Pastor David Miranda Neto was invited to the Hub Podcast and made a comment about the rigid beliefs he had about wearing clothes when taking a bath. These rigid doctrines are present today in certain congregations, where they say that something as simple as bathing in shorts on the beach is a sin.
This testimony has generated a strong debate within the Christian community, especially among those who have experienced similar environments where human traditions were placed above the message of grace. Many believers grew up under rules that were imposed not because they were clearly supported by Scripture, but because they were inherited customs that no one dared to question.
Pastor David Miranda affirmed that today he no longer has those restrictions, but there was a time when he believed that he could lose his salvation if he took a shower without clothes, because if Jesus came, he could not leave with Him, so I explain it in the podcast. These restrictions made the majority of members in the church to be elderly, well, I don’t think that young people want to belong to a place where there are restrictions as ridiculous as these. David expressed:
This type of thinking reveals how fear can be used as a control mechanism within some congregations. The idea that salvation can be lost because of everyday actions creates anxiety, guilt, and a distorted image of God, presenting Him more as a judge waiting to punish than as a loving Father who restores and guides His children.
Today, 95% of the church members are seniors who were saved at the height of David Miranda’s ministry.
The demographic reality mentioned by the pastor is striking and invites reflection. Churches that focus excessively on rules and prohibitions often struggle to connect with new generations. Young people today ask questions, seek understanding, and desire an authentic faith that transforms their lives, not a list of prohibitions that lack biblical foundation.
When the message of the Gospel is replaced by legalism, the church risks losing its missionary essence. Christianity was never meant to be reduced to external behaviors alone, but to an internal transformation that produces fruits of love, humility, and obedience motivated by gratitude, not fear.
The young pastor concluded by reflecting on how many young people are no longer in their church because of the legalism that existed before:
Where they are the young? God is Love is not reached to youth. There are many children of pastors, members, who couldn’t even stay because of this rigid culture.
These words echo the experience of many families who have seen their children drift away from the church, not because they rejected God, but because they could not reconcile faith with an environment filled with constant condemnation. Legalism often pushes people away from Christ instead of bringing them closer to Him.
It is important to clarify that discipline and holiness are biblical principles, but when they are disconnected from grace and love, they become heavy burdens. Jesus Himself confronted religious leaders who imposed unbearable loads on people while neglecting mercy, compassion, and justice.
The testimony of Pastor David Miranda Neto opens the door to an honest self-examination for churches today. Are our teachings helping people grow spiritually, or are they creating fear and exclusion? Are we pointing believers to Christ, or to human rules that do not transform the heart?
Leave your opinion on the subject in the comments, what other things like these have you heard that are prohibited in some congregations?
NOTE: If you know the Portuguese language and want to listen to the entire interview, we leave it here below:
