John MacArthur and the “Truth Matters Conference” comments about Beth Moore
The Setup
Listen to the recording of the event. Then come back and read. It is only about 7 minutes long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeNKHqpBcgc
During the “Truth Matters Conference,” held Oct. 16-18 at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, where he is pastor, MacArthur and other panelists were asked to give their gut reactions to one- or two-word phrases.
The moderator (Todd Friel) seems to be clearly shocked that these men didn’t see this as an opportunity to just be “pithy” (to use his word). Later he seems surprised that this is really a troubling issue for Macarthur. The other person on the stage was Phil Johnson – director of “Grace to You” elder at Grace Community Church.
John MacArthur was reminded to carefully consider his answer. I will give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he did. One of the men on stage says he feels “set up.”
This was a setup.
Don’t get me wrong; I don’t think it was intentional (at least not from the perspective of the conference).
I am always interested in the way often we will “invite” the Holy Spirit or Jesus Christ or just generally “God” to be present in an event. I think this is a nuanced way of saying that we acknowledge that He is present and reminding ourselves.
This little “activity” felt to me like saying, “Flesh, we invite you in today. Please lead us to give our immediate, least thought out and least submitted responses possible. Flesh be with us here today!” I honestly don’t understand how they thought this was a good idea. I guess this is an example of “well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.”
Then, to start with the name of another well-known Christian leader is almost literally asking for these men to delve the depths of their fleshly responses. It seems to me that they complied.
The Responses
As the conversation continued, it felt to me as though these two men had already really thought through every analogy they could come up with that was demeaning and dismissive.
Even if not directly at her, it was clear that the analogies they made – women not wanting to be plumbers, how just because someone can sell jewelry on a TV shopping network doesn’t mean they should preach, etc. – were meant to be demeaning.
The tone was dismissive and rude at best. MacArthur’s “Go home” response was clearly intended to communicate contempt. The only excuse for that would be a lack of forethought.
Phil (I am pretty sure – it was hard to tell from the audio) said that her teaching was about preaching herself and not Christ. His word for her was “narcissistic.” In evidence, he cited Beth Moore as saying “When I look in the Bible, I see myself there.”
Surely this is an intentional misunderstanding of this sentiment. Of course we are supposed to find ourselves in scripture – and that obviously doesn’t mean that we think we are the center of the universe or something. “Narcissism” is either a pretty strong diagnosis (which is out of line in so many ways) or a character attack. I don’t see how either is called for given these circumstances.
My responses
I was super disappointed with the tone and language. Along with many other pastors and leaders, I would encourage any brother in Christ who said what he said and the way he said it, to openly and humbly apologize. We all do things like this – say things we hadn’t thought through sufficiently… and thankfully, seeking forgiveness is a great way to restore.
Here is the thing: MacArthur and others are certainly allowed to hold and teach and defend their interpretations of the passages regarding women’s roles in ministry, including regarding teaching and preaching. I have my own views as I spell out in the articles I posted a couple of years ago.
We are always allowed to call out when we think other leaders are in error as to their language, their theology or their practice. If he had kept his language to his opinions and understandings of scripture, (“I just know that women are not allowed to preach.”), even If stated without tact, then this probably would have been no big deal. MacArthur has many strongly held stances – some of which I am on different pages (he holds to cessationism, unquestioning young earth creationism, and he is an advocate of nouthetic counseling, just to name a few).
However, I have been greatly blessed by many of his books and lessons in the past. These need not be in conflict with one another!
As followers of Christ, we are not required to be on the same page about every aspect of faith and doctrine – only the handful that are the basic, non-negotiables – what Lewis called “Mere Christianity,” and even those can be hard enough to define! MacArthur and his radio show (it feels a little ironic now that it is called “Grace to You”) has been impactful in many positive ways in the Christian community.
MacArthur is even more welcome to communicate his concerns and disagreements with human endeavors, such as changes in the Southern Baptist Convention (I am pretty sure that his church is NOT a part of the SBC). In the further conversation you heard that, “He claimed the SBC had taken a “headlong plunge” toward allowing women preachers at its annual meeting this summer. That, he said, was a sign the denomination no longer believed in biblical authority.” (Religionnews.com)
However, as a Christ follower, he is NOT free to ignore and defy the direct teachings of Jesus Christ
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” John 13:34
or the Apostle Paul
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”Ephesians 4:29-30
Or the Apostle John
“And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” I John 3:23
I know that it might have been loving to correct what MacArthur believes to be an error, but I cannot imagine anyone trying to defend the words and tone of these few minutes as “loving” by any definition. I pray that after I have said or done something foolish or unkind or mean that I will be able to humble myself, admit it and ask for forgiveness.
Beth Moore’s response
I have only listened to a few talks and worked myself through several pages of workbooks, with nothing jumping off of the page at me, but I am sure that there are also 
things I would disagree with that Beth Moore has written or taught.
I can say this with confidence because there are fairly common occurrences when I find myself in disagreement with myself about something that I have written or taught!
However, Moore’s responses have been much more grace filled. In the midst of what has become something of a firestorm in the evangelical world. She has stayed calm. In fact, her first response was only identifiable as a response because she used the word “home”:
“I did not surrender to a calling of man when I was 18 years old. 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!”
Later she added this:
“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.”
Finally, yesterday (October 23 2019) she posted this:
“Hey, y’all. Let’s cool it on the slander toward JMac et al. Doesn’t honor God. Let’s move on.”
She has continued to engage with many on twitter encouraging them to be calm and respectful. Her goal has been to continue to fight unbiblical misogyny while also asking angry people to avoid “trading insult for insult.”
As a Christ-follower, I appreciate her grace. In a generation in which there is little enough of what might call “class”, it is nice to see a little of it.
Final Words
I think that there is a great account that best communicates what it ought to look like when Christians disagree – even about stuff MUCH more profound and clear than the debate regarding the roles of women in ministry (not an issue of salvation). Allegedly, 
Whitfield was asked whether he expected to ever see his long-time theological opponent, John Wesley, in heaven.
Whitfield answered that they would probably not, since Wesley would be so near the throne of God and Whitfield so far from it that likely they would not catch sight of him.
There is one of the versions with more explanation at this site .
I am glad to see Moore attempting to continue this tradition of respectful disagreement that has been a hallmark of Christian dialogue for generations. I hope and pray that MacArthur will return to it.
I referenced above that it felt a little ironic these last few days that the name of MacArthur’s radio ministry is “Grace to You”… but of course, the grace that MacArthur has preached has not been his grace. It has been God’s grace in Christ.
And that hasn’t changed. The works of mankind will always, eventually do more than disappoint us; they will fail us.
Let’s agree not to let this become the new excuse for division. At worst, a man of God reminded us that God can speak through anyone – just ask Balaam’s mode of transportation.
Works cited:
https://www.tonycooke.org/articles-by-tony-cooke/wesley-whitfield/
and Beth Moore’s twitter page.
Thank you for this response. I imagine that many women who have learned from Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, or another woman teacher were shocked at the lack of love and evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in John Mac and the other men. We can pray for God to protect His church.
Yeah, whether or not I agree with them (I have articles about that too), I understand the views of people who disagree, biblically, with certain roles for women in the church. What I cannot understand or appreciate is, as a man, having those views but then not leading, honoring, loving or even disagreeing the way those same Bible writers require of the followers of Jesus. I guess we must need a savior or something.