John Bevere built a reputation as one of the nicest men in his church. But what appeared to be love was actually something else: fear.
During a recent episode of “The John Bevere Podcast,” the minister and best-selling author revealed how the Holy Spirit exposed his fear of rejection before a painful rebuke forced him to confront another problem in his ministry.
Bevere said he hated confrontation early in his ministry and avoided saying anything that could upset another person.
“If I was in your presence, I would only find the nice things I could say about you,” Bevere said. “And if there wasn’t any nice things to say about you, I’d make them up.”
Word spread that Bevere was one of the church’s most loving men. While praying one day, however, he said the Holy Spirit challenged that reputation and revealed why he only said pleasant things.
“He said, ‘Because you fear their rejection,’” Bevere recalled. “‘So, who’s the focus of your love? You or them?’”
Bevere realized that protecting himself from rejection was not genuine love.
“If you really love people, you would tell them the truth, even if they reject you,” he said.
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That revelation sent Bevere toward the opposite extreme.
“I did a pendulum swing,” he said.
Bevere became bold and willing to confront sin, but he lost his compassion. He delivered truth so forcefully that people frequently left in tears.
“I spoke truth,” Bevere said. “I was bold. And I would cause a lot of people to cry. I wasn’t crying. They were crying.”
His approach eventually gained attention following a conference in Europe. A Christian leader from South Africa called Bevere with a troubling report.
“He said, ‘John, I mean, the report about you out is that you beat God’s sheep,’” Bevere recalled. “He said, ‘I care about you. You know, I think you might want to really think about this and pray about this.’”
Bevere took the correction seriously. For four months, he went into his basement each day and asked God to change his heart.
“God, please give me compassion,” he prayed. “Please give me love for Your people. The way You love Your people, the way You have compassion on people, Jesus, please put it in me.”
Two years later, a pastor who had heard Bevere preach several times recognized the transformation.
“Your message hadn’t changed,” the pastor told him. “The truth is just as strong as it’s ever been.”
What had changed was the compassion accompanying that truth.
Bevere said the experience gave him a deeper understanding of Paul’s instruction in Ephesians 4 to speak the truth in love. Christians must resist both the temptation to compromise Scripture and the temptation to wield it without compassion.
“We have to speak the truth,” Bevere said. “We can’t compromise truth. We have to do it in love. That’s where true strength and effectiveness comes in our lives.”
That principle also applies to how Christians communicate online. Citing 1 Corinthians 13, Bevere challenged people posting harsh responses on social media to examine their motives.
“Do you care about those people, or do you just want to be right?” he asked.
Bevere compared compassionate correction to coating medicine with sugar. The coating does not weaken the treatment; it helps the person receive what can bring healing.
“Sugar doesn’t diminish the power of the medicine,” Bevere said. “It just makes it easier to swallow.”
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
