Not long ago I saw something on social media that had a particularly troubling effect on me as a fellow follower of Jesus. Of course, we see deeply disturbing things on social media everyday. Things that trouble us not only as Christians but, for crying out loud, as fellow humans. Things much more troubling than what I’m about to share with you today. I may comment on those things and cry out to God about those things but I’d less likely write a blog post about them. Other voices are more qualified. My concerns and the kinds of things I write about are more inclined toward matters involving the community of believers in Christ. I love the community of faith so much. Called to discipleship, it is the focus of my life passion and has been for thirty years. I only have one small desk from which to watch our world so I miss a lot but, among the things in my eyeshot, I see so much cause for praise. So much good. I see stirrings of revival. Outbreaks of evangelism. Demands for justice. I don’t know how anybody truly awake in the believing world could claim that nothing good is happening in Christianity.
But the reason I’m writing today is that I’m seeing a burgeoning trend out there that is toxic, dangerous, and slanderous. Nothing about it carries the scent of Christ.
It’s a witch hunt. Only, instead of witches, it’s heretics and false teachers.
I’ve been watching the witch hunt for several years and seen the usual targets and been one of the usual targets. The lists are growing by leaps and bounds and list-makers are proudly joining ranks. This is part of our brave, new world. And everybody’s game, especially anybody vaguely outspoken. An addition was made to the list here recently that was so absurd that it would have been laughable had it not said so much about where this whole trend is heading.
I’ll leave out the names of other targets and speak firsthand from my own experience. After all, the thing that troubled me on social media recently was personal. It was an attack not made behind my back. It was said where I would see it.
The tweet referred to me on my feed as “false teacher @BethMooreLPM.”
Nothing was new about seeing that. I also regularly get called a heretic.
As unpleasant and bewildering as it is, that’s not the part that particularly disturbed me. The part that got me is that it came from 22 year-old young woman.
Twenty-two.
Maybe she started young and really had done enough of the Bibles studies or read enough of the books to support a doctrinal evaluation like that.
What is more likely is that she believes it because it’s what she’s heard from someone she respects.
Or maybe she’s seen evidence with her own eyes through segments of video-teaching taken out of their original context and strung together in such a way to suggest a representation of an entire thrust of ministry.
I don’t know exactly how she came up so confidently with that label so early in her adult Christian life but somehow she did.
The tweet didn’t make me mad. It made me sad. I wanted to ground her and give her a homework assignment. Lest you go looking for her, I deleted the comment from my feed when I knew I was going to write this post. We’re not going to respond to unkindness with more unkindness. That’s not God’s way. Anyway, the odd thing of it is, I loved her immediately. My calling is discipleship and my focus is women. I want women plugged into churches. I want them continually sitting under pastors, shepherds, and teachers. I love to hear that women are studying in group environments but I also want them to study for themselves. Not just get spoon-fed what to think and not only about the Scriptures and the local church but also about the larger community of faith and those who serve within it. About the responsible use of voice. About what qualifies as a heretic. About mutual respect for their own brothers and sisters in Christ. About fair evaluations. Due diligence.
I’m still very much on my journey, too. Such a long shot from arriving. I’ve woefully regretted things I’ve said and some things I’ve taught. All of us are on a learning curve in this culture entrusted to our care. But, as we learn and as we operate in these public forums where everybody has a voice, come, let us reason together.
There is a mighty wide pond between “I line up with him/her” and “He/she is a false teacher.” Let’s think about wading through it. That’s all I’m saying.
In a massive cross section of Christian voices on social media, the bottom has dropped out of an entire line of reasoning and way of relating to one another.
We’ve jumped straight to terms like “false teachers” and “heretics” instead of expressions that very likely represent the differences more accurately. Such as…
I strongly disagree with _________________________ about _______________________________.
Or even,
I believe __________________________________ is unsound about ____________________________.
Disagreement is not a qualification for declaring someone a heretic. Even vehement disagreement.
As well, getting something wrong doesn’t automatically make a person a false teacher. If that were so, we’d all qualify at one time or another. There are vital elements that need to be considered, taught, and discussed among us in our Christian environments like what constitutes proper criteria for making claims of heresy and false teaching and what is orthodoxy? How do we wisely oppose and confront? How does Jesus say to handle it? What really are the deal-breakers?
