Tag: Church

Podcast Appearances

The Rapp Report Podcast Guest Appearance: The Open Letter to Beth Moore and Complementarianism

Michelle Lesley

 

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with Andrew Rappaport on the The Rapp Report podcast, a ministry of Striving for Eternity. Listen in as Andrew and I discuss the Open Letter to Beth Moore*, complementarianism and more!

 

 

Be sure to subscribe to the The Rapp Report podcast, and don’t forget to follow Striving for Eternity on Facebook and Twitter!

*Ladies, if you’d like to add your signature to the letter, click on the link above, scroll all the way to the bottom, and add a comment in the comment box. (You will not see your signature immediately since I approve comments manually.)

Got a podcast of your own or have a podcasting friend who needs a guest? Need a speaker for a women’s conference or church event? Click the “Speaking Engagements” tab at the top of this page, drop me an e-mail, and let’s chat!

1&2 Timothy Bible Study

1 & 2 Timothy: Lesson 9

Michelle Lesley

Previous Lessons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Read 2 Timothy 1

Questions to Consider

1. Before diving in to chapter 1, you may wish to review your answers to the introductory questions in lesson 8 (link above).

2. Examine the greeting of this letter (1-2). Who is this letter from? Where is he currently residing? (8) Who is this letter addressed to? What was Timothy’s position in the church at Ephesus? Since 2 Timothy is one of the pastoral epistles, how do its instructions apply to pastors, church members, and the church today?

3. Compare the greeting of 2 Timothy (1-2) to the greeting of 1 Timothy. How does Paul present his credentials, describe Timothy, and invoke God’s blessings in each greeting? What are the similarities and differences in each of these?

4. Read 3-18, noticing the repetition of three words, one in 8 & 12, one in 12 & 14, one in 8, 12, 16. What are these three words? What can these words help us understand about a general theme of this chapter and the letter as a whole?

5. Look closely at Paul’s personal remarks to Timothy in 3-7. Describe the ways Paul serves and encourages Timothy, personally, in this section. How can this section inform the church that pastors need encouragement? What might your own pastor(s) be in “tears” about? (4) Are you praying for your pastor(s)? (3) What specific words of encouragement could you offer your pastor(s) this (and every) week? (5-7)

6. What word does verse 8 start with? Backtrack into verses 6-7 to see what that “therefore” is there for. Would Timothy be able to carry out what Paul said in verse 8 without “girding up his loins” with the instructions in 6-7? Why is it important for us to prepare, spiritually, for future persecution?

Consider the context (6-7) of verse 8. What might Timothy have been “fearful” (7) of (hint: How was society/government treating Christians at that time in history?), and how does that inform our understanding of his being “ashamed” of the “testimony about our Lord” and about Paul? Does “ashamed” mean mere social embarrassment in this context? What would the consequences have been of Timothy aligning himself with the gospel and with Paul? (8b) (Compare with Peter’s “shame” over aligning himself with Jesus.)

Explain how a professing Christian today might be “ashamed” of the “testimony about our Lord” or of aligning herself with Christians who are suffering the consequences of being bold in the faith.

9. In verses 9-10 we have one of our recurring motifs (see lesson 5 question 9 – link above – if your memory needs jogging). What is it? Take a few moments to revel in this passage, soak up the beauty of the gospel, and thank God for it. Can you list all of the theological concepts alluded to in this passage? (eg. predestination, sola gratia, etc.)

10. Compare Paul’s “I am not ashamed,” and “I am suffering” in 11-12 with his instructions to Timothy not to be ashamed and to join in suffering in verse 8. How was Paul leaving an example for Timothy to follow? What are some ways we can follow Paul’s example today?

11. Examine the concept of “guarding the deposit entrusted to you” as it pertains to Paul and to Timothy in 12-14. Why did Paul say he was not ashamed – he did not fear or shrink back – to align himself with Christ and the gospel? (12b- remember that in this context, “for” means “because”). Who is the “he” in verse 12? (see v. 14) When Paul says “what has been entrusted to me,” what does he mean? What is the thing, the “good deposit” (14) that has been entrusted to him and to Timothy? (13) Who entrusted this good deposit to Paul? (11-12) To Timothy? (13) What does Paul mean by “guarding” this good deposit? (12,14) Have Christians received this “good deposit” today? Who entrusted it to us, and how are we to “guard” it? (14)

12. Read 15-18. Who does Paul mention that were “ashamed” of him? (15) Why do you think they “turned away” from aligning themselves with Paul? Who was not ashamed of aligning himself with Paul and the gospel (15), and how did he demonstrate this (16-18)? What are some ways you can demonstrate, through the good works God has ordained for you, that you are not ashamed of being aligned with Christ and the gospel?

