Bismark ADU Owusu-Sekyere

Defending Apostle Nyamekye: In Context and with Conviction, Setting the Record Straight.

Apostle Eric Nyamekye, Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, delivered a heartfelt sermon urging couples facing unplanned pregnancies not to abort, urging instead that "God will take care of the child" . Critics who took his remarks out of context mischaracterised his message. He neither celebrated having excessively large families nor dismissed the economic realities that couples may face. Rather, he spoke against abortion as “an abominable act,” urging safe s*x practices while affirming the sanctity of life .

To twist such a message into insensitive or impractical moralizing is both misleading and harmful but it’s precisely what some sections of the media have done. This article emphatically calls for responsible reporting and a clearer grasp of context.

*The Media Owes the Truth and Nuance*

Media outlets have a sacred duty to inform, not inflame. When covering religious leaders especially in sensitive matters like reproductive choices accuracy and context are paramount.

1. They misrepresented nuance for sensationalism.
Apostle Nyamekye’s remarks were deeply pastoral, rooted in Scripture and personal experience not a call for irresponsible procreation.

2. They ignored his pastoral concern for dignity and guidance.
By painting his statement as naive or tone-deaf, they overlooked the biblical principle that human life is sacred (e.g., Psalm 139:13–16).

3. They failed to report his delivery of pastoral empathy.
In a 2017 address, Apostle Nyamekye advised church leaders to counsel rather than shame young women who become pregnant out of wedlock lest "despondency... lead to abortion and even su***de" . That demonstrates his deep concern for vulnerable persons.

4. Ethical Foundations
Scholars in theology and ethics affirm that the unborn child has intrinsic value. For instance, reflections on early Christian documents like the Didache affirm the church’s longstanding opposition to abortion.

5. Pastoral Sensitivity
Studies show that harsh condemnation of pregnant women especially in religious contexts correlates with increased emotional distress, even contributing to thoughts of self-harm.

6. The Integration of Faith and Life
Apostle Nyamekye stresses that our faith influences every part of day-to-day life, not just the sacred moments this is consistent with best practices in Christian formation and moral theology.

Psalm 139:13-16 affirms that God forms each person in the womb; life is not a random occurrence but a divine act.

Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” our value and destiny are rooted in the Creator’s purpose.
Matthew 18:5: Welcomes children as symbolic of welcoming Christ underscoring the intrinsic worth of even the youngest lives.

7. A Clear Call to the Media
Stop distorting. Misinterpreting sensitive sermons fuels polarization and distrust.

8. Start contextualizing. Read the full message know that Apostle Nyamekye is not naïve but pastoral. He encourages planning (safe s*x), but in the event of unplanned pregnancy, he appeals to faith and compassion, not condemnation.

9. Acknowledge integrity and care. Apostle Nyamekye’s life father of six, ministering effectively shows that a vibrant ministry and a large family can coexist: “The God that can take care of one can take care of the tenth.” .

10. Conclusion
Apostle Eric Nyamekye’s message is rooted in biblical truth, pastoral care, and a lived conviction that God provides. Media outlets must pause before sensationalising his words. Instead, they should approach them with the care, nuance, and empathy they deserve. Let us echo the grace of the Scriptures, the insight of scholarship, and the integrity of leadership in speech, in pens, and online.

Misrepresenting Apostle Nyamekye’s sermon does a disservice to truth, to context, and to the hope he offers. The media must choose clarity over headlines.

The writer
Dr Bismark Owusu-Sekyere Adu, FHEA
Pentecost University

MY REFLECTIONS THIS EVENING (DECEMBER 8, 2023)
2023 seems to be my year of supernatural growth and expansion, despite all the challenges that I have been through.
While reflecting on my life thus far the Lord has brought me, I felt like expressing my gratitude to the following people.

I am eternally grateful to God for his care and sustenance and the special grace He has bestowed on me. I am grateful to all my friends and family. I especially thank my wife Akyede Nancy Owusu-Sekyere, and our kids, Stephanie and Bennett for their wonderful support in different ways to me.

I am grateful to my dad Timothy Adu and mum Cecilia Adu and my siblings and inlaws.

I am grateful to all my mentors, especially Aps. Prof. Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua the Vice Chancellor of Pentecost University, the management, Faculty and Staff of PU and all my past and present students.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to my life one way or another. A special mention goes to the THE CHURCH OF PENTECOST for the support I received from them in 2008 for my undergraduate education, which laid the foundation for my career.

A special thanks to Aps Prof Opoku Onyinah (Former Chairman), Aps Dr Alfred Koduah (Former GS) who actually helped me get a full scholarship, and Aps Nene Amegacher (Former Pemem Director), whose tenure I got support from PEMEM.

I am grateful to all my schools, work colleagues, church and the communities grew up.

God bless everyone who, in one way or another, shaped my life and future this was. Nyame nhyira obiaa.