Of course there are false teachers! Of course there are heretics! Of course they must be questioned! Of course, people should be warned! Of course teachers of the Scriptures must be held accountable for what they’re teaching!
My concern today is the disturbing trend of throwing dangerous labels around because of what we’ve heard and not what we’ve investigated fairly and properly. I realized several years ago that one of my most outspoken critics has never even cracked open one of the Bible studies. Not one. Doesn’t want to either. All there is to the entire ministry from his perspective is this: “she claims special revelation from God.” And, based on his summation, I equate these “special revelations” with the Word of God.
Are you kidding me? He can say that from a distance but I do not believe he can make that claim close up. If he can, I’m the one that needs grounding.
We are the Body of Christ. We are brothers and sisters. Even when we are utterly convinced the other person is wrong and we have doctrinal ducks in a row to prove it, we are never to treat one another “as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” (2 Thessalonians 3:15) Yes, we must hold one another accountable and hold ourselves accountable. We question one another. We by all means keep discussing and debating and entering into healthy disagreements.
But we stop short of labeling one another things like false teacher and heretic until we’ve done our homework.
This isn’t a polished post. No time this particular day to make it so. But I offer it to you with one simple hope: that we’d be among those who take pause. Among those who consider ethics of speech to have an important place on our Christian platforms. Among those who think before we speak.
It’s hunting season out there. Let’s be careful how we hunt.
Addendum:
Brothers and Sisters, I wrote this in a comment as I closed that portion of the post but it could easily get lost in well over 300 entries. I thought I would add it here as well:
Hey, Everybody. I so appreciate you stopping by. You guys have really kept me busy this weekend moderating all these comments and entering into discussions both here and elsewhere. I have a taping this coming weekend and need to prepare four different teaching sessions toward it. It will keep my hands full every single day. We also have our big Scripture memory post coming up later this week here on the blog so we will be very occupied with those things. For that reason, I am going to need to close the comments at this point on this post. I’m the only one moderating this post and I am out of time. My attentions must now turn to preparation for the taping.
I do want to tell you something though. This comment line has had value in my life and ministry. I want you to know that and I want to thank you. I am a thinker and you have caused me to think and to pray and to worship and to read and to reflect and to remember and to reconsider. Those are always good things. I love to learn and I promise you that as long as I live and breathe, I will seek to keep learning.
It is doubtful that I will ever satisfy my harshest critics but I want to be a loving fellow-follower of Christ. Just as they do not line up with me, there are distances that I cannot go with them. I believe God can be more willing to reveal Himself in our day than some of my brothers and sisters do. I believe the New Testament well supports such a stand. It is easier and more controllable and comfortable just to say that He does not and it cuts out so much of the risk but I don’t believe we can control the Holy Spirit like that without ultimately quenching Him.
We must test everything and hold fast to what is good. We all must stay in God’s Word, study it hard, pray, fast, memorize. The God-breathed Word recorded on the pages of Scripture is our Truth, our authority, our standard by which all else is measured. Nothing equates with the Scriptures: no word of knowledge, no prophetic message, no insight, no revelation, no dream, no vision. Nothing. That doesn’t mean they can’t be valid. The New Testament says they can. But they must never supplant or be placed on the same level with the Scriptures. The Word of God is how we test everything else. We also must keep subjecting ourselves to accountability and stay attached and approachable to a sound body of believers in a local church.
And as we do, may God pour His Holy Spirit upon us. Profusely. Extraordinarily. Miraculously. We need Him and want Him desperately. May He renew wonders in our day. May He anoint us powerfully and shield us protectively.
In John 5:39-42 Jesus confronted a group of leaders with words that have long since made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. He told them that they “diligently study the Scriptures” but went on to say, “you do not have the love of God in you.” It is possible to be a diligent, devoted student of the Word of God without having an ounce of His love in our hearts. Brothers and Sisters, let that be far from us. How we treat one another matters. Let’s not grow cold to one another even in our disagreements. Faith, hope, and love. These are the things that remain.
