The church is not in the same condition it has been in for many years, and its current state is not good. Eighteen years ago, warnings were given that the church was in mortal danger, and now it is even worse, scattered and badly divided, with the division continuing to worsen. The church imploded before it exploded due to spiritual sickness, weakened by years of poor spiritual diet, self-righteousness, and neglectful application. As a body, we lost our first love, fell asleep, and became self-concerned, drifting from God. God is sovereign over His creation and His church; nothing happens without His express will permitting it. He blew the church apart, seeing from afar where it was drifting. Like with Job, He commissioned satan to act, knowing the faithful would remain steadfast. God never gives a test too great, always providing a way of escape, but we must exercise our faith and turn to Him for strength. The purpose of this trial is to drive us back to see God, whom we lost sight of while asleep. When the foundations are destroyed, the whole building comes down. Faith is the foundation, the substance that stands under and supports the entire structure of our beliefs and actions. If the gospel is changed, faith changes, and if it is not the right gospel, everything shifts in the wrong direction. The church's internal problems stemmed from matters of the heart—beliefs, doctrines, policies, and attitudes—that led to its implosion. God warned through His servants that disunity and spiritual deterioration were developing, and these warnings were not hollow; they came to pass as the church continued to decline morally and spiritually even while preaching to the world. It is time for a change, a shift in direction and focus, to fix what caused the scattering of the flock. The shepherd's first responsibility is to regather the sheep and address the root causes of their dispersal, whether it be a wolf, broken fences, or issues within the sheep themselves. God indicates when and where His work will go, determining if we rest or move, and we must adjust to His leading, even when it seems strange or contrary to our expectations. The conditions forced upon us by our environment and what God wants us to accomplish will determine the direction we take, as seen in the patterns of Israel's journey, where adjustments were made due to sin, attacks, and other circumstances. God's scrutiny of the church is intense because much has been given to us in terms of knowledge, resources, and opportunities. To whom much is given, much is required, and His judgment is without respect of persons, though some, like teachers, receive stricter inspection due to their responsibilities. As the church progressed materially, it regressed spiritually, leading to the current state of scattering and the need for repentance and amendment of ways. God has not abandoned us; He is with us, doing what is good for our ultimate blessing as we re-evaluate our convictions and lives.

The scattering of the greater church of God into numerous organizations stems from human rebellion and the apostasy that followed Herbert W. Armstrong's death. God permitted this division as a test to reveal whether His people would cling to His truth or pursue their own ways amid friction in doctrine, governance, and personal relationships. Many groups claim roots in the true church yet assert exclusive status as the body of Christ, labeling others Laodicean or fallen away. Smaller fellowships and independent members also trace connections to the historical church, though only Christ as Head can confirm their standing. This environment creates a dangerous mix because individuals can move between organizations to shield unrepented sins such as pride, greed, or divisiveness rather than confront them. Such movement spreads wrong attitudes, fosters repeated offenses, and prevents growth toward the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. The situation tempts members to justify personal preferences as unity while avoiding the selflessness, submission, and service required for genuine oneness. Christ desires His body to function as one new man, reconciled through His sacrifice, built together as a holy temple where every part supplies what promotes edification in love. Scripture shows that the church began in one accord on Pentecost and that this unity produces the fruits of righteousness. Without it, spiritual completion stalls, as peace among brethren enables character development and preparation for future service in God's plan. The ministry equips saints for this work by teaching the knowledge of the Son of God, yet each member must personally walk worthy of the calling through humility, forbearance, and speech that builds up rather than divides. Only by putting on the new man in righteousness and true holiness can the scattered condition give way to the singular body Christ prayed would reflect the oneness between the Father and the Son.

Nannyism arises in the church when members delegate responsibilities that belong solely to God onto human leaders and organizations, fostering an idolatrous focus on those leaders rather than on Him. This occurs when members identify with spiritual figures more than with God, as the Corinthians did by aligning themselves with particular apostles whom they viewed as benefactors capable of providing for them. Such alignment creates division within the Body and stems from a carnal tendency to rally around a strong human leader or successful organization in the expectation that it will carry members along and shield them from consequences. False ministers exacerbate the condition by seeking personal followings instead of directing people to God, while some leaders today stir up fears of the Tribulation only to promise safety and divine favor based merely on affiliation with the right group. The result is complacency in which members neglect personal responsibility for overcoming, producing the fruit of the Spirit, and growing into the image of the Father and the Son. Without the struggle required to develop character, spiritual faculties atrophy, and individuals behave as though normal rules and eternal consequences do not apply when their leader or church appears to be the winning team. This mental delegation of what belongs to God alone stalls the very character formation that regeneration initiates and that God intends to complete through active, individual effort.