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The Christian Post said yesterday, "Several prominent Christian authors and speakers, including Beth Moore and Jen Hatmaker, have joined hundreds of evangelical women in calling out sexual and psychological abuse."
The campaign says, "But doing nothing is not acceptable. Silence is not spiritual. And action is not optional."
No biblical Christian can ever be apathetic toward abuse. It is wrong for society, it is wrong toward women, it is wrong toward men.
It is wrong because it is condemned by the Bible.
However.
Christian Post reports that the campaign (#SilenceIsNotSpiritual) says "that Christians and society face an 'urgent and defining moment in history' and gives its thanks to those churches who stand with and support survivors of violence."
They say, "We are thankful for their example of holy and just relationships. Following their and others' faithful witness, we choose to rise up and speak up. We will not retreat from the pain in our midst. Women of all faiths, races, cultures and backgrounds are bravely breaking their silence, yet many in the communities of faith do not match their bravery with action. Instead, feeling the problem is too pervasive, they have acquiesced, leaving whole churches and communities paralyzed."
Clearly, this is an issue that is before the public at this time, and this campaign is certainly getting a lot of attention in the press and otherwise.
POLITICO, a Left-leaning, widely read news organization, did a feature article on Jen Hatmaker last week.
It began with, "Last fall, Jen Hatmaker, a popular evangelical author and speaker, started getting death threats. Readers mailed back their books to her home address, but not before some burned the pages or tore them into shreds. LifeWay Christian Stores, the behemoth retailer of the Southern Baptist Convention, pulled her titles off the shelves. Hatmaker was devastated. Up until that point, she had been wildly influential and a welcome presence in the evangelical world, a Christian author whose writings made the New York Times bestseller list and whose home renovation got its own HGTV series. But then 2016 happened, and, well, of course, everything changed."
The story is lengthy. I've linked it above. However, Politico goes on and on and on about how Jen was professionally abused by many in the Christian community.
POLITICO says, "During the campaign, as other white evangelicals coalesced around the Republican nominee, Hatmaker effectively joined the coterie of 'Never Trump' evangelicals, telling her more than half million Facebook followers that Donald Trump made her'sad and horrified and despondent'."
They tell the story of how she grew up a Southern Baptist's daughter-- she now calls herself "square" during those years and didn't even serve alcohol at her wedding.
The theme of POLITICO's story is that Hatmaker came out against Trump during the campaign, was attacked by other Christians for her stand against him and is now paying the price from mostly white evangelicals.
What POLITICO carefully shields from its uninformed readers is that the reason her books and other writings were pulled from LifeWay and other Christian stores was not related to Trump.
It was because she came out at about the same time in support of same-sex marriage, and has deemed same-sex relations "normal."
POLITICO makes a passing reference to her support of the homosexual agenda.
That support is why LifeWay and other Christian bookstores pulled her materials, and some churches canceled her appearance. It was not about her tirade on Trump. It was about her non-biblical advocacy of same-sex "marriage" and the homosexual agenda.
POLITICO is misleading its readership.
Beth Moore, too, has been very anti-Trump. However, I am not aware of her taking a position in favor of same-sex marriage or advocating for the homosexual agenda.
Another prominent Christian woman not mentioned in the Christian Post, but in other publications who has emerged as a leader in this #SilenceIsNotSpiritual movement is Lynne Hybels, the wife of Bill Hybels, founder and pastor of Willow Creek Church.
The Hybel's daughter, Shauna Hybels Niequist and her husband Aaron Niequist, who is also worship pastor at Willow Creek and works closely with her parents, has recently started a new ministry within the context of Willow Creek Church that they call "The Practice."
Berean Research has done a lot of looking into this new ministry.
Personally, I have always had a great deal of respect for the tremendous church growth Willow Creek has experienced since its founding by Pastor Bill Hybels. Although I have never attended a church growth seminar at the church or a Global Leadership remote seminar, I know many pastors and parishioners who have and have been inspired to do more for the Lord.
However. With some personal difficulty, I feel it should be noted that "The Practice," in my opinion, does not square with biblical doctrine.
The narrative of "The Practice" is laced with New Age mysticism and Eastern mysticism.
Berean says, "'The Practice' has been a Sunday night ritual since 2013, after that summer's Global Leadership Summit invited Vijay Govindarajan, Professor of International Business and the founding Director of Tuck's Center for Global Leadership, to speak about innovation."
They announced this fall that the ministry is focusing on how to align the rhythms of our lives with God's eternal rhythms. Niequist has been teaching this fall on "unforced rhythms of grace."
"The Practice" defines its ministry as "an experimental gathering where we immerse ourselves in God's dream for humanity, practice the historic disciplines that align us with His dream, and carry each other along the way."
In reviewing the information, I noticed that Niequist was promoting the idea of "Mother God" along with his "dear friends Rob Bell and Michael Gungor."
Bell, a former Mars Hill pastor, is a prominent author and leader in the Christian advocacy of the homosexual agenda.
While this campaign against abuse is noble and necessary, it is difficult for me to believe that these various beliefs and practices held by at least some of the leaders of this campaign, will be isolated from the message against abuse.
As a pastor, I personally would not sponsor this campaign in my church for the reasons I've mentioned.
I no longer pastor, so will not be faced with that decision.
However, I did give some thought to writing on this subject, knowing I will be criticized for doing so.
It was a fairly easy decision to write.
Berean has included a great deal of detail in their research article linked above.
Note to pastors who read this: I understand that daughter and son-in-law are not mom and dad. However, given the ministry dynamics within the church, you should at least be aware.
I was told yesterday, but cannot confirm, that Christian Mom Blogger Glennon Doyle Melton has also signed on in the past few days and will be representing this campaign.
The Washington Post reported last fall that "Christian mom blogger Glennon Doyle Melton has announced her engagement to soccer star Abby Wambach. Abby and I have decided to hold hands forever."
Scripture says, "Beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness" (2 Peter 3:17).
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Bold. Be Prayer.