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This article is kept continuously updated as needed.
I get lots of questions about particular authors, pastors, and Bible teachers, and whether or not I recommend them. Some of the best known can be found above at my Popular False Teachers tab. The teacher below is someone I’ve been asked about recently, so I’ve done a quick check (this is brief research, not exhaustive) on her.
Generally speaking, in order for me to recommend a teacher, speaker, or author, he or she has to meet three criteria:
a) A female teacher cannot currently and unrepentantly preach to or teach men in violation of 1 Timothy 2:12. A male teacher or pastor cannot allow women to carry out this violation of Scripture in his ministry. The pastor or teacher cannot currently and unrepentantly be living in any other sin (for example, cohabiting with her boyfriend or living as a homosexual).
b) The pastor or teacher cannot currently and unrepentantly be partnering with or frequently appearing with false teachers. This is a violation of Scripture.
c) The pastor or teacher cannot currently and unrepentantly be teaching false doctrine.
I am not very familiar with most of the teachers I’m asked about (there are so many out there!) and have not had the opportunity to examine their writings or hear them speak, so most of the “quick checking” I do involves items a and b (although in order to partner with false teachers (b) it is reasonable to assume their doctrine is acceptable to the false teacher and that they are not teaching anything that would conflict with the false teacher’s doctrine). Partnering with false teachers and women preaching to men are each sufficient biblical reasons not to follow a pastor, teacher, or author, or use his/her materials.
Just to be clear, “not recommended” is a spectrum. On one end of this spectrum are people like Nancy Leigh DeMoss Wolgemuth and Kay Arthur. These are people I would not label as false teachers because their doctrine is generally sound, but because of some red flags I’m seeing with them, you won’t find me proactively endorsing them or suggesting them as a good resource, either. There are better people you could be listening to. On the other end of the spectrum are people like Joyce Meyer and Rachel Held Evans- complete heretics whose teachings, if believed, might lead you to an eternity in Hell. Most of the teachers I review fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum (leaning toward the latter).
If you’d like to check out some pastors and teachers I heartily recommend, click the Recommended Bible Teachers tab at the top of this page.
Lisa Harper
Not Recommended
Though she normally speaks at women’s events, Lisa does, on occasion, preach to audiences containing men, as we can see her doing at Elevation Church (which she says in the video she “loves” and “watches all the time” 4:16) pastored by false teacher Steven Furtick and his wife, Holly (both of whom Lisa says she “deeply respects” 4:22). Lisa has also preached the Sunday morning sermon (men in the audience) at Cross Point Church. You can listen to a discerning analysis of this sermon from Chris Rosebrough here. She makes several biblical errors, including extra-biblical revelation (“God told me”). And, Lisa recently preached the Sunday morning sermon at a branch of the heretical Hillsong franchise.
Lisa is a contributing writer at Proverbs 31. She has partnered with Christine Caine, Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, Lisa Bevere, and Victoria Osteen in at least one conference at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood. Lisa is also connected to IF: Gathering. She is a longtime friend of Jennie Allen, and has produced materials for IF: Equip. Lisa considers Sheila Walsh a friend.
Lisa spoke at Joyce Meyer’s 2018 women’s conference alongside false teachers Priscilla Shirer and Sarah Jakes Roberts (daughter of T.D. Jakes).
Lisa joined with faith healing “apostle” of the New Apostolic Reformation, Todd White, as well as false teachers Christine Caine, Priscilla Shirer and “Pastor” Debbie Morris to speak at the 2018 Pink Impact conference.
Lisa was a featured speaker at Christine Caine’s Propel Women conference in 2016 along with Joyce Meyer, Bianca Olthoff, Beth Moore, Lisa Bevere, Priscilla Shirer, and Lysa TerKeurst.
Unfortunately, it would be impossible to list all of the false teachers Lisa has partnered with. The list is long, and Lisa appears to have very little discernment or knowledge of the Scriptures that prohibit her from doing this.
One of my readers alerted me to the fact that Lisa is now promoting the Enneagram, a New Age sort of personality evaluation steeped in mysticism. Below are excerpts from Lisa’s most recent book, How Much More?, pages 13 and 23.
You might be wondering why the word “Enneagram” is crossed out in the book. My reader told me: “I did cross the word out because I actually did automatic writing before I was saved…I suffered a severe demonic oppression and was saved by His name. So, I am very careful about these things.” So, not only is the Enneagram unbiblical in and of itself, but when evangelical teachers promote it, they are likely triggering a sort of “spiritual PTSD” in those who were saved out of the New Age and the occult.
I have written a critique of the first lesson and teaching video of Lisa’s study Job: A Story of Unlikely Joy. Assuming this is a representative sample of her teaching and writing, I would strongly caution women against using Lisa’s materials or attending her events. Lisa’s “teaching” is riddled with biblical errors and consists mainly of jokes and personal stories rather than careful exegesis of Scripture. The study revolves around the participant’s feelings, preferences, and personal opinions rather than delving into God’s Word, and is decidedly narcissistic.