Homework

Review 3-7 again. Examine the specific ways Paul encouraged Timothy in this section. Think of someone who is a true child in the faith to you, maybe your own child, a younger woman at church, etc. Drop her a card, e-mail, or text this week to encourage her in her walk with the Lord and to let her know how you’re praying for her.

Suggested Memory Verse

Homosexuality

An Open Letter to Beth Moore

Michelle Lesley

We have answered some of the most commonly asked
questions about the Open Letter to Beth Moore here.

If you are unfamiliar with the events surrounding this letter, please read
An Open Letter to Beth Moore – Timeline of Events.

Dear Mrs. Moore,

Hello – we hope this finds you doing well.

We as female Bible teachers ourselves write this letter to you in hopes of receiving clarification of your views on an important issue: homosexuality.

In the last few years, particularly since 2016, you have been very vocal in your opposition to misogyny and racism. Anytime a story with so much of a whiff of these issues comes to the forefront you are very quick to speak out. The actions of the Covington kids, for example, you said “is so utterly antichrist it reeks of the vomit of hell” in a January 19, 2019 tweet; a tweet you deleted, without apology to the kids, once the full video was shown that portrayed a very different reality than what initial reporting suggested.

It is this Johnny-on-the-spot readiness to engage issues related to misogyny and racism that makes your virtual silence on the issue of homosexuality so puzzling.

To your credit, in your book To Live is Christ: The Life and Ministry of Paul, you wrote, “I met a young man who had experienced freedom from the bondage of homosexuality” (pg. 119). This book was first published in 1997 and then republished in 2008 but it seems since then you have said very little if anything publicly about this issue.

Another factor prompting our open letter to you is the very public mutual affection and admiration between you, Jen Hatmaker and Jonathan Merritt.

Jen Hatmaker and you regularly exchange affirming posts of one another on social media. In just one recent example, Hatmaker on September 17, 2018 wrote “Beth Moore will enjoy my respect and devotion forever. She is worthy of being a mentor to an entire generation. And friends, I wish you knew how deeply and profoundly she has loved me these last two years” (Source). In an interview two years before this post, October of 2016, Jen Hatmaker said she was a “left-leaning moderate,” came out as fully supportive of homosexual marriage (saying it can be “holy”) and said practicing homosexuals can be part of the regenerate body of Christ (Source). It was then that LifeWay decided to pull all of her books from its shelves.

More recently, on April 9, 2019, Jonathan Merritt tweeted, “I no longer believe @BethMooreLPM is a human. I think she is an angelic being having a human experience.” (Source). Jonathan Merritt has admitted to having at least one homosexual encounter about a decade ago (Source). Today, by his own admission he rejects biblical inerrancy, says a “liberal Protestant” would be an accurate description of him, and says his sexual orientation he no longer views as “broken” (Source). In a crass response to Dr. Owen Strachan tweeting, rightly so, that there should never be an occasion in which men “cuddle” with one another, Merritt on May 1, 2019 tweeted in response, “C’mon, Owen. You can be my little spoon” (Source). Merritt also openly affirms that “queer” and LGBTQ people are included in God’s Kingdom and it is a “carrot of false promises” that the Gospel can make such people straight (Source, Source). He supports “Drag Queen Story Time” in which drag queens read stories to young children in public libraries (Source 27:40 mark). He even appears to doubt the exclusivity of Christ (Source).

Both Jen Hatmaker and Jonathan Merritt are known for their belief that practicing homosexuals can be Christians. Given that this is such a deeply held conviction that both share and this conviction (wrong though it is) has cost them both in their standing amongst theologically conservative evangelicals, and that they both praise you so highly, it raises the natural question as to where you stand on this issue.

Given his beliefs, Merritt publicly saying that he believes you to be “an angelic being having a human experience” strongly suggests that his high praise of you is, at least partially, rooted in your views on this issue that you have shared with him privately. It seems most unlikely that he would be praising you so highly if you had told him that as a homosexual man he will perish for all of eternity unless he repents. It likewise seems unlikely that Hatmaker (a married, straight woman) would praise you so highly if you told her that her affirmation of homosexuality and homosexual marriage is sinful and that she must repent.

