Jeremiah Johnson, who wrongly prophesied that Donald Trump would win in 2020, is being sued for defamation by his brother and sister-in-law, Josiah and Jennifer Johnson.
Josiah, who publicly accused Jeremiah last year of manipulating people with false prophecies, told The Roys Report (TRR) he hopes a jury trial will also expose other charismatic Christian leaders for covering for Jeremiah.
“We’re going to subpoena all of them,” Josiah said. “They’re going to have to come out and either lie for Jeremiah or tell the truth.”
The suit, filed by Texas powerhouse attorney Warren Norred in U.S. District Court’s Northern District of Texas, also names Josiah’s other brother, Paul Johnson, and his ministry, Paul T. Johnson Ministries, as defendants. Jeremiah’s ministry, The Altar Global, is named in the suit, as well.
Separately, a team of ministry leaders recently confronted Jeremiah for “inconsistencies” in his words and behavior and called for his resignation from ministry, wrote Robert Gladstone, founder of King’s People Ministry, in a statement to TRR.
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“We had experienced and heard of various inconsistencies in some of Jeremiah’s words and actions that we considered harmful to the body of Christ,” Gladstone wrote in his statement.
In 2020, Jeremiah wrongly prophesied that Donald Trump would win the 2020 election. He then apologized, shut down his Jeremiah Johnson Ministries, and promised to stay out of prophesies related to current events.
Jeremiah hasn’t kept that promise, though, prophesying last week that God would protect Trump from assassination during his upcoming term. He also relaunched Altar Global in place of his former Jeremiah Johnson Ministries.
The lawsuit stems from events starting last March.
Beginning March 12, Josiah accused Jeremiah on social media of making false prophecies, plagiarism , faking repentance in the face of criticism, and spiritually abusing followers.
Weeks later, Jeremiah and Paul Johnson countered with a 25-page article posted on Paul Johnson’s ministry website, accusing Josiah of being manipulative, divisive, volatile, and deceptive. The article included stories from eight others who seemed to agree.
According to Attorney Norred, the accusations against Josiah are false, retaliatory, and meant to discredit his client’s efforts to call for accountability for Jeremiah.
“I blew the whistle so effectively that it caused them to put together a 25-page hit piece on me to try to shut me and (my wife) Jenn up,” Josiah told TRR.
TRR reached out to Paul and Jeremiah Johnson for comment but received no response.
However, some of Josiah’s former supporters, who aren’t connected to Paul or Jeremiah’s efforts, told TRR that criticism against Josiah Johnson is well-deserved.
“Josiah plays the hero but is actually a villain himself,” said Stuart Graham, who was part of Josiah’s recent church plant.
The lawsuit
Paul Johnson titled his criticism of Josiah in the article he published, “A Dangerous & Divisive Man: A Warning to the Body of Christ.”
“Full of envy and malice, Josiah has appointed himself as the chief prosecutor of the church,” Paul Johnson wrote.
Several ministry leaders, including Jeremiah, signed the letter.
But the lawsuit alleges the testimonies in the document leave out key details that misrepresent various times Josiah and Jennifer Johnson confronted wrongdoing in the church.
For instance, an accusation that the Johnsons pressured a woman to leave her husband against her desire left out details that the husband had been physically abusive to her, the suit alleges.
Josiah and Jennifer Johnson are seeking almost $300,000 for three years’ worth of lost wages, stating the accusations resulted in the loss of their jobs. They’re also seeking $1,000,000 in damages.
Other concerns about Jeremiah Johnson
Josiah isn’t the only one who has publicly criticized Jeremiah Johnson. Last year, Robert Gladstone publicly criticized Jeremiah’s dream about Mike Bickle, the disgraced founder of the International House of Prayer-Kansas City.
Jeremiah had posted on Facebook that he had a prophetic dream in which Bickle was a dethroned pope, following sexual misconduct allegations. Jeremiah added that God had gave Jeremiah authority to bestow crowns to others.
Months later, Jeremiah deleted and apologized for the post.
Then last spring, Gladstone said he was part of a team of pastors who confronted Jeremiah Johnson.