Lisa Harper twists and mishandles Scripture (when she uses it at all), preaches to men, and yokes with false teachers. It is my recommendation that you not follow her or receive teaching from her.
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I have been a Pastor’s wife for 37 years. I am curious where sharing a message and using authority over men come together in scripture. Mary Magdalene shared a tremendous message to men. I do not view Lisa Harper being authoritative or ruling over men. Maybe her personality is very different from dry theologians. Be careful accusing the brethren.
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Jami- It is sad and distressing that you are a pastor’s wife and have been one for so long and you do not know how unbiblical what you’re saying is. Are you actually “curious” about what the Bible says about these things so you can study it, believe it, and submit to it, or were you just wanting to falsely accuse and threaten a sister in Christ? If it’s the former, I’d be delighted to help you. Please just let me know which it is and we can proceed from there.
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I am curious as a woman of faith. Am I never allowed to share my feelings on the Bible to my husband or male collegue under fear that I will be a false prophet? As a woman, how am I to follow God’s commandment to never teach to men, ever?
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Hi Britni-
Great questions. Let me see if I can help.
God didn’t command (and I don’t teach) that women are to “never teach men, ever.” But I’m getting a little ahead of myself.
I’m getting an inkling from your comment that you might either be a brand new Christian, or not a Christian yet. My answers to you about what God does and doesn’t want women to do won’t make much sense to you if you haven’t been born again, so, first, I’d like to ask you to carefully and prayerfully go through the Scriptures and materials at this link to make sure you’re believing the biblical gospel and that you’ve genuinely been born again. (This step is crucial. Please don’t skip it.)
Next, I’ve written a series of articles called Rock Your Role. They’re all about the role of women in the church, and I think they’ll answer a lot of your questions. I’d recommend you read the whole Rock Your Role series, but I think it would be best to start with Jill in the Pulpit.
And if you want more after reading all of that, let me know and I’ll point you in the right direction. :0)
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Hi, Michelle,
I’m new to your site, but finding it interesting so far. I’m instantly agreeing with much of what you say and slowly digesting other bits, but I seem to be ruminating more on your replies to those who comment on your articles.
Paul tells us in Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” With all due respect, you appear to come out swinging when there is any comment questioning your opinion or authority. (Please know I am not doing that here.)
I’ll keep reading a bit more because your insightfulness is proving informative in some areas, but the combativeness with which you respond to anyone who dares to question your stance is troubling to me, and perhaps others. Again, I’m not doing that here, but merely, kindly, attempting to provide helpful feedback. Maybe you’re unaware of how your comments are coming across. Sometimes it’s not the words we say so much as how we say them that can cause others to turn away from our teaching.
For what it’s worth at this point, I believe you are spot on with your review of Lisa’s teaching. She’s a pretty good storyteller, but there’s not a whole lot of meat to her teaching. And yes, she most definitely does have biblical inaccuracies in what she says.
In Love,
lynn
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Hi Lynn- I’m glad my resources have been helpful to you. Thank you for your concern, but I’m not being “combative” or “coming out swinging” any more than Jesus was in Matthew 23 when He was dealing with people who called themselves “God’s people” and yet were falsely accusing Him of violating Scripture. In reality, He was being obedient to Scripture, He was just offending their sensibilities because they were saying and doing unbiblical things. Was Jesus violating Romans 12:18 and failing to live at peace with everyone in Matthew 23? In other passages where He rebuked others? When He cleansed the temple? (By the way, couldn’t someone characterize you as “combative” or “coming out swinging” for this comment to me? Just some food for thought.)
I have been blogging for over 17 years, so I’m completely aware of how this comes across to people who are having their unbiblical beliefs challenged or are being biblically reproved for attacking me even though I’m obeying Scripture. Does it concern you at all how professing Christians are (often sinfully) treating me in the comments, or are you only concerned about me biblically reproving them?
I’m also aware of how my responses come across to women who have been discipled -by the world or by false teachers like Lisa- in worldly “niceness”. Never confront anyone. Never say anything that might hurt someone’s feelings. Feelings are king. That’s not biblical, that’s the idolatry of feelings. It’s submitting to feelings as your authority in life rather than submitting to God’s Word as your authority in life. Scripture tells us that we’re to speak the truth in love. That doesn’t mean being “nice” and coddling people’s feelings. That means you love and care about them enough to speak the truth to them -even if it hurts- for their own spiritual wellbeing.
At any rate, I wanted to reassure you and set your mind at ease that there’s absolutely no reason to be concerned. My responses are biblical, and I’m aware of how they come across. But thank you for reaching out.
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Thanks for all the links and for helping expose these false teachers, Mike!
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