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By Elizabeth Prata
I tweeted about Beth Moore's lifestyle today. I knew what would happen. That does not deter me though. Here's what I tweeted in reaction to a disingenuous photo tweet from Moore about her cutesy lifestyle.
It happened in 2012 when I said that though she calls herself a conservative evangelical, she is really a functional feminist. By functional I mean though her words deny, she functions as one anyway. I was told I was crazy to even think that. The Atlantic Monthly did a long spread on her in 2018. My stance was confirmed.
It happened in 2018 when I asked "How many Houses is Too Many?" noting that the Moores had added a 4th home to their stable of homes across the state. I wrote about her approaching the prosperity preachers' lifestyle of excess, and her hypocrisy in pretending otherwise.
It happened in 2020 (today) when I tweeted about her hypocrisy of lifestyle, and the tsunami of negative tweets pushing back came rolling in.
It happens because Beth Moore works very hard to present a certain persona to the public. It only stands to reason that when the curtain is peeled back, her followers will work twice as hard to explain what we are seeing. Remember the scene in the Wizard of Oz? Toto the dog yanks back the curtain as the "Great and Powerful Oz" is speaking? He is caught out as a puny human, not at all what he claimed to be and admits it. Scarecrow points at the Wizard and says angrily,
"You're a humbug!"
A humbug is deceptive or false talk or behavior, or a hypocrite.
One of the frequent replies I received from Beth Moore defenders was that I should be quiet, give up on saying she is false, just stop already for goodness sakes. But the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8). He doesn't stop. Every New Testament book except Philemon warns of false teachers and their evil impact. Stop? Stop?? Of course not! There are naive ones in danger, others who are weak being drawn in (Jude 1:23).
John MacArthur on our task to snatch some from the fire yet hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Jude 1:23,
One of the other frequent accusations I received, aside from the usual nonsense of me being jealous or covetous, is that writing about a Bible teacher's lifestyle is none of my business. To the contrary, it is all our business. Ministry money is involved, the teacher's lifestyle is reflective of what is in their heart, what they heap up and what they care about.
The issue is especially important when it comes to money. We are warned repeatedly about the dangers of false teachers and that their motivation is money. They are greedy. (2 Peter 2:3, 2 Corinthians 2:17, 1 Thessalonians 2:5, 1 Timothy 6:5, 2 Peter 2:14...) So, yes, lifestyle is critical as part of the discerning Christian who examines the teacher's doctrine AND life and becomes doubly concerned as they see a teacher or leader's accumulation of worldly items begins to dominate their life.
One good verse is this one, where Paul is writing to Timothy as a leader, and warns him to watch his doctrine and his lifestyle closely. (1 Timothy 4:16). Why? One of the qualifications of a leader is to be above reproach. This includes how they live. Barnes' Notes on the 1 Timothy 4:16 verse of watching the lifestyle closely explains
Paul also warned in 1 Timothy 6:9,
I was able to contend for the faith, something we are commanded to do.
I was able to reason with people and hope they see some germ of a truth that will hopefully pry open their eyes to let some light shed over this issue.
I was able to say numerous times that Beth Moore is a hypocrite and for people to watch her lifestyle.
I got to write this essay and pass along some good links about this issue.
I was also pleased to contend for the truth because I know many women, especially younger women, watch how I make these forays into the wilds of social media. I hope to be a good example of fervor in grace.
Further reading:
False Teachers Out Themselves by Their Way of Life
But that doctrine matches what is equally important to confess: that we are called to a certain way of life. Paul calls lying, for example, contrary to sound doctrine (1 Tim 1:10). So doctrine not only includes concepts like Jesus rose from the dead but behaviours like telling the truth.
7 False Teachers in the Church Today
Look at The Charlatan, and The Prophet.
3 Ways to recognize a False Teacher
An individual armed with a Twitter account can influence hundreds (if not hundreds of thousands) with strange ideas, subtle lies, and false doctrines.
Clouds Without Water by Justin Peters (series overview here)
I tweeted about Beth Moore's lifestyle today. I knew what would happen. That does not deter me though. Here's what I tweeted in reaction to a disingenuous photo tweet from Moore about her cutesy lifestyle.
Look! It's @BethMooreLPM tweeting about how she likes her hubby's camo jacket and how he calls her a raisin when she wears it!The most pushback on social media I receive is when I write about Beth Moore. It's a lot. The most pushback I receive about Beth Moore is when I write about her lifestyle. It's really a lot.
