Bible teacher Beth Moore, who was publicly mocked last week by a prominent evangelical leader, responded on Twitter Monday saying she would continue to follow Jesus and that she did not “surrender to a calling of man.”
Until her social media posting, Moore had remained quiet after John MacArthur, a best-selling author and radio host, told a group of pastors at the Truth Matters Conference that she should “go home.”
As Christian Headlines reported yesterday, MacArthur made the comment as part of a word association exercise during a panel discussion that also included fellow pastor Phil Johnson. The first question posed by the moderator to MacArthur was what he thought when he heard the name of Beth Moore.
“Go home!” he responded before adding, “There is no case that can be made biblically for a woman preacher—period, paragraph, end of discussion.”
Johnson also contributed by calling Moore “narcissistic.”
The exchange, which brought thunderous applause and laughter from the audience, prompted numerous Christian leaders to come to her defense in the days since. Moore finally broke her silence Monday without directly naming MacArthur, Johnson or the conference.
“I did not surrender to a calling of man when I was 18 years old,” she posted. “I surrendered to a calling of God. It never occurs to me for a second to not fulfill it. I will follow Jesus—and Jesus alone—all the way home. And I will see His beautiful face and proclaim, Worthy is the Lamb!
“Here’s the beautiful thing about it & I mean this with absolute respect. You don’t have to let me serve you. That gets to be your choice. Whether or not I serve Jesus is not up to you. Whether I serve you certainly is. One way or the other, I esteem you as my sibling in Christ.”
Here’s the beautiful thing about it & I mean this with absolute respect. You don’t have to let me serve you. That gets to be your choice. Whether or not I serve Jesus is not up to you. Whether I serve you certainly is. One way or the other, I esteem you as my sibling in Christ.
— Beth Moore (@BethMooreLPM) October 21, 2019
Her post brought a supportive response from Kay Warren, wife of megachurch pastor Rick Warren.
“You’re a class act @BethMooreLPM. You are a faithful witness of how to be clay in the Potter’s hands; a flesh and bone disciple willing to be made something or nothing. You honor Jesus at every turn. Proud to be on the same road Home with you.”
You’re a class act @BethMooreLPM. You are a faithful witness of how to be clay in the Potter’s hands; a flesh and bone disciple willing to be made something or nothing. You honor Jesus at every turn. Proud to be on the same road Home with you.
— Kay Warren (@KayWarren1) October 21, 2019
Atlanta Pastor Jeff Lyle also chimed in saying, “You’re the modern day spiritual equivalent of John Henry, slugging your way through a seemingly immovable mountain. Beth, we see you digging a tunnel that many coming behind you will pass through. Many are praying for you in between stints of cheering for you.”
You’re the modern day spiritual equivalent of John Henry, slugging your way through a seemingly immovable mountain. Beth, we see you digging a tunnel that many coming behind you will pass through. Many are praying for you in between stints of cheering for you.
— Jeff Lyle (@Jeff4Truth) October 21, 2019
Bestselling author Max Lucado simply offered, “God bless you, Beth.”
God bless you, Beth.
— Max Lucado (@MaxLucado) October 22, 2019
Some of those responding to Moore’s post took umbrage with the fact that the prominent pastors, and their audience, would treat another fellow believer in such a fashion and then laugh about it.
“I’ve no problem with JM making a case that women shouldn’t preach, based on his reading of scripture, just as I have no problem with someone saying women CAN preach, if they base it on the Bible. But his mocking tone, like others on the stage with him, is disturbing & sad,” wrote James Williams.
I’ve no problem with JM making a case that women shouldn’t preach, based on his reading of scripture, just as I have no problem with someone saying women CAN preach, if they base it on the Bible. But his mocking tone, like others on the stage with him, is disturbing & sad.
— James Williams (@middletree) October 21, 2019
Community Connection questioned the entire exercise.
“And why would the interviewer even throw out that kind of bait? Awful.”
And why would the interviewer even throw out that kind of bait? Awful. ?
— Community Connection (@bgstordahl) October 22, 2019
Diane E. Samson wrote, “Jesus was slandered and mocked. You’re in good company! My understanding is that you say you’re a teacher, not a preacher, not head of a church. Anne Graham Lotz so boldly reminded us at a conference once that the first evangelists were women who told men about the risen Christ.”
Jesus was slandered and mocked. You’re in good company! My understanding is that you say you’re a teacher, not a preacher, not head of a church. Anne Graham Lotz so boldly reminded us at a conference once that the first evangelists were women who told men about the risen Christ.
— Diane E. Samson (@diane_samson) October 21, 2019
Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Terry Wyatt/Stringer