I am an Australian, from Melbourne. I studied and worked in ministry in England from 1972–1982, and have visited many times since then to do ministry here in England.
What has amazed and disturbed me on my visit in 2026, is the widespread occurrence of mutual criticism and condemnation in the media, both print and online, among Evangelicals. I am aware of many external pressures on Evangelical, Biblical Christianity. But here is a destructive and sinful weakening from within.
One of the saddest features in contemporary life and community is the avalanche of vicious negativity on social media. Young people are so easily terrorised and traumatised by being attacked by contemporaries, known and unknown. The trivial details of their appearance or clothes, or their activities or opinions, are used maliciously to attack them, cancel them, and destroy them publicly. No wonder vulnerable children and young people are driven to anxiety, depression, disorders or suicide. It is such a tragedy when wonderful human inventions, created for attractive, good and useful purposes, are so quickly perverted to destructive ends.
But it is even sadder to find such behaviour has infected the English Evangelical Christian world so completely, despite the clear condemnation we find in the New Testament of gossip, malice, slander, evil suspicions, constant friction, strife, jealousy, rivalries, dissensions and divisions. How quickly we follow the world in making negative comments about people! How quickly we assume the worst of fellow believers! How quickly we make negative judgements on situations about which we know nothing! How easily jealousy and rivalry feed our public negativity! How easy it is to condemn, to dismiss, to judge, to reject! The “cancel culture” we so quickly condemn in the world has now infected the church!
What does God expect of our attitude and relationship with fellow followers of Christ?
Look at the contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. The works of the flesh include these activities: enmity, strife, fits of anger, dissensions, and divisions: and they also include the motivations for these actions: jealousy, and rivalries (v19-21). God warns us that those who do such things will not inherit His kingdom (v21)!
What God expects and works in us is the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (v22, 23). Paul adds a pertinent exhortation: “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (v26). Yes, this is about how Christians treat each other!
I assume we follow these instructions in our churches, with people we meet face-to-face. What excuse do we have for doing the opposite in public conversations, in emails, social media comments we create or pass on, phone conversations, and letters to newspapers? The Bible expects love and care. Distance is no excuse!
Like the world in which we live, we follow and spread rumours, make judgements about situations of which we are ignorant, follow our feelings and impressions, and enjoy what might be failure or scandal. We would be highly indignant if the police and the courts treated us as guilty, and needing to prove our innocence, yet we condemn others on the disgraceful principles of “guilty until proved innocent”, and “no smoke without fire”. How dare we “rejoice in wrongdoing”, when God requires that love which “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things” (1 Cor.13v6,7).
Furthermore, in both the Old and New Testaments, we are instructed not to judge or disgrace people unless we have the evidence of “two or three witnesses” (that is, eyewitnesses), as in Deuteronomy 17v6, 19v15, and Matthew 18v16. This is applied directly to our treatment of elders in 1 Timothy 5v19, because they are so vulnerable to gossip and rumour: “Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses”. The purpose of this is to stop the community judging people on hearsay. Rumour is hearsay!
Tragically, “What the flesh desires, the world affirms, and Satan urges”. For Satan is the “father of lies”, “the accuser of believers”, “the deceiver”, “even disguising himself as an angel of light”, a “roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”.
When we attack fellow followers of Christ without having any real evidence or knowledge of them, their ministry, or their situation, we are not only sinning against them, we are also sinning against God. We are also siding with Satan, the great accuser of the saints, and also speaking and writing his words for him. If we nurture our wrath, we give Satan a foothold in our lives (Eph.4v26,27).
James warns us: “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (1v19.20).
We do this if we say or write words of distant condemnation: we might also express our disapproval by distancing ourselves from someone, failing to support them, or limiting our fellowship with them. The “cold shoulder” is a more polite way of committing the same sin.
If you are in ministry or Christian leadership, just think how appalling it would be if the believers in your care began treating each other in this way! Just think how destructive it would be of church life, or the life of your ministry! Just think how you would try to respond to this situation.
Paul rightly publicly condemned heresy and immorality within the churches and, on occasion, named particular people. But Paul had the responsibility of overall pastoral care for his churches, and was well-informed about the situations he faced.
We may rightly express our public condemnation of heresy and immorality. It is naming individuals and groups which is more problematic.
Jesus’ command “tell it to the church” (Matt.18v17) is in the context of someone who has sinned against you, and whom you have spoken to privately, and whom you have spoken to with one or two others, and who refuses to repent. This is the very particular context of personal sin against another believer. “Tell it to the church” should not be applied to any rumour we hear, or any situation we hear about. It also only applies to sin against ourselves, when we have already taken the prescribed actions: and “the church” of course is the one to which we belong. “Tell it to the church” is no excuse for the current action which involves telling everyone about something we have heard that someone else has done, or not done!
Paul does require the public expulsion of someone who refuses to repent of a grievous sin from a church (1 Cor.5v5), but this is no excuse for random condemnation of people when we do not have first-hand knowledge of what has happened. Paul also warns against excessive judgementalism. Once someone has been punished, then the Christian duty is forgiveness, comfort and love, lest the person be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow (2 Cor.2v5-8).
Brothers and sisters in Christ, we must repent of these sins, repent of failing to love our neighbours and fellow followers of Christ, of siding with Satan, and expressing his words!
Here are some questions to ask yourself before you take part in public condemnation.
- Do you have a Christian responsibility to comment on this matter to such an audience?
- Do you have sufficient information to make a public declaration of guilt?
- What do you hope to achieve making this public statement?
- Your action may be motivated by deep feelings: but are they sufficient justification for this action?
- Are “guilt by association” or “no smoke without fire” sufficient grounds for public condemnation?
- Is “trial by ignorant public opinion” a healthy aspect of current society, and is it how you would like to be treated?
- In the case of dispute between fellow believers in which you have heard, or read, the opinion and experience of one person, can you know the real situation without knowing the opinion and experience of the other person? If not, do you have a right to make a public declaration of guilt or innocence?
- Is long-term jealousy or envy the real reason you are doing this?
- If you wish to clarify your objection to this kind of behaviour, could you not make a general statement, without choosing a particular person to condemn?
- What would be your response if you were in the situation of this particular person, and you read these comments, and knew that they were published widely?
- Have you prayed before taking this action?
Finally, some advice to those who are victims of such outrageous behaviour by fellow believers.
- Know that you have the dignity and honour of following in Jesus’ footsteps: “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly’ (1 Peter 2v23).
- Remember that when Job suffered loss, pain, exclusion, and constant criticism from his “friends”, God trusted Job, even when Job found it hard to trust God! Indeed, God boasted about Job, and His boast was upheld! “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (Job 1v8, and 2v3).
- If possible, do not resign, step aside, or submit to such treatment. These words and actions come from Satan, whose aim is to reduce and limit effective gospel ministry. Paul’s advice to every believer when subject to the attacks of Satan is “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might … withstand in the evil day … stand firm”! (Eph.6v10,13). In the gospel, God has provided all the armour we need for our defence.
- In the light of Ephesians 6, and the instruction “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (6v18), ask your prayer supporters to pray for you, as you stand firm in the gospel, in God’s power, and in your continuing ministry.
- Know that standing firm at such a time takes a lot of energy, so don’t be alarmed at tiredness and exhaustion. Accept God’s kindnesses and sustaining grace, and rejoice in His love, acceptance, vindication, and consolation. God’s love is everlasting, and you can rest on His everlasting arms (Jer.31v3, Deut.33v27).
