Why I No Longer Endorse the Ministry of Jeremiah Johnson

I’m writing with a heavy heart to share that I no longer endorse the ministry of Jeremiah Johnson or view him as a trustworthy prophetic voice. (I am referring to the Jeremiah Johnson of The Altar Global and related ministries.) In 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22, the apostle Paul gives us this admonition: “Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” Upon a closer examination of some of Jeremiah’s prophecies and reviewing some information that I was not previously aware of, I am now convinced that there has been a concerning pattern of deception, which I will explain more about below.

Why A Public Statement?

The reason I feel the need to make a public statement is that I have publicly endorsed Jeremiah in the past, and I know that there are people who were influenced by him and follow his ministry because of that. Jeremiah was a guest speaker multiple times at the church I previously pastored (Threshold Church in Lancaster, PA), ministered prophetically to our church, and gave prophetic words to individuals in our church. Not only that, but through social media, I no doubt endorsed him to many others outside of our local congregation. I publicly platformed and endorsed him, and I am publicly withdrawing that endorsement.

I don’t make this statement lightly or flippantly but with much processing, prayer, and counsel. I am well aware that in taking this position I am risking the loss of friendships and ministry connections. But I believe that it is the right thing to do before God. My goal is not to sway others in what to believe about Jeremiah or his prophecies—I encourage everyone to weigh what is presented and draw their own conclusions.

My heart is not to bring shame or division but to:

• See integrity restored to the charismatic/prophetic community
• Protect others from potential harm or deception
• See Jeremiah repentant and whole in Christ

My History with Jeremiah

I met Jeremiah in person for the first time in November of 2019 at a conference he hosted in North Carolina. He later came as a guest speaker to Threshold Church where I was pastoring on three separate occasions from December of 2020 through March of 2023. I was also a guest speaker at the church and ministry school he leads multiple times between 2022 and 2023. We have maintained occasional contact over the last several years, but I would not say that we have had a close relationship.

I want to say that my personal interactions with Jeremiah have always been positive—I never had any negative experiences with him or was hurt by him personally. (I am, however, reassessing the prophetic words he gave to me and to the church I pastored.) I have appreciated the emphasis of repentance, holiness, prayer, and consecration that I have heard in his messages and read in his books. This is what primarily drew me to his ministry. And I appreciate that he gave me opportunities to preach and minister and also recommended me to others. All of this makes it more devastating to learn of the concerning patterns that have come to light and more painful to write this statement.

A Concerning Pattern of Deception

What has come to my attention—and why I am withdrawing my endorsement—is a pattern of what I believe to be deceptive practices related to prophetic words and experiences.

I admit that I overlooked some warning signs in the past and have been too slow to seek out deeper truth and clarity. I really liked Jeremiah and didn’t want any of this to be true, and perhaps that skewed my perspective and approach. Over the past several weeks I have been examining things closer, as well as seeking outside counsel, and been grieved and alarmed with what I have found. I apologize if my failure to see clearly, dig deeper earlier, or say something sooner has negatively impacted any of you. I am truly sorry.

I will share a few examples below that I believe to be representative of an ongoing pattern of deceptive practices. While not a comprehensive list of my concerns or examples of what I see as deceptive, these examples will hopefully give insight into why I find this statement necessary. (A man named Josh Harris has done research and documentation regarding some of these matters, and I have linked some of his videos that provide detailed documentation and evidence.)

1. Deceptive manipulation of prophetic words

In July of 2015, Jeremiah released a prophetic word about God using Donald Trump that was widely shared and publicized. Shortly after this prophecy was given, he adamantly stated multiple times that this prophecy was not predicting that Donald Trump would win the 2016 election but simply that God would use him prior to the election. After the election however, the narrative shifted to say that this prophecy did predict Trump’s victory. In one of Jeremiah’s retellings of this prophecy in a 2021 video, some of the words of the prophecy were even changed to give this appearance. I find this to be intentionally deceptive and greatly concerning.

*See this video for a detailed documentation of this progression

*See this video for an assessment of other prophetic words

2. Discrepancies in the sharing of prophetic experiences

Jeremiah claims to have had a visitation from two angels at the end of 2018. He has told this story multiple times and written about it in at least two of his books. But there are significant discrepancies in the telling and retelling of this story. It is not simply that some versions fill in more details than other versions—it is that there are contradictions in the stories regarding significant details. This, along with the fact that part of the content of that prophetic word appears to have been plagiarized, greatly calls into question the validity of this encounter and prophetic word.

*See this video for a detailed documentation of discrepancies in this angelic visitation story

3. Plagiarizing other people’s content as his own

There is evidence that strongly suggests that Jeremiah has plagiarized other people’s content multiple times, using it in writings and prophetic words. In one instance, a statement that was shared previously by one of his brothers was then claimed to have been given to him by God. (In some retellings he says it was given by an angel instead of by God.)

*This video provides evidence of three separate instances of plagiarism

It is one thing to miss a prophetic word by thinking you heard from God but didn’t (though this should also be taken seriously). It is another thing altogether to intentionally deceive:

“Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:30-32)

Between the specific examples mentioned above and other concerning observations, what has come together and become clear to me is that there is a pattern of deception over a period of many years. While I don’t claim to know his motives, this pattern calls into question both the integrity of Jeremiah’s character and the validity of his prophetic words. This is my assessment after weighing what to me is factual evidence and observing patterns over time. I recommend all concerned parties to weigh and test these things and come to their own conclusions.

Final Remarks and Appeal

This has been a humbling, learning, and growing experience for me. I have been asking the Lord to search my own heart and refine me, and I have been repenting for any way that my lack of wisdom and discernment regarding Jeremiah has negatively impacted anyone. Over the last few years, I have been in a process of untangling from certain facets of charismatic culture while firmly remaining committed to the gifts of the Spirit for today. I see this situation as part of that process.

Scripture teaches that failing to receive a love of the truth is an open door to deception (see 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10). In examining the prophecies and concerns about Jeremiah Johnson, I had to ask, ‘what is true’ not ‘what do I want to be true.’ I encourage all who weigh this situation to do the same.

I am greatly concerned for Jeremiah and genuinely pray for his repentance. The issues described here are grave, and only a deep work of repentance from Jeremiah followed by years of demonstrating the fruit of transformation could restore trust. This is certainly my hope. But until such repentance occurs, I cannot in good conscience endorse Jeremiah or associate with his ministry.

May we all grow in love, truth, discernment, and the fear of the Lord.

-Jake Kail