When all of this is coupled with your total silence on homosexuality (in stark contrast to your very vocal stance on gender/racial/abuse issues) it naturally raises the question as to what your beliefs on it truly are.

With these factors in mind, and knowing that millions of people follow your teachings, we would like to ask you:

1. Do you believe homosexuality is inherently sinful?

2. Do you believe that the practice of the homosexual lifestyle is compatible with holy Christian living?

3. Do you believe a person who dies as a practicing homosexual but professes to be a Christian will inherit eternal life?

4. Do you believe same sex attraction is, in and of itself, an inherently sinful, unnatural, and disordered desire that must be mortified?

5. Why have you been so silent on this subject in light of your desire to “teach the word of God?”

We ask these questions to you out of genuine concern. As Bible teachers, all of us are held to a very high standard and will give an account for how we handle God’s word. As you know, homosexuality is widely discussed and debated amongst evangelicals and society at large.

Many families are affected by this issue. The most loving thing obedient Christians can do for them is to clearly communicate God’s truth. We look forward to your clarification on these pressing issues. Thank you.

Kind regards,

Susan Heck
With the Master

Debbie Lynne Kespert
The Outspoken Tulip

Michelle Lesley
Michelle Lesley- Discipleship for Christian Women
A Word Fitly Spoken Podcast

Martha Peace
Martha Peace

Elizabeth Prata
The End Time

Amy Spreeman
Berean Research
Naomi’s Table
A Word Fitly Spoken Podcast

Readers, if you would like to add your signature to this open letter, please comment below. (My regular comment parameters still apply.
Please read before commenting.)
Supportive comments will be considered signatures.

I will no longer be adding signatures to this list,
but please feel free to comment.

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5. Jamie Gladden     6. MrsHLBjr     7. Sue Layman     8. Dottie Gephart

9. Laura Moses     10. Cynthia Sutton     11. Kristy Kapp     12. Andrea Crawford

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17.  Julie Waschuk   18. Britt Smith     19. Sybil Hemingway     20. Alma Moss

21. Nancy Brown     22. McKenzie Pope Moffett     23. Barbara Phillips

24. Anna Wood     25. Tami Recke     26. Amy Mabe     27. Jacy Harrison

28. Deena647     29. Kara Peters     30. Steph Johnson

31. Cristy Ann Bestwick    32. Jessica Laird     33. Lydia Hamre

34. Pat Seitz     35. Cindy Duncan-Shaw     36. Cathy Wentzel

37. Linda Rios     38. Kelley Andrich     39. Kelly Jo     40. Katie Smith

41. Amanda Ridenour     42. Melissa Leigh Morris     43. Erika Morris

44. Pam     45. Ann Blaskovich     46. Molly Hoverson     47. Linda Culp Collier

48. Heather Brownlie McCuaig     49. Ginger Weincek     50. Shelley Brown

51. Lauren Hereford     52. Miyoshig     53. Jeri Lowe-Howell     54. Angela

55. Kelly Cason     56. Kris Turrentine     57. Lisa Carey     58. Darlene Doss

60. Annie Monserrate     61. Cheryl R Lamz     62. Maribel C Ibrahim

63. sgoetz78     64. Caitlin Wickliffe     65. Regina Hagan     66. Anne R.

