Acknowledging the Pain
"To the young faithful who have witnessed the unthinkable: a church divided, leaders straying, and teachings twisted. The ground you thought was solid has shaken. The pain you feel is real and valid. It is the pain of a family breaking apart. But I am here to tell you that our faith was never meant to be built on the perfection of a building, an institution, or even its leaders. It is built on the person of Jesus Christ, and He remains the same, yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)."
Look to Christ, Not to People
The Reality of False Teachers: The Bible never promises that every leader will be faithful. In fact, it warns us repeatedly.
Matthew 7:15: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Jesus Himself warned that not everyone who appears godly is.
Acts 20:29-30: “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.” This shows that division and false teaching can, and will, arise even from within.
The Unchanging Cornerstone: Our hope is not in a flawless pastor, but a flawless Savior.
1 Peter 2:4-6: “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house… For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’” When human-built structures crumble, the Cornerstone stands firm.
Ground Yourself in the True Gospel
The Standard is Scripture Alone: Teach people to be like the Bereans, who checked even the Apostle Paul's words against the ultimate authority.
Acts 17:11: “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” This is their model: to test all teachings against the Bible.
The Core of the Gospel: Clearly define what cannot be compromised.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” This is the "of first importance" message. Any teaching that diminishes Christ's atoning death and literal resurrection is a false gospel.
Galatians 1:6-8: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all... But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” Paul’s strong language shows how seriously God takes the purity of the Gospel.
Pursue Godly Wisdom and Discernment
Testing the Spirits: We are not called to be naive, but discerning.
1 John 4:1: “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Matthew 7:16-20: “By their fruit you will recognize them... Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” The "fruit" includes the character of the leaders (love, joy, peace, patience, etc.) and the outcome of their teaching (unity or division, freedom or control, life or condemnation).
Embody the True Church Through Love and Forgiveness
In the midst of division, the world is watching. How you respond is a powerful testimony.
The Call to Unity and Love: The answer to bad theology is not no theology; the answer to a divided church is not no church, but a church built on love.
John 13:35: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Your love for fellow believers—even those you disagree with—is the ultimate mark of authenticity.
Ephesians 4:2-3: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
The Difficult Command to Forgive: Holding onto bitterness will poison our own faith.
Colossians 3:13: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” This does not mean ignoring wrongs or trusting unrepentant leaders, but it means releasing the debt to God so they can be free.
Conclusion: A Call to Be a "Living Stone"
“My dear young friends, what you have witnessed is a tragedy. But God is a redeemer. He can use even this pain to deepen your faith, to wean you off dependency on human institutions and plant you firmly on the Rock, who is Christ.
You have seen what happens when the foundation is sand. Now, I call you to be part of building something new—not necessarily a new building, but a truer, more authentic community. Be a ‘living stone’ (1 Peter 2:5). Be one who clings to Scripture, loves deeply, forgives radically, and points unwaveringly to Jesus.
The church you knew may have split, but the true Church—the global body of all who trust in Christ—stands strong. Find your place in it. Your faith, tested by fire, can emerge purer and stronger than ever before.
‘And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.’ (1 John 5:4)’”
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