Gladstone said in his statement to TRR that Jeremiah apologized, took some time off from ministry, and removed a public prophecy. He added that the team believed Jeremiah didn’t make enough changes. But while the group had originally planned to make a public document about their concerns about Jeremiah, Gladstone said respected leaders advised the team against public exposure as the next step. So instead, the team warned affected churches, Gladstone wrote.
“Our main priority was to serve and protect the people in our sphere of ministry,” Gladstone wrote.
Gladstone also wrote in his statement that Messianic Jewish apologist Michael Brown, who is Jeremiah’s spiritual advisor, had agreed to mediate the group’s confrontation with Jeremiah.
Brown is now embroiled in his own controversy, involving allegations of sexual misconduct.
Gladstone said Brown switched from being a mediator with Jeremiah to being an advocate and questioning witnesses. Gladstone was so frustrated with Brown’s approach that Gladstone said he cut off his personal relationship with Brown, as a result.
Last November, months after the confrontation with Jeremiah, Brown spoke at an event put on by Jeremiah Johnson’s ministry.
In a public statement about the lawsuit yesterday, Josiah accused Brown of covering up the confrontation against Jeremiah.
Brown did not return TRR’s request for comment.
Josiah also called Gladstone “cowardly” in an email to TRR for not calling Jeremiah out publicly.
Josiah also posted text messages with Gladstone, in which Gladstone told Josiah about plans to confront Jeremiah, call him to repentance, and request Jeremiah step down from ministry. If Jeremiah didn’t repent, the team would publicly expose him, Gladstone stated in the texts.
Josiah told TRR he sees himself as a whistleblower—not just regarding his brothers but also charismatic Christianity. Josiah wrote in a public statement yesterday that his lawsuit will expose other Christian leaders.
“Undoubtedly this will not only bring much more exposure to my brothers and my family but to many other ministries and families who either intentionally or unintentionally intertwined themselves into this story,” Josiah wrote on Facebook yesterday.
More criticism about Josiah
Meanwhile, Josiah is facing accusations about his own character from sources other than his brothers.
Stuart and KayCee Graham, who served closely with Josiah and Jennifer in a recent church plant, Family of Fire, in Alabama, told TRR Josiah shows a concerning pattern.
They allege Josiah has started churches all over the country, confronting local leaders in dishonest ways for alleged wrongdoing. They say Josiah then quickly, and often prophetically, moved on to another state to do it all over again.
The Grahams said they initially supported Josiah in his efforts to publicly call out Jeremiah. However, they said they confronted Josiah last summer over Josiah’s decision to move the new church plant to Texas. The Grahams documented how Josiah then excommunicated them.
The Grahams called Josiah and Jennifer Johnson “real Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing” in a statement online.
The Grahams told TRR they intentionally documented allegations of spiritual abuse against Josiah separately from efforts by Paul and Jeremiah Johnson.
“I just refused to allow anyone else to be manipulated and coerced and controlled by Josiah,” Stuart Graham said.
Josiah called the Grahams’ statement “slander” and “retaliation” for Josiah asking them to leave the church last year. Josiah said he plans to sue the Grahams for defamation soon.
However, a former elder at Family of Fire, Joshua Harris, echoed the Grahams’ concerns about Josiah and said he’s concerned about Josiah’s lack of accountability.
Harris added he’s concerned about Jeremiah’s false prophecies too.
“It’s a dumpster fire all around,” Harris said. “I don’t think anybody’s without fault or without blind spots.”
Josiah Johnson v. Jeremiah Johnson, et. al. – filed Jan. 2, 2025
FILE_2438 (2)_Redacted 1
Rebecca Hopkins is a journalist based in Colorado.
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34 Responses
Trump did win in 2020, but the other side had many ways to cheat. I followed Jeremiah for a long time and he is a good person. I think Michael Brown tried to take him over and make him feel guilty. Many good prophets said Trump would win, which he did. His brother Josiah and his wife have alot to do to sue Jeremiah. They asked for trouble. It looks to me like they are the ones with the real problem. No offense, but that article was too long for this subject that many people may not be interested in. I skipped alot at the end, then went back to it and confirmed that this Josiah character is a bad character indeed.
The opening Trump statement is a rabbit trail and 4 years later after the Biden presidency is at an end it is also a non-starter.