The financial reality is, she's in front of what Harris Co. terms a "custom outdoor kitchen", at her 4500 sf, 2 million dollar home on 45 private acres.
It happened in 2012 when I said that though she calls herself a conservative evangelical, she is really a functional feminist. By functional I mean though her words deny, she functions as one anyway. I was told I was crazy to even think that. The Atlantic Monthly did a long spread on her in 2018. My stance was confirmed.
It happened in 2018 when I asked "How many Houses is Too Many?" noting that the Moores had added a 4th home to their stable of homes across the state. I wrote about her approaching the prosperity preachers' lifestyle of excess, and her hypocrisy in pretending otherwise.
It happened in 2020 (today) when I tweeted about her hypocrisy of lifestyle, and the tsunami of negative tweets pushing back came rolling in.
It happens because Beth Moore works very hard to present a certain persona to the public. It only stands to reason that when the curtain is peeled back, her followers will work twice as hard to explain what we are seeing. Remember the scene in the Wizard of Oz? Toto the dog yanks back the curtain as the "Great and Powerful Oz" is speaking? He is caught out as a puny human, not at all what he claimed to be and admits it. Scarecrow points at the Wizard and says angrily,
"You're a humbug!"
A humbug is deceptive or false talk or behavior, or a hypocrite.
One of the frequent replies I received from Beth Moore defenders was that I should be quiet, give up on saying she is false, just stop already for goodness sakes. But the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8). He doesn't stop. Every New Testament book except Philemon warns of false teachers and their evil impact. Stop? Stop?? Of course not! There are naive ones in danger, others who are weak being drawn in (Jude 1:23).
John MacArthur on our task to snatch some from the fire yet hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Jude 1:23,
False doctrine and the wickedness of those who teach it and believe it stains the soul. Evangelism is necessary. It is to be personal; but it is dangerous. All forms of false religion are seen as a filth and a pollution. That’s why we talk so much about Christian education around here. Why would I want to expose the most precious commodity I have, Christian young people, to pollution? It’s dangerous but it has to be done. And we have to do it with discernment, with prayer, and with caution.So I will not stop.
One of the other frequent accusations I received, aside from the usual nonsense of me being jealous or covetous, is that writing about a Bible teacher's lifestyle is none of my business. To the contrary, it is all our business. Ministry money is involved, the teacher's lifestyle is reflective of what is in their heart, what they heap up and what they care about.
The issue is especially important when it comes to money. We are warned repeatedly about the dangers of false teachers and that their motivation is money. They are greedy. (2 Peter 2:3, 2 Corinthians 2:17, 1 Thessalonians 2:5, 1 Timothy 6:5, 2 Peter 2:14...) So, yes, lifestyle is critical as part of the discerning Christian who examines the teacher's doctrine AND life and becomes doubly concerned as they see a teacher or leader's accumulation of worldly items begins to dominate their life.
One good verse is this one, where Paul is writing to Timothy as a leader, and warns him to watch his doctrine and his lifestyle closely. (1 Timothy 4:16). Why? One of the qualifications of a leader is to be above reproach. This includes how they live. Barnes' Notes on the 1 Timothy 4:16 verse of watching the lifestyle closely explains
Take heed unto thyself - This may be understood as relating to everything of a personal nature that would qualify him for his work. It may be applied to personal piety; to health; to manners; to habits of living; to temper; to the ruling purposes; to the contact with others. In relation to personal religion, a minister should take heed:Matthew Henry says of that verse, that Timothy should
confirm his doctrine by a good example: Be thou an example of the believers, etc. Observe, Those who teach by their doctrine must teach by their life, else they pull down with one hand what they build up with the otherJamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary notes that life and doctrine are
The two requisites of a good pastor: His teaching will be of no avail unless his own life accord with it; and his own purity of life is not enough unless he be diligent in teaching [Calvin]. This verse is a summary of 1Ti 4:12.Through this whole epistle Paul had been advising Timothy to take heed over his private life and public ministry. Why? One impacts the other, either to the glory of Jesus or to the detriment of His name. So, yes, lifestyle matters.
Paul also warned in 1 Timothy 6:9,
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.I don't particularly enjoy the tsunami storm that inevitably comes, but there are some positive things about it that I hold dear.
