Raising Doctrinal Concerns the Right Way

How the church stays faithful without tearing itself apart.

Truth matters. Scripture never calls God’s people to ignore error. Elders are told to guard the flock, preachers are charged to handle the word accurately, and Christians are warned that some will depart from the faith.

But Scripture is equally clear about how concerns are to be handled.

Faithfulness is not measured only by what we believe. It is revealed by how we respond when we think something is wrong.

Start by Distinguishing Concern from Suspicion

Not every uneasy feeling is a doctrinal crisis. Concern is rooted in evidence. Suspicion is rooted in assumption. Scripture warns us against confusing the two.

“Anyone who answers before he listens is foolish and shameful” (Proverbs 18:13).
“The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him” (Proverbs 18:17).

Before speaking, ask: What exactly is the issue? Is it something clearly taught, or something inferred? Is it a pattern, or a single statement taken out of context?

Being careful at the beginning prevents damage later.

Go to the Source Before Going to the Crowd

The biblical pattern for correction is personal before it is public.

Jesus taught that when a brother sins, the first step is private conversation (Matthew 18:15). While that passage addresses personal offense, it reflects a broader kingdom ethic: correction should begin with the least destructive, most redemptive approach possible.

We see this principle lived out when Priscilla and Aquila recognized that Apollos was off in some of his teaching. Though Apollos was preaching publicly, they “took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately” (Acts 18:26). They did not go public. They did not stir suspicion. They cared about Apollos as a brother and a leader, and they addressed the issue personally.

Public teaching does not automatically require public correction.

What About Paul Naming Names?

Some object and say, “But Paul named names. He corrected people publicly.”

This is true.

When Paul rebuked publicly (Galatians 2:11–14; 1 Timothy 1:19–20; 2 Timothy 2:17), several things were true. The error was established, not speculative. The issue was persistent, not a single misstatement. And the harm was already public and influencing others.

Paul’s public corrections were not first responses. They were necessary responses once the facts were known and the stakes were clear.

The New Testament does not model immediate public criticism based on rumor or distance. It models restraint, investigation, and a desire for restoration, with public correction reserved for clear, ongoing, and harmful error.

Modern social media platforms do not change biblical ethics. The fact that teaching is public does not automatically make every response wise.

Test Teaching Carefully, Not Casually

Scripture commands discernment, but discernment requires effort.

“Test all things. Hold on to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The Bereans were praised because they examined the Scriptures carefully, not because they reacted quickly (Acts 17:11).

Listening to full lessons, reading in context, and separating disagreement from error takes time. Soundbites and summaries rarely tell the whole story.

It is not uncommon for a single paragraph to be lifted from a larger body of work and used to construct extensive objections, assigning positions the author has explicitly rejected elsewhere in the same document. The fuller context is often available. Clarifications may be stated plainly. Yet they are ignored because engaging the whole argument requires patience.

That is not discernment. It is distortion.

Faithfulness requires more than finding a sentence one dislikes. It requires the honesty to read carefully, the humility to listen fully, and the discipline to represent another person’s position accurately before critiquing it.

Aim for Restoration, Not Victory

The goal of correction is not to win an argument. It is to help a brother.

Paul instructed that those caught in error are to be restored with gentleness (Galatians 6:1). The Lord’s servant is not to be quarrelsome, but patient and able to teach (2 Timothy 2:24–25). Truth handled without love becomes destructive.

A simple question helps here: Is the aim restoration, or reputation damage? Tone usually reveals the answer.

Know When Silence Is Not Faithfulness

There are times when escalation is necessary. Persistent, unrepentant, public error must be addressed for the sake of the flock (Titus 1:9; Acts 20:28–31).

But process still matters. Skipping steps and rushing to exposure creates damage even when concerns are real. Faithfulness does not ignore error, but it also refuses shortcuts.

Guard Your Heart While Guarding the Truth

Jesus gave a searching rule that applies here: “Whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them” (Matthew 7:12).

If concerns were raised about one’s own teaching, how would one hope they were handled? With fairness or suspicion? With conversation or commentary? With care or with labels?

That question keeps the heart in check.

A Final Word

The church needs people who deeply love the truth. It also needs people who handle the truth wisely.

Rumors divide. Careless accusations wound. Biblical correction strengthens. If something causes concern, do not rush to label. Do not recruit allies. Do not speak before listening. Go to the person. Open the Scriptures. Speak the truth in love.

That is how the church stays faithful without tearing itself apart.