Creation misunderstood—SDA’s Pastor Khonde

Pastor Chrispin Khonde of the Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Church has challenged fellow faith leaders to open an honest debate on family planning and contraceptive issues and the role of the church in controlling overpopulation.

Khonde made the remarks at Balaka SDA Church recently as he led the congregation during activities dubbed “population weekend” which are being facilitated by the Health Policy Project (HPP) with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid).

The pastor said the church can no longer bury its head (in the sand) on family planning and contraceptive issues, arguing there is glaring evidence to prove that the creation story was misinterpreted.

Khonde said despite a couple being given mandate to bear children, Adam and Eve did not go beyond six children.

“And to prove that they controlled childbirth, Adam and Eve had their first child [Cain] at 130. Their second child [Set] was born 670 years later. Isn’t this family planning?” he asked.

Khonde further cited Abraham, Isaac, Noah and Jacob, who also planned and controlled childbirths as Abraham had one child; Noah had three while Isaac bore two children only.

“The challenge with latter-day believers is lack of self-control and they are deliberately misinterpreting Genesis1:28 to justify their failures,” he said, adding that even 1 Timothy 5:8 emphasises that “if anyone does not take care of his relatives, especially the members of his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever”.

“This is why churches need to open an honest debate on family planning and contraceptive issues,” said Khonde.

HPP programme advisor responsible for population and family planning, Laston Banda, said his organisation would provide support to any church willing to engage its followers in a debate on family planning and contraception.