CHRIS WICKLAND'S ADMISSION THAT HE IS A FALSE PROPHET

apology for an incorrect prophetic word

Here we have Chris Wickland's admission that he is a false prophet!

Wickland refers to a prophecy he delivered in 2023 in which he predicted a general election. He insists the prediction came from an all‑night dream and was not fabricated, claiming the word “uproar” repeated throughout. In the dream, Keir Starmer triggered a general election, resulting in a hung parliament and the physical collapse of the Houses of Parliament, followed by unrest in the streets. Wickland now concedes the obvious: Starmer did not call an early election, none of the predicted events occurred, and the prophecy failed in every detail. 

Wickland: "Obviously Keir Starmer did not trigger an early general election as I had seen it.. none of what I just said has happened at all." 

Wickland then misrepresents the prophetic ministry with reasoning that is incoherent and doctrinally unsound. He argues that evangelists, pastors, teachers, and even apostles may operate with success rates well below 100%, yet prophets alone are held to what he calls “pretty brutal standards”. By his own criteria, however, he concedes that he qualifies as a false prophet, since his record does not meet the standard he claims is unfairly imposed. His comments appear to be a response to sustained public criticism, and an attempt to justify his failed prediction. 

Wickland further promised that if the various prophetic words he had issued—many of which were due to expire within twelve months of 24 May 2024—did not come to pass, he would never deliver another prophetic word. The difficulty is obvious: the very prophecy for which he issued an apology did not come to pass, yet he treats this failure as if it does not fall under the terms of his own promise.

Mike Bickle is a clear example of a false prophet employing the same rationale. He publicly taught that prophetic words do not need to be 100% accurate, proposing an approximate 80% accuracy threshold—a standard directly at odds with the biblical requirement of total precision in Deuteronomy 18. This rhetoric functions as an unbiblical escape mechanism, a way for false prophets to evade the biblical criteria and justify their continued authority despite demonstrable failure.

False prophecy is treated in scripture as a lie. (Jeremiah 27:15; Ezekiel 13:6-8). It is never treated as a minor error or something to be excused. In the Old Testament it carries the highest level of moral severity, including the death penalty, and operates as an automatic disqualification from any claim to divine authority. Neither the Old nor the New Testament permits any margin of error in prophetic speech; there is no biblical allowance for prophecy to be less than 100% accurate. The prophetic standard is total precision and total fidelity to Yahweh, without exception.

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ (Deuteronomy 18:20).

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. (Deuteronomy 13:1-5).

And the LORD said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds. (Jeremiah 14:14).

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’” For who among them has stood in the council of the Lord to see and to hear his word, or who has paid attention to his word and listened? Behold, the storm of the Lord! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intents of his heart. In the latter days you will understand it clearly. “I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their deeds. “Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord. I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal? Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the Lord. Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who steal my words from one another. Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who use their tongues and declare, ‘declares the Lord.’ Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the Lord, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:16-32).

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’ Thus says the Lord God, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the Lord. They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word. Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the Lord,’ although I have not spoken?” Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord God. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord God. (Ezekiel 13:1-9).

And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ when the LORD has not spoken. (Ezekiel 22:28).

The New Testament presents false prophets as deceptive figures who infiltrate the church under a veneer of legitimacy, producing corrupt fruit and leading believers astray. Jesus warns that many will arise, some performing signs designed to mislead (Matthew 7; 24; Mark 13). Acts identifies false prophecy as active opposition to the gospel, while 2 Peter describes false prophets and false teachers as introducing destructive heresies and denying Christ. John commands believers to test every spirit because many false prophets have gone out into the world, and Revelation portrays the false prophet as a figure who uses signs to promote idolatry and moral corruption. Across these texts, the New Testament maintains a unified standard: false prophets are recognised by deception, doctrinal distortion, corrupt conduct, and the production of counterfeit spiritual authority.

Cei Dewar’s recent affirmation of Wickland is reckless and unbiblical. He charged the congregation to trust Wickland even when his actions or statements appear contradictory, insisting they stand with “this man of God” regardless of what they see or understand. His declaration that Wickland is hearing a divine voice others cannot hear—and is leading them toward “purpose” and “promise” even when the situation resembles a wilderness—functions as an unconditional loyalty demand, not a biblical test of prophecy or leadership.1

Given the evidence previously outlined, I identify Chris Wickland and his associates as NAR‑aligned false teachers, exhibiting the characteristic markers of that movement and the recognisable traits of false prophets and ecumenical teachers to mark and avoid (Romans 16:17-18).

1.  Life in the wilderness by Bishop Cei Dewar

CEI DEWAR'S SUPPORT FOR FALSE PROPHET CHRIS WICKLAND

Life in the wilderness by Bishop Cei Dewar

..while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:13).

Cei Dewar’s unwavering endorsement of Chris Wickland is deeply concerning. His insistence that the congregation trust “this man of God” without testing the spirits is not merely irresponsible—it is alarming.

