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Religion is seen to have both positive and negative impacts on the individual and the society. The present study sought to investigate the impact of neo-prophetic Christianity on the members of neo-prophetic churches in Ghana. Eighty-six congregants of six neo-prophetic churches in Accra and Kumasi were sampled for this study. Methods used in the gathering of data included in-depth interviews, church observations, and focused group discussions. Results indicated that neo-prophetic Christianity has both positive and negative impacts on their members and the society in general. Some of the negative impacts included exploitation by church leaders, discrimination among church members and against other religions, and attribution of spiritual causes to illness and misfortune. The positive impacts of religion included the adoption of good personal values, provision of social support, the use of religious coping, as well as fostering hope and optimism. The implications of these findings are discussed.

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Many people like to identify as belonging to one church or another. Previous studies have explored the process of switching from one religious group to another, and this process has identified various factors that determine the likelihood and reasons for switching. Although this has been explored, little is known about the factors that influence switching among charismatic Christians in Ghana, and the potential implications of such switching on mental well-being. Our study therefore explored the reasons given by members of selected neo-Pentecostal/charismatic churches in Ghana for their decision to switch to these churches. The study was conducted in six neo-Pentecostal churches in Accra and Kumasi through the use of individual and focus group interviews as well as observations of church activities. A total of 86 respondents cited reasons such as geographic mobility, marriage, answers to prayer, as well as miracles and prophecies as their determining factors. These are discussed with emphasis on the potential implications for mental health such as psychological distress, blind faith, and individual agency.

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