After dozens of major Christian ministries wrongly prophesied that Trump would win re-election as US president in November 2020, to say that the prophetic ministry has been left in tatters would be an understatement.

But a new organization, Prophetic Standards, has been set up to call for accountability in the prophetic ministry.

Because, despite this failing on the national stage, major prophetic networks are pumping out prophecies on a daily basis as if nothing happened.

There is nothing wrong with that necessarily, but in my opinion each of those prophetic words should be tagged with a small notification on whether the individual wrongly prophesied that Trump would be reelected.

People need to know how much they can trust these particular ministries. These individuals may still have bona fide ministry, but prophecy may not be one of them. Just because you have an internet connection and a YouTube channel does not automatically make you a prophet.

But it seems these prophetic networks are more concerned about protecting the prophetic ministries than protecting the people they are supposed to be serving.

A few ministries, like Jeremiah Johnson, fully acknowledged his error and has even renamed his ministry.

But most who made that huge prophetic blunder about Donald Trump are continuing on as if nothing ever happened.

One major prophetic network that functions as a platform for the prophets is even promoting people who not only wrongly predicted that Trump would be reelected but even extended their error by prophesying that Trump would be returned to the office before the Presidential inauguration on Jan 20, 2021. And when that didn’t happen, prophesied that Trump would be returned to office in February or March.

I know at least one of them was caught up in the Qanon conspiracy and talked about how in January, Trump was meeting with his generals at a secret location to plot a return to office.

Yet in the face of these compounding prophetic errors, the prophetic network is still giving this individual a platform.

It is having a consequence.

People are starting to despise prophesy because of a lack of accountability in the prophetic ministry. Some are now openly mocking prophecy.

The Apostle Paul warned this would happen when he wrote:

¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not treat prophecies with contempt ²¹ but test them all; hold on to what is good, ²² reject every kind of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 NIV)

But as we read this warning, the Apostle Paul also provided a clue to what causes this contempt for prophecy — our failure to test the prophetic words.

And because of a refusal to judge, these prophetic networks are now damaging the very gift, they claim to be promoting.

This failure to judge is also harming the reputation of those prophets who were not caught up in the fad of the day, prophesying Trump’s reelection (Jeremiah 23:30). They are equally being feeling this contempt.

So, I was delighted to hear that Prophetic Standards, supported by 85 Christian ministries, is seeking to bring accountability to those claiming to be prophets.

In describing this organization, Religion Unplugged writes:

At the heart of the statement is a call for all who’ve made false prophecies to publicly apologize.

If someone issues a public prophecy with specific details and dates that can be easily proved or disproved, “and that word does not come to pass as prophesied, the one who delivered the word must be willing to take full responsibility, demonstrating genuine contrition before God and people,” the statement says.

“If the word was delivered publicly, then a public apology (and/or explanation/clarification) should be presented,” it continues. “This is not meant to be a punishment but rather a mature act of love to protect the honor of the Lord, the integrity of prophetic ministry and the faith of those to whom the word was given.” The statement also calls for prophets to have their prophecies evaluated by peers in the movement, adding, “Those refusing such accountability should not be welcomed for ministry.”

But there is a problem.

According to Baylor University professor J. Gordon Melton, there are about 200 prophetic networks in the US made up of dozens of prophets each.

But as Religion Unplugged pointed out, many of the prophetic networks have refused to sign on with this call for accountability:

Many of those leaders: Chuck Pierce of Global Spheres, Inc., Cindy Jacobs of Generals International, televangelist Ken Copeland and evangelists Lance Wallnau and Dutch Sheets all live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. None signed the document.

In fact, the majority of movement prophets declined to sign. Some, Brown [Dr Michael Brown] said, were part of ministry networks that would not allow them to sign; others did not give reasons although, he added wryly, “I did tell them the ABSENCE of their names would speak loudly as well.”

Some of the holdouts include people who still insist the Trump will be reinstalled as president this year, including Florida prophetess Kat Kerr, California evangelist Johnny Enlow and Jeff Jansen of the Nashville-based Global Fire Ministries. Steve Schultz of the Albany, Ore.-based Elijah List, who hosts many pro-Trump prophets on his Elijah Streams YouTube channel, also didn’t sign. 

If we fail to judge prophecy, this will only open a door for more deceptive prophetic words and more despising of the prophetic ministry.

And because of this, believers need to be careful when receiving from these ministries.

READ: Charismatics issue ‘prophetic standards’ to address false Trump prophecies AND Prophetic Standards

I'm pleased to announce that a major statement on Prophetic Standards has just been released today. Read this report for more details, and watch for my article on this later today: https://t.co/fbbv0MeEas

— Dr. Michael L. Brown (@DrMichaelLBrown) April 29, 2021