The Longer I Stay Inside, the More Disturbing Things I See
For some time now, a situation in my congregation has been deeply disturbing to me.
A brother and his mother are seriously ill. The congregation was encouraged to provide financial help, and many brothers and sisters contributed sincerely and compassionately. But to this day, nobody clearly knows whether those funds were ever actually given to them.
Shortly afterward, a member of my family received a message saying that additional funds had supposedly also been sent from Bethel through one of the congregation elders. However, whenever the sick brother asks questions or simply tries to find out what happened to that money, the elder avoids giving answers and has been making him wait since 2025.
What makes this even more disappointing is that this elder is viewed as a very spiritual person. He gives excellent talks and is highly respected. But sometimes the image a religion presents from the outside is very different from what really happens inside.
From a distance, everything looks clean, united, and loving. But once you are inside, you may discover silence, lack of transparency, fear of asking questions, and the feeling that certain people in authority are untouchable.
This brother only wants to know what happened to the money that was supposed to help him and his mother survive. And honestly, nobody should have to beg for transparency in a situation this serious.