THE BISHOP WHO INSTIGATED OTHER SENIOR MEN OF GOD AGAINST ME (Part 1)
In the last twenty-seven years of ministry, I have had many experiences that have quietly reshaped my perspective. Ministry has a way of teaching you lessons and often, those lessons come through relationships. I had the honour and privilege of preaching for this respected Bishop on more than five occasions. Each time I stood on his platform, I poured myself out fully into his ministry. I served with sincerity, honour, and a genuine desire to be a blessing. Over time, a good relationship developed between us, built on mutual respect and shared moments in ministry.
Beyond preaching for him, I was also personally blessed by his messages and enriched by his books. I held him in high esteem not just as a senior minister, but as someone I genuinely admired and respected.
Then one day, I came across a message he posted on a public platform. Many people interpreted it as a reference to me. Around the same time, I also saw a video of one of his pastors openly mocking me. The timing of both incidents was troubling. Because of the relationship and respect I had for him, I chose not to respond publicly. Instead, I reached out privately. I sent him a respectful WhatsApp message, drawing his attention to the situation and expressing my concern with the timing.
I did not expect what followed. Several days later, five senior men of God reached out to me separately. Each of them sent me screenshots of my private message to the Bishop. I was confused. Then I discovered that the Bishop had posted my private WhatsApp message in a WhatsApp group of senior ministers with the caption, “Guys, this is the message Elbernard sent to me. The guy has become very arrogant.” When I read the comments that followed, I was deeply shocked. Men I respected were forming opinions about me based on a private conversation they did not fully understand.
I kept asking myself one question, why would a private message sent out of honour and respect be weaponised? Why would something meant to preserve relationship be used to damage one? Why will you use a respectful private message to instigate and trigger other senior men of God against me?
Surprisingly, the narrative began to change. What I had sent privately and respectfully was now being presented as something else. The Bishop suggested that I had insulted him and even threatened him. Something that was far from the truth. Almost immediately, a few men of God began to run with this new version of the story. Some deliberately, started looking for ways to discredit my person and damage my ministry.
Some of them are not new to such things.They have built reputations around weakening and damaging other ministries and taking advantage of vulnerable seasons. But they should also understand this, I am not an easy target. No conspiracy, no negative agenda, and no propaganda formed against me will stand.
Later, I forwarded to the Bishop the very post he had shared in the WhatsApp group. To my surprise, he became offended not at what he had done, but at those within his circle who sent me the screenshots. He felt betrayed by them. He was hurt by their actions, but seemed to overlook that my own trust had already been broken when my private message was shared publicly to shape opinions against me.He had forgotten that his associate pastor openingly mocked me in a video.Ministry teaches you that not everything is as it seems.
This experience taught me something important. Honour men, respect leaders, and value relationships but absolutely depend on God. Stay focused on your assignment. Because there are systems, alliances, and unseen networks in ministry that can easily entangle you if you are not careful. And once you fall into their trap, survival becomes difficult.
Anyway, this is not the whole story. I hate pretense. Anyway, this is my story and not our story.
His name is Prophet
Bernard ElBernard Nelson-Eshun
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