When honour is weaponized — A pastor’s lament and what it reveals about power, prophecy and patronage in ministry

The account Prophet Bernard ElBernard Nelson-Eshun shares on Facebook recently regarding a private message with a Bishop, who later instigated other senior men of god against him, is at once personal and prophetic: personal because it recounts a painful betrayal by a senior pastor he respected; prophetic because it raises wider questions about the culture of ministry that allows private conversations to be turned into public ammunition.

The episode — a respectful private message shared in a WhatsApp group and used to mobilize senior ministers against him, followed by public posts reframing the story — exposes painful dynamics that are too often tolerated in church leadership circles: the misuse of honour, the weaponizing of reputation, the asymmetric scrutiny of prophetic ministry, and the politics of alliances. This commentary unpacks those dynamics, reflects on their implications for leaders and congregations, and proposes practical responses rooted in integrity, transparency and prayersome courage.

The revered Prophet said that he had the honour and privilege of preaching for the respected Bishop on more than five occasions and that each time he stood on the Bishop’s platform he had poured himself out fully into the Bishop’s ministry. He added that he had served with sincerity, honour, and a genuine desire to be a blessing, and that over time a good relationship had developed between them, built on mutual respect and shared moments in ministry.

He went on to say that, beyond preaching for the Bishop, he had been personally blessed by the Bishop’s messages and enriched by his books, and that he had held the Bishop in high esteem not only as a senior minister but as someone he genuinely admired and respected. He explained that one day he had come across a message the Bishop posted on a public platform that many people had interpreted as referring to him, and that around the same time he had seen a video of one of the Bishop’s pastors openly mocking him. Because he valued the relationship and respected the Bishop, he said he had chosen not to respond publicly; instead, he had reached out privately, sending a respectful WhatsApp message to draw the Bishop’s attention to the situation and to express his concern about the timing.

The breach of private trust: Why it matters

At the core of Prophet Bernard ElBernard’s narrative is a clear breach of trust. A private message sent respectfully became public, and not only public but framed in a way that cast the sender in a negative light. Trust is the currency of healthy ministry relationships; once it is spent recklessly, relationships — and the ministries tied to them — are damaged. The wrong in exposing a private conversation is not merely the loss of confidentiality; it is the intent and effect: by sharing the message with a disparaging caption, the Bishop shifted the frame from relational correction to public shaming. For leaders, this raises urgent ethical questions about how private communications should be handled, especially across hierarchies where reputation can make or break a ministry.

Honour and accountability: Fragile partners

Prophet Bernard ElBernard repeatedly emphasizes honour — he intentionally reached out privately, chose respect over public confrontation, and even helped return a former member to the Bishop’s fold. Honour, however, can be misread as weakness when others weaponize it for gain. Yet honour must not be equated with silence in the face of injustice. The delicate balance leaders must hold is protecting the dignity of colleagues while insisting on accountability when that dignity is violated. The aggrieved Prophet Bernard ElBernard’s response — calling out the betrayal and publishing his side — illustrates how one can honour a relationship while refusing to be victimized by its breaches.

The politics of alliances and the “mafia” of ministry

Prophet Bernard ElBernard describes coordinated attacks and “mafia-like” tactics. While the language is strong, it points to an observable reality in some ministry contexts: power networks that function to consolidate influence, defend insiders, and marginalize dissenters. WhatsApp groups and private chats are modern forums for such alliances. The problem is not casual fellowship but the conversion of collegial networks into instruments for reputational warfare. For congregations and young ministers observing these patterns, the lesson is sobering: affiliations and endorsements can protect or destroy, and discernment is needed when choosing associations.

Asymmetric scrutiny of prophetic ministers

A key theme in Prophet Bernard ElBernard’s piece is the unfair targeting of prophetic ministers. He challenges the automatic assumption that prophetic ministry is primarily about power, control and money, pointing to his own simple lifestyle and long service without salary or material accumulation. There is truth in his claim that certain ministries are more readily suspected of ulterior motives while others escape scrutiny. This asymmetry has theological and sociological roots: prophetic voices often critique established powers and so attract pushback; yet the right response is not to delegitimize prophecy wholesale but to apply consistent standards of accountability across ministry types. Equally, prophetic ministers must welcome transparent oversight to strengthen credibility, while institutional leaders should avoid reflexive character assassination.

Narrative control and the dangers of public reframing

The Bishop’s public posts reframing the private contact as a threat or insult illustrate how narrative control can redefine truth. In public disputes, perception frequently wins over nuance; a caption, a clipped video, or a curated screenshot can shape many minds before a fuller account is heard. Prophet Bernard ElBernard’s attempt to engage privately was eclipsed by a public narrative that suited certain tastes or agendas. Leaders must be mindful that public commentary carries weight; when raising concerns about ministry failures, fairness demands confirming facts, inviting dialogue, and avoiding language that inflames rather than clarifies.

The pastoral cost and the resilience of calling

Prophet Bernard ElBernard’s piece conveys personal hurt — mockery on video, private messages shared, colleagues who would not meet him when confronted. Yet threaded through the pain is a steady conviction in his calling. That posture is instructive: ministry is not merely a profession but a vocation that must be anchored in God more than in human vindication. His resilience — refusing to be defined by rumours or attacks — is both a survival strategy and a pastoral testimony. But resilience alone should not replace structural recourse: churches and denominations need mechanisms for mediation, restoration and unbiased investigation when conflicts escalate.

Practical steps for leaders and ministries

Reinstate confidentiality norms: Establish clear expectations for handling private communications among leaders. What is private stays private unless there is a consensual reason to share. – Formalize mediation channels: When disputes arise among leaders, use impartial committees or mediators rather than public platforms or informal cliques. – Apply consistent accountability: Treat all ministry offices — prophetic, pastoral, administrative — by the same standards of financial and ethical accountability. – Prioritize reconciliation: Encourage face-to-face conversations before public statements; commit to listening and clarifying motives. – Train in digital discretion: In an age of instant screenshots and forwards, leaders must be trained in digital wisdom: what to share, where and why. – Protect the vulnerable: Young ministers and those outside the inner circle should be mentored and protected from becoming pawns in senior disputes.

Conclusion: A call to integrity and courage

Prophet Bernard ElBernard Nelson-Eshun’s testimony is a wake-up call. It challenges leaders to examine how honour is practiced and sometimes abused; it exposes the corrosive potential of alliances that substitute power for pastoral care; and it critiques the selective suspicion that targets prophetic ministers while leaving other forms of influence unchecked. Above all, it invites a humble reformation: leaders who love truth must choose integrity over image, reconciliation over retaliation, and accountability over protectionism. For the wider church, the lesson is clear: let our networks be places of restoration, not weapons; let private trust be guarded as sacred; and let prophetic voices be tested fairly, not presumed guilty by association. In doing these things, the church will better reflect the justice and mercy of the One who called its ministers to serve, not to rule.

By Innocent Samuel Appiah

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