A. Paul has something very specific to say in 1 Corinthians 6:1-6 about Christians squabbling in public and taking each other to court. He says don’t do it.
B. The only way that the prophecy about Trump winning in 2024 could be true was if he actually served in office. He did not so no prophecy by anyone that he would win is valid. You can’t add a codicil to the prophecy that Trump actually won but was cheated so the prophecy is now true. Prophecy doesn’t work that way. The Biblical litmus test is one false prophecy and you are a false prophet. Period.
C. Michael Brown has been defending false prophets, grifters and Charismatic/Prosperity hacks for decades and is now embroiled in his own scandal. Anything he involves himself in turns into a Hot Mess and he should have removed himself from the minstry a long time ago.
None of these people are prophets.. As for the length of the article, it might be too long for some people but it is not too long for everyone.
Trump lost in 2020. Your lies do not change the facts.
Kathy, Trump did not win in 2020. Your theology must be so weak as to place credibility in a prophet who got a 50/50 outcome 100% wrong (Trump was not president for 4 years). Predictions, bets and gambling on outcomes is not biblical prophecy.
@kathy branscom,
You have made truth claims about the 2020 election actually being won by Trump.
And just like all of MAGA world, you have spectacularly FAILED to provide even one scintilla of evidence to support your claim.
Kathy. Appreciate your stand for truth. Not sure how many here would have viewed Isaiah with his prophecy of Christ’s birth hundreds of years in the future. By this crowds criteria he would be deemed to be a false prophet…since the prophecy wasn’t fulfilled in their lifetime and it would be impossible (virgin giving birth).
Humility goes a long way before God and in the search to understand prophecy, both yesterday and today.
Absolutely! What a frivolous lawsuit!
I look forward to taking this whole cadre of prophets of Ba-al out to the woodshed – I will God decide whether it should be Elijah style….🙂
Regardless whether You Believe it or not. Jeremiah Johnson’s and other GODLY Prophets were not 🚫 wrong. Trump Won 2020 whether we believe it or not. Jeremiah Johnson’s Unfortunately gave in to the masses. Just because we don’t like something doesn’t mean its a lie.
Respectfully Jeremiah the Biblical PROPHET Prophesied TRUTHS yet People didn’t necessarily believe that prophet. Regardless of our opinions . Josiah are on scary surface. Jeremiah Johnson is Anointed by GOD. warning to curse the Anointed is cursing yourselves. Not me I would rather let GOD arise and our enemies be silent.
🎶Trump Won and You know it 🎶
Are you suggesting that God was powerful enough to cause trump to “win”, like God told God’s “prophets” to prophesy, but then NOT powerful enough to actually install trump as president? If you follow this to it’s logical end, you are saying that democrats are more powerful than God- and can thwart God’s stated (through his prophets) plan.
that’s some terrible theology.
Evidently you set the bar for being a “godly” prophet at ground level. God sets it a good deal higher than that. Trump did not serve a term between 2020 and 2024, therefore, he was not elected, despite your bleetings to the contrary. This man is a false prophet. Your cliche and ubiquitous warning to “touch not God’s annointed” doesn’t have any teeth. An annointed prophet of God would not give a false prophecy. Therefore, this person is not annointed. The test for a prophet is 100% accuracy. The person above already failed that test. The office of Prophet is closed anyway and has been since the 1st Century so your entire post is moot.
Melody, please seek counselling and a spiritual eye surgeon to remove your cataracts. Fantasy has no place in the Kingdom of God.
Dear Gregory
Are you prepared to take your own advice if time and revelations prove Melody right?
God knows the Truth.
I first learned of Jeremiah on Rick Joyner’s broadcast. He was talking about certain things actually being wrong and badly out of order in the prophetic ministry group they are both a part of. Made me buy his book which covered about half of what I have known to be wrong for 15 years now. I was impressed in that he was and remains the only one I know of IN that group that openly criticizes it and what he says is accurate. Accurate but very incomplete. Then I heard he was prophesying with others that Trump would win in 2015. Then I read the post where he said he was wrong and was getting out of the prophecy business some 4 years ago. And I paid no more attention to him for I do not listen to those proven to be false prophets.