67. Julie Harrod     68. Katie Jay     69. Dawn Staton     70. Susan

71. Jennifer Buck     72. Amy Andrews     73. Stephanie Madrigal     74. triplejaymom

75. Cindy LaFreniere     76. Sharon Cole     77. Julie Fugate     78. Kathy Peters

79. Mrs. Lisor     80. Robin Sykee     81. Lisa King     82. Susan     83. Lisa Brown

84. Eileen Smith     85. Karen McMahon     86. Cathy Kaech     87. Carie Stephens

88. Kim Chapman     89. Cheryl Toepfer     90. Nancy Madrick     91. Linda Sullivan

92. Brittany Hunt    93. Anne Mai     94. Maureen Kopper     95. Julie Norton

96. Debbie Fleig     97. Hilary Osborne     98. Maggie Hebert     99. Leigh Melniszyn

100. Erin Coughlin     101. Laurel Pinske     102. Alicia Bowman     103. Jori Groen

104. Laura Gutwein     105. Nicole B. Guillory     106. Lisa Mifflin

107. Kristine Stone     108.  Carol Anne    109. Rachel Lipski     110. Laura Smith

111. jacor13     112. Traci Danker     113. Christina Pountney

114. Elizabeth Jackson     115. Marita Tibbetts     116. Amy Ramey

117. Maygen Wilson     118. Mary Bradley-Carlson     119. Allison Smith

120. Sandra     121. Courtney Sharp     122. Barb Prihoda     123. Penny Humphreys

124. Jan Bennett     125. Ren Moody     126. Trish Hisle     127. Heidi Moody

128. Carey Hurlburt     129. Kate Skogstad     130. Suzanne Lukawski

131. Elizabeth Beales     132. Susan Tesauro     133. Carol Koprowski

134. Christine Pack     135. Susan Stribich     136. Becka Goings

137. Pamela Thomas     138. Deborah Hunter     139. Mo Weaver

140. Kim Roberts     141. Corrie Dove     142. Lauren Holladay

143. Patty Roberts     144. Beth Stark     145. Sarah Crow     146. Sofia Shapleigh

147. Carnata Horton     148. Dulce Rodejo     149. Heather Fernandez

150. Carolyn Sevier     151. Christine Dullea     152. Amanda Gardiner

153. Char Hartman     154. Susan Haymon     155. Audra Huntet     156. Karla Nunez

157. Debra Pendergraft     158. Debbie     159. Leah P.     160. Sissel Salayda

161. Stephanie Yearwood     162. Melissa Harrison     163. tamtam0101

164. Anita Meisen     165. Elizabeth Moyle     166. Karen Gregory

167. Kate Thompson     168. Shannon Choate     169. Carol Berubee

170. Michele Harden     171. Lisa Snyder     172. Camille Warren

173. Diane Wenning     174. Nancy Nuzzolo     175. Kylee Chavers

176. Lynda Foster     177. Patricia Sanford     178. Jessica Lam

179. Brooke Anglin     180. Heidi Pearce     181. Michele Archambault

182. Michele Lewis    183. Pat Guldenpfennig     184. Angela Asano

185. Sue Cryderman     186. Jacqueline Cody     187. Theresia Smith

188. Peggy Summers     189. Lora M Carver     190. Regina Bean

191. Camille Patterson     192. Kate Butler     193. Leisa Minear

194. Ellie Mae Stankus     195. Tina Nix     196. Linda Currans

197. Daniela Ledwick     198. Melissa Flowers     199. flippingtheswitch

200. Vicky Jackson     201. Cherice Graham     202. Lora Burdette

203. Linda Hughes     204. Heather Ells     205. Jessica Harris

206. Kim von olhausen     207. Cynthia Garcia     208. Norleen Gardner Cheser

209. C. G. Jackson     210. Liz Avrit     211. Charlotte Irons Augustine

212. Tammera Scrivner     213. Donna Nelson     214. Susan Johnson

215. Qiana S. Shaw     216. Donna Dabbs     217. deuteronomysix5to9

218. Tiet Parsons     219. Marline Coronado     220. Julie Wyatt     221. Shelly Howard

222. Janice Porter Huertas     223. Lea K. Housley     224. Bonnie Secrest

225. Julie McKenzie     226. Terri Weiford     227. Pamela Melland

228. Diane E Ellison     229. Cherice Graham     230. Becky U

231. ruthsreminiscings     232. Darlene Tan     233. Kim Starling     234. Candy Macy

