One more reason to avoid Lysa TerKeurst of Elevation Church

Lysa TerKeurst is a ladies Bible study teacher. She has written several best-selling books and is founder of Proverbs 31 ministries. She is attractive, engaging, seems to have a good handle on the Bible, and is very popular with women. Sadly, however, there are numerous issues with the kind of Christianity Mrs TerKeurst promotes. (Her name is pronounced ter--rhymes with sir; keurst--rhymes with burst).

People have written about the concerning issues with Mrs TerKeurst before. Michelle Lesley did a great job on why we should be leaving Lysa, and Aimee Byrd negatively reviewed Mrs TerKeurst's 17th and most famous book, here.

I'd like to add another of the credible discernment concerns with Mrs TerKeurst. Seth Dunn recently spoke of Mrs TerKeurst in his podcast The Christian Commute. I was impressed with how he stated one of the concerns with Mrs TerKeurst and why she should not be followed. I'll transcribe it below. His podcast discussing Mrs TerKeurst is within the broadcast called, Driving Miss Beth to the Bus Stop. In it, Seth addresses how hard is to review women's Bible studies when the "meat" of them are on video. He uses Mrs TerKeurst as one of the examples. Here's Seth Dunn-

Ladies Bible Studies are a mess. Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, LifeWay Industry ... they are often shallow, trite or downright hermeutically bad. I think one of the responsibilities as a man, as a husband, as a spiritual leader of my household is to make sure that my wife is being fed in Bible study, good food that doesn’t come from wolves.
Lysa TerKeurst is a member of Elevation Church, that’s Steven Furtick’s church. No matter what Lysa TerKeurst says in her Bible studies, she’s known as the Proverbs 31 woman, I’m sure you’ve seen her little sayings. Sometimes we automatically have guilt by association. It’s not so much guilt by association, it’s guilt by subjugation. She is under the authority of her pastor. Her being at Elevation Church implicitly communicates that she agrees with what goes on there and that she agrees with the teachings of Steven Furtick.
Source Lutheran Layman

Furtick is a narcigete who reads himself into scripture, who uses preacher chords, who has spontaneous baptisms. If you’re not aware of this, at Elevation Church they have young vibrant people get up during invitation time to act like they’re going to respond to the invitation, in order to encourage other people to emotionally respond to the invitation, so they’ll get baptized. That’s how they have such high baptism numbers. They manipulate people. At Elevation Church they have a coloring book they give to the kids, with a picture of Steven Furtick that says, "We are united under the vision that God gave Pastor Steven." …So we know that Lysa TerKeurst is under this bad mojo Elevation Church. So we should already be suspicious of her. 
Why do I bring her up? My wife came home with a Lysa TerKeurst Bible study. It’s called Twelve Women of the Bible, co-authored by Lysa TerKeurst, and my wife said she was given it from one of the ladies at another local church. It’s a Southern Baptist Church, I’ve listened to the preaching there, it’s solid. If you go onto their website and look at their statement of beliefs, it’s solid. You can be lulled into a false sense of security there. You can think ‘surely this solid Southern Baptist Church, with a solid expository preacher, who has a doctorate from a fine seminary, they wouldn’t have bad ladies' teaching there, or any kind of bad bible studies.’ But they do. They’re passing out a Lysa TerKeurst book.
Associations matter. In the secular world, when we apply for a tenure-track professorial position at a College or University, we don't hide the college from which we earned our degree. We don't hide that, because it's important for the hiring committee to know under whom you sat and under whom you learned the stuff that you will in turn be spouting to the students who will be sitting under you.

If a Bible teacher or preacher has been raised in an environment of false teachings, such as Anne Graham Lott, Tullian Tchividijian, and Franklin Graham have been raised by Billy Graham and have been influenced by his ecumenical-universalist notions, then it is a cause for concern that in their formative years they absorbed such doctrines and are more apt to promote them as they grow up and engage in ministry themselves. Another negative association might not be within a family but partnering as adults with other false teachers, such as Beth Moore with the prosperity gospel Osteens, with heretic Joyce Meyer, and with New Age Catholic Roma Downey. And so, TerKeurst sitting under Furtick is cause for severe concern. How can you learn discernment from a Bible teacher who does not possess it herself?

