For many, pastors are seen as vessels of certainty—men who carry answers, hope, and miracles for others. But behind that image, Pastor Selasie Addae says, there are deeply personal struggles that rarely make it to the pulpit.
One of the most defining chapters of his life was a 10-year wait for the fruit of the womb.
“It wasn’t a smooth journey,” he shared in an interview with MzGee on Behind the Pulpit. “We were trusting God for 10 years.”
What made the experience even more difficult was the nature of his calling. As a pastor, Addae spent years praying for people believing God for children—and seeing results.
“You are praying for people, and it is happening for them,” he said. “Meanwhile, you have received prophecies, you’ve had dreams, but nothing is showing in your own life.”
It is a quiet tension many spiritual leaders face but rarely speak about openly.
“You’re human,” he added. “Those thoughts come.”
Beyond the private struggle were public moments that made the journey even harder. The president and founder of Apostolic Empowerment Ministries recalled sitting in a church program where a preacher suggested that a minister could not effectively pray for something they did not personally have.
“I was in that meeting, and it felt wrong,” he said. “That’s not what the gospel is about.”
The comment struck a nerve—not just because of his situation, but because of what it represented.
“There are people who have things we don’t have, yet they come to us for prayer,” he explained. “Whatever we give is by grace.”
Even outside church spaces, the pressure showed up in subtle but painful ways. In one instance, a church member shared how someone questioned the significance of Addae’s ministry simply because he had no children at the time. Moments like these, he admits, were not easy to navigate.
Despite the emotional and spiritual weight, Addae says he never doubted God’s ability to come through.
“I always believed God could do it,” he said.
But over time, his prayers shifted from just personal longing to something deeper.
“One of my prayers was, ‘God, do this so that others who are watching will believe you too.’”
It was a perspective that helped him endure the waiting—not just as a test, but as a testimony in the making.
Today, Addae speaks about that decade-long delay with a sense of clarity and purpose.
“We went through that for others,” he said. “So when people hear our story, they can be encouraged.”
Watch the full interview below.