I was able to contend for the faith, something we are commanded to do.
I was able to reason with people and hope they see some germ of a truth that will hopefully pry open their eyes to let some light shed over this issue.
I was able to say numerous times that Beth Moore is a hypocrite and for people to watch her lifestyle.
I got to write this essay and pass along some good links about this issue.
I was also pleased to contend for the truth because I know many women, especially younger women, watch how I make these forays into the wilds of social media. I hope to be a good example of fervor in grace.
Further reading:
False Teachers Out Themselves by Their Way of Life
But that doctrine matches what is equally important to confess: that we are called to a certain way of life. Paul calls lying, for example, contrary to sound doctrine (1 Tim 1:10). So doctrine not only includes concepts like Jesus rose from the dead but behaviours like telling the truth.
7 False Teachers in the Church Today
Look at The Charlatan, and The Prophet.
3 Ways to recognize a False Teacher
An individual armed with a Twitter account can influence hundreds (if not hundreds of thousands) with strange ideas, subtle lies, and false doctrines.
Clouds Without Water by Justin Peters (series overview here)
1 Timothy 4:16 was the first passage that came to my mind when I read the title of this article!
ReplyDeleteHere is a commentary that I once wrote:
ReplyDelete"The Apostle Paul expressed in a straightforward manner through his first epistle to Timothy the qualifications required of a man before he can be ordained a bishop in the church. These traits are outlined in chapters three through five of that letter, which are presented as follows:
* Not needing criticism
* Wise
* Worthy of respect
* Able to show hospitality
* Well grounded in the faith/not a new convert
* Competent
* Responsible
* Faithful
* Loving, selfless, and humble
* Not having fellowship with sin/setting a good moral example (e.g. not selfish, conceited, greedy, combative, aggressive, contentious, an alcoholic)
A rhetorical question that the author raises in this context plays a key role in illustrating the importance of fitting the provided description:
"If a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?" (1 Timothy 3:5)
Obviously, taking on a leadership position requires a lot of responsibility. This is even more so true of becoming a minister, since it entails preaching the entire counsel of God. The Holy Spirit has given to us through Paul a thorough set of guidelines for us to adhere to so as to determine whether a man is fit for the office of pastor.
If a man has qualities that do not match up with the list provided here, then, by biblical standards, he is not fit to be a minister."
I've got a question. Have you ever interacted with Beth Moore in person?
ReplyDeleteNo. Beth Moore is purposely remote. At events she has a bodyguard. She doesn't answer her phone. She blocks those on social media who dont' completely agree with her or fawn over her. She doesn't answer 'Open Letters'. When Christianity Today desired to do a cover story on her, this is what happened-
DeleteOne would think that a widely circulated magazine aimed directly at Moore’s demographic would please her, and that she would do everything to get her ministry message out. No.
CT reported that accessing her was extremely difficult. It was reported, “It was not easy to get there.” [meaning getting to know her personally for the interview or any personal facts about her, "fun facts" they wanted.]
CT had to ask several times just to receive a ”yes” to the interview. The reporter stated that Moore was-
“closely protected by assistants who allow very few media interviews. After several interview requests from CT, her assistants allocated one hour to discuss her latest book and ask a few questions about her personal life. Each question had to be submitted and approved beforehand, I was told, or Moore would not do the interview. Follow-up interview requests were declined. I was permitted to see the ground level of her ministry, where workers package and ship study materials. But Moore’s third-floor office, where she writes in the company of her dog, was off limits.” (Christianity Today)
That said, reviewing or critiquing a public teacher's teaching does NOT require personal interactions. Moore is public her teaching is public, put out into the world for all to consume. Critiquing it is likewise public. Here is more on that issue:
https://themelios.thegospelcoalition.org/article/editorial-on-abusing-matthew-18/
I think that Moore's refusal to undergo personal scrutiny is a telling observation. It indicates a lack of integrity and accountability. If one already knows the truth, why refuse to answer? With that being said, I admire your diligence in calling out these kinds of people. You are right that personal interaction is not at all a requirement in this case. I wouldn't suggest otherwise. I was just curious as to whether you two had known each other.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your encouragement. I don't know her personally. Nor do I care to. The Bible in Romans 16:17-18 says 'mark & avoid' those who cause divisions
Delete