Men don't belong in the kitchen- Pastor

Setswana culture is not entirely anti-Christian, and believers in God should maintain traditions and customs that their forefathers practised.

Under the message ‘Maintaining Godly culture,’ Pastor Thuto Pekenene of Pentecostal Protestant Church urged Christians to refrain from seeing Setswana culture as bad and sinful, explaining that some of its elements are in line with what God teaches in the Bible.

She said it is wise for believers to be like the Apostle Paul who emphasised that ‘he managed to keep his father’s laws even though he was full of the Holy Spirit,’ as cited in Acts 22:2-3.

Her observation is that the generation of today is preaching equal rights. Unlike in the past where husbands were the heads of the house, the Pastor said wives today have become too controlling. “Both Setswana culture and the Bible teach wives to submit. We must maintain that,” she said, adding that in the past, husbands did not appear anywhere in the household cooking rota unlike today where they are forced to do so.

Her take is that husbands should only cook willingly. She reminded children to honour their parents regardless of their educational background, level of anointing or marital status.

The principle of respecting parents is both Christian and cultural. “Even if your parents are not yet born again, show them love and respect because that’s what God expects of you,” she said.

She encouraged parents to discipline their rebellious children, saying it is a guiding principle in both Setswana and Christian culture. “Let’s maintain and promote what our forefathers have taught us. Being Christian doesn’t mean disrespecting their traditions and customs,” she said in an interview with The Midweek Sun.

Meanwhile, the event was colourful with people dressed up in Setswana regalia, with a lot of dancing, singing and feasting.