Debunking Myths: Women and Preaching in Christianity
By Elizabeth Prata
Below, Spot the flaws.
I wrote two days ago about the celebrity grandmother ‘Bible teachers’ who were adept at crafting a conservative persona on social media contrary to the lives they were actually living.
They had to craft their outward picture (in hypocrisy) because firstly, when they started out the faith was much more conservative than it is now. They could not openly say they were preaching or having a career at the office. They had to say they were ‘speaking’ and only occasionally because they were stay at home moms. They had a ‘ministry’ not an all-consuming, busy career.
Secondly 40 years ago there was not as much social media as there is now. Back in the day there was only TV, newspapers, and radio.
I wrote an essay in 2018 saying this push of preaching to men was going to be a problem:
I also said so two days ago that the evil example of these grandmothers in the faith (Moore, Shirer, Meyer, Caine…) during the last generation is a problem:
So, a couple of days ago a woman whose handle is Cia Cloud, put up an Instagram story and a TikTok talking about the “romantic heart of Jesus”. The short video is below and here is the transcript:
After you’ve experienced the romantic heart of Jesus, you cannot go back to casual dating. I got out of a relationship a while ago, and when I did I asked the Lord can you teach me what it’s like for You to be my husband? And before you get weirded out, it’s because the church is known as the Bride of Christ, and He’s the groom. I wanted to know what it felt like to truly be pursued so that I knew what to look for in a future relationship. Let me explain what God does so you don’t settle. I wish more people understood that God wants to romanticize your heart. He wants to win you over. He created you to delight in pursuing you. He is the ultimate pursuer. We just get distracted. The other day for example, the Lord tole me he was going to take me out to lunch…”
She went on with two more examples of how Jesus spoke to her and shortly after the minor things he allegedly said came true.
No. But what can we expect when young women of this generation have had such an evil example for decades, with no rebukes coming from the grandmother preachers’ denominations?
It was sad to see the comments asking how to hear God like she does, one woman saying “because for me he has been so quiet’.
Let’s spot the falsities in her speech:
Falsity #1. “Jesus is my romantic boyfriend”. No. John Gacinski on Twitter replied to the person who had posted Cia’s video-
John Gacinski, @johngacinski: “God wants to romanticize your heart” No. Jesus wants us to surrender to Him and serve Him. He wants us to be born again so we can be worthy vessels in His house. He’s not wooing us like some twenty something who’s desperate for a girlfriend. I’m so tired of this “Jesus is my boyfriend/homeboy” trash.
Notice Cia said “I wanted to know what it felt like” not ‘what does the Bible say?’
Falsity #2. “He speaks to me directly.” No. The canon is closed. He spoke through His word as Hebrews 1:1-2 says. Justin Peters has a rebuttal to the ‘still small voice that speaks to me’ error.
Falsity #3. “Prophetic words given directly to me are coming ‘true’. No. Stop looking for signs and omens and back dating what you thought you heard in the ‘voice.’ Just live your daily life according to the word.
Falsity #4. Needing an experience rather than what His word says. The people followed Jesus when He spoke good things, and they clamored for the signs and miracles. But when he spoke hard things, they drifted away. Turns out they were only following Him for a show. The walk of faith begins and ends in the word of God, which will never pass away.
Falsity #5. He pursues with uncertain outcome rather than sovereignly electing (He “wants to win you”). Jesus is not wishing and hoping and wringing His hands hoping you come to faith as He chases you. He elected His people from before the foundation of the world and at the fullness of each elected person’s time, they are given the grace to repent and come to Him. (Ephesians 1:4-6)
This problem of prophetic words, still small voice, romantic boyfriend Jesus issues are not all the wicked grandmothers’ fault. Seminaries are doing their best to pump out women preachers rife with false doctrine. Witness Cia Cloud:
These nextgen women don’t even hide it anymore, not like the other false female preachers did in the 90s and early 2000s. They are ‘out’ as preachers. Immodest ones, at that. Apparently Cia attended Liberty University.
But I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet, says 1 Timothy 2:12. See also 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, Ephesians 5:22-24 among other verses that clearly state what the woman and wife should do and not do.
If you have a teen or young adult daughter, I feel for you. Keeping the false doctrines at bay is difficult. Just as you put one doctrinal fire out, another pops up. I want to encourage you moms, grandmoms, young ladies, that if you stay in the word, Jesus will keep you on the center line of his doctrine. Guard your heart, keep your eyes on Jesus, stay in the Word.
Pastor Owen Strachan has some wise advice for women (men too, but I’ll post the women’s here) on what to do and what not to do.
You notice none of those pieces of advice say chase after signs, listen for a small voice, ascend the pulpit to preach, or treat the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE like a wooing, weak boyfriend.
Stay strong, ladies. Jesus will come back and He will raise us up. He will address the false doctrine and the people who promoted it. Meanwhile, be a pillar, upholding His precious true word.
When our sons in their youth are like growing plants, And our daughters like corner pillars fashioned for a palace, Psalm 144:12
