person,” police have said.
There have already been a few commentaries challenging the power of the police to gag such prophesies.
However, there have been some comments approving the move by the police to sanitise the airwaves during watch night services.
The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) – an association of non-orthodox churches that are known for their doom prophesies – has backed the police’s directive to religious leaders against publishing prophetic messages that could harm others and disturb the public peace.
"Prophecies in themselves are expected to edify and glorify God and where there is the need to also rebuke those who might have fallen foul of the law of God, we should not hesitate to do so.
"Where prophecies become a threat or become a prediction of death and harm, there is a question mark on those kinds of prophecies," General Secretary of GPCC, the Reverend Emmanuel T. Barrigah has said.
Many churches will also encourage their congregants to wear nose masks and observe Covid-19 protocols during this year's watch night service, but it will be a tough call when the loud music takes over and the 'spirit' moves through the crowd of excited believers.
It should be an interesting episode tonight.