On March 7, evangelist David Wilkerson felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message via his blog about an imminent earth-shattering calamity which would frighten even the godliest.

Also, for ten years Wilkerson has been warning about a thousand fires in New York City and that major American cities will experience riots and blazing fires. He further claims that there will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. And this will happen because USA and the world apparently are "under God's wrath".

Furthermore, some claim that Wilkerson predicted 9/11. Three months before 9/11, people in Times Square Church were constantly praying for the city because they had a sense that something terrible was about to happen. And Wilkerson had also told them to make 2,000 sandwiches.

Wilkerson has credibility and name recognition. He is the author of The Cross and the Switchblade, one of the most popular Christian books. His Teen Challenge ministry, which has a branch in Jamaica, is very prominent in discussions of drug treatment. And Times Square Church, which he founded, reportedly draws 8,000 people weekly and is known for its many social service ministries. His church has been to Jamaica, and a few years ago, hosted a large free banquet in 'No Man's Land.'

Moreover, because of this new impending disaster, Wilkerson encourages persons to lay in store a 30-day supply of non-perishable food, toiletries, and other essentials, because whenever there is a disaster, grocery shops are emptied within an hour.

His pastoral advice is perceived by some persons as being similar to that when Joseph who heard God saying to store up food for the season to come (Genesis 41), while some scoff at this exhortation saying it is reminiscent of the predictions surrounding Y2K that some church groups were giving in 1999. And, according to an article in Christianity Today, several critics are pointing to an Internet list of visions and prophecies that Wilkerson has had and which have not come true. Among them was a 1994 statement that gospel television networks would all fall into "bankruptcy and absolute ruin."

To Wilkerson's credit and humility, after the stock market climbed in 2000, he confessed that he must have spoken from his own fears.

When will Jamaican prophets admit that they have spoken unadvisedly or projected their wishes on God? Our prophets need to remember that "we prophecy in part" and "we see in a mirror dimly", (1 Corinthians 13:9-12) not as an excuse for false prophecies but as an acknowledgement that we do not have the whole picture. So many things must be seen as God's prerogative concerning the future.

Prophetic words in general are not very rare. In Jamaica, there are many persons calling themselves 'prophets'. There is also the Charisma newsletter, Prophetic Insight, which provides messages from those who say they have a message directly from the Lord. The newsletter tends more toward the 'words of encouragement' prophecies than 'end times' prophecies.

Divine judgement

Is America under divine judgement? Is destruction imminent in the world? One American church leader says, 'yes, because America has a pro-abortion president Barack Obama and a pro-abortion Congress'. The question would be: Was USA under judgment when they had a war president in George Bush?

It seems that Christians need to test the spirits and remember 1 Corinthians 14:29, which says "let two or three prophets speak and let the others judge." In addition, read Bishop Peter Morgan's discourse on prophecy ('Prophetic Distractions' The Gleaner, February 19) and Rev. Dr. Burchell Taylor's book Saying No to Babylon: A Reading of the Book of Daniel which examines issues concerning prophecies. Don't be caught up in the distractions.

Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church and author of 'Rebellion to Riot: The Church in Nation Building.' Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.