Monday, Tim Challies posted an article entitled Why Aren’t Men Reading Women Writers? The title amused me because I have trouble keeping men from reading my blog. Despite all my feminine artwork and my various statements that I write The Outspoken TULIP exclusively for women, I know that several men read my articles regularly.
I can’t stop them from doing so, try as I may. But their persistence puzzles me.
And sometimes I laugh to myself that I would have loved having so many men following me when I was single! Doncha love the little ironies of life?
But I have no intention of writing yet another blog post explaining why I prefer writing for women. I’ve stated my reasons here and here. I realize that many people, including people I highly respect, see a distinction between teaching a mixed Adult Sunday School class and writing a blog post. Okay. Perhaps I err on the side of caution. I must, however, stand on my convictions, which I draw from my study of God’s Word.
In response to Tim Challies’ article, I would ask why men should read the writing of women. Certainly we have much to contribute, even to theological conversations, but the mere fact that we have something worthwhile to say doesn’t necessarily mean that we should address ourselves to mixed audiences. What’s so terrible about limiting our sphere of influence to other women?
Do the men who read my blog suppose that I possess some spiritual insight that they won’t find from male bloggers? If so, gentlemen, you flatter me! In truth, however, I don’t bring anything original to the table. I’m just a lady who loves God’s Word and happens to enjoy writing about it. I figure I can, through this obscure little blog, inspire my sisters in the Lord to study Scripture. Sometimes women need to see that, although God reserves positions of general preaching and teaching for men, He welcomes women to study His Word carefully and seriously.
Hopefully I encourage women to study the Bible beyond fluffy, self-centered devotionals aimed at feeding their self-esteem. Women need to observe other women rightly handling God’s Word so that they will be emboldened to study Scripture for themselves. Men already have wonderful male role-models to emulate, and therefore don’t really require the wisdom of women for doctrinal growth.
Obviously, men will keep reading my blog no matter what I do. But I pray that they’ll ask themselves why they do so. And perhaps they’ll tell me.
As you’ll see in tomorrow’s Saturday Sampler, the topic of women preaching has again resurfaced on social media. Two weeks ago, in fact, I engaged in a Twitter debate that began with someone objecting to my stance that 
Who is a false teacher? Sadly some popular “discernment” ministries are currently throwing out accusations of heresy against other well-known Christian apologists, largely over matters of how they approach their ministry. Occasionally they also use non-essential points of doctrine as reason to anathematize people, but generally the battles boil down to pride.
Let’s start out with a difficult, but incredibly basic, challenge: loving our enemies. In these days of robust polemics and doctrinal minutiae, we easily ignore Christ’s teaching on this matter. Thankfully The Cripplegate features Clint Archer’s bracing post, 
