I want to be clear from the outset of this article that, while I regret that I cannot endorse Kay Arthur’s materials or conferences, I do not believe the content of her written or verbal teaching contains or promotes false doctrine, and I am not labeling her a false teacher or a heretic.
This article is kept continuously updated as needed.
Kay Arthur might be considered, and deservedly so, one of the “founding mothers” of women’s Bible study. Kay and her husband Jack served as missionaries in Mexico for 3½ years before returning to the United States and founding Precept Ministries International in 1970. The teaching goal of Precept is to instruct Christians in the Bible “book by book, verse by verse, using the Inductive Bible Study method.” Now in her eighties, Kay is still going strong. She has written numerous books, teaches all over the world, and hosts Precepts for Life, a daily television, radio, and on-line Bible study program.¹
Kay seems to be a lovely person with an almost tangible passion for people to study and rightly handle the word of God. She is a fine role model for younger women, showcasing growth to godly maturity, and a solid example to older women that serving Christ is something we never retire from. Kay comports herself like a lady and exudes warmth, grace, kindness, and a sort of motherly love towards those under her teaching. She is the kind of woman I aspire to be, and I would very much like to be able to wholeheartedly endorse her.
Because of the plethora of false teachers in the women’s Bible study realm, and due to other issues in question, several readers have written to me asking if I recommend Kay Arthur as a trustworthy Bible study author and speaker. With most teachers this answer comes easily, because there is ample evidence of the teacher’s Bible twisting (or doctrinal soundness) and/or sinful (or godly) behavior. Kay’s case, however, is more complex, so I would like to address the issues which are components in whether or not I endorse a particular teacher.
In order to address these issues, on top of my usual research, I have attempted to contact Kay Arthur with some questions (at this time she has not responded). I have also interviewed a doctrinally sound, discerning source who has been a Precept leader for several years and taught many of Kay Arthur’s studies. She has sat under Kay Arthur’s teaching in person at various Precept meetings and conferences, and has interacted with many other Precept leaders. For personal reasons, my source prefers to remain anonymous, so I will refer to her as “Jill.”
When evaluating a female teacher or author to determine whether or not I will recommend her, I research her teaching and habits in three main areas: her doctrine and hermeneutics, her ministry partnerships and associations, and her behavior. Another major consideration is whether or not any problems in these three areas are current, ongoing, and unrepentant, or if there were issues of sin in these areas in the past that have since been repented of and corrected. We need to remember that even the godliest teacher is still a human being who sins as well as a Christian who learns God’s word and grows to maturity over the span of her lifetime. The issue is not whether a teacher has ever sinned in these areas, but whether a teacher knowingly persists in sin or is teachable, repents, and avoids sin when it is pointed out to her. Let’s examine Kay Arthur’s teaching and habits in these three areas.
Doctrine and Hermeneutics
Kay Arthur has been publicly teaching the Bible for nearly fifty years. That’s an extremely large body of teaching, books, and materials. Yet citations of biblical error in her doctrine and teaching from credible sources are nearly non-existent in comparison.
The one major red flag that has been raised by discerning sources about Kay’s doctrine is her endorsement of Neil Anderson’s books The Bondage Breaker and Victory Over the Darkness. Neil Anderson teaches an unbiblical view of spiritual warfare, and Kay should not have endorsed his books. It was unwise, undiscerning, and may indicate that she, herself, holds to an unbiblical doctrine of spiritual warfare.
That being said, Id like to point out that Victory Over the Darkness was published in 2000. Sixteen years ago. The Bondage Breaker was originally published in 1990, and a revised, second edition of the book came out in 2000. Does the revised edition of the book still carry Kay’s endorsement? Does she currently teach the aberrant view of spiritual warfare Anderson is known for? In the last sixteen years has Kay grown in her discernment and knowledge of the Bible to the point that she would never consider endorsing Anderson’s books now? I don’t know the answer to any of these questions, but I’m not seeing any accusations out there that Kay is currently teaching unbiblical doctrine concerning spiritual warfare or any other essential tenet of Christianity.
Jill comments:
“The association with Neil Anderson…I am completely unaware of that. I will say in regard to her teaching on spiritual warfare that I have led the Precept Ephesians study and read the book Lord, Is It Warfare? and I see nothing out of line in either of those. She is very clear that we are not to engage the enemy (my words, not hers). That our line of defense is the sword of the Spirit – the Bible – just like Jesus defense against Satan when tempted was the Word. She brought out passages like Jude 9 where even the archangel Michael didn’t rebuke the devil.”
Jill’s experience is puzzling in light of another citation of unbiblical teaching on spiritual warfare in this quote from Kay’s 2006 book, Lord, I Give You this Day: 366 Appointments with God:
“When I deal with recurring thoughts that are contrary to Philippians 4:8, I often will say something like this: “Satan, those thoughts are not from God. You have no place in me. Therefore, in the name of Jesus Christ and by His blood, I command you to leave me alone.” Why address Satan? Jesus did. He rebuked him and told him to leave.
If you’re harassed by persistent evil or demoralizing thoughts, then verbally address Satan in this way. Claim the blood of Jesus Christ, which defeated Satan. The devil may come back with a second round of fire—and maybe more. But when you continue to hold your ground in faithful obedience, you’ll know the joy of victory.”
Just because Jesus said or did something doesn’t mean we’re to say or do that same thing (Jesus also equated Himself with God and rebuked a storm, for example.). Jesus, being God, has the authority to address Satan directly. We do not. Scripture doesn’t teach us anywhere to address Satan. We don’t see any of the apostles addressing Satan. Jude 9 indicates that even Michael the archangel wouldn’t presume to address Satan. In this quote, Kay has not only taught an unbiblical premise, she has demonstrated poor hermeneutics, taking a descriptive passage (Jesus addressing Satan) and making it into a prescriptive passage (a command to follow).
Again, this book was written over ten years ago, in 2006. The Ephesians study Jill cites was published (revised edition) in 2012. Is it possible that, some time in those six years, Kay repented of this false teaching on spiritual warfare and is now handling God’s word correctly in this area of theology? This may be the case, but the elementary hermeneutical mistake of confusing descriptive and prescriptive passages should certainly warn us to examine all of her teachings extremely carefully.
Ministry Partnerships and Associations:
This is the area that seems to be of most concern to the average Christian woman who is trying to decide whether or not to follow Kay Arthur. For four years, Kay partnered with false teachers Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer in LifeWay’s Deeper Still women’s conferences. The last of these joint conferences took place in June 2011. During that time LifeWay “packaged” the three women together in a variety of ways. I, myself, recall quipping that they were LifeWay’s “holy trinity of women’s Bible study.” However, I cannot find any evidence of Kay partnering with either Beth or Priscilla in the last five years. So far as I can tell, they have not shared a stage or co-authored any materials since 2011. (Kay does, however, still sell the two Deeper Still companion books she co-authored with Beth and Priscilla on the Precept web site.)
Jill comments:
“Concerning the yoking with Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer – she has said that her hope in doing that was to take these young women under her wing and teach them as an older woman. That was not what happened, so she distanced herself from them.”
“I can tell you that I have heard her caution women against following people who teach contemplative prayer without naming those people directly. But it was very clear the way she described the people she was cautioning against that she was describing Beth Moore (and probably Priscilla Shirer, too). She used words like “great influence,” “large following,” “thousands of people are listening to these women.” She also said specifically about the book Jesus Calling without saying the title itself.. .”Jesus only spoke in the first person in one book and this (held up her Bible) is it. If you are allowing that sort of stuff in your life, you need to stop.”
In 2002, Kay was one of the featured speakers at THRIVE: Becoming a Woman of Influence, a women’s conference simulcast. One of the other speakers was Joyce Meyer. As far as I can tell, they have not shared a stage since.
Jill comments:
“Concerning the speaking at the Joyce Meyer conference many years ago – what is MUCH harder to find is what she actually said at that event. She actually went behind Joyce and corrected her false teaching… She wasn’t invited back.”
In 2011, a staffer with Transform Student Ministries (an arm of Precept ministering to college students) posted a blog article on the TSM site containing an excerpt of false teacher Steven Furtick’s book Sun Stand Still. The article encouraged readers to put Furtick’s teaching from the excerpt into practice. When this was brought to the attention of TSM’s leadership, the blog post was removed and there have been no reports of TSM, Precept, or Kay Arthur using Furtick’s materials since that time.
More recently Kay has appeared at Break Forth Canada in 2013 and 2015 as well as in earlier years (she is not scheduled to appear in 2016). Break Forth Canada routinely features contemplative and Emergent speakers such as Tony Campolo, Erwin McManus, and Leonard Sweet.
Kay Arthur’s position has long been that she will speak anywhere she is invited in order to get her message out. To my knowledge, her messages in all of these venues have been doctrinally sound and possibly even correcting of false doctrine taught by some she shared a stage with. It does not seem that she acquiesced to any false doctrine of the sponsors of these conferences or of others on the dais. What is in question is her decision to appear along with those who are false teachers.
While the desire to speak biblical truth anywhere you’re invited is admirable, it is not always necessarily biblical. God’s word is abundantly clear that we are to mark and avoid false teachers and that we are not to partner with them. The Bible doesn’t say avoid false teachers and don’t partner with them unless you’re teaching a doctrinally sound message alongside them or at their conference. It just says “don’t.”
Because Kay has chosen to speak alongside false teachers, we now have an illustration of why the Bible says not to do this. First, because Kay is regarded as a doctrinally sound teacher, she lends credibility to the false teachers and doctrine she is associating herself with. Second, Kay’s own reputation as a doctrinally sound teacher is being called into question by discerning Christians who are knowledgeable about the false teachers and doctrine she is associating herself with.
Kay and her staff need to do a better and more discerning job of vetting the people she shares a stage with and the doctrine of the conferences she speaks at. Her policy regarding accepting speaking engagements should be modified to line up with God’s word.
Behavior
While, as I’ve already stated, Kay is the quintessence of ladylike behavior, grace, and kindness, there is a major area of her behavior which is unbiblical. One of the important things I look for when evaluating a female teacher is whether or not she teaches men (co-ed audiences) in violation of 1 Timothy 2:12. I do not endorse female teachers who unrepentantly persist in this sin any more than I would endorse a male pastor or teacher who unrepentantly persists in another sin.
Jill comments:
“In regard to how Kay handles teaching over men…. When I have watched a Precept-produced video, I have seen men in the audience of Kay’s recordings. But only the men that are on staff. Usually one or two. The only time I have been on campus is for a women’s conference. There are men floating around, but they’re usually popping in to handle facility matters – or audio visual technicians and that’s about it. Every now and then her son or husband would sneak in the back and sit and listen. But the women pretty much take over the whole campus…They offer both male and female video lessons for their studies so that mixed audiences can have a male teacher. The male teachers are an assortment of men on their staff and the female are always Kay. I will agree that she does not say “women only” on all her speaking engagements in churches she goes to speak to.”
If it were only a matter of male staff members, her son (who is the CEO of Precept), or her husband (who is also on staff at Precept) sitting in on Kay’s teaching sessions occasionally as part of their jobs, there would be no problem. As I have written in the past, there are some biblically legitimate reasons why a man might be present when a woman is teaching, and this is one of them.
Unfortunately the men in Kay’s audiences are not limited to her male staff members, and she goes beyond merely failing to indicate that her lectures are for women only. Kay seems to have no qualms about speaking at co-ed events and conferences (such as the aforementioned Break Forth Canada), and the Eventbrite page for the June 2016 Prepared for the Days Ahead conference, which the Precept site links to, actually invites men in the very first sentence:
Ladies, when the Bible clearly says not to do something and we do it anyway, justifying our behavior with excuses and caveats, that is sin. And when we have lots of eyes on us like Kay does, we have an even greater responsibility to set a godly example with our behavior. As good an example as Kay sets in other areas of her life and teaching, she sets a very poor and damaging example by unrepentantly persisting in the sin of teaching men.
Because her doctrine seems to be generally sound and she handles God’s word correctly for the most part, I will not say that Kay Arthur is a false teacher or a heretic. However, because she continues in the sin of teaching men and doesn’t see that speaking at conferences which use her good name to promote false doctrine is biblically problematic, I cannot commend her or her materials and conferences to others. There are many other fine Bible teachers and authors out there, both male and female, whose doctrine is sound and whose behavior in these areas is not in question.
It is my hope that Kay will repent where repentance is needed and bring these areas of her life and ministry into submission to and alignment with God’s word. It would then give me great joy to enthusiastically endorse her.
¹Kay Arthur – Co-Founder of Precept Ministries on the Precept Ministries International web site.
Additional Resources:
Disclaimer: The specific links below are provided and endorsed as evidence pertaining to this article only. I do not endorse any of these sites in so far as any of them might deviate from Scripture or conflict with my beliefs as outlined in the “Welcome or Statement of Faith tabs at the top of this page.
Additionally, I would urge you, when examining these resources, to take note of the dates of the events referred to and consider whether or not Kay Arthur is still engaging in these beliefs and practices.
The Question of Recommending Kay Arthur by Lori Williams
Women Teachers? Kay Arthur, Beth Moore, and Priscilla Shirer Believe In Teaching Men Too at Surph’s Side
The Bomb Was Bound To Burst About Kay Arthur From Precept Ministries International at For the Love of His Truth
Kay Arthur to Join Contemplative/Emergents at Canadian Conference Breakforth Again this Month at Discern the Time
Is Kay Arthur More Biblically Sound? at Branded
Kay Arthur at Apprising Ministries
Happy Birthday, Kay Arthur! by Elizabeth Prata
If you are considering commenting or sending me an e-mail objecting to the fact that I warn against false teachers, please click here and read this article first. Your objection is most likely answered here. I won’t be publishing comments or answering emails that are answered by this article.
Michelle Lesley 
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
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Excellent article. I especially appreciate your reminder that we, as Bible believers, are not to speak at conferences where false teachers are also teaching. Paul is clear…we are to come out from among them and be ye separate. Otherwise, we commit treason against God:
http://followingjesuschrist3.com/2015/11/30/high-treason-against-the-living-god/
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Thanks so much! :0)
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I have one thing to say ROMANS 14:4
Who are you to judge someone else’s servant!!!
Kay belongs and serves the Lord Jesus Christ.
She is His servant not yours. I’m sure you would
Be judging Hosea for marrying a prostitute,
Or Isaiah for walking around naked. You have no right through scripture to JUDGE anyone… might
I suggest you take a little of your own medicine!!!
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Might I suggest you study your Bible? Particularly, John 7:24, 1 Corinthians 5:12, James 3:1, and Acts 17:11. Also, you have taken Romans 14:4 out of context and are misunderstanding it. That verse has nothing to do with comparing someone’s teaching and behavior to Scripture to determine whether or not people should receive teaching from her. If that’s how Kay is teaching you to handle Scripture, perhaps her teaching is more problematic than I thought. And finally, do you think your angry outburst, rebuking me for doing something that’s completely biblical displays either the Fruit of the Spirit or a good understanding of Scripture? It certainly doesn’t reflect well on Kay’s teaching if you are a student of hers.
I would suggest you put aside all of the pre-fab Bible study books and pick up the Bible and study it for yourself in a systematic way. If you need help with that, there are many helpful resources under the “Bible studies” tab at the top of this page. Have a blessed day.
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Thank you Michelle for the link! I loved the article, it’s wonderful I thought it was totally fair and did credit to both you as author and Ms Kay as teacher. I agree with it too. Thank you for digging deeper and answering that old nagging question as to why Ms Kay did the conferences with Moore and Shirer. I was HOPING that was the reason, though it still isn’t a good idea in the long run. I had a young woman email me confused last night as to why David Platt was speaking at the IF:Gathering, an organization in which the womanlike Voskamp and Hatmaker participate. I gave her the link to your essay which explains why it isn’t a good idea for credible teachers to participate with non-credible ones.
This essay is the best kind of discernment and gives spiritual discernment the good name it deserves.
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Thank you so much, Elizabeth! Your encouragement was much needed today :0)
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Thanks for a well written article. At 80 yrs old, Kay; as a supposed ‘mature’ believer, should know better PRIOR to aligning with any questionable teachers (heretics, apostates). Age is not excuse. Prayer for her is needed. Is not her daughter part of new calvinism and it’s extraBiblical revelations? Does Kay affirm this also? Thanks so much. Consider 2 John 9-11.
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I agree it’s important to check people out before partnering with them or endorsing them. However, so many people are turning apostate these days at such a rapid pace that anybody could make a mistake and endorse the wrong person. I have made that mistake myself. The important thing is that when false doctrine is pointed out, we need to repent of supporting/endorsing it and stop doing so.
I’m not sure what you mean about Kay’s daughter. According to everything I’ve seen, Kay doesn’t have a daughter. She has three sons, Tom and Mark Goetz from her first marriage and David Arthur from her current marriage.
As to “New Calvinism,” I don’t know whether Kay is a continuationist or not. Some Reformed Christians are cessationists (like me) and some are continuationists. My guess would be that she at least leans cessationist, but I can’t say that definitively.
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Hi, I just found your website. I am researching a bit on Kay Arthur. I have known about her for years, however this is the first time I have been in a Precepts study. It is a sound study, so far, that has gotten me digging in the Word. I have a concern about the the ministry allowing her to teach men. My question to you is do you have other more familiar and popular resources of research about her ministry other than what you have cited, i.e. World Magazine, Modern Reformation or similar? Thank you in advance!
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Hi Robin-
I’m afraid not. What you see is what I’ve been able to find. However, as I come across pertinent articles, I will add them to the “Additional Resources” section.
Thanks for stopping by! :0)
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Thank you for writing this excellent article! I started a Precepts Bible study recently and was dismayed to see a number of men in the audience when we watched the video. I also heard that she attended conferences with false teachers in an effort to assist them in understanding the error of their ways. As you state, this practice is not scriptural. A debate would be a better forum. I am very uncertain about continuing the Precepts Bible study. I do get to dig into the Word and think I can just avoid watching the videos. However, in looking at what scripture says, I am very uncomfortable about attending at all.
While her ministry is considered a parachurch organization, I still do not see any scripture that supports what she does. The scripture talks about the church and does not address any ministry outside the local church.
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Thanks, Carol. Glad the information was helpful :0)
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I have attended a Kay Arthur training where our instructor was changed(female to male) kinda of last minute because there were men in the class. This was about 10 years ago.
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Sounds like a great solution :0)
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Doesn’t God tell us not to trust any of mankind? I think you’ll agree. Following that, I would like to encourage you to answer seekers questions regarding teachers, and others to be vigilant in their personal journey of becoming more like Christ. The same Holy Spirit who introduced the Savior to them will guide them. Right?
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Hi Linda-
“Doesn’t God tell us not to trust any of mankind?”
I’m not sure what you mean. Can you tell me which verse you’re referring to?
“I would like to encourage you to answer seekers questions regarding teachers,”
I do. That’s what this article is- an answer to readers’ questions. I also have a weekly column called The Mailbag in which I answer questions, and I answer readers’ questions in e-mails and on social media.
“The same Holy Spirit who introduced the Savior to them will guide them. Right?”
That’s correct. He guides us by the study and teaching of His word (John 17:17) and the admonition and exhortation of fellow Christians (Proverbs 27:17, Hebrews 10:24-25).
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Isn’t the main subject older women are to teach the younger is submittion to their own husbands? This is the one subject that men can not teach a women – because of obvious reasons. There is so much ‘sound teaching’ by men already regarding doctrine – it seems
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How do you know men aren’t reading your blog? Be careful to not slander. I recommend reading “Man and Woman: One in Christ” by Philip Barton Payne for an exegetical sound interpretation on 1 Timothy 2:12.
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Hi Heidi- I think the articles in my Rock Your Role series would answer your questions and help you to gain a biblical understanding of women’s roles in the church. I would recommend starting with Jill in the Pulpit and Rock Your Role FAQs.
Additionally, you might find Answering the Opposition- Responses to the Most Frequently Raised Discernment Objections helpful.
Fair warning in case you didn’t see the notice above the comments section- I don’t publish comments which promote false doctrine, including egalitarianism, so anything further along those lines will not be posted.
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Great and gracious article about Kay Arthur. Thanks for taking the time for research. Noticed the renegade spirit of Heidi Stauff and checked out her blog. It’s exactly what would be imagined. Liberal and floundering in sound doctrine and logic. Thanks Michelle for your hard work.
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Thanks, Craig. :0)
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This is crap!!! Several times a day I will tell satan to get behind me in the Name of Jesus. Kay is a true follower of Christ and knows the Bible better than most Pastors.
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This is crap!!!
FYI- It’s not wise to use coarse language and anger when defending a Bible teacher because it reflects poorly on her and her teaching (i.e. “Is that the kind of language she’s teaching you to use/attitude she’s teaching you to display?”) and actually weakens your argument.
Several times a day I will tell satan to get behind me in the Name of Jesus.
Just because you personally do something and think it’s OK doesn’t make it biblical. If you’re a Christian, your thoughts and behavior are to be governed by God’s written Word– in context and correctly handled – not your own opinions. Can you provide any Scriptures that specifically tell Christians that we are to speak to Satan? Again:
“Just because Jesus said or did something doesn’t mean we’re to say or do that same thing (Jesus also equated Himself with God and rebuked a storm, for example.). Jesus, being God, has the authority to address Satan directly. We do not. Scripture doesn’t teach us anywhere to address Satan. We don’t see any of the apostles addressing Satan. Jude 9 indicates that even Michael the archangel wouldn’t presume to address Satan. In this quote, Kay has not only taught an unbiblical premise, she has demonstrated poor hermeneutics, taking a descriptive passage (Jesus addressing Satan) and making it into a prescriptive passage (a command to follow).”
What is the Biblical Understanding of Spiritual Warfare?
Kay is a true follower of Christ
I have no doubt about that and never even hinted that she wasn’t. That doesn’t change the fact that she’s being disobedient to Scripture in the areas I cited.
and knows the Bible better than most Pastors.
Lots of people – women and men – know the Bible better than most pastors (which is actually an indictment of most pastors, not vice versa). That doesn’t change anything I said in the article. Kay is still being disobedient to Scripture in the areas I cited.
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Michelle
Thanks for your blog. I stumbled on it while “testing Precepts ministries. I also came on Charity Navigator which gave Precepts approximately a B- rate – not bad – not great.
Simply put – the challenge I have with Kay is makes the quite boastful claim that she is the great “inductive” Bible teacher. Nothing could be further from the truth. Kay’s teaching is primarily a regurgitation of standard evangelical fare (which is why most evangelicals don’t have a problem with it) and contain many baseless, often inaccurate, assumptions.
Regardless of that – Kay does provide some basic tools for women who don’t have a background in critical analysis particularly of a text or systematic study an approach. In that regard she adds benefit to the body of Christ.
The fact is that we need to test Kay’s material as much as everyone else – unfortunately her students do not have the ability to do so.
Best,
Greg Logan
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Michelle
You may see some definite false teaching by Kay here. Based on this, I strongly suspect Kay is under the influence of soft dominionism and I suspect she is reacting based on their standard perspectives re America (why in God’s name she is focused on a secular society rather than the Kingdom of God beat’s the daylights out of me…:-( )>
You can see that her sentiments here are totally false (not surprising).
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/kayarthur.asp
Greg Logan
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My main comment has to do with Precept Ministries International. My wife asked to purchase a study aid on 1Corinthians ($24 for a question booklet for sixteen weeks). I said no to the purchase, but yes to attending this women’s study. My reasoning was the study aid was too expensive for such a short time frame after which this booklet would likely just clutter our house, and that such sums of money for so-called para church ministry is unwarranted. Turns out the woman teacher had given my wife the booklet knowing my wife had not cleared it with me. Now she will need to return it putting everyone involved in a possible no win situation. I explained to my wife that we have a plethora of doctrinally sound resources to help her prepare verse by verse properly, both to equip herself and others, and to discern error. On a side note, by cost comparison, I recently bought a 552 page 1948 copy of Christian Theology by P. B. Fitzwater for just over $10. Only the Lord knows how many women attend lady teacher studies, and purposely shun the teaching of godly men. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved!
