ICGC's reaction to Pastor Otabil's 'some scriptures in the Bible are senseless and stupid' sermon

The International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) says a recent sermon, preached by its head, Pastor Mensa Otabil on "Wisdom" has been misrepresented by some media publications.

In a statement signed and issued by Rev Morris Appiah, General Secretary of the ICGC in a reaction to the media publications titled "Some scriptures in the Bible are senseless and stupid," the church said the publication only references portions of the message first preached on Sunday, January 13, 2019.

It said the January 13 message was subsequently featured on the Living Word television broadcast on Sunday May 26, 2019.

Read the full reaction from the church below

RE: SOME SCRIPTURES IN THE BIBLE ARE SENSELESS AND STUPID.”

The International Central Gospel Church has noted with concern a publication first sighted on browngh.com and subsequently on ghanaweb.com entitled “Some scriptures in the Bible are senseless and stupid - Mensa Otabil.”

The said article references 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 opens with an assertion that Pastor Mensa Otabil claims that some scriptures in the Bible are ‘senseless and stupid.”

While we encourage reportage and healthy debate on sermons preached, we owe it as a responsibility to our 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, 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.

Considering the significant interest shown in the sermon when it was preached and telecast, ICGC would like to take this opportunity to establish the following:

1. 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.

2. 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.”

3. The central thesis of the message was that God often chooses foolish, weak, unimpressive and unsophisticated people and things to establish his purposes.

4. Pastor Otabil cautioned that people should not get surprised when God chooses others they see as totally disqualified. He added that, in most instances, if human beings were to make the same choices, they would disqualify the people God chose.

5. The conclusion of the message was that no one should disqualify themselves from consideration because God can 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.”

It is our hope that anyone with any feeling of inferiority or inadequacy who reads this will be inspired to rise up and aspire to the heights prescribed for them in the Holy Scriptures.