When Platforms Crumble: A Call Back to the Local Church

Here We Go Again!

By Brent Madaris, D.Min.

In the world of evangelical ministry, the dust of another crumbling platform will eventually settle. G3 Ministries, a ministry, long known for presenting itself as a bastion of doctrinal clarity and biblical fidelity and devotion to truth has now found itself in the uncomfortable but necessary position of public repentance—this time for the very things it so often condemned in others: slander, misrepresentation, lies, and pride.

These things should never be named among those who bear the name of Christ. And yet, here we are again.

Let me be clear—I have never aligned myself with G3 Ministries, nor have I supported the celebrity-driven model it represents. I am not attempting to take a potshot here. I am simply revealing something that needs to be remembered. What we’re seeing unfold is not surprising to many of us who have labored in the quiet trenches of local church revitalization. We’ve long known that glossy conferences, tight-knit speaker circles, and theological elitism are poor substitutes for the messy, beautiful, Spirit-led work that happens in small, struggling churches.

This is not merely a headline—it’s a confirmation. A confirmation that the work we are doing—quietly, prayerfully, faithfully—is not only needed but urgently prophetic. The need to revive gospel-centered, Spirit-empowered, humble local churches arises precisely because of the rot that grows beneath polished platforms and institutional arrogance.

The Danger of the Behemoth - A Culture of Platforms and Pride

Movements like G3 attract many who long for clarity and conviction in an age of theological compromise, but ministries like this also, at times, foster a culture perceived by some as exclusive or dismissive of those outside its particular framework. The platforming of certain high-profile leaders, while beneficial in some respects, has occasionally overshadowed the quieter, faithful work of local pastors who may not align perfectly with G3’s model. This dynamic has raised concerns about whether such movements unintentionally elevate personality-driven ministry and undermine the local church focus.

When organizations like this stumble—especially those that emphasize theological precision and humility—it often exposes something deeper: a culture where pride can quietly grow beneath the surface. As Proverbs reminds us, ‘Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.’ Too often, such environments begin to prioritize institutions over individuals, platforms over people, organizational reputation over the health of local churches, and public image over pastoral integrity. In the end, these misplaced priorities create fault lines that eventually give way.

When ministries become brands and pastors become influencers, something vital is often lost. The humility that should define the shepherd’s heart can be replaced with a carefully crafted image, exclusive networks, and an unspoken message that only certain voices are worth hearing. The tragedy is that while such platforms rightly proclaim the sufficiency of Scripture, their methods can unintentionally diminish the sufficiency of the local church—elevating conference stages and digital followings as though the Spirit moves more powerfully there than in ordinary pulpits and prayer meetings.

Groups like G3 explicitly affirm the sufficiency of the local church in their statements and messaging. However, the criticism isn’t about what they say—it's about how their practices may functionally undermine that sufficiency.

Organizations like this risk diminishing or overshadowing the local church, rather than outright denying its sufficiency.

The church revitalizer knows this tension. He has walked into buildings nearly empty, past plaques from a long-gone era of fruitfulness. He has preached to five or ten weary souls. He has sat in silence with people who are too tired to try again. And yet—he stays. Not because it’s easy, but because it’s real. Because Christ is still building His church, not through Instagram reels or celebrity panels, but through boots-on-the-ground shepherding in forgotten places with forgotten people.

Humility Is the Revival We Need

The confession of public sin by a platformed leader should not make us rejoice. It should make us weep. But it should also awaken us. We must stop looking to large, glossy ministries to define faithfulness. We must turn our eyes back to the New Testament pattern, where the local church—not the conference stage—was the headquarters of gospel advancement.

Revitalization calls us to die to the dream of being known and instead live to make Christ known in places no one wants to go. It calls us to preach to a dozen like it’s a hundred, to shepherd the broken like they’re royalty, and to believe that gospel power still flows in small, quiet, faithful ways.

The High Profile Failure Formula - Repentance, Apology, Restoration

Once again, we are witnessing a pattern that has become all too familiar in modern evangelicalism: a public failure, a well-crafted apology, a brief “restoration process,” and then a swift return to ministry as if nothing happened.

Frankly, it’s becoming almost comical—if it weren’t so tragic.

Real repentance isn’t a PR move. Real restoration isn’t a fast-track. This cycle of sin, sorrow, spotlight, and sequel is not only harmful—it’s a mockery of biblical restoration and pastoral accountability. When leaders are platformed again too quickly, it reveals how little value we place on integrity, brokenness, and genuine healing.

A Call to Refocus

So let this be a call—not to cancel, but to refocus.

Let us recommit to:

• The local church as the center of God’s mission.

• Servant leadership that washes feet rather than builds empires.

• The gospel lived out in humility, integrity, and quiet faithfulness.

Revitalization is not flashy. It is not marketable. But it is holy. And in this moment, when another platform has faltered, may the Lord stir up a fresh wind of revival from the ground up.

The Local Church Still Matters

As someone devoted to church revitalization, I can tell you this: the hope of the church is not in ministries like G3, or any ministry built around a name or brand. It is in the local church, where real people worship a real Savior and deal with real problems.

Revitalization doesn’t come with accolades. It doesn’t go viral. But it is where Jesus is still doing His greatest work—restoring broken congregations, awakening sleepy saints, and empowering obscure pastors to preach the Word with boldness and grace.

We don’t need more celebrity ministries. We need more men willing to preach faithfully to fifteen people, visit the sick, counsel the weary, and love the flock entrusted to them. We need fewer logos and more shepherds.

A Word to the Pastor in the Shadows

If you’re pastoring a dying church, know this: you are not beneath God’s notice. You are not second-class because your sermon didn’t trend or your name isn’t on a banner, or you are not platformed on a shiny stage with bright lights. In fact, you might just be right where the Lord is most pleased to work.

The failure and struggle of G3 isn’t just about one man’s confession—it’s about a wider reckoning. A call to return to humility, accountability, and the centrality of the local church.

Let’s Rebuild from the Ground Up

This is why revitalization matters. It’s not just about church growth—it’s about church health, church truth, and church integrity. The path forward is not up a stage—it’s down to our knees.

Let the fall of platform ministries remind us that real strength is found in weakness, real ministry happens in obscurity, and real fruit comes from abiding in Christ, not being admired by men.