# The Main Idea (Thesis Statement)
Today, many churches in America—no matter what type they are, from Catholic and Orthodox to Baptist, Lutheran, Assemblies of God, and others—have a major problem. They are using mind games, tricking people for money, and using God’s name to control others. This isn’t just happening with famous "celebrity" mega-church pastors who get caught in big scandals. It is happening all over the place.
Church leaders often try to defend themselves by saying, *"Sure, a few famous pastors are bad, but most pastors are great!"* But the truth is, this problem is everywhere. It shows that the organized church system itself is broken.
You cannot find true spiritual safety in religious organizations run by humans. True safety is only found in the invisible, true "body of Christ." This is a group of genuine believers scattered all over the world who are led by the Holy Spirit and stay far away from the greedy, popular, business-like church systems of today.
---
# The Argument
## 1. The Excuse of "Only a Few Bad Apples"
When church leaders try to laugh off the abuse by saying that bad pastors are rare, they aren’t showing us any real proof.
My answer to them is simple: **"Show me the statistics."** The list of famous pastors who have committed major crimes is incredibly long. Almost every single day, we see breaking news about a pastor getting caught assaulting someone, stealing money, or hurting people emotionally and spiritually. Since these headlines happen daily in every kind of church, the leaders need to prove that things are as fine as they claim.
This problem isn't just in one group. I see it just as much in churches that don't believe in modern miracles as I do in churches that do. I see it just as much in politically liberal churches as in conservative ones. It is just as common in traditional Catholic and Orthodox churches as it is in modern, high-tech "party" churches. Because it's everywhere, I need to see real data to back up the claim that most pastors are doing great.
The Apostle Peter actually warned us that God would judge His own people first when things go wrong:
> "For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" — 1 Peter 4:17
## 2. What I Have Seen with My Own Eyes
I am not saying these things to sound like I am better than everyone else, or like I am the only one going to heaven. I am saying this because I have traveled, looked closely, and tested what is happening in churches across the country.
I spent 14 years under the harsh, controlling leadership of Rony Denis at the House of Prayer Christian Church. After leaving, I visited many other churches—like Assemblies of God, Baptist, and Lutheran churches. Sadly, I found the exact same bad behavior. The pastors were still trying to boss people around, manipulate them, and hurt them emotionally, just like the famous mega-church pastors do.
The Old Testament prophets spoke out against this exact same thing. They warned leaders who only cared about helping themselves instead of protecting the people they were supposed to care for:
> "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel... Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?" — Ezekiel 34:2
## 3. The Diagnosis: A Sickness from Head to Toe
The organized church today looks just like the ancient nation of Israel when the Prophet Isaiah complained about it. The human leaders at the "head" of the church are sick. Because people have rebelled against God and ignored the truth, the whole organization is hurting.
> "From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment." — Isaiah 1:6
In the Bible, the word "soundness" means being completely healthy and whole. Isaiah is using a medical picture here. He is describing a body that is so badly beaten and broken that there isn't a single patch of healthy skin left. It has open cuts, deep bruises, and infected sores.
Even worse, nobody is treating the wounds. The church leaders have refused to say sorry, fix their mistakes, or use the healing truth of God's word to clean up the corruption. Because of this, the visible church system is falling apart from top to bottom.
## 4. The True Church and the Perfect Leader
Even though the popular, visible church systems are doing terrible things, Jesus Christ is the perfect, healthy Head of the true Church. Because Jesus is God, He cannot become sick, corrupt, or fail.
I believe the real body of Christ is made up of sincere believers who love God, are scattered across the world, and are led by the Holy Spirit. They follow in Jesus' footsteps. Jesus will one day come back to take this true body to heaven. This true group of believers is definitely *not* the popular, famous church systems where pastors are doing terrible things.
The rich, media-driven, and abusive churches we see on TV and the internet do not represent God's true people. In the end, Jesus will judge the corrupt leaders and rescue His real followers. He promised to build a Church that nothing—not even the failures of corrupt men—can destroy.
> "And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." — Colossians 1:18
> "Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: 'The Lord knows those who are His.'" — 2 Timothy 2:19
---
### Respectfully Signed,
Standing firmly on the pure and unedited Word of God, and looking forward to the day our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ returns,
**Pastor Jesse Preston**
*A Living God Service Church*
*Non-501c3 and Independent Congregationalist*
Today, many churches in America—no matter what type they are, from Catholic and Orthodox to Baptist, Lutheran, Assemblies of God, and others—have a major problem. They are using mind games, tricking people for money, and using God’s name to control others. This isn’t just happening with famous "celebrity" mega-church pastors who get caught in big scandals. It is happening all over the place.
