06/09/2026
There are few things more painful than watching something you love become something you no longer recognize. For many of us, McLean Bible Church was more than a building. It was where we came to Christ. Where our children were dedicated. Where we were baptized. Where we found lifelong friends. Where we learned God's Word. Where we served, gave, prayed, and invested years, decades...of our lives. It was home. That is why 9 years later the pain still runs deep. There is no church like it. The loss that many former members feel is not simply about disagreements over leadership, bylaws, voting procedures, court cases, or church direction. Those things matter, but they are not the deepest wound. The deepest wound is grief. Grief over what was. Grief over relationships that have been strained or broken. Grief over a church that once felt like family. For years, McLean Bible Church stood as a beacon of biblical teaching in the Washington, D.C. area. Under the leadership of Pastor Lon Solomon, generations were taught the Scriptures verse by verse. People came from every background imaginable to hear God's Word faithfully preached. Lives were transformed. Marriages were restored. Addictions were broken. Missionaries were sent. The Gospel was proclaimed. Nobody can erase that legacy. No lawsuit can erase it. No leadership transition can erase it. No controversy can erase it. God used McLean Bible Church in a powerful way for decades, and countless people will spend eternity in heaven because of the ministry that took place there. That is why the current situation is so heartbreaking. When people speak up about concerns, they are often accused of bitterness, division, or refusing to move on. But many are not angry nearly as much as they are saddened. They remember what once was. They remember a church united around the clear teaching of Scripture. They remember trust. They remember transparency. They remember a church culture that felt different. And when those memories collide with present realities, the result is often sorrow. The Bible teaches us that there is "a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance" (Ecclesiastes 3:4). There is nothing wrong with mourning a loss. There is no time limit. In fact, grief is often evidence that something mattered deeply. If nobody cared about McLean Bible Church, nobody would be grieving today. The tears reveal the love. The sorrow reveals the investment. The heartbreak reveals the years of sacrifice and service. Yet even in loss, we have hope. Our faith was never in a church. Our faith was never in a pastor. Our faith was never in a ministry. Our faith is in Jesus Christ. Churches change. Leaders come and go. Institutions rise and fall. But Jesus Christ remains "the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). That truth anchors us when everything else seems uncertain. For those who feel wounded by what happened at McLean Bible Church, know that God sees your pain. He sees every prayer you prayed, every ministry you served in, every sacrifice you made, and every tear you have shed. And He is not finished. The story of God's kingdom has never depended on one church, one ministry, or one leader. It depends on Christ alone. So we remember with gratitude. We grieve with honesty. We speak truth with grace. And we trust God with the future. Because while churches and pastors may disappoint us, Jesus never will. Put your trust in God.
