Internationally, few, if any, Cameroonian Pentecostal preachers carry the global visibility of Apostle John Chi. Within a relatively short span of ministry, he has emerged as one of the most recognisable Cameroonian Pentecostal voices on the global stage.
Yet paradoxically, within his own homeland, segments of the charismatic community continue to view him with suspicion. This resistance is largely rooted in his spiritual lineage, specifically his identification as a son of one of the most controversial prophetic figures of this century, Prophet T.B. Joshua.
Without assuming the role of judge or apologist, it is necessary to state certain facts surrounding his calling and ministry that many either overlook or are unaware of.
First, Apostle John Chi’s call was publicly prophesied in Cameroon long before his association with Nigeria or the Synagogue Church of All Nations. On a crusade ground in Mutengene, a preacher he had never met singled him out and declared with precision that he would become a world-renowned prophet mightily used by God, details that have since unfolded with unmistakable accuracy.
At the time, John Chi dismissed the prophecy as false and regarded the preacher as a charlatan. Interestingly, the same prophetic word was later repeated verbatim by another preacher from Sierra Leone, this time within his home church, accompanied by a call to fasting, which he admittedly failed to complete.
It must also be clearly stated that Apostle John Chi did not know Prophet T.B. Joshua before leaving Cameroon. His original journey was toward Sierra Leone, where he was to be mentored by his then pastor.
That journey, however, was divinely interrupted in Lagos, where he was abandoned. Yet it was precisely at this point of abandonment that God took sovereign control. Through visions upon visions, God confirmed the Synagogue as his place of spiritual formation.
Apostle John Chi’s calling was birthed, prophesied, and confirmed in Cameroon. Even while in Nigeria, God consistently pointed him back to Cameroon as his primary mission field. The lingering question therefore remains: has Cameroon received her own?
My position as a Pentecostal historian and writer reveals that the case of Apostle John Chi is not an isolated one. Similar patterns are evident with many emerging prophets. When a nation persistently dismisses those God raises from within her, she risks forfeiting both the grace and the timing attached to her visitation.
With these facts stated, it is left to each reader to draw their own conclusions concerning the ministry of Apostle John Chi. Yet I firmly believe it is time we learn to discern by fruit and not merely by lineage. Jehoshaphat, one of Israel’s best kings, gave birth to Jehoram, one of her worst, whereas a very wicked king, Amon, gave birth to Josiah, a man after God’s heart.
In neighbouring Nigeria, men of God have stumbled, facing scandals that could have dismantled their ministries. Yet rather than abandoning them, the spiritual fathers rise to guide, uphold, and restore, refusing to tear down what God has called.
Weakness does not equate to wickedness, and correction, not condemnation, is the hallmark of a mature Church. Oh Cameroon, hear this cry: a nation that refuses to receive her prophets does not silence them; it only impoverishes herself.
Rev. Bobbs Lyonga Elive
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