Church leaders often try to defend themselves by saying, *"Sure, a few famous pastors are bad, but most pastors are great!"* But the truth is, this problem is everywhere. It shows that the organized church system itself is broken.
You cannot find true spiritual safety in religious organizations run by humans. True safety is only found in the invisible, true "body of Christ." This is a group of genuine believers scattered all over the world who are led by the Holy Spirit and stay far away from the greedy, popular, business-like church systems of today.
---
# The Argument
## 1. The Excuse of "Only a Few Bad Apples"
When church leaders try to laugh off the abuse by saying that bad pastors are rare, they aren’t showing us any real proof.
My answer to them is simple: **"Show me the statistics."** The list of famous pastors who have committed major crimes is incredibly long. Almost every single day, we see breaking news about a pastor getting caught assaulting someone, stealing money, or hurting people emotionally and spiritually. Since these headlines happen daily in every kind of church, the leaders need to prove that things are as fine as they claim.
This problem isn't just in one group. I see it just as much in churches that don't believe in modern miracles as I do in churches that do. I see it just as much in politically liberal churches as in conservative ones. It is just as common in traditional Catholic and Orthodox churches as it is in modern, high-tech "party" churches. Because it's everywhere, I need to see real data to back up the claim that most pastors are doing great.
The Apostle Peter actually warned us that God would judge His own people first when things go wrong:
> "For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" — 1 Peter 4:17
## 2. What I Have Seen with My Own Eyes
I am not saying these things to sound like I am better than everyone else, or like I am the only one going to heaven. I am saying this because I have traveled, looked closely, and tested what is happening in churches across the country.
I spent 14 years under the harsh, controlling leadership of Rony Denis at the House of Prayer Christian Church. After leaving, I visited many other churches—like Assemblies of God, Baptist, and Lutheran churches. Sadly, I found the exact same bad behavior. The pastors were still trying to boss people around, manipulate them, and hurt them emotionally, just like the famous mega-church pastors do.
The Old Testament prophets spoke out against this exact same thing. They warned leaders who only cared about helping themselves instead of protecting the people they were supposed to care for:
> "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel... Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?" — Ezekiel 34:2
## 3. The Diagnosis: A Sickness from Head to Toe
The organized church today looks just like the ancient nation of Israel when the Prophet Isaiah complained about it. The human leaders at the "head" of the church are sick. Because people have rebelled against God and ignored the truth, the whole organization is hurting.
> "From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment." — Isaiah 1:6
In the Bible, the word "soundness" means being completely healthy and whole. Isaiah is using a medical picture here. He is describing a body that is so badly beaten and broken that there isn't a single patch of healthy skin left. It has open cuts, deep bruises, and infected sores.
Even worse, nobody is treating the wounds. The church leaders have refused to say sorry, fix their mistakes, or use the healing truth of God's word to clean up the corruption. Because of this, the visible church system is falling apart from top to bottom.
## 4. The True Church and the Perfect Leader
Even though the popular, visible church systems are doing terrible things, Jesus Christ is the perfect, healthy Head of the true Church. Because Jesus is God, He cannot become sick, corrupt, or fail.
I believe the real body of Christ is made up of sincere believers who love God, are scattered across the world, and are led by the Holy Spirit. They follow in Jesus' footsteps. Jesus will one day come back to take this true body to heaven. This true group of believers is definitely *not* the popular, famous church systems where pastors are doing terrible things.
The rich, media-driven, and abusive churches we see on TV and the internet do not represent God's true people. In the end, Jesus will judge the corrupt leaders and rescue His real followers. He promised to build a Church that nothing—not even the failures of corrupt men—can destroy.
> "And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." — Colossians 1:18
> "Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: 'The Lord knows those who are His.'" — 2 Timothy 2:19
---
### Respectfully Signed,
Standing firmly on the pure and unedited Word of God, and looking forward to the day our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ returns,
**Pastor Jesse Preston**
*A Living God Service Church*
*Non-501c3 and Independent Congregationalist*
# The Main Idea (Thesis Statement)
Today, many churches in America—no matter what type they are, from Catholic and Orthodox to Baptist, Lutheran, Assemblies of God, and others—have a major problem. They are using mind games, tricking people for money, and using God’s name to control others. This isn’t just happening with famous "celebrity" mega-church pastors who get caught in big scandals. It is happening all over the place.