But then in following a rabbit trail of others speaking out about the Todd Bentley/Rick Joyner controversy which was just published here a few days ago, I came across him again as one mentioned who would be publicly distancing himself from Joyner. And now here is this report. The Spirit of God does work in interesting ways sometimes…
Donald just Trump did win the 2020 election. The Election was stolen. There is proof of it being a stolen election and many more from prior Elections. Other Prophets spoke God’s word in this manner stating that D J Trump won the election. So Jeremiah Johnson did not make a false Prophecy.
Thx for all you do to expose wrongdoing in the Church and God bless your Ministry.
Trump recently admitted that he did lose the prior election on Lex Fridman. Look it up for yourself. You were lied to and believed a lie. And you are contradicting Johnson who is more honest than you are being.
Trump never conceded. Ever. Provide me the article or link. For four years everyone tried to get him to, but he didn’t.
Not sure how many are familiar with Kim Clement, a reputable prophet who has since passed right as Trump was about to have his first term. Clement said the Lord showed him there would be a time when “two presidents” were in office simultaneously. And he was right. The “fake” and fraudulent Biden and then Trump.
I find most people who argue about prophecies about Trump are more often than not cessationists. They don’t believe in prophecy, have studied little or not at all regarding the gift , and ironically have the most to say on what it is and isn’t.
“though, prophesying last week that God would protect Trump from assassination during his upcoming term”
If I understand this correctly, the reasoning is that if Trump is not assassinated, God protected him, and Mr. Johnson is a realsies prophet. Is it also the case that if Trump is assassinated, God failed to protect him? Would that reveal something either about Trump or about Mr. Johnson?
Oh man, grab a bucket of popcorn. This is gonna be entertaining. Watching the lawsuit play out will be like watching blindfolded people swinging foam pool noodles at each other. This may be a peak example of the level of intellectual bankruptcy among Christian fundagelical-pentecostals. Although, just give it a few weeks, and I’m sure we’ll see something even better – that’s my prophecy.
Maybe it wasn’t a prophecy. Maybe it was a guess.
50% chance of being right, and he got it wrong.
I know both men (and their families) personally – having lived in the Lakeland / Winter Haven, FL area for almost 6 years (2018-2023). Attended Jer’s church (& the WH church plant). There is FAR more “behind the scenes” stuff than “The Roys Report” has touched on! Nothing is as it appears! I encourage everyone to be led by the Holy Spirit in seeking the Truth behind this… AND in praying for all involved!
Thanks for sharing. Waiting for more to come out as God cleans out. Jeremiah says this is the year for it. May it start with him and his family.
To Julie Roy’s: Have you not read the awful things that Josiah Johnson has done to the body of Christ? The way he divides and destroys families? I think you need to do a little more homework before pointing fingers in this Johnson family feud.
We reported the allegations in this article. Did you miss that?
To those who believe the 2020 election was stolen, riddle me this:
Why do you ONLY challenge the POTUS election, but not ANY of the down ballot elections? In November of 2020, we didn’t just vote for the POTUS. There were congressional, gubernatorial, legislative, and local elections all on the SAME ballot – why don’t you question any of those? When these “fake ballots” allegedly popped up, did they ONLY have votes for POTUS and the rest were empty? Why wouldn’t those “fake ballots” give the Dems much-needed control of the Senate too?
I expected Trump to cry foul in 2020 (remember, he told us MONTHS earlier that if he lost, it would be because it was stolen), but what really made me dismiss it as nothing other than a predictable tantrum was that NO OTHER election was called into question. If a newly elected (or re-elected) governor, senator, member of the House, or judge would have ALSO come forward and said, “my election was on that same ballot and I want to make sure I won fairly, can we do a recount?”; or if a legislative bill was called into question, then MAYBE. I mean, Marjorie Taylor Greene was on the ballot in Georgia, where Trump was looking for missing votes, and I didn’t hear her call her own election into question.
It’s so blatantly self-serving it’s actually funny.
Apparently, there’s some number of people with a big appetite for false prophets. No amount of evidence can persuade them they’re wrong. I’m so sick of hearing the lies about the 2020 election. Trump lost. The election was fair and honest. I’m sick of the abuse poured on to the election workers and officials. Please do us all a favor. Stop and get over it.