I am honored to serve you and it has been my honor to host you this weekend here at the blog. Stay the course, everybody. Don’t grow weary. Jesus is so worthy. And it won’t be long until we see that glorious face.
In the bonds of His love,
Beth
Sweet Beth, Saying your ministry has been a blessing is an understatement. I cannot thank you enough for your transparency and wonderful teaching of God’s grace, love and forgiveness. I thank the Lord for you and for your ministry! I was going to thank you one day in heaven but thought this would be a good opportunity to do so now! The Spirit of the Lord is upon you and your book Breaking Free was instrumental in my husband breaking free from a 10 year pain pill addiction. He now leads a recovery ministry at our church. I have done many other Bible Studies and they have brought health and healing to me and brought me closer to the heart of Jesus. Your ministry is bearing God honoring fruit so continue to be steadfast and unmovable as you abound in the work of the Lord knowing your labor is NOT IN VAIN. WIth love!
To the 22 year old: In ESSENTIALS Unity, In NON-ESSENTIALS Liberty, In ALL things LOVE
Love you Mrs. Beth, you have been mentoring me for 10 years now since I was 23. Jesus the One and Only changed my life. Thank you for serving us girls. We love you!
I’ve noticed this too Beth even just recently. I read one about you or one of our other lady teacher, can’t remember which, in which the person wrote in strong terms about the lady being a false teacher and then went on to write a very long post with numerous scriptures cited. I mean it was extremely long. It didn’t seem to really be much on what the criticism was about. Boy, this person needs an outlet, but perhaps doesn’t have a better one because of being unnecessarily judgmental and legalistic. It must have taken a very long time to write. How would anyone have the time to do such a negative thing. Sigh.
I would imagine that Jesus is crying over the way Christians are fighting, blaming, and name-calling, instead of loving each other. His prayer was that we are known by the way we love each other, and that we have the same unity the He and the Father have. Wow! We seem to be going backwards.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this trend, Beth.
Beth, I just saw a post on Christianity today that said your preaching had showed this young woman how women preaching and teaching the word can make a difference for other women. I think this is the information Being posted that reflects the heart of Christ. It is your work and your words that have led many of us to the word of Christ. Evil and evil sayings will always be with us. It is the nature of being a Christian to suffer for our belief in Jesus Christ, our savior and only redemption. Please, keep talking to us. Keep teaching us. For you are a voice in the wilderness that makes straight the path for the Lord. Many blessings Beth. Be courageous.
Soldier on Siesta, our battle is not with flesh and blood. Thank you for being a willing vessel. 😉
Well said, Beth. I’m so sorry this happens…
Beth, please visualize the hundreds of thousands of people who have been privileged to share in your Bible studies and simulcasts, hugging you for helping us to grow in our faith. Then, pray and blot out the comments from that young lady.
You are loved and appreciated
There is nothing like the clarity and certainty that I had as a young woman.If someone had told me the shameful failures and disappointments I would see between 25 and 50 I would likely have smacked their face. Not me! I was so certain that MY ability to know and discern truth would protect me and everyone around me. But the days came that broke me down and shamed and disappointed me beyond anything I could have imagined. And in the wrestling I found the grace that I needed and didn’t know it and had the mercy wrung out of my tight fist to offer to someone else. Still…too often I fail to ask God to set a watch at my lips…and my mouth curls in cynical criticism. I am sad and grateful at the same time for your candor and wisdom to call this out.
Sister full of Grace,
Do not let the enemy put doubt into you, your ministry, or your studies. You are such a loving, respectable, knowledgable teacher of God’s word! Your example of humility is beyond me. Keep being YOU, beloved sister!!!
Wow! I was just talking to my husband about this today after reading some of those negative comments that you are talking about. You have been such a blessing to me and thousands of other women all over the world. I pray for you and will continue to do so. Don’t let the naysayers get you down – just continue the work that God has given you to do. Thank you for your faithfulness!
Oh Beth..your reaction and your words are so obviously Spirit filled…May we all allow Him to do the same in each of us. I have read some of the articles and posts saying these things about you and I just have to shake my head and say to myself…nothing could be further from the truth!! It breaks my heart that people can be that blinded…satan knows his time is short!!!
Love you and praying for you!!
