Brace up for a longer post, gang! lol
...At a recent Christian conference honoring John MacArthur's work in ministry, they played a childish game where he was asked to give a brief response (basically saying the first thing that popped into his mind) upon hearing certain words or phrases. The first words they presented to him were "Beth Moore," and after some condescending audience laughter and John taking a minute to mull it over, he said, "Go home!" Most of the crowd laughed and applauded as the group of men on stage went on to tear her down and claim that it is unjustifiable for any woman to ever preach God's Word. *You can read more about this event and listen to the audio HERE if you're interested.
It should go without saying, but what happened there was NOT okay. It was not loving, kind, gentle, good, self-controlled, or in any way representing the fruit of the Spirit or the heart of Christ toward women! It was incredibly arrogant and the wrong way to express those beliefs, even if they were 100% correct (which I don't believe they were). Beth's response was classy and kind, and she continues to be a faithful teacher and Christlike leader whose life story, humble heart, and passionate love for Jesus has changed SO MANY LIVES for God's Kingdom! I am deeply thankful for her ministry... along with Priscilla Shirer, Christine Caine, Lysa TerKeurst, Stasi Eldredge, and so many other Godly women who have shaped and strengthened me in my own walk with God. I hope the aftermath of all this will be Christian women feeling more empowered to speak up and be bold in life and in sharing the gospel rather than feeling small and unworthy and unseen! We are daughters of a kind and loving King, not an inferior punchline, and I hope the majority of our brothers in Christ will choose to show love and respect rather than emulating the smarmy condescension shown at that conference.
I've thought about this a lot yesterday and today, and I feel some righteous anger about how it was handled and how it might affect vulnerable women who misunderstand God's heart toward them. God is never okay with this type of misogynistic behavior where men in positions of power choose to belittle, degrade, and bully women they consider inferior and inessential to God's work in the world. Rather than listening well or communicating with love and grace, these men were dismissive and condescending. And it registers as especially problematic to me that Beth Moore was rarely a target for personal attack before she began boldly advocating for sexual abuse victims and speaking up against the gross abuse of power by numerous male church leaders...
"It’s a sin to cover up abuse and to want to silence those who are speaking up against it. It’s a sin to be complicit in such things and it’s a sin to snicker at cheap shots. It’s a sin to quench the work of the Holy Spirit in and through the lives of women... It’s not just about Beth Moore. We all know that. That moment was about all of us and our experience at the hand of the whole sinking ship of evangelical boys’ clubbery. Every single one of us who has been told by men to go home. To stay silent. To shut up. To stop stirring up trouble. To take a seat. That we are shrill or angry or bitter or disruptive. Keep showing up. Speak up. Rise up. Stand up. Don’t make yourself smaller and quieter and lesser in a misguided attempt to avoid criticism and mockery from small-souled men like this." ~Sarah Bessey
Although my core theological views do not line up with Sarah Bessey, what she said above was true and powerful. In my own life, I have often played it small based on fear of what people with louder personalities and opinions might say or think... and I feel challenged now and determined to press in and seek God and start writing what He puts on my heart. My fear of God has to outweigh my fear of man -- it's as simple and as complicated as that!
I read recently in Acts 5 where Gamaliel urges the Pharisees to let the disciples go free, saying, "If their purpose or endeavor is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them." And how true is that? If we are seeking God and moving in line with His will, then no person on earth or demon in hell can stop His plans from succeeding. So let's avoid pridefully pushing our own agendas, but as the redeemed daughters of God, let's commit ourselves to GO BIG and be ALL IN about following Him and going where He leads us!
As I shared on Facebook, I personally do not believe Beth Moore is going against Scriptural direction. She is not serving as the lead pastor of any church, nor is she marketing her events toward a male audience. She is actually quite careful not to paint herself as having authority over men. Her conferences, books, and Bible studies are clearly geared toward women, but sometimes men choose to attend, listen, or read. (And many of them have learned valuable things from her teaching.) I believe the very same Holy Spirit that lives and works in Christian men lives and works in Christian women, and that His power is not stifled because of our gender differences. The same powerful God created and gifted each of us, and the great commission applies to ALL believers. And the division is unhealthy - we're all on the same team where everyone can learn from each other and grow together!
