Elder in Leading Pentecostal Church Proclaims Safe Sex Is OK, Reports Say

An elder in a leading Pentecostal church told teenagers sex outside of marriage is acceptable, provided they use protection, according to reports.

Elder Nii Armah Hammond, of the Church of Pentecost in Ghana, reportedly told parents to encourage their teens with “uncontrollable” libidos to have sex as long as they use some form of contraception.

The elder reportedly told parents doing this would prevent teenage pregnancy, the stigma associated with it and the collateral damage to the family and the country. 

But the Church of Pentecost, the leading charismatic congregation in the country, spoke firmly against the elder’s advice.

The church statement reads: 

Sexuality has been abused over the years by man due to the fall. God in His own wisdom has restricted sex to married couples. Sex outside marriage is regarded as sin in the sight of God (1 Cor. 6:13-20; 1 Thess. 4:2-8), whether it is engaged in with condoms on or not. For Christians therefore, using condoms for sex outside marriage to prevent pregnancy or diseases is not a biblical option. It is not accepted by the Lord and the church.

The church will always encourage and advocate bringing up our children and youth to live according to biblical principles of abstinence and fidelity and would not teach on what ways could be found to avoid the harmful consequences of engaging in things that God forbids us to do in His Word. The church believes that the biblical principle of absitnence [sic] if obeyed helps singles. {eoa}