The difference between immaturity and maturity. Are we not to make sure teachings line up with the word of God. Never have I been so challenge to reread the word to see what I have missed. I am forever greatful. Sometimes it’ s better to take the bull by the horns. We need to lift these people up in prayer and ask God to soften their hearts to see the truth.I thank you that you stand strong!( You go girl)
Sweet Beth,
I love your studies and your wisdom. I know the enemy has attacked you through so called Christians. I quit a facebook group because someone said to be wary of you. Poor thing. I never doubt your spirituality and doctrine. You always told us on Tuesday nights to study more and from many sources.
I appreciate that you are working with Joyce Meyer to bring Christians together. We can be our own worst enemy.
all my love!
We love you , Beth. There is nothing false or heretic about you. I love that you are authentic and teach the Word like no other. Keep bringing us challenging studies. We need them. Thank you. Thank you triple!
Beth, I have grown so much in my relationship with God under your leadership. Your bible studies have brought the word alive to me! You have forever change the way I study. Thank you so much Sister and please be encouraged because I know I’m just one of thousands:)
Love you!
Beth, I am so sorry that you and other are under attack by people that have no idea what the Bible says and that Godly people like you and other who teach honestly and Biblically have to dodge the firey darts. All of who know the truth need to be praying for all the teachers of God’s word. Be assured you have a prayer warrior in WV.
God Bless and Stand strong. Love you for being faithful and obedient. Ceffie in WV
This is the first time I have replied to the LPM blog…but this one is too important for me to let it slide. And I know at some point that I myself will take some heat for what I want to say here…and I pray there is enough room for it all…. I have been listening to Beth Moore for close to sixteen years, much to my own delight and blessing. I have found nothing to complain about….are you kidding me?! This ministry has been one of the great blessings of my life. I wanted to share something that I put together from some thoughts that I read from some well-known Christian leaders from a book detailing some of the problems of those who call others heretics without reading their stuff (if they even read it at all). And before I go any further, I wanted to say that I never base my opinion of someone’s book on someone else’s review of the book. My response to one’s books or audio-teachings are based only on first-hand listening or reading. That is the only process that is intellectually fair and equitable. So here we go: I believe the following statements speak to the matter about which Beth Moore has written, only with a little different spin. The statement in Beth’s post that is worth the price of admission is this: “What is more likely is that she believes it because it’s what she’s heard from someone she respects.” This is precisely the problem, and is what prompted me to want to share the statements below. Too often in the evangelical arena we are quick to call someone a heretic and/or deviant because some respected Christian pastor or Christian leader said that it was so, and everyone gets on the bandwagon and parrots what the respected leader says (without doing their own research/homework). More often than not, such folks are part of a religious system of legalism intimidation and manipulation….which have done more damage in the lives of believers than I have time to write about here. The following statements I believe summarize the problem that Beth has outlined here….and my prayer is that they will be received with the same concerned spirit with which I have shared them. Look, none of us are going to agree with one another on biblical matters completely….and while biblical precision is of great importance, calling someone out as a heretic without reading their stuff is simply uncalled for in the biblical sense of the word. And now the statements…and I pray this is the right context for sharing them…..
”First: Our environment, our theological traditions, and our teachers have much more to do with what we believe that we realize. The unfortunate thing is that in some cases, they have more influence over what we believe than does the Bible itself.
Second: Over the years, one of the things I have observed is that the majority of what Christians believe is not derived from their own patient and careful study of the Scriptures. The majority of Christians believe what they believe because godly and respected teachers told them that it was correct.
Third: Similarly, Bible students don’t believe what they believe because the Bible teaches it. They believe what they believe because authority figures in their lives told them that these doctrines were true; They didn’t get their beliefs from a careful study of the Scriptures…and in many cases cannot even defend their beliefs by using the Scriptures…
Fourth: This has been demonstrated in academic settings where when asked, students say they are confident in what they believed simply because the Scriptures taught it, but found out that in some cases they were significantly deceived. If that is true in a seminary setting, for example, how much more true do you think it is in a non-seminary setting? Experience and tradition determine the majority of what church-people believe, rather than the careful, patient, and personal study of the Scriptures.”