235. Rebecca Walls     236. Amy Scott     237. lynettestalls4146

238. Jammie Burwell     239. psfair     240. Laura Flack     241. Kayleigh H.

242. Cel Sherer     243. Kristy Jackson    244. Autumn Lisor     245. Julie Matteson

246. Keri Drescher     247. Name later removed for online anonymity     248. Hayley Wiley     249. Grace Pimm

250. Melanie Carrel     251. Lora Schmitz     252. Julie Wood     253. lauranlou

254. Pamela Collier     255. Coleen Thomas     256. Linda Hughes     257. Becky Bizzell

258. Debbie Lund     259. Connie Gilliam     260. Brandy Hurley

261. Linda Sola Gratia     262. Emily Kelly     263. Gracia     264. Sandie Fields

265. Erika Luft     266. Jennifer Sanders     267. Esther Wood     268. Trina Armstrong

269. tburks0123     270. Cathy Stein     271. Angela Fletcher     272. bjhcfr

273. Abby Adams     274. Diana     275. Cindy Price     276. Karen Buttle

277. Beth Seifert     278. Gemma Gregory     279. Julie Six     280. Colleen Ridge

281. Brenda Klockenga     282. Mary Bausano     283. Heather Thompson

284. Deana Klarich     285. Cheri Briere      286. Frankie Peterson

287. Charlotte Warren     288. Daphne Self     289. Billie J Freeman     290. Tara Hiley

291. Lou Ann Platt     292. I. N. Carpenter     293. Rachel Capps     294. Emily Tucker

295. Elena C. Parr     296. Julie Martin     297. lex122083     298. RM Vicary

299. Tania Carr     300. Sonia Correa     301. Wanda Poudrette     302. Lisa Israel

303. Kelly Gilmore     304. Melissa Ice     305. Michele Smith    306. Natalie Zeiler

307. Sonia Shoultz     308. MJ     309. Kandi Veazey     310. Haley Phillips

311. Kim Francia     312. Janexsy Zayas     313. Debra Hausmann

314. Patricia Finch     315. Bethany     316. Ashley Wyly     317. Amanda Smith

318. Wendy Robinson     319. Lara Roberts     320. Robin Hayes

321. Maggie Pearson     322. Slone Chapman     323. Dawn Antczak

324. Loretta Pardo     325. Autumn Beck     326. Casey Hylton

327. Sonya McGowan     328. Elaine Harman     329. Melissa Googe

330. Leisa Minear     331. Starr Bowlin     332. Jamie Niederkohr

333. Andrea Thomas     334. Tennille Betker     335. Debbie Nateghi

336. Cindy Price     337. Linda Brown     338. Rhonda Gomez     339. Liz James

340. Laura Burton     341. Jamie Dollinger     342. Christie Ann Algeo

343. Kerri Wagner     344. Amy Wood     345. Amy Hall     346. Beth Malarkey

347. Jo Vazquez     348. Cindy Mock     349. Christine Combs     350. Catherine- BBF

351. Kim- BBF     352. Vicki- BBF    353. Tina- BBF     354. Tara- BBF

355. Cate- BBF     356. Patti- BBF     356. Anonymous- BBF     357. Pamela Couvrette

358. Doris Sparks     359. Deborah Hallman     360. Cyndy Adeniyi

361. Laurie Ingram     362. Susan     363. Kay Cude     364. Melanie Lockhart

365. Leah Johnson     366. Jeni Myers     367. Keri Stankova     368. Tanya Herring

369. B Logue     370. Charlotte Sutton     371. ameliavk     372. Jannelle Kodad

373. Debbie Nateghi     374. Lynette     375. Heaven Henderson     376. Jennifer Rice

377. Michelle David     378. Karen Butterfield     379. Sheila H. Bragg

380. Angela Wismer     381. Karen Short     382. Pamela Ellenburg

383. Danielle Ware     384. Emily George     385. April Chapman     386. Gayle Smith

387. Liz Maria     388. Kris Schlagel     389. Amanda Simkins     390. Julie Garber

391. Hope Green     392. Nicole Mitchell     393. Rachelle Journey

394. Chrissy Reimer     395. Margaret Gunden     396. Maureen Payne

397. Rebecca Barner     398. Melissa Armstrong     399. Holly Major     400. Lisa PS

401. Linda Rice     402. Nancy Carrera     403. Katy Alderton     404. Christine Frost

405. Renee J. Bailey     406. Amberly Wieler     407. Susan K     408. Katie Purvis

409. Valerie Ward     410. Alise Grant     411. mvfreeman     412. Jo Rodgers

413.  Mitzi Turpin     414. Tina Liouzis     415. Marsha West     416. Christine Parfitt

417. Leslie J. Witty     418. Victoria Nelson     419. Leah Stewart

420. Nancy Carrera     421. Lydia Harris     422. karolewithak     423. Diane Conklin

424. Tammy Monson     425. Katie Quintana     426. Diane Kelley     427. Carole Kaetz

428. Jessica Oathoudt     429. Valerie Muirhead     430. Lisa Schmidt

431. Kim Schwart     432. Raynie Sivillo     433. Lisa Ente     434. Tina Dewey

435. Amy. Rozycki     436. Jennifer Christensen     437. Christa Reynolds

439. Kathy Freeman     440. Traci Gardner     441. Debbie Landers     442. caligurrl61

443. Melissa McIntyre     444. Kim     445. Valerie Hupp     446. Sharon Buss

447. Kira Ulmer     448. Brittany Bieghler     449. Nicole Bibelheimer McAbee

450. Sandy Bitter     451. Monica Turner     452. Elizabeth Emerson

453. Kara Emerson     454. Janice Krieger     455. Peggy M. Miller

456. Cecelia Matchett     457. Wendi Peterson     458. LeDawn Kosek