The second lesson here is that if you're looking for a church and you visit and enjoy the pastor, that's good. You've discerned that the pastor preaches rightly, that's good. If you did your diligence and obtained a paper or looked at the website's doctrinal statement from your prospective church and it aligns with the Bible's major tenets, that's good. But don't stop there. What about the women? What about the Library? If the church has a library, go look at what books they allow to circulate among the members. If there is a Ladies' Ministry, look look at the last few studies they completed.

As a matter of fact, if the preaching is very strong and solid, it is more likely that the women's ministry will be weak, which means you need to look twice as hard. Why? Satan always attempts to creep in, and if he is blocked from the pulpit by firm truth, he will re-double his efforts to get in another way. That's what thieves and robbers do. (John 10:1, Jude 1:4). The women's ministry is often overlooked. So is the Library and so is the music. Vigilance is called for on all fronts, north, south, east, and west. No military force worth its salt fails to have a rearguard.

Conclusion:

1. Attachments and background matters.What church does a Bible teacher belong to? What does her husband teach or preach? What does her life look like away from the church? Who does she partner with? These are discerning questions to ask.

2. Church, watch the spokes of the wheel as much as the center. Satan will try to enter at any point. Men's Ministry, home groups, the church library, the music, the youth group, and the women's ministry are all exposed to satan and need guarding as much as the pulpit does.

3. Leave Lysa TerKeurst alone. Seek better Bible study teachers. Women, you don't need to study only from women teachers. As a matter or fact, I  recommend that you don't rely exclusively on female teachers. Mix it up. If there is a Sunday School group at church you feel comfortable joining, join one led by a man. If you do home studies alone or with friends or a more structured group, find one that is either co-ed or is led by a man, or if is led by a women, see if she is using a male-written study. I know that if you're in a co-ed group the Bible admonishes us to remain quiet, and you would not feel as free to comment as when you are with all women. So I understand the need and desire to study with other females. But do mix it up sometimes. :)

4. Please also read the critiques from other ladies as to why you should leave Lysa TerKeurst alone. They explain the doctrinal aspects of why Lysa is weak and  not good food for your soul.

Good online studies I recommend are women's ministries from Grace Community Church, such as Every Woman's Grace.

Michelle Lesley. She goes through books of the Bible including the Old Testament, as well as presents short series on discernment topics.

Jen Wilkin, recommended by Tim Challies.

Books and studies by Elizabeth George and Nancy Leigh DeMoss and older studies by Kay Arthur. Martha Peace and Susan Heck and Erin Benziger at Equipping Eve and Sharon Lareau at Chapter 3 Ministries.

To whom has your favorite female Bible study teacher submitted to? It matters.


*I do not know what "preacher chords" are or why Mr Dunn feels they are a negative.

Comments

  1. As far as TerKeurst goes, your title to this blog should suffice as warning to the flock. Elevation 'church'? That's a big no.

    Don't know if you realize this... Sola Sisters noted that DeMoss was promoting those chalk Batterson-esque "prayer circles" back in 2012-2013.

    Personally, I'm not really impressed by a (very financially privileged) woman who stays single until her mid 50s, all the while profiting by making endless books telling Christian women to get married young and have families quickly...

    That's why I read the Bible, and don't participate in "women's studies". I have found Scripture alone to be quite sufficient for my sanctification.

    -Carolyn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did realize that DeMoss had stumbled on that issue. I haven't noticed an accumulation of stumbles, though. perhaps I mossed any others.

      I love studying the word! I also find that as the Lord raises up other women and men to benefit the church, I also in turn benefit from their teaching.

      Delete
    2. I just realized that you also noticed DeMoss's chalk circles, back in 2013. Glad you caught it then.