Fifth: So often our theology gives us – a system of doctrine with which to control my faith; exegetical tools with which to control the Bible; management tools with which to control the church; counseling tools with which to control the people
Sixth: “In my enthusiasm to protect the authority of the Bible, I had committed the blunder that John Fletcher warned the church about so long ago: ‘embracing one error under the plausible pretense of avoiding another.’ By trying to protect the Bible, I had thrown out all the other ways by which God might have spoken to me and even corrected me (italics mine). I had even thrown out the key of which Jesus spoke, the key to understanding and applying the Bible. To paraphrase Thomas Erskine, I had made the Bible my god, and therefore, did not often hear the God of the Bible.”
Seventh: (from RT Kendall) : Many of us have uncritically accepted a point of view – a ‘hand-me-down’ understanding of oft-quoted verses with no personal revelation.”
Eighth: (from D Martyn Lloyd-Jones) – There is a danger of going beyond the Bible. But, there is also peril from the other extreme of being satisfied with something very much less than what is offered in Scripture.
Ninth: (From John Wimber): ““In our western civilization, we have had propensity for and a preoccupation with study and the pursuit of knowledge. The church, today is worldly. The church, today is westernized. We are so secularized that we have almost completely eliminated the supernatural from our perceptions. We’ve come to a place where we don’t anticipate God to operate as God among us. We’ve come to a place where we really think that the pursuit of study has become an end in itself…..But to study it without acting upon it is incomplete. Both Jesus and James told us that hearing without doing is incomplete. …We not only need the illumination, we need the illustration. We need the Word and the works.””
Tenth: A young man with an experience of Jesus will never be at the mercy of a theologian with an argument. A man who could not read once won a debate with a group of erudite theologians when he told them, ‘One thing I do know; Once I was blind, but now I see,’ (John 9 [v-25]).
I love you guys…thanks for the blessing of dropping in and “talking your ears off…..”
Warmly in Christ our Lord,
peter b
peter b Hansen
monterey, california
My heart aches for this young woman.
I will be praying that she will see the Truth and find the Light of Jesus.
Thank you so much for the beautiful response. Discipleship is lived out so many times by how we respond in love. Your words are truly in the image of Christ.
AMEN!!!! God bless you sister. Keep the teaching coming!!
Beth, I’ve been praying for you… As I naively thought that everybody on the planet who has given their heart to follow Christ loved you as much as I do. 🙂 my whole family, including my 15, 12, and 9 year old boys watch you every week on Life today… And they ask me frequently if you’ve blogged anything else “Moore-ish”!
But here’s the funny part for me…
I was raised in Texas, went to college in Arkadelphia, and share much with you in the way of growing up in church, but began to long for more at around the age of 30…
There were women at my church they we referred to as the “Beth Moore gurus”, “fan club”… Whatever … I just knew that they adored you, and that I didn’t want to be like them…( they didn’t represent you or Christ well… Sorry… So I WOULD NOT read anything you had written… Much less go to any group study… But get this! Still makes me smile…
I went to sleep one night with the television on on my bedroom …
I woke up the next morning, went through my morning routine as a stay at home mom, and had this WOMANS VOICE in my head!!!! I couldn’t get it out!!!!
Within minutes, I heard that voice coming from my bedroom, and went RUNNING to see who it was!!! You guessed it!!! Beth Moore!!! (Life today was replaying!!!!) Obviously I’d heard you teaching on life today the night before, as I’d slept!!!! I thought, ” Are you KIDDING ME???” Not HER!
As I sat on my bed… Listening to that Texas twang that got my attention… It paled to the attention that came from hearing your message… Obviously it spoke directly to where I was.. And the heart of God had never been so clearly communicated in all my church days!
I STILL crack up at the way God led me to you…. It blows me away at His stopping at nothing in my life to direct me to Him, but it also makes me smile that He knows EXACTLY who represents His heart!!!! He picked YOU sista!!!! -smile!
Love you so much sweet lady! Keep that head up and walking in that magnificent dignity that He has clothed you in soooo radiantly!
It’s a sad day out there when believers attack other believers. I wondered if the 22 year old belonged to a very legalistic church which might find fault with everyone. I know. I belonged to a cult like one years ago. Thankfully I flew the coop! Whatever it is, she needs a lot of prayers.
