Discernment

TGCW24- Mark and Avoid

Michelle Lesley

Until such time as I can pull together an article proper on The Gospel Coalition (TGC), please allow the article below on TGCW24 and the following two resources to serve as evidence of the reasons TGC is no longer doctrinally sound and should be marked and avoided as a whole: TGC is woke, progressive, egalitarian, soft on perversion, has a social justice bent, and mishandles Scripture.

Why It’s Time to Say Goodbye to The Gospel Coalition at Clear Truth Media

Unmasking False Teaching in Women’s Ministries with Michelle Lesley on the Contending for the Word podcast

Photo courtesy of TGCW24- edited

Ladies, The Gospel Coalition’s 2024 Women’s Conference (TGCW24) is coming up in about two weeks. I would encourage you not to attend the conference itself or any local simulcast of it, and to give any of your friends who are considering attending a heads up about the biblical issues with it.

About 15-20 years ago, TGC was a great, doctrinally sound resource, but it’s been on a downhill trajectory of wokeness, egalitarianism, softening toward perversion, and Scripture mangling ever since. One of TGC’s favorite article templates in recent years seems to be “Finding Jesus/the Gospel in [insert current popular secular movie here],” a gross mélange of worldliness and Scripture twisting. They have platformed Thabiti Anyabwile, who, the last time I read anything he wrote, had moved beyond woke to flat out racist. They’ve platformed Jackie Hill Perry (and others like her), who is not only woke, but preaches to men. And these are just a few small examples.

Over the last several years, TGCW has typically platformed this same type (woke and egalitarian) of speaker, and this year is no exception. This year’s line up also includes two Side B speakers who both identify as “Same Sex Attracted (SSA) Christians.“

You can find the list of speakers for TGCW24 here (until they’re removed from the TGCW site) and in the slideshow below:

I am not familiar with all of them, but let me provide you with some brief info on the ones I am familiar with and you’ll see why this is an event (and an organization) to avoid.

[Items in brackets are quoted from speaker bios at the TGCW24 website linked above. Just click on the speaker’s picture to verify.]

Jen Wilkin

Vanessa Hawkins: [serves as diversity advisor] Click the X post below (or the “link” underneath the post) and scroll down to see several video excerpts of Vanessa’s unbiblical teaching at TGCW24.

link / screenshot

David Platt

Alicia Akins: lots about race/diversity on her blog

Kristie Anyabwile: [She joyfully supports her husband…Thabiti]

Tina Boesch: [She works at LifeWay and manages the women’s Bible Study publishing team.] LifeWay’s prototypical women’s Bible study author preaches to men, yokes with false teachers, and mishandles Scripture. You’ll notice several of the authors Tina publishes are listed either in this article, at my Popular False Teachers tab, or both.

Missie Branch: [Missie serves on the SBC’s Racial Reconciliation Steering Committee and as chair of the board of trustees at Lifeway Christian Resources.] As chair of trustees, Missie bears much responsibility for the false teachers’ materials LifeWay carries. Missie also spoke/participated in events at the 2021 and 2022 Southern Baptist Convention, always in the company of other progressives.

Rachel Gilson: [serves on the leadership team of theological development and culture with Cru] Describes herself as “same sex attracted”.

Mary Wilson Hannah: [teaches Old Testament at Memphis City Seminary. Mary enjoys teaching and training others to teach the Scriptures,]

Rebecca McLaughlin: Calls herself a “Same Sex Attracted Christian” (She’s also one of LifeWay Women’s featured speakers/authors, by the way.)

Raechel Myers

Ann Voskamp

Amanda Bible Williams

Elizabeth Woodson: Preaches to men (see videos). “We also seek to elevate the voices of men and women of color so that our understanding of the way of Jesus reflects the ethnic and cultural diversity of the kingdom of God.” (source)

Ladies, when you sit under someone’s teaching – whether it’s your pastor, Sunday School teacher, a conference speaker, or even a blogger or podcaster – you want to be sure that person is as doctrinally sound as possible. Women who defy Scripture by preaching to men, who embrace worldly, unbiblical paradigms regarding ethnicity, who identify themselves by ungodly, disordered lusts, and who twist Scripture to justify all these things and more are not women you should trust to teach you the truth of God’s Word. I urge you, stay away from TGC and TGCW.

