06/09/2026
I've been quiet long enough.
One of the things that concerned me most about stepping into ministry years ago was not the people outside the church; it was the corruption I had witnessed inside of it.
Now let me be clear: not every pastor, preacher, or leader is corrupt. There are many faithful men and women of God who love God, love His people, and strive to live with integrity daily. Especially my husband, Pastor Vernon Joseph II. I watch how he lives, and he is truly a man of integrity and has been since I've met him.
However, there's another side of ministry that grieves me, and it's the AUDACITY of the Ravenous Wolves, The Greedy Dogs, The Hirelings, as Jesus called them the Brood of vipers.
I was just recently looking at a married preacher that tried to pursue relationships with a few women that I know. Now the hardest thing for me to witness isn't him preaching the gospel. But it's the audacity to publicly challenge and correct others while ignoring the cracks in his own foundation. What grieves me is not the mans preaching but his hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy can often times be fueled by pride and it takes a certain level of pride to demand accountability from others while avoiding accountability yourself.
Pride says, I don't have to deal with my sin, but I can still address yours.
Jesus addressed this in Matthew 7:3-5 (NKJV).
And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
The issue wasn't that the person noticed the speck. The issue was the refusal to deal with their own plank first.
Before we challenge someone else's behavior, we should examine our own heart.
I believe the greatest threat to the Church is not imperfect leaders, but leaders who refuse to acknowledge their imperfections while positioning themselves as the standard.
We don't need another new church; we need truly transformed leaders in the Church. Real Shepherds.
Shepherds who love their spouses and families. Shepherds who feed and protect. Shepherds who fear God in private as they honor Him in public. Shepherds whose character is greater than their charisma and gifts.
One of the greatest testimonies of a leader is not how well they preach in public but how faithful they live in private.