Having been to a variety of different churches (and finally finding one that I can call home), I know each has something different about it; some difference in doctrinal belief of some sort. What one must do, is think first before one acts or opens one’s mouth and as “Is this a salvation issue?” “Am I going out on a twig instead of sticking to the Trunk of the tree, which would be Jesus? And above all…Jesus is the Head of His Church and He will sort the sheep from the goats when He gets here. We must pray for each other as any one of us can fall headlong into temptation. The devil is a vile, revolting enemy.
Sister loved by God, I’m sure as long as you have been in public ministry this is not the first time you have had something hurtful said about you, but I’m sorry all the same. My major problem with social media is it is really easy to type something and hit enter that you would never look someone in the eyes and say to them. You don’t allow a response, a dialogue, a conversation, you just sling mud and run. Its a real danger in our society and we are losing the art of converstaion and constructive debate. Me included! I’ve been very cowardly in confronting something in person, but its easy to address something in an email. But I do draw the lines at social media. I struggle with close relationships enough, and social media gives you the false feeling that you are connected to people when you are not at all. Chin up, sister. Those of us who have gone through the bible study journey with you all along know who you really are – a woman who strives to live a Godly life. Period.
I’d say your immediate response of loving her shows your heart for God. I’m sorry you have to endure ugly things said about you. You are such a blessing to me. I’m getting ready to begin study number fifteen–of yours! You have taught me and a group of ladies so much over the last few years. Please know that when you say something I am not sure about, or more likely have never considered, I go straight to the Bible and see for myself. You cause me to think. I have never found anything I could accuse you of heresy for! Thank you for being real and for being yourself. You give me and others much joy and hope for a closer walk with the Lord despite our backgrounds and human frailness.
Amen, Beth, amen. Your love for these individuals, even though they assailed you, is evident. May more of us respond in kind when attacked. Love you and LPM and what you have meant in my life.
There seems to be so much hate and anger out there. Not just in the world but in the body of Christ. We are quick to judge and label others. It breaks my heart to see how divided the Church has become and I can imagine it breaks the heart of our Lord and Savior 🙁 Thank you Beth for fulfilling the call on your life. Your Bible studies, books, and other materials have blessed me beyond measure. I have learned to love the study of the Word of God and have grown through your teaching.
Dear Beth,
Your response is gracious with a heart for the right concerns. You show wise consideration of the big picture of our culture, It really makes me sad that this kind of name-calling and careless disregard are the trend, but it is clear they are. I often wonder how we have come to a point where we have access to more knowledge than ever before, yet we find people who seem even anxious to lash out at others with base and hurtful (and uninformed) reactions! Blessed are you when you are persecuted and falsely accused for His name’s sake. My prayers are with you in all ways and especially in furtherance of the truth of God’s word. I know you will continue to ‘Speak the truth in love.’. I trust God with these hearts.
Thank you so much for modeling grace in an unpleasant situation. And thank you for the incredible amount of time and heart you have invested over the years in seeking to know God and handle His word with the utmost of integrity, and then making it to come alive to us as we journey with you! You are an incredible blessing to me personally and to millions of others around the globe, but most of all, a treasured daughter & servant of the King! Press on – we love you!
I am so sorry that you were falsely accused/judged. Jesus did warn us that we would suffer and be despised and rejected just as He was. Ephesians 4:29-30 KJV Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. We are second – we are bought with a price we ARE NOT our own. We are graven on His hands. We like the woman adultress brought unto Jesus are guilty and we have no stones to throw- we stand looking unto Jesus for Grace and Salvation. We are called to love- as He has loved us – He loved us when our sins were as filthy rags and yet gave himself for us. He loves us unconditionally and has called us to love others the same. I see that love so evident in all that you do Beth thank you for helping this Seista love Him more!!!
I love you Beth! And I have noticed that some people just say the first thing that comes to their mind and then regret it later! I appreciate ALL you do for us and I know we need to confront some issues. But most of the time I try to let it go in one ear and out the other! Good thing we have the Holy Spirit to help us. I pray for her young heart to,soften and her eyes to open to the Truth! 🙂
I just sat next to a woman on a plane to day and suggested your So Long Insecurity book for her daughter that she was going visit who was having boyfriend issues at college. God put me in that seat for when I talked of strength and dignity for her daughter the very words touched her. You have been placed by God in a seat next to us. We continue to be blessed by you and what you teach and share with us.