459. Dianne Larios     460. Rhonda Owens     461. Kathleen Lanteigne

462. Terra Hicks     463. Brenda Block     464. Lisa Ente     465. Sarah Elizabeth

466. Darlene Diaz     467. Debra Wiest     468. Lyndsey Fromme     469. Laurie Tietjen

470. Connie Windham     471. Gladys Martínez     472. Beth Cavete     473. Linda Bell

474. Beth Finkbeiner     475. Heather Rollins     476. Charla Counts Tatom

477. Ose Burnett     478. Kathy Firth     479. Debbie Bergt     480. J Chen

481. Melissa Duerksen     482. Kate Hendrickson     483. Miranda Abugharbeya

484. Gisele Krippner     485. Robin Kelley     486. Kari     487. Maggie Gunden

488. Mollie Moore     489. Diana Johnson     490. Stacy Brooks     491. Gina Shaw

492. Kellie Watson     493. Bonnie Schwartz    494. Kay Davis     495. Lisa

496. Rosilind Jukic    497. Laura Kelly     498. Sandy Artus     499. Clare McNaul

500. Tami     501. Diane Ostrow     502. Amanda Ladefoged     503. Bev Azure

504. Hayley Bevier     505. Mary L. Briere     506. Rommy Miller     507. Tammy Derryberry

508. Billie Freeman     509. Amy Knight

Random Ramblings Ruminations Resources

Random Ramblings, Ruminations, and Resources

Michelle Lesley

My flesh is in a bad 👏mood 👏 today. (Do you like the claps? I like the claps. Some people don’t like the claps. What can ya do?) It’s one of those rainy days where it doesn’t just rain and get it over with and then the sun comes out. It stays grey all 👏day 👏long 👏 and rains just lightly and intermittently enough to make you crazy. That is, if the heat and the million per cent humidity hasn’t already put you over the edge. Good ol’ summertime in south Louisiana.

But God is good even on the yuckiest of days and Random Ramblings, Ruminations, and Resources is a fun way to cheer up and focus on stuff that’s way more important than the weather. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

 

Listen Up, Feed Back

I dropped the word on Facebook and Twitter a couple of days ago that Amy Spreeman (yes, that Amy Spreeman from Berean Research, Fighting for the Faith, etc.) and I are looking into doing a podcast together. So I need some feedback from y’all on two questions:

1. If we did do a podcast, would you listen?

2. Can you help us think of a name for the podcast? (We will be talking about a variety of biblical topics.)

A while back, I had said a great name for a podcast like this would be Discerning Women, a play on the title of the 80’s sitcom Designing Women. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized a significant portion of our potential listeners have probably never heard of that show (I’ve only seen a few episodes myself), so it wouldn’t work. So help us think of a good title and drop it into a comment here or on social media.

 

Bad Dad David?

I recently finished reading through the life of David during my quiet time. When we think of David, the first thing to jump to mind is probably “and Goliath” or “and Bathsheba” or maybe that he was a king or a psalmist. But have you ever thought of David and the first thing to come to mind was “lousy father”? I haven’t. And the Bible doesn’t explicitly tell us that he was a bad dad. And, let’s face it, even the most godly parents in the world can have a kid or two who turn out to be prodigals. But if you look at how some of David’s children turned out, you have to at least wonder about his parenting skills.

First you’ve got Amnon – as disgusting a specimen of a human being as ever walked the planet. He makes himself physically ill lusting day after day for his half sister, Tamar. That’s a lot of lust. But at least – at least – he keeps it to himself. For a while, that is.

Amnon’s got an equally disgusting cousin, Jonadab – who, instead of smacking him senseless when Amnon shamelessly confesses his dastardly daydreams – devises a scheme to help Amnon indulge his foul and festering flesh by tricking David into making Tamar available to him. David sends Tamar to Amnon’s house, and Tamar pleads with him not to force himself on her.

(While Tamar is pleading with her pustule of a brother, she says something interesting: “Please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” Now, arguably, it’s likely she was just saying whatever she could think of in the moment to get away from Amnon and didn’t really believe David would allow Amnon to marry her. But if she did believe that to be true, that definitely says something about David. Because, by that time in Israel’s history, intermarriage between two people who shared a parent was big-time illegal with severe consequences for the offenders. And David and everybody else in the kingdom knew that. Did David’s children think he would break the law for them and excuse them from punishment? And for such a nauseating reason?)