      I honestly read/follow very few publicly prominent teachers.

      As I get older, I find I am appreciating - and learning more from - the ordinary Christians that are personally in my life far more than I do any celebrity.

      I would especially love to have a pastor who doesn't spend his days in the Christian celebrity blogosphere/realm of academia, and instead spent more time truly knowing and loving the actual ordinary sheep that have been entrusted to him.

      -Carolyn

      Delete
    3. To be fair, I contacted Mrs. DeMoss Wogelmuth shortly after I heard about this a couple years ago. One of her associates responded that it did not have to do with the Circle Maker book or believing in that kind of prayer, but that it was a call for women to change the world staring with the person inside the Circle. While I find that an unfortunate illustration given the Batterson heresy, I have not seen/heard anything else in her teaching over the years that would make me believe she follows that heresy. If any of you know differently, please correct me. No one is above stumbling and we need to be constantly checking the teachings we hear against Scripture. Thanks for this great article. So many following Lysa.

      Delete
    4. HI Laura,

      Thank you for your input. I agree, one stumble may be a concern but would not make me disregard the teacher if she has years of solidity to her credit. Thank you for being a wise and patient discerner.

      Delete
    5. DeMoss followed Bill Gothard's teachings and supported the Umbrella of Authority false teaching that Gothard taught.

      Delete
  2. Both Jane Roach and Sarah Ivill have some good Bible studies for women as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jan. :) I'm not familiar with those. Good to know.

      Delete
  3. I would steer clear of Kay Arthur…We studied her for years, until we found out that she endorses Beth Moore. She hangs out with other wolves too...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mrs Kay has stumbled of late but I still like her early studies. She is 82 years of age, and founded Precept in 1968. Plenty there to still like.

      Delete
    2. Why did you study Kay Arthur and not the Word of God? The Bible study methods that Precept International has are solid and teach you to study the Word for yourself.

      When has she endorsed Beth Moore? This is how falsehoods get started. Where is your proof?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous,

      First, I do study the word of God directly. Please do not make public assertions without first asking, That is how falsehoods get started.

      Also, Kay Arthur has endorsed Beth Moore. It would be nice if you had simply asked me first and not assumed, again, that I had published something without credible evidence. Please check yourself.

      here is the answer to your question-
      https://michellelesleybooks.com/2016/02/05/perceptions-of-kay-arthur-and-precept-ministries-international/

      Delete
  4. I can only fall on my own experiences and I have seen Ms. TerKeurst in person. Originally I had felt (key word) motivated by her words via online and went to see her person. I am a novice when it comes to conferences but I was left a little unhappy when her on stage moment was brief and her exit was abrupt. It didn't seem to be very personable to me.
    I was unaware who her Pastor is and as a matter of fact I was given a video of his by a family member to watch, as he is the best friend to my brother's Pastor at Life Church in Oklahoma (also a mega church). It too was quite motivating. I began to follow him via the internet and very shortly came upon some teaching that wasn't parallel to God's word. His reference to Jacob and the story he was selling was not accurate. I spoke up and told what the Lord has taught me in the past pertaining to Jacob, Esau and the blessing. My read it all to my husband, who is not a believer by the way and is answer, "well your comment doesn't fit his message." That's when I knew. It wasn't God's message he was speaking of, it was his own.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mrs Savvy. Good work on being a Berean. :)

      Delete
    2. This is a good scripture to remember.
      "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
      1 John 4:1 KJV
      http://bible.com/1/1jn.4.1.KJV

      Delete
  5. Every time I read someone in the Christian community blast another Christian, I think about the Tower of Babel and God separating the people on purpose. I then feel embarrassment for the one doing the bashing. We are to discern our own hearts. Followers should be encouraged to know their scripture and seek their God. I see nothing here but opinion. As a matter of fact, one of those you are blasting helped pave the way to my conviction. A fruit of the spirit, no doubt. As a body of Christ, we all serve a purpose.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Valerie, I feel embarrassed at someone who displays such a massive ignorance of what discernment truly involves, and does it in a humblebrag, hypocritical piety, too.

