Wednesday I wrote an uncharitable article reacting to a blog post that exposed Beth Moore as false teacher. Most of what I wrote was accurate, but the tone I took was extremely unkind and hurtful.
And, frankly, hypocritical.
“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. ~~Matthew 7:1-5 (ESV)
One of the charges I made against this blog post was that it was poorly written. But my article was also poorly written. I may have spelled all the words correctly and used proper punctuation, but I failed to offer constructive criticism to help the writer understand why her writing mistakes undermined her message. A well-written article on my part would have shown the writer the importance of good writing in dealing with Beth Moore’s followers.
Having been active in calling out Beth Moore for several years, I’ve learned that her followers actually idolize her. Consequently, when anyone dares to speak against her, they eagerly seize on anything they think might discredit the person who tries to call her out. When spelling errors show up repeatedly in a post, Beth Moore’s supporters will gleefully dismiss the entire article, concluding that the writer lacks education.
Similarly, when I write an article mentioning someone’s spelling errors without explaining what Beth Moore’s followers will do with those errors, I will be dismissed as arrogant and petty. Thus my writing failures undermine my message. Rather than helping the writer see how she can effectively call out Beth Moore, I embarrassed a sister in Christ. My poor writing kept me from offering edification and guidance to someone who wants to join in the work of warning women against Beth Moore.
In my article, I also wrote that the blog post did nothing more than rehash the same information that Elizabeth Prata, Michelle Lesley, I and many others have given over the years. Someone interpreted this point as saying we should stop warning against false teachers.
In the second part of my article, I attempted to affirm that we must continue warning against Beth Moore (and other false teachers, for that matter). I guess my writing failed to make that point clear. My husband was quite shocked by the allegation that I insinuated a moratorium on calling out Beth Moore. “Where did she get that?” he asked.
I can only that assume that she got it from errors in my writing. Had I spent more time gently explaining how the writer could have highlighted Beth Moore’s false teaching in fresh ways, perhaps my critic might have understood that I actually do believe we must keep warning against this very dangerous false teacher.
Beth Moore has an influence among evangelicals that I haven’t seen in any other false teacher. This influence poses a serious threat to the Body of Christ, and Scripture demands that we expose her.
Exposing her, however, is most effective if we build on what people have already written about her. Simply compiling the same old information into an article that takes an hour to read most likely will alienate the very Beth Moore followers that need to be reached.
If I had written my article with more gentleness and had worked harder at explaining the reasons why adding to the conversation could strengthen our case against Beth Moore, I might have been less hurtful and more helpful. My poor writing created terrible misunderstanding and great pain.
Good, clear writing is essential in communicating the things of God. If we write on His behalf, we have a responsibility to write clearly and effectively in a manner that causes our readers to take us seriously. I regret my failure to do so.
The Outspoken TULIP 
Anybody that has read anything from you knows the tone in your posts and writing is ALWAYS lovingly meant. We are called to not quickly take offense, that makes it about us. Personally, just my opinion if someone took offense that is a pride issue. I did not see anything wrong with your post.
Here is a great write up by Got Questions on not taking offense over little things
https://www.gotquestions.org/take-offense.html
“For many people, the tendency to take offense at little things is rooted in a false perspective of security. We all desire security and safety; we desire the good opinion of others. We secure those good opinions with performance: what we do, how we speak, how we dress, how we express ourselves, etc. When our security is based on our performance, we may feel threatened when someone expresses something negative about us. The natural response to that threat is to take offense or become angry. Even a casual, flippant, or offhand remark can gnaw at us and steal our peace. The way to prevent taking offense is to address our desire for security. As long as feelings of security are rooted in ourselves, the tendency to take offense, even at the little things, will exist. If, however, our feelings of security are not rooted in ourselves or our performance, our perspective will change and our response to the actions and comments of others will become more balanced.”
“Twice in the book of Proverbs, we are told to “cover” offenses (Proverbs 10:12; 17:9). The covering of offense is related to love. First Peter 4:8 says, “Love covers over a multitude of sins”—and that “multitude” would have to include small slights. In any relationship, there are many irksome things that should just be “covered” for the sake of love. By covering an offense, or not revealing it to others, we are empathizing with the offender and extending the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he did not mean what he said; perhaps we misunderstood.”
However if you feel you have sinned that is obviously between you and God and the person sinned against friend.
We sadly live in a culture where everyone is offended by “everything”
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Thank you for your admittance of wrong-doing and further explaining your convictions.
Some thoughts~
“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”” 1 Corinthians 1:17-19
The point that we all know is…. God really wants to use the simple, the weak, the poor etc. He doesn’t really need our cleverly and perfectly written articles. That doesn’t mean He won’t use those too, but I think it far worse to teach that He can’t reach people through poorly spoken/written yet biblically accurate Truth that is proclaimed by His faithful sheep than to acknowledge He really doesn’t rest on the skills and talents of His sheep. Skills are a blessing and good to use if biblically possible, but they aren’t the power of the Word and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. As a writer myself, I know we can tend to put confidence in our writings, especially if we lack in other areas, as I do! God simply wants child-like faith, for us to be humbly obedient to His Word no matter what and diligent in learning more about Him via His Word, be active in spreading His Gospel no matter our skill set, warning of what is not of Him, loving others no matter (including tough love or including loving those that irritate us) and not to think too highly of ourselves and our gifts… because again, He doesn’t really need us. May He be more glorified through our weaknesses, not our strengths. 🙂
Note 1 Corinthians 1:17-19 again…the world will think us foolish no matter what. They simply will not take us serious. We can turn them away with one well said sentence. We can be articulate, crafty, careful and credible, but that won’t amount to a hill of beans if their hearts are darkened towards God and His Word. Again, the work of the Spirit is via the spreading of His Gospel and the rebuking of error, not the talents and skills of those doing it. When we warn against error, we will be mocked because people love error and darkness and their false teachers. I feel it must be said- it won’t matter that we spell good or that the only ones warning of false teachers are working together as a well-oiled machine while pushing away those they don’t believe to be fresh additional help. That one Christian writer whom you think should be quiet because she repeats what’s already been written and you think she alienates the deceived, she may be the one many relate to because they understand better the way she explains it. Perhaps they want to read someone that puts it all in one place. Perhaps they choose her write-up to read because of knowing about her life struggles which resemble their own, therefore are more willing to listen to her before anyone else that may write better. People can pick up on pure heart and authenticity in ones writing, and appreciate it. Who knows, we may be alienating some of the deceived by policing and editing and even rebuking the warnings of those believers we feel are not helpful.
I praise God for His long-suffering and loving-kindness towards us as we sin daily. Praying for you and thankful for how God has/is using you!
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