If you’d like find out more about any of these or the other speakers on your own, may I suggest my article Is She a False Teacher? 7 Steps to Figuring it Out on Your Own for some research tips.

And if you’re looking for a doctrinally sound alternative to TGCW24, IF:Gathering, and all of LifeWay’s women’s conferences, may I recommend…

Shepherds’ Wives Conference (open to all women)

Any conference Susan Heck is headlining.

Answers for Women 2025– (Update: Now that this conference is over, you can access the teaching sessions here if you have a subscription -or a free trial subscription- to Answers TV. I am recommending only the 2025 Answers for Women conference, Resolute.)

G3 Women’s Expository Teaching Workshop (More of a weekend class than a conference, but still a great alternative.)

Any conference I’m speaking at. I promise I’m not trying to promote myself, it’s just that I know firsthand that these conferences will be doctrinally sound because I’m the one teaching them. :0) Plus, you can schedule one at your church on your timetable! Click here and scroll all the way down to my calendar of events.

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25 thoughts on “TGCW24- Mark and Avoid”

  1. may I just mention that Rebecca McLaughlin is married to a man yet fights her ssa, not giving in to that temptation. She is a strong apologist for Biblical marriage and the Biblical position against practicing homosexuality. I’d recommend her video with Sean McDowell and her book “Dies the Bible affirm Same-Sex Relationships?”.

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    1. The problems are that 1) she is Side B which says only the behavior is sinful, not the lust, nor identifying yourself by your sin, and 2) she identifies herself by her sin (Proudly labeling yourself a “Same Sex Attracted Christian” is just as sinful and ludicrous as labeling yourself an “Adultery-Desiring Christian,” a “Covetous Christian,” etc.) This sin is compounded by the fact that she is putting herself out there as a Bible study author and teacher (James 3:1) and that Christian organizations are platforming and promoting her. Any way you slice it, all of this is wrong and a blot on the name of Christ.

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      1. I understand your point. Might be better to use the term “Christian who is attracted to the same sex”. Christian because she picks up her cross daily, dying to the flesh, and helping others understand the sin of practicing homosexuality, or allowing such lusts.

        I suspect many of us Christians still have an attraction to a former sinful practice. Totally agree that we shouldn’t identify, as you’ve stated. That said, when we suffer, we are then equipped to help those who suffer similarly. Like in 2Cor1, but talking about sinful desires as an affliction. I hope that makes sense.

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      2. Yes, I agree, but I still wouldn’t use a phrase that attaches a sin to our identity as Christians. We already have a term for people who have been born again and daily mortify their sin. It’s “Christian.” As Christians, our sin was “nailed to the cross and we bear it no more.” We don’t identify ourselves by it in any way. We identify ourselves by the name of Christ who took away our sins: Christian. Christian literally means “little Christ.”

        Appreciate your comments! :0)

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      3. I understand that you keep a high bar. That is one reason I recommend your content and conferences to others! Thank you for the kind and insightful dialogue.

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  2. I had read Confronting Christianity by Rebecca McLaughlin when it first came out, and it was ok, but turned south the last section where she talks about same -sex attraction she left me confused; she didn’t give a clear biblical answer regarding SSA being a sin, she gave a vague wishy-washy answer. That’s when I looked her up and learned she called herself “same-sex attracted” but never one who has repented of it.

    Another individual I didn’t know well was Mr Anyabwile; I was going to read his book The Decline of African American Theology a while back. The little I was able to dig up was raising some red flags. Learning he was part of TGC was concerning, and indirectly I wondered how Pastor Alistar Begg could remain a part of TGC for this long without the threat of taking in the same wrong ideologies eventually. Turns out Begg has had Anyabwile speak/preach at Parkside Church a few times. Not surprising I guess, since they’re both part of TGC.

    Anyway, thank you for the heads up.

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  3. Hi Michele,

    I also see Nancy Guthrie and Melissa Kruger speaking. I thought they were pretty solid (not that it matters, since most speakers at this conference are NOT solid) but are they to be avoided as well?

    Thanks!

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    1. I would not encourage you to follow anyone who is either so undiscerning or so biblically ignorant that she would work for, or yoke in ministry with, an organization that platforms people who are woke, identify as “SSA Christians”, or women who preach to men. Ditto for professing Christians who speak at conferences with such people. I would encourage you not to follow anyone who associates in ministry with TGC. If nothing else, it makes you look like you agree with all the unbiblical shenanigans that go on there.

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  4. Pingback: Unmasking False Teaching in Women’s Ministries with Michelle Lesley

    1. Hi Suze- No, Ligonier is fine. The thing you have to know about Melissa Kruger (and her husband, Michael) is that they were solid, trustworthy teachers until… oh… I’d say I first started noticing Melissa dabbling in wokeness about 5 or 6 years ago. (I actually haven’t seen anything from Michael in a long time, so he might be fine except for the fact that he’s letting his wife get into this unbiblical stuff.) I’m sure Ligonier picked her up way before that, when she was still trustworthy. If you click on the link you’ve provided and take a look at the dates, it looks like the most recent work of hers they’ve got is her contentment study from 2018. At this point, they either don’t know she’s taken a turn, or they’re waiting to see if she corrects her course (it’s very possible someone from Ligonier has corrected her and they’re being patient, giving her some time to turn around). I would encourage you to drop Ligonier an email and ask any questions or express any concerns you may have to them directly.

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  6. It was an awesome conference where God was lifted up and women were encouraged with sound Biblical truth. This article feels very divisive in a time when Christians need to particularly band together.

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    1. It feels divisive to you and you think you were taught biblical truth because you’re deceived and have no discernment. And if you don’t believe me, let God convince you: pick up your Bible (not someone’s “Bible study” book, workbook, etc., just the actual Bible) and start studying.

      And you might want to carefully and prayerfully review the materials here, too, to make sure you understand and believe the biblical gospel, because often the reason people are deceived and undscerning is because they’ve never been genuinely saved. I hope that’s not the case for you, but better safe than sorry.

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  7. I want to handle a situation Biblically. I am on my church’s mission committee. We have been asked to support CRU. Several members of the committee have voiced concerns over the position on CRT and LQBTQ issues. We have provided evidence in the form of video, internal CRU documents, and the Seeking Unity and Clarity Document. We voted not to support CRU, but after the meeting, the elder who oversees are committee emailed and said we can only voice issues if we have evidence from the CRU public website, and he has scheduled a meeting for us to listen to CRU representatives share their ministry because he believes we are misrepresenting it. I do not want to attend this meeting. I am not even sure if I should continue serving on the committee. He only gave us 24 hours notice of the meeting. How should I respond?

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    1. Hi Rachael- I know that’s a difficult spot to be in, and, having been in similar situations myself, I certainly sympathize.

      If you’re married, and your husband is a Christian, the first thing you should do (which you probably have done, I just like to begin at the beginning :0) is to thoroughly discuss this with your husband and find out what he wants you to do, and do that.

      Hebrews 13:17a says, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.” This elder is not doing his Titus 1:9, 3:10-11 duty to keep watch over the souls of his flock, and he will have to give an account of that to God. You discerning committee members are actually God’s grace to him to prevent this judgment, and he apparently doesn’t realize that.

      He’s got several credible, doctrinally sound committee members coming to him about a legitimate biblical issue, and he’s basically telling them they’re wrong in favor of letting the serpents come into the church and further deceive him and the other, less discerning members of the committee. The point of this is for the other members of the committee to be swayed to support him and CRU because this is what he wants. He wants to support CRU. If they’re doing the things you and the other concerned committee members say they’re doing (and they are – there’s plenty of reputable evidence out there to prove it), does he really think the representatives are going to admit to it when they visit? Of course not. They’re going to speak, softly, gently, and lovingly. They’re going to be personable and funny. They’re going to give all the right biblical answers. They’re going to say whatever they think this elder wants to hear so he’ll side with them and give them the church’s money.

      Something Amy and I have discussed several times on the podcast is this dynamic of sensuality (in the classical sense of the word: “appealing to the senses” of sight, hearing, etc.). It’s exactly what Satan did in the Garden to convince Eve to eat the fruit (see the section on Genesis 3, here). He smooth talked her and appealed to her senses – her feelings – which she followed over her reason – what she already knew with her brain God had commanded.

      That’s why – whether he realizes it or not – your elder is bringing these people in to meet with you in person. It’s a lot easier to appeal to people’s senses and feelings face to face than it is to sway them with facts on a piece of paper. (This is why, for example, it’s easier to be objective about whether or not the lyrics of a worship song are biblical when you read the lyrics from a piece of paper rather than listening to the song. The music appeals to your sense of hearing and your emotions, which can sway you.)

      I really hate to say these things about your elder, but either he’s being underhanded, or he’s well intentioned, yet incredibly gullible and undiscerning. Either way, assuming this is his general state instead of this being a one time slip up, both of these things are disqualifying (see the qualifications for elders in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9). One of the requirements in the Titus 1 passage is:

      He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

      He’s not “rebuking those who contradict” sound doctrine (CRU), he’s being a corrupt gatekeeper and welcoming the wolves into his sheepfold (John 10:3). If he doesn’t repent, especially if this is a pattern for him, he has disqualified himself from eldership.

      An additional issue is – what in the world is going on here, church polity-wise? Your committee voted not to fund CRU and this elder singlehandedly overrules the committee? Why does the committee even exist? Is it just supposed to be a rubber stamp for whatever any particular elder wants?

      Furthermore, why is he so locked in on CRU? There are dozens of doctrinally sound missions organizations out there that your church could support and that your committee and your elder could probably unanimously agree on. Why does it have to be CRU?

      What I would do is to go to the meeting with my phone in hand, voice memo app open, and let it be known that you’re going to be recording the meeting so you can listen to it again later and make sure you haven’t misunderstood or missed anything. Do not try to hide the fact that you’re recording it. That makes you look sneaky and deceptive, plus, you have nothing to hide. Additionally, if you’re told, by the elder or CRU, that you can’t record the meeting, that speaks volumes about their motives.

      After the meeting, the discerning members of the committee should go back to the elder and talk to him again. (You might want to really emphasize my point above that if CRU were guilty of doing these things, they wouldn’t admit it.). If he digs his heels in and your church hierarchy has another elder or head pastor above him in the chain of command, make an appointment with him, take your whole group, and express your concerns to him. Go as far up the chain of command as you can until you get to the top or until somebody listens and deals with this elder.

      If the elder is at the top of the chain of command, and supporting false teachers/doctrine is typical of the way he operates, and he doesn’t repent, you need to find out what your church’s protocol is for initiating church discipline with an elder and initiate it. If there is no protocol and he can’t be removed and doesn’t repent, I’d go ahead and find a new church.

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  8. trying to understand- Natasha Crain isn’t considered to be someone to be careful of, yet she is still writing for the The Gospel Coalition.
    what does that mean about her?

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    1. Hi Kasey- I don’t mean to sound like I’m doubting you, but I went to TGC’s website and typed in her name and I can’t find an article she’s written for them. They do sell her books on their store website, but are you sure she’s actually writing for them?

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      1. oh goodness…I won’t bore you with the details, but I made an error. Thank you for responding! It made me double check myself 😊

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      2. No worries! We all help each other out! Can you let me know when you’ve seen this comment? Once I know you’ve seen it, I’ll delete all of them. Thanks!

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  9. A reader left this comment on another article:

    I just wanted to make you aware of Nancy Guthrie‘s “Bible at the beach” in Gulf Shores.  I’ve always loved Nancy’s teachings, but I’ve been concerned about her association with Jen Wilkin. And now Jen Wilkin is going to be one of the teachers at Bible at the beach. How can these people not have better discernment?

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      1. Didn’t I say, never mind? I could’ve sworn I said that I saw that you never did! My humblest apologies😪It was really late and I don’t think I was reading well

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