Someone argued that the church structure mirrors the Biblical home, and that women should not stubbornly seek out power and authority over men. I support the second half of that statement, but we need to remember that CHRIST (not Christian men in general) is the head of the church, and believers (men and women alike) are the bride of Christ who are called to submit to His leadership and authority. My goal is not to be insubordinate or unfaithful. But that line is defined very differently among those who use Paul's advice in 1 Timothy 2 to prevent women from teaching... and it quickly becomes ridiculous and petty:
Am I allowed to share the gospel one on one? Is that not considered teaching? Are women permitted to be traveling missionaries? To pray with sick and hurting people? To write books? To teach children of both genders (or should they avoid teaching Scripture even then)? To study and teach God’s Word? To post Scripture and write about how God is speaking to us? To write a Bible study? To lead a small group where both men and women are present? To speak to women from a platform? To speak from a stage even when Christian men are present in the audience? Or is our place always and only in the home and our role "to be seen and not heard" in church circles where men are present? And as a single woman, if the main purpose for which God created all women is purely the at-home work of being a wife and a mother, then is my life largely irrelevant to His kingdom until I gain a husband and/or children? Or could my heart and my words have value that benefits others right now today? I’m guessing the argument would be that I should only teach Christian women, but then was Jesus mistaken or disoriented when He told the women at the tomb to go and tell His male disciples that He had risen? Was that not teaching them new and vitally important information!? Someone argued that those women were simply "passing on a message," but could the same thing not be argued about anyone teaching and explaining the truths God gave to us through Scripture? Is it sinful for men to read my posts here or on Facebook where I regularly share Scripture and what I’m learning from it? And what about what Paul said here: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” ~Galatians 3:27-28
I'm inclined to think most people would agree that this whole word association game was a very poor choice and should never have been played. But I might be wrong as this is the second time MacArthur has done this. He may have believed he was defending Scripture and being helpful rather than standing against women, but his lack of humility and kindness is why most of the women I know found it hurtful, demeaning, and ungodly. In trying to defend his interpretation of the Word of God, he was far out of line with the loving heart of God, so it’s the whole "clanging cymbals" effect Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 13:1.
This is a complicated and contentious subject among believers, and it’s obviously much bigger than John MacArther and Beth Moore. I think it’s easy for women to react with stubborn pride here too, wanting to show the men who are trying to "put us in our place" just how loud and aggressive we can be, and that is certainly not God’s will either. By moving forward in our own strength and power, we will only make fools of ourselves. Both genders have to be submitted to Him and living lives that reflect the fruit of the Spirit, which is much easier said than done... but that’s the goal that will lead us to real peace and unity... and the only way we will draw more people to join us in the love of Christ!
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So for myself, for my precious niece, for my future daughter, and for all my sisters in Christ...
I am praying for spiritual wisdom and boldness, that God would give us complete understanding of His heart toward us and what He wants to do in and through our lives! That He would flood our hearts with light to help us to see and understand the rich and glorious future He has planned for us. I pray that we would connect with our Savior like never before, that we would press in and grow in the knowledge of God so that we can stand firm in His will, mature and fully assured. I pray that our words, our thoughts, our motives, and the way we live our lives would reflect and honor Him. That we would seek His face and become the valiant women He had in mind when He created us!
I pray for fierce devotion and strength of spirit... that God would find our hearts bold and passionate, secure in His unfailing love, humbly submitted, and faithful to Him. That our Savior would comfort and encourage us, making our hearts steadfast in every good thing we do and say. That God would make us strong, set our feet on the firm foundation of Christ, and guard us from the attacks of our common enemy! I pray that we would understand what matters most here, throwing off everything that hinders and the specific sins that easily entangle us, and run with perseverance the unique race God has marked out for us. And that as we run our race, we would encourage each other and fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, so that we would not grow weary or lose heart through the difficult parts of our journey!
I pray that the Holy Spirit would strengthen and sustain us, that He would prompt us to pray about everything and trust God's heart rather than being filled with worry and anxiety over all the things outside our control. That God would give us the patience and endurance we need to wait on His timing and surrender to His ways so that our lives would be fruitful in every good work. I pray for discernment in relationships, for divine connections and unity of spirit with people who will support and sharpen our faith, and for true peace and greater union within the body of Christ. That we would continue to live in Christ's love, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in our faith, and overflowing with praise and thankfulness! I pray that we would learn to trust God more deeply as our faithful Provider and Protector, believing He will care for us and meet our every need through His own endless riches. And I pray that God would keep us humble and empower us to lead lives worthy of His calling, giving us the deep desire and the inner power to do what pleases Him!! ❤