      PS: I advise you to immediately tear out the pages of your Bible where Jesus, Paul, Peter, and John "bash" (i.e discern and correct) fellow Christians, since such discernment activity affronts your tender sensibilities

      Delete
  6. "[I]f the preaching is very strong and solid, it is more likely that the women's ministry will be weak"

    Wow. Is that ever true! I'm seeing that in the church I am currently attending.

    The doctrinal statement is solid. The preaching from the pulpit is solid. Yet, there is no concern about the women using Beth Moore and Lysa Terkeurst Bible study materials.

    When it was announced that the ladies of the church would be using one of Terkeurst's new studies ("I Am") for its upcoming Bible study, I relayed to them my concerns, thinking maybe they just didn't know some of the issues you and others have raised.

    To my surprise, the responses I received were "no Bible study is perfect" and "we are all flawed," and, after all, a ladies' Bible study is about more than just studying the Bible ... it's about getting to know each other, sharing prayer requests, and being there for each other.

    So, in other words, I'm the problem. I'm a trouble maker for using my discernment and thinking that others would do the same.

    I had attended the previous study, by a young woman named Kelly Minter, and I was admonished by one of the pastors for being critical of the study in front of the other women attending the study. I was told I should have done that with the Bible study leader privately. That's a real problem. It suggests the pastor is okay with bad teaching be permitted to the entire group of ladies, but my warning those ladies of problems with the teaching is not permitted. Not what I expected from a pastor who insists that doctrine is extremely important to him. Scary.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I pray people will wake up Spiritually and pray for God to show them the Truth. It's so sad people are deceived & don't desire to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord & believe Jesus paid for everything a born again believer needs. God knows our hearts & the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth if we will listen. A little leaven, leavens the whole lump. Seek God for wisdom, knowledge, & understanding of His Word. God tells us the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. Hell is a terrible place to spend eternity when Jesus gave His life for us to know Him personally as our Savior and He will help us understand a word for word true translation of the Bible. The Bible is the living Word of God. It's not about us it's the story of Jesus Christ giving His life on the cross to redeem whosoever will ask & believe in their heart. God knows our heart & thoughts & God knows if we truly desire to trust, believe, & obey Him

    ReplyDelete
  8. Amazing why we need these book writing women to teach us. Can't we sit down & read the bible ourselves, study and share & see God answers prayers in our lives?????
    I went to a group that did videos from some lady. It was impersonal, heartless & very cold. There was a stigma of how great this woman was that made the teaching. We were all supposed to learn from her. A lot of pride was involved. I didn't discern any love or anointing. I've had my fill of woman running after the next book or bible study. It seemed like an activity to keep you busy while you weren't serving g God.

    ReplyDelete
  9. honestly I have to say that I would definitely never follow Lysa TerKeurst. but I technically do not follow women anyway. I have always followed a handful of men throughout my 45 years of being a christian. but I have definitely made sure to do thorough research on these men to make sure that what they actually teach lines up with the scripture. there are an abundance of false teachers and Steven furtick is definitely one of them. I read your article to the end and agreed with everything you said. I have also watched the American gospel Christ crucified and I think all people should watch it. I know many professing Christians that seem to support these false teachers but they are absolutely clueless about what they believe. unfortunately the vast majority of so-called Christians are biblically illiterate and since they do not know the scripture or anything about doctrine they are unable to discern whether or not these people are actually teaching the true gospel. I actually know people that have been in church for years that support this lady and also Beth Moore ,Joyce Meyer and Steven furtick . we have to be so incredibly careful about who we follow but more importantly the forerunner to that needs to be that we should be rooted in God's word and firmly planted in what we believe and why so we are able to be more cautious about following anyone in the public eye that has a Bible in their hand. your article was spot-on.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment