Pastor Mensah Otabil
The leadership of the International Central Gospel Church has stated that Pastor Mensa Otabil does not subscribe to any doctrine that disrespects the holy scriptures and therefore embraces it as the entire counsel of God.
“Pastor Otabil has always and at all times maintained the sanctity of God's word, the Bible, as wholly inspired and authoritative. Pastor Mensa Otabil therefore does not subscribe to any doctrine that disrespects the Holy Scriptures, which he wholly embraces as the entire counsel of God.”
A statement signed on behalf of Reverend Morris Appiah, General Secretary of the Church and copied to the Ghana News Agency said there was no where that the Pastor used the phrase:”Some scriptures in the Bible are senseless and stupid.”
The statement said the article referenced portions of a message preached on Sunday 13th January 2019 by Pastor Mensa Otabil, which was subsequently featured on our Living Word television broadcast on Sunday 26th May, 2019 as the basis for this unfortunate heading.
It publication said Pastor Mensa Otabil claimed that some scriptures in the Bible were 'senseless and stupid."
The statement said much as they encouraged reportage and healthy debate on sermons preached, the publishers owed it as a responsibility to the publics to correct such significant misrepresentations.
“The headline and opening statement do not in any way reflect the viewpoint or the contents of the sermon preached by Pastor Otabil as a Theologian of international repute.
“Considering the significant interest shown in the sermon, when it was preached and telecast, ICGC would like to take this opportunity to establish that the church's theme for 2019 is "Wisdom." Consequently, most of Pastor Otabil's preaching this year has characteristically sought to throw light on the subject and the sermon in question was entitled "God's 'nonsense' is wiser than man's sense."
“The choice of this unusual title was based on 1 Corinthians 1:25, which says, "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
It said the central thesis of the message was that God often chose foolish, weak, unimpressive and unsophisticated people and things to establish his purposes.
The statement said Pastor Otabil cautioned that people not to be surprised when God selected others they deemed totally disqualified adding if human beings were to make the same choices, they would disqualify the people God chose.”
The statement said the conclusion of the message was that people should disqualify themselves from consideration because God could use anyone in spite of their low estate.
“As a church, every opportunity to throw light on God's word is one that we would readily embrace. We therefore wish to rehash our position that Pastor Otabil did not and has not at any time referred to any portion of scripture as "senseless and stupid."