Beth,
Your thoughts/words/teachings are right on track. The small-minded have alot to say and look for ways to diminish those with gifts they are not blessed with. Keep doing what you are doing girlfriend! God has you covered. God bless you!
Dear Beth, I want you to know how much your Bible Studies have impacted my life. I accepted the LORD on 6/18/72 as a teenager. married a believer, raised 4 kids all of whom are following the LORD, and taught in a Chistian school but had no idea how to heal from the pain of my emotionally abusive childhood. God was leading me step by step during those 40+ years. Then when my husband got a job transfer the two of us moved 100 miles away. I left my job, my adult children, my nest and landed in a Church where the women’s ministry uses your Bible Studies. During my second year there it was decided that we would do the Breaking Free Study. Your opening letter to the women stating that Breaking Free is a Bible Study and not a counseling study and if you need help go get help prompted me to seek Christian counseling. Much of what you said in the videos corresponded with what my counselor and I were discussing…further direction from God. As a result God made a breakthrough in my healing and I am a different person, a new creation. Your seeking to clarify the Truth of the Word of God as well as encouraging us to dig deeper in our faith has made a huge difference in my life. I praise God for so much that He has done! Please do not take to heart this rude name calling…they are not persecuting you, they are persecuting Christ. And they are going to have to answer to Him someday. May they accept His love and mercy before that terrible day comes. Thank you so much for all of your hard work and research in writing your Bible Studies!! And thank you so much for sharing your heart. God bless!!
Amen. You are so right. I believe I’ve recently seen Billy Graham added to the list and I laughed right out loud, both in shock and at the foolishness of it. I’ve been quick I judge in the past and am learning the frailty of my own judgment. I’ve also been judged harshly by a person I love, had my very salvation questioned, and it crushed me. I’ll be much slower to form such opinions. I like you, Beth, and have learned much through your teaching. Thank you for stepping into the arena.
Thank you for all the wonderful things you bring to the body of Christ. Your ministry is such a blessing to all that participate in your bible studies. You have inspired me to study GOD’S word and grow in my walk with HIM! People need to study James 3 every time they are tempted to speak unkind words. I love you! You bless my heart!
Amen! These end times will be challenging, we just have to hold our hope in God, pray for those who come against us and continue in His Word! Be strong, be of good courage, do not fear,for the Lord out God is with us! It may get darker and darker but we will be brighter and brighter with the glory of God, shining for all to see!
AMEN!! I have seen this trend lately and it has bothered as I know one of these people that has done this. It has made me think about my beliefs and made me doubt things and question things. AFter doing searches of several teachers/pastors I had listened to or followed I finally decided I really just needed to spend more time in the Word and praying….and to just ignore that person making the remarks. I saw so much junk online that I was really just shocked and then saddened at what Christians are doing to each other. You as well as the others are in my prayers. Love your Bible studies.
Beth,
I thank God for you and your ministry often. Many times during my time in one of your Bible studies, I will learn something new, lean back and say, “Lord, thank you for Beth. Continue to bless her, her family, and the ministry you have entrusted to her.” I’m so sorry you have to endure such treatment, but I know that God is with you, and strengthens you for the assignment. The blessing you have been to so many through the years cannot be diminished by the words of a few.
Thanks for this post as I, too, find it all deeply disturbing. I especially agree with your comment that, “Disagreement is not a qualification for declaring someone a heretic. Even vehement disagreement.”
I had that very thought today when I was disagreeing with a Christian radio broadcast. Instead I thought, “I will learn what I can learn from this pastor, but I don’t have to agree with him on every point.”
You put into words what I was feeling in my heart,so once again, I thank God for you, dear Beth.
AMEN sister. Love you. Hang in there, you are an amazing woman whom I admire and really appreciate the teaching you have provided me. Hugs!!
