This is an article that hit my email inbox last week. I wanted to share it here on the blog so that it will go out in our newsletter. I am not publishing the full article out of respect for Pulpit & Pen where it was originally published. You can read the full article here (or in the link at the end of the excerpt).
A Pastor’s Wife Breaks Free of Beth Moore: A Testimony
My name is Lauran. I am a Southern Baptist from Tennessee. I walked the aisle to accept Jesus at age 5 but I believe I was truly saved 12 years ago at the age of 21. I am currently the women’s Bible study leader at our church as well as the pastor’s wife. I have broken free of Beth Moore.
I grew up attending a flagship Southern Baptist Church in Tennessee. It was and is one of the most vibrant churches in the convention; its former and current pastors have been the President of the Southern Baptist Convention and both served on the Baptist Faith and Message Committee. At this faithful church, the Bible was proclaimed as God’s inerrant word. Growing up in a church like that, I was often involved in Bible study. One of my favorite Bible study authors was Beth Moore. I was heavily involved in her studies for years. I have seen her speak live multiple times, done countless numbers of her studies and own tons of her books. I’ll never forget the day five years ago when my husband informed me that Beth Moore may not be a sound teacher.
My husband had stumbled across the profile on Beth Moore at the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM) website. Incredulously, my Baptist husband read Matt Slick’s negative critique of Beth Moore. He was surprised to see that CARM, one of the most trusted online sources for Christian doctrine, did not recommend participating in Beth Moore studies. He knew she was the darling of Southern Baptist women’s studies and a best-selling author at LifeWay. After studying the article, my husband couldn’t help but agree with Slick’s assessment. The evidence was right there. Beth Moore was not a sound teacher. Sheepishly, he informed me that Beth Moore may not be a sound teacher. I was aghast!
“What?!” I exclaimed. “No Way! Beth Moore is a godly woman.” I had been growing in my knowledge of the word in leaps and bounds over the past few years. I had even attended Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary for a degree in Christian education. It had never been brought up to me in my long Baptist life that Beth Moore, this trusted woman, and leader, might actually be a poor teacher or even a wolf in sheep’s clothing! I had always just assumed that what she was teaching was biblical. All of the churches I had ever attended had endorsed and done her studies as part of their women’s Bible studies. How could they keep doing her studies if her teaching and actions were unbiblical?! {end of excerpt – read full article here}
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Sandra Miller says
Interesting article. I appreciate it when discerning people sound the alarm. I am getting a tad bit paranoid of modern day ministries that minimize surrender to the LORDship of Jesus Christ. Too many preach a message of how embracing godly principles will enhance your life or fixes whatever offences you have suffered in the past. You could make a list of other female writers one should eschew. Once you got that done, start with the men leaders/preachers – neither has a monopoly on promoting false doctrine. As I see it it is legalism at its worse.
Kendra says
I hear you, Sandra. It seems that the liberal Christian church has accused the conservative of being legalistic . . . but now they have fallen into the same ditch with practices that are not biblical, yet supposedly make a person holier.
Betsy says
Thank you for posting this today. I have had the same opinion of Beth Moore for a while, but none of my friends or ladies at our church want to listen to me. I think she is a very gifted female teacher who knows more than any of the rest of us could ever hope to you. As The article says, Satan take scripture and twists it. It’s all very sad how easily we are let astray.
Blessings, Betsy
Kendra says
Yes, it is so true that the devil has gotten so many people by coming as an angel of light and combining error with truth.
marcia says
I appreciate this. Beth Moore was the teacher that God used to open my eyes to an area needing correction in my life, but I also have had my eyes opened to the errors in her writings as well as other contemporary Christian writers. Sadly. May we all be Noble Bereans, “searching the scriptures daily to see whether these things be so.”
Kendra says
Yes, it is well if we can do this daily – searching the Word that breathes life into our hearts!
Denise says
Thank you, Kendra, for sharing this testimony. You know my story about my change of perspective concerning the things Beth Moore teaches. And she’s not the only one; I’m wary of anyone who develops such a following as she has. The teachings of Christ aren’t that popular–sadly, we latch onto only those that make us feel good about ourselves. Aren’t we pathetic?
Kendra says
I so appreciate you, Denise. Thank you for your complete honesty – it blesses me so much and encourages me to keep close to God’s Word!