So many prophecies have not come to pass with self-proclaimed prophets…There seems to be many people deceived and following false prophets, whose personal lives are far from godly. Usually it’s evangelical charismatics, the same who worship DJ Trump as a Messiah…it is no mis-statement that they will gladly receive the Antichrist, unable to discern him.
I don’t know if there is a THE Anti-Christ, but there are certainly a few small “a” anti-christs today and in the past. Sadly, many evangelicals, but not all, have fully devoted themselves to a very easily identified anti-Christ(s) in today’s claiming ‘christian’ media and political realm. These anti-
Christs love to spout lots of God-talk, but they Hate the Way of Jesus…and they don’t Practice the Way of Jesus either. Quite a few of them are easily identified as anti-Christs by their deeds. One of them is entering one of the most powerful political offices on the globe. We are called to pray for and obey as much as is morally/ethically possible for us, but we also know not to trust him at all, nor participate in, or excuse or be silent about the wicked deeds he and his cabal have done and want to do.
Really, isn’t it time to tell the truth?
In its entirety, the Pentecostal, Charismatic, Word of Faith, New Apostolic Reformation, etc. movements have repeatedly proven themselves as being FALSE.
Want a couple of examples?
None of the so called “prophets” predicted Covid 19.
None of the supposed “healing ministries” went out into the hospitals (or anywhere) to heal.
Many of the false “prophets” incorrectly declared “Covid is over” right when it began to get really ugly.
I’m sadly reminded of the warnings found in First Timothy 4:1-3 and also Second Timothy 3:1-7.
And I find it an odd coincidence that the boastful claims found in Matthew 7:21-23 (did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?) are the very things that the Continuationist “believers” claim that they are doing… I don’t find this behavior or these beliefs in Reformed theology, or with any theology that is genuinely within the pale of orthodoxy.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
For those who seem to know who the false prophets are…please list for me the names of genuine prophets that you would recommend the Body recognize.
If you don’t who the true ones are…you probably don’t know how to discern who the false ones are either. Most on this platform, including some writers…are cessationists. Its like having a strong opinion about a sport you’ve rarely watched or liked.
I know of a prophet to consider: now deceased Romanian pastor Dumitru Duduman, author of the book, Through The Fire Without Burning (1991). He died in 1997, after having received multiple detailed dreams and visions of the coming defeat and destruction of America. While God’s children seem to focus on American elections, as though America is the center of the universe, the picture is that America will soon not be a nation. Dumitru was shown Russia and others will attack and succeed in decapitating America’s power and position in the world. Is that far from now? Is that impossible destruction? Ask the residents of Pacific Palisades. In accordance with Rev. 18, the defeat of America must happen before the new world government can form.
Hello Shawn. I find myself at odds with his so-called prophecy about America’s destruction. This has been written on and so called prophesied for generations. It’s not going to happen. That’s not what the Bible teaches, nor is it what the Holy Spirit has been relaying to his Church for quite some time.
Not trying to be mean-spirited or provocative…but many would say the typical “futurist” view of eschatology (i.e. everything will get worse, antichrist rules, etc) would be considered false prophecy.
Look up the origins of the “futurist” view. John Nelson Darby being the biggest voice from about 200 years ago when this false view began. Look into the associations of Darby, Scofield, and Pike with the “masons.” Research how the masons and their auxiliary groups help to finance and promote the dissemination of this view. This view goes against the 1800 years of history the Church has in upholding a “preterist” or “partial-preterist” view.
While many think things are winding down because of the levels of evil that are publicly at work…I believe what the Holy Spirit has been saying…and that God is in the process of exposing and dealing with this evil. We are literally on the precipice of a new era going forward. God’s kingdom is and will continue to advance here on earth as it is in heaven.
Many of the above comments missed the fact that there is a broken home where 2, and now 3 blood relative brothers are at odds with one another. This breaks the heart of Jesus and is another great commercial for the naysayers to give credence to their disdain for the “dysfunctional America church”!
I wonder what the parents of these young men must be thinking and praying right now? Well, whatever it is, I pray Mercy will be applied and Jesus will forgive us all for missing the point!