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I’m not sure if this comment will be allowed, but I wanted to share something from my experience at Breakforth Canada. Out of the hundreds of speakers/singers/authors at Breakforth (both in 2013 and 2015), only a handful were godly and willing to speak truth. Kay Arthur was one of those people. I do understand what the Scripture says about not associating with people who claim to be Christians and yet who teach falsely and reject the Word. It was my understanding that Kay Arthur was not endorsing anyone ungodly by teaching at Breakforth, but simply using the means she had to reach a large demographic who would otherwise only hear what was false. If only in Kay Arthur’s sessions, the Word of God was delivered to people…and the Word of God has the power to change hearts! I do not know why people would rather she not go and teach, if no one else was willing to. Perhaps (and quite likely) this was the only time many people in this part of Canada would have actually sat down and listened to the Truth. Everything Kay Arthur said was challenging people to study the Word of God for themselves and to then obey what God has said. There was no fluff, no letting people get away with sin. In my mind, Kay Arthur was treating this venue and groups of people as a mission field and opportunity to disciple people. I hope you may hear my heart and what I have learned is indeed the heart that both Kay and Jack Arthur have had for the world, that we may discover Truth for ourselves and live in such a way as to honour Jesus Christ. Thank you.
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Erin – Thanks for your input. The reality is that much of one’s perception depends on how much time they have spent in a particular field. I find Kay full of “fluff” and simply a regurgitator of standard churchly traditions and interpretations rather than genuinely digging into the Word of God using a sound hermeneutic.
That being said – for those with NO background – she does offer the beginning of the process and I can see her being helpful.
Obviously her teaching men is completely contrary to the Word of God – but I know the spirit of rebellion in female teachers is strong – and that is simply a reality.
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In 1 Timothy 1:3-6 Paul tells Timothy to remain at Ephesus so he can charge false teachers not to teach a different doctrine, which is very different than getting up on the same stage (i.e. partner) with a false teacher so the audience can hear the truth because it came to hear the false teacher. While someone (like Kay Arthur) may think that being on the same stage or teaching at the same conference is a means to reach those who would otherwise hear only false teaching, this thinking limits our understanding of what God can and will do. It places the emphasis on what we think or understand about the situation and fails to acknowledge that our God is all powerful and knows everything. It says our understanding is more important and better than what God tells us. 2 John 1:11 states that we should not even give a greeting to a false teacher or we take part in his wicked works. Romans 16:17 says we are to avoid false teachers. We cannot assume that if someone does not hear the truth at the Breakforth conference, then that person will never hear the truth.
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Carol – Some powerful text….
Now then – who decides who is a false teacher…. everyone thinks they are teaching truth – and that it is the other guy who is a false teacher… EVERYONE claims to follow the Bible – and that is their source of authority…
Isn’t it ultimately true that ultimately every man is a law unto themselves….
Until I see genuine signs following – all I see is hot air – Kay Arthur for sure – and including my own self….
Best,
In Christ
Greg Logan
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Thank you for the well rounded approach to your analysis. Several angles to consider, and I think you did a good job of handling them, using the Bible as the basis for your post.
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Thanks, Vic :0)
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Thrive Becoming a Woman of Influence – Is this a Carol Kent seminar? If so, what are your thoughts on Carol Afman Kent? She also holds “Speak Up” seminars with her sisters. (I appreciate your discernment ministry.)
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PS: The “Thrive” link didn’t work. However, there are other “Thrive” conferences that are not the “Become a Woman of Influence” line. Carol Kent has books also available.
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Hi Marty-
I’m afraid I’m not familiar with Carol Kent. If you’d like to do some research on her, this article may help. Thanks also for letting me know about the Thrive link. I’ve replaced it with a link that works.
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Carol Afman Kent was my roomie when we were freshmen at Christian college. We were friends through the 4 yrs. there. Some of her books, etc. are published by Nav Press, which I am not keen on.
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I suggest you visit the Precepts campus in Chattanooga. They are very open. I believe you might be able to clear up some of you perceptions.
