Is Hypocrisy Driving People Away from Church?
John Bevere and his son Arden recently discussed the damaging effects of hypocrisy in the church and the dangers posed by false teachers and prophets on “The John Bevere Podcast.” Bevere opens the discussion by questioning the markers of true belief, challenging the idea that external appearances, such as worship music or Christian merchandise, define a person’s faith. “How do you know if they’re true or false?” he asks. “Is it because they listen to worship music? Is it because they wear Christian t-shirts? Is it because their dad’s a pastor?”
For Bevere, the real danger lies in how some people, particularly church leaders, misrepresent the Christian faith. “This is why 30 million people have walked away from the faith,” Bevere says, pointing to the issue of silence and selective teaching. “It’s not what we’ve been saying—it’s what we’ve not been saying.”
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Both John and Arden emphasize that the actions of Christians, especially leaders, play a critical role in how the faith is perceived. Bevere warns, “False teachers… give Christianity a bad name. People go, ‘I don’t want anything to do with it.’” His comments reflect a growing concern that hypocrisy and misleading teachings are driving people away from the church rather than drawing them closer to God.
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Arden shares his own experience that highlights this issue. “I was watching this podcast,” he recalls, “and this guy was like, ‘Yeah, I’m sleeping with my girlfriend.’ He’s sitting there quoting the Scripture and saying, ‘I just love God so much and I thank God this does not apply to me.’” Arden says his heart broke watching the man disregard biblical teachings while simultaneously professing his faith. “In reality, he’s sinning and not realizing what he’s doing.”
The conversation revolves around the importance of identifying false prophets, with Bevere quoting from the Bible: “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act,” (Matt. 7:15).
Bevere and his son emphasize that the solution to this hypocrisy is authentic Christian living. We no longer represent ourselves, instead, we represent Jesus. For believers, living in accordance with Christ’s teachings is critical, especially in a time when actions speak louder than words in the eyes of a watching world.
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James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