Before identifying the concern, I will briefly address Dewar’s assertion that “when the priest’s garment is torn, the priesthood has left him." This claim has no textual grounding in the Old Testament and represents pure eisegesis. No Old Testament passage states that tearing priestly garments removes the office. In the Torah, tearing the high priest’s clothing is a prohibited act, not a ritual signal of disqualification. The high‑priestly robe is explicitly constructed so that “it will not be torn” (Exodus 28), and priests—especially the high priest—are forbidden to tear their garments (Leviticus 10:6; 21:10). A torn garment therefore indicates violation of priestly sanctity, not loss of priestly status. Caiaphas’ action in Matthew 26 follows rabbinic courtroom custom, not Mosaic law. The tearing signaled a judicial declaration of blasphemy, a conventional expression of outrage and condemnation. In doing so, he simultaneously broke the very prohibition binding the high priest, making his act unlawful rather than symbolic of priesthood transfer. Christ’s resurrection inaugurated a heavenly priesthood that was not yet manifested on earth; the high priest’s earthly office did not end through his own unlawful act. Theologically, the Levitical priesthood concluded at the cross (Hebrews 7-10). Historically, it ceased with the destruction of the temple in AD 70 (Matthew 24:2; Daniel 9:26-27). Since that point, no functioning Levitical priesthood has existed.

Dewar: "God sets up a man of God in the Old Testament to say 'I will show you where to follow'. And in the New Covenant brings him into a relationship that now says, 'Don't just follow me. walk with me'. ...today I charge you in the name of God to stand when nobody else will stand with this man of God. When you don't understand why he's saying what he's saying or doing what he's doing that you charged in the name of God will trust this man is listening to the voice that I do not hear and leading us to the place of purpose, to the place of promise, even when it looks like we're stuck in the wilderness, because Israel would have got through the wilderness a whole lot quicker had they just trusted the one God put to lead them through. How many seasons of our lives have been delayed or lengthened simply because we did not obey an instruction from a man of God."  

This is the stuff of cults! 

Dewar effectively argues that allegiance to the “man of God” should outrank allegiance to Christ. His model suppresses critical discernment, removes the believer’s right to test Wickland’s extravagant claims, and elevates trust in a self‑appointed prophet above the authority of scripture. In doing so, both men displace the role of the Holy Spirit and encroach upon the prerogatives of Christ Himself.

The Man of God syndrome is the Moses Model

There is no textual or historical basis for any pastor or leader to appropriate the title "the man of God" as an exclusive, elevated status over fellow elders. Such self‑designation reflects an inflated view of one’s own authority and aligns with the arrogance scripture explicitly warns against (Romans 12:3; Galatians 6:3). A leader who adopts titles of superiority demonstrates a disposition incompatible with legitimate pastoral responsibility (Matthew 23:8).

In contemporary usage, "man of God" has shifted to describe a self‑appointed apostle, prophet, or pastor who operates without meaningful accountability. This figure claims special powers—healing, predicting the future, or functioning as the exclusive conduit of divine blessing—and becomes someone the congregation fears and reveres. In some cases he is treated as the sole channel through which God acts, a posture that edges toward functional worship

The contemporary “man of God” posture reflects a Moses‑style leadership model that has no relevance for New Testament ecclesiology. The Old Testament used "man of God" as a generic designation for prophets and divine messengers—applied to figures such as Moses, Samuel, Elijah, and Elisha, as well as unnamed prophetic voices (e.g., 1 Kings 13; 20:28). In the New Testament, Paul applies the term to Timothy (1 Timothy 6:11) as a minister of the gospel, a usage that extends naturally to all faithful ministers and, by extension, all faithful believers.

Biblical leadership remains accountable and subject to rebuke and correction. A plurality of elders is required to ensure mutual oversight. Where humility and teachability are present, a healthy church is more likely to emerge. A leader confronted with concerns does not pull rank but examines himself honestly to determine whether the charge has merit. Where this posture is absent, the system becomes authoritarian and predictably collapses, leaving many exposed to spiritual harm.

I have already demonstrated in earlier posts that Wickland is a proven false prophet. He is openly ecumenical, and scripture instructs believers to mark and avoid such men (Romans 16:17-18). The clearest example is his failed “prophetic vision” for the UK delivered on 31 July 2022, built on Joshua 1, in which he announced an imminent national “shift”. None of the predicted outcomes—the disappearance of major denominations, the collapse of the liberal left, the breakdown of economic systems, or the fall of the government—has occurred in any identifiable or concrete form.1 

Dewar presents himself as "a voice for the historic Gospel of Jesus Christ", adopting a fatherly authority and a manufactured moral gravity that relies heavily on emotional appeal. His sermons are theatrical, yet his claims are inaccurate, unscriptural, and collapse under straightforward textual examination. He is part of a group called The Five Fathers, who lead online prayer for the United Kingdom on Sunday evenings. Dewar serves as a missionary bishop in the Confessing Anglican Church (CAC), attached to the Missionary Diocese of Providence (UK). His public ministry is branded through CAC platforms and media appearances, where he advances a politically charged form of Christianity described by mainstream reporting as militant and confrontational. The CAC functions as a small, independent Anglican jurisdiction outside the historic Anglican Communion, and Dewar’s role reflects a self‑contained ecclesial identity rather than recognised Anglican oversight. The movement has gained traction in the vacuum created by the Church of England’s failures and the current political climate; however, its theological foundations are questionable.

I recommend John Collins’ Leaving the Message material, which provides valuable analysis and practical lessons drawn from the corrupt Branhamism cult and the subsequent development of the New Apostolic Reformation.

Collins: "Leaving the Message is a project of William Branham Historical Research, critically examining William Marrion Branham (a.k.a. William Marvin Branham, 1907–1965), a Pentecostal revivalist and doomsday prophet whose teachings gave rise to authoritarian cults and spiritual abuse. We trace his influence into N.A.R., Latter Rain, Word of Faith, and Deliverance ministries." 

(547) Leaving the Message - YouTube

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.. (1 Timothy 2:5).

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1).

I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; (Acts 20:29).

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3).

1. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: CHRIS WICKLAND: 2022 FAILED "PROPHETIC VISION"