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Hi Mary- My assessments are based on Kay’s publicly available teaching and materials. Unless she’s behaving and teaching in a totally different way at the Precepts campus from the way she behaves and teaches in other venues (which would be very hypocritical), there’s no need for me to physically go to that location. What would I get there, related to her teaching and behavior, that I can’t get from her books, teaching videos, etc.?
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I found this incredibly helpful. I actually saw and left half way through a Deeper Still Womens conference years ago. Kay was a speaker- with Moore and Shirer and I had forever linked them in my mind. Recently I noticed a creation ministry we love partnering with her and I was very concerned… why? BUT- now it makes sense. I had never read her material as I had (falsely) assumed it was one in the same. This helps solve some puzzles I had in my head!
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Glad it was helpful. :0)
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Thank your for your thoughts & insight regarding (non) biblical women teachers. I am confused about one link shared on this topic: THRIVE: Becoming A Woman of Influence is a book by Carol Afman Kent. I have this book, be didn’t see anything about Carol at this link.
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Hi Marty-
I’m not familiar with the book. For others reading this comment, the sentence/link in the article to which Marty is referring says, “In 2002, Kay was one of the featured speakers at THRIVE: Becoming a Woman of Influence, a women’s conference simulcast.” It was not a reference to a book but to the conference by that name at which Kay appeared. I guess the book and the conference either had the exact same name or possibly it was in some way connected to the book or sponsored by its author. At any rate, the link was provided to show that Kay shared the stage at this conference with Joyce Meyer. It had nothing to do with the book by the same name. Hope this helps clear things up. :0)
After writing this comment, I was curious, so I Googled “Carol Afman Kent books“. As you can see from the results, a Carol J. Kent wrote a book entitled “Becoming a Woman of Influence” (the word “Thrive” isn’t in the title). Carol and someone named Jennie Afman Dimkoff did author another book together, though. Maybe that’s where the confusion came in?
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As a child and young adult, I attended Kay Arthur conferences frequently since I grew up in Chattanooga. I moved away in 2002, so I cannot confirm what is going on today. But when I attended conferences, I never saw a man in attendance except for the pastor of the church who introduced her. I always thought the pastor remained to make sure she was doctrinally sound in her teaching of women. I agree with your points. And I will be selecting other material for my Bible study because I do not want my members to think Joyce Myers or Beth Moore are sound due to association with Kay Arthur. BUT if a member did a Kay Arthur study without understanding these important aspects of discernment, I would not be concerned with the doctrine that person was learning. Whereas with other teachers, I would be.
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Hi K- I think you and I are pretty much on the same page about all of that. :0)
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When I was a student at the Moody Bible Institute during Missionary Week in November I was at a talk where a missionary was espousing Neil Anderson’s views on spiritual warfare. It sounded troubling to me, and then all of a sudden Dr. Elizabeth Lightbody got up and said this or that was wrong. I felt good as far as my discernment level was spot on with it.
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I am desperate to find a solid Bible study. I have done Precept for years and love deep inductive study but am concerned after reading your post on Kay Arthur. I was invited to a study this summer called Faithful that was done by Beth Moore, Priscilla Schrier and other false teachers. There was so much bad teaching and outright false teaching where they took the Word of God so far out of context that if anyone had simply read one extra verse they would have seen clearly how in error the teaching was that I had to stop going. Now the same group of ladies wants to do a study by Lysa TerKuerst and I have already expressed my concern to the leader and she told me to keep quiet lest I stumble the new believers in our group or those who absolutely “love Beth Moore”. Not sure what to do now. Is there a good study I could suggest? Thank you so much.
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Hi Sarah- Your timing with this question is quite providential. :0) See today’s Mailbag article, #2, here.
I do need to let you know that it’s unlikely the leader of this group will accept any doctrinally sound suggestion you make. The reason this group is doing these studies is because they want to follow false teachers (2 Timothy 4:3-4). You refer to it as “our” group. I would urge you to make it your former group. If you’re not already a member of a doctrinally sound church, find one at the “Searching for a new church?” tab in the blue menu bar at the top of this page, join it, and study with women who want the truth of God’s Word rather than weak women who chase after false teachers (2 Timothy 3:5-8).
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