The tongue is an unruly member of the body that is difficult to control. Everyone is aware of the destruction that gossip, slander, and lies can cause. But, there is also a defilement in listening to an evil report. An evil report is one of distorted facts, incomplete information or wrong conclusions that offer unscriptural solutions. There is much defilement in the Christian body because of listening to these types of reports. A Christian may be pure, but become a carrier because they have defiled themselves from an evil report. There are five stages of defilement:

1. Ignorance - This is the stage of not being aware of the destructive power of untrue words. By listening, even in ignorance, relationships and attitudes are affected. A person can be ignorant of how evil reports are given, who gives them, and how Satan uses them to destroy or influence.
2. Exposure - This is the stage of entering into conversation with a carrier of an evil report. (Prov. 27:12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.) How do you detect a carrier of an evil report? He will test your spirit to see if you converse with him. He will check your acceptance of it. He may get you to ask about it. "Did you hear about Brother So-and-so?" "No, tell me what happened." He may ask counsel from you. "What should we do about this person?" Finally, he will invoke vivid emotions of shock or disgust. How do you detect an evil report itself? Ask the following question: What is your reason for telling me? Can I help? Am I involved? Where did you get your information? Have you gone to those directly involved? Have you personally checked out all the facts? May I quote you if I check this report?
3. Defilement - The disease enters into a person when they receive an evil report and believe it. From that time, they will be affected because they are now a carrier.
4. Infection - This stage occurs when the person starts taking action based upon the evil report. (Prov. 16:28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.) How does the infected person take action? They form negative opinions and judge motives. They cut off the spirit of fellowship. They give the evil report to others. They band together with others who are infected.
5. Disease - This is the stage of being controlled by the destructive spirit of the evil report. What are the symptoms of evil report disease? Bitterness toward one who didn't offend you. Judging matters which are God's responsibility. Recruiting others to take sides. Believing this is God's will.

1. Ask God to cleanse your heart. (Psalms 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.)
2. Pray for God to give you genuine love.
3. Use scripture to cleanse your mind. ( I Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.)
4. Know when your heart is cleansed. You won't have an urge to tell others.
5. Act on reports as God directs, by contacting either the one who gave it, the one involved in it, or the person responsible to deal with it.

God has promised grace to an offended person, but not to those who pass along the offense. When a person carries the report, he is operating without grace and will become infected and diseased. What is the answer? Let God control the tongue.

(Editor's Note: The most obvious biblical example of the harm caused by an evil report comes from the Book of Numbers Chapter 13. Moses sent 12 tribal leaders out to spy out the Promised Land for forty days. Because of unbelief, ten of the twelve brought back an evil report and turned on Moses and the two faithful spies (Joshua and Caleb) on the ninth day of the Jewish month of Av. As a result, according to Numbers 14 1-10 was a mutiny that lead to an attempt to stone Moses. As a direct result of the evil report, God caused those infected adults to wander for 40 years in the wilderness until all of that generation died. And because of their unbelief, the ninth of Av was made a Fast of Mourning. Throughout the history of the Jews, the ninth of the month of Av has been marked with disaster after disaster.

On that date in 1490 B.C. the Israelites began 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. In 587 B.C. the temple of Solomon was burned and destroyed by the Babylonians on the ninth of Av. In 70 A.D. the Second Temple was burned and destroyed by the Romans. In 71 A.D. on the ninth of Av, the Romans plowed Jerusalem and the Temple mount with salt. In 135 A.D. on the ninth of Av the army of Simon Bar Kochba was destroyed. In 1290 A.D. on the ninth of Av, King Edward I expelled all the Jews from England. On the ninth of Av in 1492, Spain expelled all the Jews from their country. On the ninth of Av in 1914, the Russians mobilized for World War I and began persecutions against the Jews. Approximately 100,000 were killed. All this from an evil report that caused the nation of Israel as a whole to doubt and lose faith in God.)

There are many different ways to lead God's people.

1. Visionary leader - These leaders have a crystal-clear picture of what they want to happen. They cast visions powerfully and possess indefatigable enthusiasm to pursue the mission.
2. Directional leader - The directional leader can carefully assess the values, mission, strengths, weaknesses, resources, personnel, and openness to change of an organization - then point that organization in the right direction.
3. Strategic leader - A strategic leader forms a game plan everyone can understand and is able to get various departments synchronized and focused toward the goal.
4. Managing leader - These leaders possess the unique ability to establish mile markers on the road to the destination, then organize and monitor people, processes, systems, and resources for mission achievement.
5. Motivational leader - These leaders possess insight into who needs a fresh challenge, additional training, public recognition, an encouraging word or a day off.
6. Shepherding leader - This man or woman loves team members so deeply, nurtures them so gently, supports them so consistently, listens to them so patiently, and prays for them so diligently that the mission of the team gets achieved.
7. Team-building leader - This person has supernatural insight into people to find or develop leaders with the right abilities, character, and chemistry with other team members.
8. Re-engineering leader - This kind of leader loves to tune up, heal, and revitalize hurting organizations.
9. Bridge-building leader - This leader brings a wide variety of constituencies together under a single umbrella of leadership so that a complex organization can achieve its mission.