The Folly Which Church Gossip Causes

By David J. Stewart | September 2014 | Updated August 2015

Proverbs 18:13, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”

       The Bible teaches in Proverbs 18:13 that it is a folly (foolishness) and a shame (dishonor, disgrace) when a person opens their mouth or makes decisions concerning a matter that they haven't fully investigated. Many foolish and hasty decisions are often made based upon emotions rather than facts.

Many churches have been split because of gossip. Many friendships have been divided unnecessarily because of gossip. Gossip is always done under the pretense of caring, concern and the right to know, but it is dirty, sinful and wrong. If it's not your business, then I have no right to tell you. Gossip is a common sin. Gossip is natural for the carnal person. The Bible warns that the human tongue absolutely cannot be tamed. It is impossible! James 3:7-8, “For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind. But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

If we talk more than is necessary in unplanned conversation, it is just a matter of moments before we will say something that we shouldn't have said. If it's in your heart, it will come out! If you have any ill feelings whatsoever toward another individual, it will work its way out in the form of gossip or slander. This is why we ought to pray for others, especially for those with whom we have ill feelings, issue or prejudice. God hates a proud look, a lying tongue, feet that are quick to mischief, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that deviseth evil imaginations, a false witness, and he that soweth discord amongst brethren.

A good thing to do when a person's name comes up in a conversation is to immediately say something good about that person, or call them your friend. By doing this, you've discouraged the person with whom you are speaking from gossiping or criticizing.

Proverbs 17:9, “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.” A very little fire can burn a large forest to the ground. And likewise, a few words of gossip can completely destroy a person's name, reputation and life. So sad. It is wickedness! Gossip is perhaps the most tolerated, practiced and ignored of the sins which God hates. The internet is plagued with gossip, slander and distorted information. God hates hands that shed innocent blood (Proverbs 6:16-19). This includes the hands which type slander, hate and gossip on the internet to destroy other people. The internet is a wasteland of gossip, slander and malicious words.

Oh be careful little hands what you type,
Oh be careful little hands what you type,
for the Father up above is looking down in love,
oh be careful little hands what you type.

Bless God, we need a bunch of hollering preaching to cry aloud from America's pulpits against the evils of gossip. The American newsmedia are nothing but a wild pack of manure-spreaders! What a disgraceful way to make a living, by destroying other people's lives by spreading gossip. I'd hate to make a shameful living by overturning every moldy rock, looking behind every shady tree, searching for dark secrets, dirt and bad news about others to destroy them forever by magnifying and broadcasting their sins, faults and shortcomings to the world. What a sad bunch we are in America!!!

Life's Lessons To Learn About Gossip:

  1. Never gossip. Proverbs 11:9a, “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour...”
  2. Never listen to gossip. Kindly say, “I choose to stay out of other people's business.” 1st Peter 4:15, “But let none of you suffer ... as a busybody in other men's matters”
  3. If you do hear gossip, never repeat that gossip to anyone. Proverbs 17:9, “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends”
  4. Love always gives others the benefit of the doubt.
  5. Pastors are not the Holy Spirit. Don't try to micromanage people's lives from the pulpit. Prepare your sermons weeks in advance and stick to them. Don't let situations control your sermons, let God's Spirit control your sermons and the spiritual needs of your people.
  6. A pastor ought never take potshots at church members from the pulpit concerning private matters that do not involve you. The definition of a potshot means “criticism aimed at an easy target and made without careful consideration.”
  7. It is advisable not to enter into business relationships with fellow church members.

The Great Need of the Hour in Our Churches

There are five things woefully lacking in our churches today in 2014; namely: wisdom, prayer, seeking Holy Spirit power, fire in the pulpit, and personal character. We are perishing because of a woeful lack of wisdom in our churches today. Proverbs 4:7, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” The Bible does not call prayer the principal thing. The Bible does not call preaching the principle thing. The Bible does not call soul-winning the principle thing. No, rather, the Bible in Proverbs 4:7 calls “WISDOM” the principle thing!!! God tells us with all our ability to get “UNDERSTANDING.” Most people use all their energy, time and abilities to get MONEY (the desire for which is the root of all evil - 1st Timothy 6:10).

MP3 Study, Proverbs: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 (Dr. Hyles)

Proverbs 17:9, “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.” I have written quite a bit in this article to expose this kind of garbage in our churches today, because gossip destroys friendships.

“We live in days, and they're sad days, because of the evil. It doesn't bother people to spread a rumor that's not true. It doesn't bother people to be vengeance, vindictive and hateful. ... I don't want to hurt people, I want to help people. I don't want to hate people, I want to love people.” —Pastor Jeff Owens, from the life-changing MP3 sermon, “God A Very Present Help.”

Psalms 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Only God knows the damage and carnage that gossip causes and how people are driven out of churches by gossip. The Bible has MUCH to say about refraining from gossip, the evils of being a talebearer, and the permanent carnage caused by gossip. Proverbs 12:23 teaches that a gossiper reveals secrets, but a faithful man conceals the matter...

A pastor becomes shameful when he begins to listen to gossip, repeat gossip, make faulty assumptions, and attempt to do the Holy Spirit's job by micro-managing people's private matters from the pulpit. A pastor's job is to INFLUENCE, not CONTROL people. Cults control people.

May we all set our affection on things above where Christ sitteth on the right-hand of the Father in Heaven. Colossians 3:1-5, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Amen and amen!

"The world's greatest need is preaching preachers. The Gospel is our emancipation proclamation: let's take it to the slaves of sin." —Evangelist Lester Roloff


Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

Mark 1:15: “...repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:
and they are they which testify of me."
—John 5:39


"In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." —2nd Thessalonians 1:8,9

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“The undermining power of sin is always the cause of decay and deterioration in earthly kingdoms.”
—Dr. Oliver B. Greene

So Much The More As Ye See The Day Approaching (MP3 by Dr. Jack Hyles)
(We ought to work even harder as we see the end years of our life approaching)

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