Have you ever been wounded by church leadership, not for denying the faith, but for following your conscience and studying Scripture for yourself? In this deeply personal episode of the Pristine Grace Podcast, Brandan Kraft shares a painful story from nearly twenty-five years ago when a disagreement over giving, Christian liberty, and Scripture turned into pressure, control, and eventual rejection from those meant to shepherd him. This is not a theological lecture. It is a testimony about spiritual authority gone wrong, the cost of standing firm, and how God used a devastating season to bring freedom in Christ. Drawing from Galatians, Acts, Hebrews, and the words of Christ Himself, Brandan explores the difference between biblical leadership and spiritual domination, between healthy submission and surrendering your conscience to men. If you have ever felt manipulated, silenced, or made to doubt yourself for asking honest questions, this episode is for you. The Gospel proclaims that Christ has set His people free, and that freedom is worth guarding. Settle in, grab your coffee, and listen to a story about spiritual wounding that turned into deliverance, and about learning to follow the Shepherd's voice above all others. 0:00 Introduction - Have You Been Rejected by a Church? 1:07 Show & Tell - My Favorite KJV Bible 6:23 My Personal Story Begins 12:20 The Confrontation About Tithing 17:00 Standing on Scripture vs. Church Authority 24:55 Growing in Grace & Knowledge 27:30 Pleasing God Rather Than Men 31:50 The Gospel of Freedom in Christ 35:40 To Those Who've Been Hurt by Church Leaders 38:00 A Word to Church Leaders 40:00 My Sheep Hear My Voice 43:56 Closing Thoughts