But Amnon ignores Tamar’s heartbreaking pleas and forcibly rapes her. He rapes his sister. David finds out what happened and is understandably angry. But does he follow the law and have Amnon executed? Nope. (So we at least have our answer to the question of whether or not David would break the law for his children.) If David did anything about the situation, the Bible doesn’t record it.

Fast forward two whole years. David has still not made his rapist son face the music, so Absalom, Tamar’s full brother, metes out his own brand of justice, putting Amnon to death.

Fast forward a few more years and Absalom thinks, “I believe I’d make a better king than dear old Dad.” So he sets about manipulating and stealing the hearts of his countrymen away from David and stages a bloodless coup. David ends up having to flee for his life from his own son. Meanwhile, Absalom moves into the palace, sets up a love nest on the roof where everybody can see, and sleeps with David’s concubines. Then, Absalom gathers up an army to hunt David – his father – down in order to kill him and secure his throne.

David’s men fight valiantly for him, risking their own lives. Joab, the commander of David’s army – perhaps considering David’s command to “deal gently” with Absalom as ludicrous after all Absalom has done – seizes an opportune moment, and kills Absalom. David flips out in grief, so much so that Joab has to rebuke him: all these men risked their lives to save you, David, and you’re crying and moaning over this wretch who was trying to kill you! Snap out of it or they’re going to turn on you! Fortunately, David has the sense to listen to him.

After some more wars, some famine, and a “sin-sus,” Adonijah decides he can pull off the coup his brother Absalom so spectacularly failed at. David is old and sickly, and it should be easy for Adonijah to make a grab for the throne. And in the description of Adonijah, here’s what was said that initially got me thinking David wasn’t Dad of the year:

His [Adonijah’s] father [David] had never at any time displeased him [Adonijah] by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” 

Are you picking up what the author of 1 Kings is laying down? David was an indulgent father. He had never at any time questioned his son’s actions or intervened in a way that upset him. He let Adonijah run wild and do what he wanted to do. And the way Amnon and Absalom acted, it’s reasonable to surmise that David raised them the same way, along with all the rest of his children. It’s a miracle Solomon turned out as well as he did (at least until his wives drew him away from the Lord into idol worship). Reading the first nine chapters of Proverbs, I can’t help but wonder if Solomon observed David’s parenting and was determined not to follow his poor example. Listen to my instructions, son. Get wisdom. Don’t be a fool.

Sometimes Bible characters set a great example for us. David, a man after God’s own heart, set many. But sometimes God lets us see their poor and sinful behavior so we can learn not to follow their example. Moms and Dads, let’s make sure we are men and women after God’s own heart when it comes to parenting our kids.

Happy Father’s Day, y’all.

And Speaking of David…

It seems like there’s never anything decent on TV in the summertime – I need something to watch while I’m folding the laundry to make it bearable – so I’ve taken to watching old movies in the summer instead of TV. David and Bathsheba (1951) happened to be on recently, so I recorded it, thinking, “The Ten Commandments, Ben Hur, The Robe, etc. were all good. Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward…how bad could it possibly be?”

Well let me just tell you – it was a stinkeroo from the word go.

I’m really going to date myself here, but…remember when the newspaper used to have those fun little puzzles in the comics section? One of them was a picture and you were supposed to look at it and find everything that was wrong with the picture: a car with a doughnut in place of a tire, a swing with only one chain, etc. That’s what this movie was like. So much ridiculous and crazy stuff thrown in, and even the parts that were true to Scripture were chronologically out of order.

I like Bible story movies, and I have no objection to the writers “filling in the blanks” of a Bible story as long as whatever they fill in is biblically and culturally plausible and doesn’t conflict with anything in Scripture. God already wrote the script – stick to it!

I give David and Bathsheba five boos and a hiss, because it was also very monotone, too long, and just plain dull much of the time. (How anybody can make that story dull is beyond me, but they managed it somehow.) If you’re looking for a more biblical version of this story, even VeggieTales’ King George and the Ducky would fit the bill. If you like those “what’s wrong with this picture” puzzles and you want to work one for two hours straight, knock yourself out:

But honestly, read the book. It was so much better than the movie.