Church leaders often try to defend themselves by saying, *"Sure, a few famous pastors are bad, but most pastors are great!"* But the truth is, this problem is everywhere. It shows that the organized church system itself is broken.
You cannot find true spiritual safety in religious organizations run by humans. True safety is only found in the invisible, true "body of Christ." This is a group of genuine believers scattered all over the world who are led by the Holy Spirit and stay far away from the greedy, popular, business-like church systems of today.
---
# The Argument
## 1. The Excuse of "Only a Few Bad Apples"
When church leaders try to laugh off the abuse by saying that bad pastors are rare, they aren’t showing us any real proof.
My answer to them is simple: **"Show me the statistics."** The list of famous pastors who have committed major crimes is incredibly long. Almost every single day, we see breaking news about a pastor getting caught assaulting someone, stealing money, or hurting people emotionally and spiritually. Since these headlines happen daily in every kind of church, the leaders need to prove that things are as fine as they claim.
This problem isn't just in one group. I see it just as much in churches that don't believe in modern miracles as I do in churches that do. I see it just as much in politically liberal churches as in conservative ones. It is just as common in traditional Catholic and Orthodox churches as it is in modern, high-tech "party" churches. Because it's everywhere, I need to see real data to back up the claim that most pastors are doing great.
The Apostle Peter actually warned us that God would judge His own people first when things go wrong:
> "For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" — 1 Peter 4:17
## 2. What I Have Seen with My Own Eyes
I am not saying these things to sound like I am better than everyone else, or like I am the only one going to heaven. I am saying this because I have traveled, looked closely, and tested what is happening in churches across the country.
I spent 14 years under the harsh, controlling leadership of Rony Denis at the House of Prayer Christian Church. After leaving, I visited many other churches—like Assemblies of God, Baptist, and Lutheran churches. Sadly, I found the exact same bad behavior. The pastors were still trying to boss people around, manipulate them, and hurt them emotionally, just like the famous mega-church pastors do.
The Old Testament prophets spoke out against this exact same thing. They warned leaders who only cared about helping themselves instead of protecting the people they were supposed to care for:
> "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel... Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?" — Ezekiel 34:2
## 3. The Diagnosis: A Sickness from Head to Toe
The organized church today looks just like the ancient nation of Israel when the Prophet Isaiah complained about it. The human leaders at the "head" of the church are sick. Because people have rebelled against God and ignored the truth, the whole organization is hurting.
> "From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment." — Isaiah 1:6
In the Bible, the word "soundness" means being completely healthy and whole. Isaiah is using a medical picture here. He is describing a body that is so badly beaten and broken that there isn't a single patch of healthy skin left. It has open cuts, deep bruises, and infected sores.
Even worse, nobody is treating the wounds. The church leaders have refused to say sorry, fix their mistakes, or use the healing truth of God's word to clean up the corruption. Because of this, the visible church system is falling apart from top to bottom.
## 4. The True Church and the Perfect Leader
Even though the popular, visible church systems are doing terrible things, Jesus Christ is the perfect, healthy Head of the true Church. Because Jesus is God, He cannot become sick, corrupt, or fail.
I believe the real body of Christ is made up of sincere believers who love God, are scattered across the world, and are led by the Holy Spirit. They follow in Jesus' footsteps. Jesus will one day come back to take this true body to heaven. This true group of believers is definitely *not* the popular, famous church systems where pastors are doing terrible things.
The rich, media-driven, and abusive churches we see on TV and the internet do not represent God's true people. In the end, Jesus will judge the corrupt leaders and rescue His real followers. He promised to build a Church that nothing—not even the failures of corrupt men—can destroy.
> "And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." — Colossians 1:18
> "Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: 'The Lord knows those who are His.'" — 2 Timothy 2:19
---
### Respectfully Signed,
Standing firmly on the pure and unedited Word of God, and looking forward to the day our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ returns,
**Pastor Jesse Preston**
*A Living God Service Church*
*Non-501c3 and Independent Congregationalist*
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