Dear Servants of God,
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I write not in criticism, but in love — with a heart that honors your calling and labors for the Kingdom. You have been entrusted with the holy work of shepherding souls, teaching truth, and preserving the purity of the gospel.
Yet, with all humility, I pose a question for our reflection as leaders, ministers, and believers alike:
When one among us — a brother, sister, or even a fellow servant of God — falls into sin, what becomes of them?
Is our purpose to rebuke and restore, or to criticize and destroy?
Is it to draw them closer to the cross, or to push them away from it?
Is it to lift them up again, or to bury them beneath judgment and shame?
We are not refusing the way of rebuke.
We are not writing this to tolerate or defend sin.
Rebuke is necessary, for Scripture declares, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.” (Revelation 3:19)
But we must pause and ask ourselves — what is the true purpose of our rebuke?
If our rebuke is born of love, it restores.
If it springs from pride or bitterness, it destroys.
I ask you, dear servants of God:
How many of those you have rebuked are still in the Church today?
How many were transformed and drew closer to God through your correction?
And how many, wounded by our harsh words, quietly walked away — not from men, but from the faith itself?
When we rebuke, we mean well. We desire to see repentance and transformation. But sometimes, our tone and approach cause the very opposite. We must ask ourselves:
Was this the way we were taught?
Did Jesus handle the fallen in this manner?
Is this truly the way of Christ, or have our rebukes been manipulated by the enemy to bring division, dispute, and discouragement within the body of believers?
The Word reminds us in Galatians 6:1,
“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”
The call is gentle restoration, not public humiliation.
The Church is not a courtroom but a hospital for the broken — a place where sinners are healed, not hunted.
Let us remember the heart of our Master. When the adulterous woman was brought before Jesus, He did not justify her sin, but neither did He condemn her. He said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more.” His rebuke carried both truth and grace — the balance that restores.
Dear pastors, bishops, and overseers,
This is not a call to silence truth, but a plea to speak truth in love. Let us correct with compassion, discipline with discernment, and lead with humility. For rebuke without love is cruelty, and love without truth is compromise.
May our ministries reflect the mercy and wisdom of Christ.
May we become builders, not breakers — restorers, not rejecters.
And may the Church once again be known not for how it exposes the fallen, but for how it lifts them back to their feet.
With humility and love,
Makena Brandon
A servant of Christ and a voice calling for restoration in the Church