As a Catholic Christian convert, I thank you Beth, from the bottom of my heart. The hatreds and divisions in Christendom just break my heart. Obviously we have serious differences, and we should never pressure someone to agree with us; we all have to follow the Lord as we believe, and we are all on a journey; but I just wish everyone could just kindly and rationally discuss differences–it would make for fruitful and interesting conversations, and we can all learn from each other! Changes of heart only come from the Holy Spirit, and I’m convinced He will work if we just get out of His way! We all make mistakes, and teachers are held to a high standard, but still….we’re all called to charity. There’s fraternal correction, but on the other hand, James tells us to watch our tongue. We have to be sure the plank is out of our own eye before correcting another, and the human tendency is to not see our own sins. (Speaking to myself from painful personal experience!) I think the internet makes it easy to sling anonymous comments; I’ve been guilty of trying to be oh-so-clever and snarky. What I really appreciate is when you sat down at the Minneapolis Living Proof event and outlined the Creed, basically–what we all believe as lovers of Jesus. God bless you Beth and keep on keeping on–don’t let the turkeys get you down! 😉
Thank you, Beth. The world is upside down. You are wonderful. Thank you for unpacking the Bible with such integrity, humility, respect and love. Love you.
This is so sad! But I hear it a lot. So I just want to thank you as I have done many of your bible studies and have grown through them so much. I am so grateful that you love us ladies to study the word and you have shown yourself approved. Please don’t let people that have no idea what the Bible says, hurt you. Thank you Thank you Thank you for blessing us ladies and all the work you put into your Bible Studies. What a blessing you are to all of us. You are gifted. God Bless you….
The cat is out of the bag! I have hated, HATED, seeing your precious name (and with that the thousands of things that GOD had revealed to me through your words and Biblestudies) slandered. And I don’t know the half of it. I don’t seek or read this! It is despicable! It is personal to me for a very specific reason and I’m glad that you wrote this so I don’t have to feel like we have a secret (that sounds crazy LOL)… personal because I have seen my BFF post mean things about you. Yikes is right! I love her. But when it comes to her and her opinions on some things I just think of Proverbs about arguing with certain people. She is dear to me! We have traveled to foreign lands and kissed orphans heads together. She is a good person. Just REALLY WRONG on this issue. So I’m glad to hear your opinion on this! Been years of curiosity on how you must think about this. Thank you, once again, for sharing your beautiful heart! I’m sorry for any negativity and all that you have to endure to serve God the way you do. Jesus Bless your super sweet heart.
Absurd. I am 29 years old and have been doing your studies for more than 10 years. When I was in college it was your bible studies that opened my eyes to a true love relationship with Jesus. You speak and teach the truth with great wisdom and humility. I hate that you have to deal with people like that. I for one love you and think the world of you! You’ve made a great impact on my spiritual walk.
I think you were very kind and mature to love your young critic. Praise God for His mercy in you!
A very wise woman said, “Never argue with a Pharisee…pray for them!” I will pray for the one that hurt you. How can Christians be a light for the world when we can’t even be kind to each other!
I don’t think people realize the power held with words written, spoken, tweeted, tested, blogged etc. I remember growing up hearing “think before you speak” or “if you don’t have something nice to say don’t say it.” It is almost like some people do not think before they post or their post is their thought and a button got pushed and it was sent when it shouldn’t have been. We’ve got to take it to God in prayer. I will say I’ve done six of your Bible Studies and have gotten more and more deep in God’s word as a result. I’m even trying to memorize scriptures & made my notebook. I can honestly say I thank God for you Beth & for Living Proof Ministries. I’m glad to be your sister in Christ.
Dear Beth,
Thank you for posting this today. I have been thinking about this very issue. Thinking about the words we use on a daily basis. I appreciate you and your ministry to women is such a blessing! You have encouraged me to grow deeper in the Word with the Lord. I thank God for you.
Blessings Dear Sister Loved by God,
Leslie Miller
Beth, you said this so well. I was very blessed early in my walk with a discerning heart because I had receive such poor teaching early in life. Because of that, I do line up what I’m reading and receiving with the word and with prayer. I feel for you and you addressing this issue is very much needed. Our reactions to these type things are so important because we are trying to minister to those that are wounded and need to find hope in Jesus’ love. Thank you for sharing and thank you for leading by example.