It Advocates For Divorce

Twisted Scripture: Wellspring teaches that leaving this church can justify divorce for a married member.
False “Unbelief”: Disagreement over doctrine or rejection of church leadership is treated as "unbelief", giving grounds for separation when one spouse leaves or has their membership revoked.
Families Broken: This policy has divided marriages and instilled fear among members.

Twisted Scripture: Divorce as a Tool of Control

Perhaps the most destructive and egregious distortion of Scripture at Wellspring Church is found in its teaching on divorce.

Wellspring teaches that there are two conditions under which marriage may be dissolved:
(1) sexual immorality, and
(2) when an “unbeliever” departs from the marriage.

They define the second condition as follows:

“If a believing partner acts like an unbeliever and breaks the marriage covenant, we will consider those actions to be that of an unbeliever…”

In practice, this means that if a member questions church doctrine, leadership, or chooses to leave the church, they may be treated as an “unbeliever” - and their spouse may be counseled that divorce is biblically justified.

This teaching is not theoretical. It has been actively taught and applied, with significant harm to families.

A Direct Command Ignored

Scripture speaks clearly about marriage:

“To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband… and the husband should not divorce his wife.” (1 Corinthians 7:10–11)

This is not presented as advice, but as a command from the Lord. The baseline assumption in Scripture is that marriage is to be preserved - not dissolved through expanded interpretations.

Paul’s instruction protects the marriage even in spiritual disagreement - it does not permit redefining a spouse in order to dissolve it.

Scripture consistently presents marriage as a covenant before God:

“The Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth… she is your companion and your wife by covenant… For I hate divorce, says the Lord…” (Malachi 2:14–16)

Marriage is not contingent on institutional loyalty. It is a covenant relationship meant to be guarded with faithfulness and care.

A Misuse of 1 Corinthians 7

Wellspring derives its position from 1 Corinthians 7:10–16, yet its application reverses Paul’s instruction.

Paul continues: “If any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her… she should not divorce him.” (1 Corinthians 7:12–13)

The instruction is explicit: If the unbelieving spouse is willing to remain in the marriage, the believer must not pursue divorce.

Paul then adds: “But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so.” (1 Corinthians 7:15)

The distinction is critical. The initiative belongs to the unbelieving spouse - not the believer. Scripture permits separation in this case; it does not authorize a believer to redefine their spouse and initiate divorce.

Redefining “Unbelief”

Central to this issue is the redefinition of the word “unbeliever.”

Scripture treats belief and unbelief as clear spiritual realities:

“What partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? … Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:14–15)

“Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?” (1 John 2:22)

Biblically, an unbeliever is one who rejects Christ - not someone who questions doctrine, raises concerns about leadership, leaves a church, or is removed and "disfellowshipped" from a specific church.

Yet within Wellspring’s framework, “unbelief” is often applied to:

Disagreement over doctrine
Concerns about church practices
Questioning pastoral authority
Leaving the church altogether
Being removed from membership or “disfellowshipped” by the church

In other words, “unbelief” is no longer defined by rejection of Christ, but can be assigned through disagreement or departure.

In every known case where divorce has been encouraged under this policy, both individuals were professing Christians.

To label a believer as an unbeliever under these conditions is not a matter of interpretation - it is a grave and destructive distortion of Scripture.

Reversing Paul’s Conclusion

Paul’s conclusion is often reframed in a way that alters its meaning:

“If the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so.” (1 Corinthians 7:15)

This is a concession acknowledging a broken situation - not a directive to pursue divorce.

Wellspring effectively reinterprets this to mean that if a spouse leaves the church or its doctrine, they are “departing,” and divorce is therefore justified.

But Scripture does not equate leaving a church with abandoning a marriage, nor disagreement with unbelief.

Real-World Impact: Families Under Pressure

The consequences of this teaching are not abstract - they are lived out in real families.

This policy creates a persistent, often unspoken pressure within marriages:

Leaving the church may cost you your spouse
Questioning leadership may threaten your family
Disagreement may be reframed as spiritual rebellion

For many members, especially those with children, this becomes a powerful deterrent to leaving - even when serious concerns exist.

Marriage Is Not a Tool of Control

Within a biblical framework, marriage reflects sacrificial love.

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…” (Ephesians 5:25)

“He who loves his wife loves himself… no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it…” (Ephesians 5:28–29)

Marriage is designed for mutual care, not institutional leverage.

Yet in practice, Wellspring’s system can place spouses in opposition to one another - where one partner’s loyalty to the church becomes a means of pressure against the other.

This stands in direct tension with the biblical model of leadership.

“Shepherd the flock of God… not domineering over those in your charge…” (1 Peter 5:2–3)

Conscience, Freedom, and Fear

The New Testament consistently upholds freedom of conscience:

“Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.” (Romans 14:5)

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore…” (Galatians 5:1)

When decisions about faith, church participation, and conviction are shaped by fear of losing one’s family, that freedom is no longer intact.

A Pattern That Harms Families

For some women, faithfulness is taught as submission not only to God, but to church leadership. They may sincerely believe urging their husbands to stay is spiritually necessary.

For many husbands, this creates a profound tension. They recognize their responsibility to lead their household, yet feel that responsibility displaced by pastoral authority. Leaving may risk their marriage, their children, and their place in the community.

The dynamic also works in reverse. Some women recognize serious concerns and desire to leave, while their husbands - out of loyalty or fear - insist on staying. In these cases, the threat of separation or loss becomes a quiet but powerful force.

In both directions, the pattern is consistent: the more church-aligned spouse becomes the leverage point.

Marriage, rather than being protected, becomes entangled in institutional control.

A Departure from the Pattern of Christ

In a healthy Christian community:

Husband and wife seek God together freely
Conscience is respected
Leadership serves rather than dominates
Marriage is protected, not weaponized

Where fear replaces freedom, and where human authority overrides the discernment of a household, the church has stepped outside the pattern of Christ.

And the cost of that departure is borne by families.

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