‘I spent 1 hour 45 minutes in heaven’ — Duncan-Williams recounts extraordinary spiritual encounter

By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi/ Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada
Publication Date: August 21, 2026

Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, founder and General Overseer of Action Chapel International, has recounted what he described as a profound spiritual encounter in which he was taken out of his physical body and transported to heaven for approximately one hour and 45 minutes.

The veteran Ghanaian preacher shared the extraordinary account during a sermon, describing a journey in which he said he was guided by an angel and shown what he believes were aspects of the heavenly realm.

Among the most striking details of his account was his description of a high mountain covered with grass that appeared to sparkle like diamonds.

Duncan-Williams also recounted an emotional encounter with a late spiritual mentor, identified as Elder Saki, whom he said had played a significant role in his early spiritual journey.

According to the archbishop, Elder Saki appeared to him during the experience, drove toward him in a brilliant white car and eventually gave him what he described as a “pass” to return to his physical body.

‘I went there for 1 hour 45 minutes’

Recounting the experience to his congregation, Duncan-Williams said he was taken out of his body and shown what he described as remarkable sights.

He said an angel accompanied him during the encounter and led him to a high mountain.

“I went there for 1 hour 45 minutes. I was taken out of my body to heaven. I saw some very interesting things.”

He continued by describing the landscape he encountered.

“One of the things I saw was that an angel took me to a high mountain and the grass was like diamonds.”

The account was presented by the archbishop as a personal spiritual experience rather than as a conventional dream or metaphor.

His description has since attracted attention online, with excerpts from the sermon circulating on social media and prompting discussions about his account of the afterlife and spiritual encounters.

Meeting his late spiritual mentor

One of the most personal aspects of Duncan-Williams’ story was his account of meeting Elder Saki, whom he described as one of the spiritual fathers who had previously supported him through prayer.

According to the archbishop, an angel asked him whether he recognised anyone around him.

He said he responded that he did, after which Elder Saki approached him.

Duncan-Williams recalled that Elder Saki addressed him by his first name before the encounter took another significant turn.

“He mentioned my first name and I said, Papa. He then gave me a pass to go back to my body.”

The archbishop’s description suggests that the encounter was particularly meaningful because of Elder Saki’s connection to his earlier years in ministry.

Rather than presenting the meeting simply as a vision, Duncan-Williams described it as part of the broader spiritual journey he said he experienced during his time away from his physical body.

‘He was driving a beautiful white car’

Duncan-Williams also provided an unusual detail about the vehicle he said Elder Saki was driving.

He described it as a beautiful white car that shone like diamonds.

According to the preacher, the car had a particular significance because it was apparently the dream vehicle Elder Saki had desired while he was alive.

“Apparently, that was his dream car when he was on earth, so he got it in heaven.”

The account adds a deeply personal element to Duncan-Williams’ description of the experience, connecting something Elder Saki desired during his lifetime with what the archbishop says he witnessed in the spiritual realm.

Duncan-Williams says others can have similar encounters

The Action Chapel founder did not present his experience as something that could happen only to him.

He told his congregation that people who follow spiritual instructions closely could potentially experience similar encounters.

He suggested that such an experience does not necessarily mean physical death.

“If you follow the instructions of the spirit, some people will have an encounter to go to heaven. You won’t die, but you will go to heaven and see heaven, then you come back.”

His comments appeared intended to encourage his congregation to pay greater attention to what he described as spiritual direction and divine instruction.

The preacher’s remarks have generated interest partly because accounts of near-death or out-of-body experiences remain subjects of significant religious, philosophical and scientific debate.

A prominent figure in Ghanaian Christianity

Duncan-Williams is one of Ghana’s best-known Pentecostal and charismatic Christian leaders and has been a major figure in the country’s religious landscape for decades.

As the founder of Action Chapel International, he has built a large ministry with an international presence and has played a prominent role in Ghana’s Christian community.

His sermons frequently address themes including faith, prayer, spiritual warfare, divine intervention and personal encounters with God.

Against that background, his account of being taken to heaven is likely to attract considerable attention among followers of his ministry as well as the wider Ghanaian public.

A personal testimony, not an independently verified event

While Duncan-Williams presented the experience as something that happened to him, there is no independent way to verify the supernatural aspects of his account.

The details of what he says he saw and experienced belong to his personal testimony and religious interpretation.

His description of heaven, the angel, the mountain, the diamond-like grass and his meeting with Elder Saki should therefore be understood as his account of a spiritual experience, rather than independently established facts about the afterlife.

That distinction is particularly important when reporting on extraordinary religious experiences, where personal testimony and independently verifiable evidence are not necessarily the same thing.

The wider conversation about spiritual encounters

Duncan-Williams’ testimony comes amid continuing public interest in accounts from religious leaders who say they have experienced visions, heavenly journeys or encounters with the spiritual realm.

Such accounts often generate strong reactions in Ghana, where Christianity plays a significant role in public and private life.

For believers, testimonies of this nature can reinforce their faith in the existence of an afterlife and the spiritual world. Others may interpret such experiences through psychological, cultural or scientific perspectives.

Duncan-Williams, however, clearly presented his experience within a Christian spiritual framework and used the testimony to encourage his congregation to remain attentive to spiritual guidance.

Duncan-Williams’ message to his followers

Beyond the extraordinary details of the journey, the central message from the archbishop appeared to be about spiritual obedience.

His account was not simply a description of what he says he saw. He used the experience to urge believers to take their spiritual lives seriously and to remain open to divine direction.

His reference to being given a “pass” to return to his body also formed an important part of the testimony, reinforcing his belief that the encounter was temporary and that he was ultimately brought back to his earthly life.

The story has since become one of the latest widely discussed testimonies from the veteran Ghanaian preacher, adding another remarkable account to his decades-long ministry.

For now, Duncan-Williams’ description remains a personal account of a spiritual experience, with its meaning ultimately interpreted through the religious beliefs of those who hear it.

GhanaianNewsCanada will continue to bring readers developments and significant statements from Ghana’s religious, cultural and public life.