And Speaking of Movies…

If you have Amazon Prime Video, there are a lot of free Christian movies and videos available to you. Logic on Fire: The Life and Legacy of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was phenomenal. There are also some very good movies, biographies, and documentaries on Martin Luther, John Hus, John Knox, John Bunyan, Charles Spurgeon, William Tyndale, and others. You’ll even find things like Ligonier Conference session videos, biblical archaeology, apologetics, and various Bible study materials. Unless you’re looking for something specific, put broad topics like “Christian” or “Bible” into the search bar, and you’ll be able to see a lot of what is available.

One word of caution – just like when you walk into the “Christian” section of a bookstore, you’ll need to have your discernment radar on full alert. Some of the “Christian” videos at Prime are materials put out by false teachers, Mormons, New Agers, etc.

Ladies and Gentlemen

In the midst of the war on the biblical roles of men and women that’s raging right now, a thought occurred to me that I don’t believe I’ve heard anybody else bring up.

As complementarian women, we’re not only blessed that God has not burdened us with teaching men, He has also blessed us by allowing us to receive biblical instruction from both men and women.

Think about that. As a godly woman, you can attend a conference where the speakers are all male, all female, or a mix of both. You don’t need to worry about whether your Sunday School teacher is a man or a woman. You’ll of course, need to concern yourself with other issues, like whether the woman teacher is also teaching men, or is teaching false doctrine, but as far as the sex of the person teaching you, there’s nothing to worry about. Godly men don’t have that option. When the Bible is being taught in the church setting, their only option is a male teacher. Ever think about that? It’s a pretty nice perq!

1&2 Timothy Bible Study

1 & 2 Timothy: Lesson 8

Michelle Lesley

Previous Lessons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Last week, we finished up the book of 1 Timothy. Today, we’re doing our preliminary background work on the book of 2 Timothy before diving into the text. You might want to review lesson 1 (link above) and compare the background information on 1 Timothy to the background information on 2 Timothy. How are they similar? How are they different?

Introduction to 2 Timothy

Before we begin studying a book of the Bible, it’s very important that we understand some things about that book. We need to know…

Who the author was and anything we might be able to find out about him or his background.

Who the audience of the book is: Jews or Gentiles? Old Testament Israelites or New Testament Christians? This will help us understand the author’s purpose and approach to what he’s writing.

What kind of biblical literature we’re looking at. We approach books of history differently than books of wisdom, books of wisdom differently than books of prophecy, etc.

What the purpose of the book is. Was it written to encourage? Rebuke? Warn?

What the historical backdrop is for the book. Is Israel at war? At peace? In exile? Under a bad king? Good king? Understanding the historical events surrounding a piece of writing help us understand what was written and why it was written.

When the book was written. Where does the book fall on the timeline of biblical history? This is especially important for Old Testament books which are not always arranged in chronological order.

So this week, before we start studying the actual text of the book of 2 Timothy, we need to lay the foundation to understanding the book by finding the answers to these questions.

Read the following overviews of the book of 2 Timothy, taking notes on anything that might aid your understanding of the book, and answer the questions below:

Bible Introductions: 2 Timothy at Grace to You

Overview of the Book of 2 Timothy at Reformed Answers

Book of 2 Timothy at Got Questions

1. Who wrote the book of 2 Timothy? How do we know this?

2. Approximately when was 2 Timothy written? What is the geographical setting of the book of 2 Timothy? Here are some maps (scroll down to “2 Timothy”) that may be helpful as you study through the book of 2 Timothy.

3. Who is the original, intended audience of the book of 2 Timothy? Describe the historical setting (historic events, politics, sociology of the time, etc.) of 2 Timothy.

4. Which genre of biblical literature is the book of 2 Timothy: law, history, wisdom, poetry, narrative, epistles, or prophecy/apocalyptic? What does this tell us about the approach we should take when studying this book versus our approach to books of other genres?

5. What is the theme or purpose of the book of 2 Timothy?

6. What are some of the major topics of instruction in the book of 2 Timothy? How do these topics relate to the theme of 2 Timothy?

7. What are some ways 2 Timothy points to and connects to Jesus?

8. What else did you learn about 2 Timothy or the setting of this book that might help you understand the text of the book better?

Take some time in prayer this week to begin preparing your heart to study 2 Timothy. What are some ways your pastor and church could be encouraged by the instruction of 2 Timothy? What might you learn that could make you a healthier church member? Do you have any areas that need improvement when it comes to the way you serve God or your brothers and sisters in Christ? Ask God to grow you in those areas as we continue to study 1 & 2 Timothy: The Structure and Spirit of the Church.