As scandals and controversies continue to surface across portions of the charismatic church, a growing conversation is emerging: What is God doing in this moment?
In a recent message, Isaiah Saldivar addressed this issue head-on, arguing that what many are calling a crisis may actually be a divine refining process.
“All right, I want to talk about all the exposure happening right now, specifically in the charismatic church,” Saldivar said. “What we’re seeing with scandals, fake prophetic words … leaders are being exposed.”
While acknowledging the seriousness of recent revelations, Saldivar cautioned believers against swinging to unhealthy extremes. “There’s two real extremes people are responding with to this whole exposure,” he explained. One side, he said, uses scandals to discredit the entire movement. The other refuses to acknowledge problems at all. “I would say both responses are not biblical.”
Instead, Saldivar framed the current season as part of God’s work in purifying His people. “Exposure is not God saying I’m abandoning my church,” he said. “Exposure is God purifying His people.” He added emphatically, “Exposure is not Satan winning. Exposure is not revival dying. Exposure is God refusing to allow sin, division, chaos, compromise to stay hidden in the church.”
Saldivar made clear he was not advocating for what he called “heresy hunter” culture, where ministries are attacked over theological disagreements. Rather, he said legitimate exposure involving sin, abuse or deception is necessary. “When there is sin, when there’s compromise, when there’s corruption, when there is scandals, when there’s abuse of power … that needs to be exposed. Amen for exposure.”
Central to his message was a warning about confusing spiritual gifting with spiritual maturity. “We have to remember that anointing is not the same as approval,” Saldivar said. “The gifting does not prove maturity. Fruit is proof of maturity.” He also challenged the idea that platform size equals spiritual authority. “Just because someone has crowds or influence doesn’t mean they have intimacy with God.”
The message also addressed accountability in church leadership. “The Bible never teaches that prophecy is beyond correction,” he said. “The Bible never says that prophets are untouchable.” He stressed that correction should be seen as part of spiritual health, noting, “Correction is not rejection.”
Despite the sobering nature of recent exposures, Saldivar urged believers not to abandon the work of the Holy Spirit. “The answer to abuse is not unbelief,” he said. “The answer to deception is not to shut down and don’t have church anymore.” Instead, he called for “biblical balance,” combining strong scriptural foundations with openness to the Spirit’s work.
Ultimately, Saldivar expressed hope for the future. “This is not the end of the charismatic church,” he said. “This is the refining moment of the charismatic church.” He encouraged believers to pursue humility, repentance and strong character, adding, “We got to value character over charisma.”
Closing with a personal reflection, Saldivar shared his own goal for ministry longevity. “I don’t want to be known as a great preacher, great speaker, great communicator,” he said. “I want to be known as a man of God. I want to be known as a man of prayer.”
In a time when many believers are wrestling with difficult questions, Saldivar’s message offers a sobering but hopeful perspective: purification, not destruction, may be at work.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
