Today, I did what I do quite often and that is having a Houston day here in the mountains. I added a non Houston stop along the way but in the spirit of being a Texan, I explored a new way to travel to what is usually the last stop but was the first stop in Johnson City. I went back to Mountain View Country Store today to pick up a few things I forgot last week and then headed out on the back roads of eastern TN. So beautiful. Even though Kroger is an Ohio thing, it is a Houston thing too because we have a number of them in the area and many times my preferred choice to shop instead of Texas grown HEB.
So, yes today, I found a pretty and much easier way to the Kroger. Did my shopping and then went to Academy...which took off in Houston a long time ago...even the original store being close to our house. After a fruitless trip there, a stop in at Carrabba's for lunch. Carrabba's began in Houston and some of my tennis friends were related to the family. It was there while eating mezzaluna pasta...yum... I read Beth Moore's latest blog entry....and yes, Beth Moore has been a long time Houstonian. So, the Houston day seemed to be enriched by her powerful written words. Engrossed in the words from Beth's heart, a rarity happened...a man came up to my booth and said, you can quit texting me, I've been here all along...What? Of course this man was joking with me but here is the rarity, he was flirting and I think if I had given any inkling of interest, he would have joined me...but no, the response was this, I usually bring a book in to read, but then I don't read it...I look at Twitter and Facebook while eating. He attempted rather lamely I might add to continue the conversation...anything, but I was too engrossed in Beth's blog and too not even interested in him...hello, wedding band on...happily married.... I like eating by myself.... But Beth today in her blog shared to her younger and older brothers in Christ, that have a future of changing the Christian world of women, women's ministry and dare I say, women preachers.
Many conversations have happened over the years being at Houston's First Baptist and then being on staff there when Beth and her family attended First. We watched as she gained confidence in her teaching, went to being a serious Bible teacher instead of being funny and full of fluff inspirational stories. I will always be grateful to Beth Moore because she delivered us from sweet, sickening women's ministry...complete with teas, fashion shows, and silliness. Her ministry changed us to women who wanted to know God and study His Word. Oh yes, there were still teas and table decorations but we were going to leave with a Word and oh some stupid favor that came with the price of the dinner or tea or fashion show. While on staff at First Baptist, I would sometimes stand with young men who were working at the church and going to seminary....they would make fun of the women who came at 3:00 pm to wait for the doors to open at 6:00 to get a close seat at the front with Beth at Tuesday Night Bible Study. Then they would howl with laughter as the pushing
and shoving began promptly at 6:00. One night in particular these young men were rather demeaning to women's ministry and Tuesday Night Bible Study. I casually said to them, that they were all jealous cause they would never have women or men for that matter, coming early, to get a close seat at the front to hear them teach or preach. Uh, you could have heard a pin drop from these guys.
There were times while on staff that I would be talking with the ministers on staff and Beth would somehow always come to the forefront of discussion.... As they wrestled with business matters of the church...along with their expected teaching to whatever group they were ministers to...I would remind them that Beth delegated to her board of directors and her staff to make most business decisions and her input came when they needed to hear from her but until that moment she was studying and praying and preparing... then I would say, if men did this instead of getting wrapped up in the daily concerns of the church, the seats would be filled and overflow would be needed on Sunday mornings. I thought the closest man to doing something like this was Louie Giglio. He did not have a church at that particular time.
Way back in the day when First Baptist had Sunday Night Alive, Beth Moore was asked to speak along with other upcoming ministers of the Gospel...like Lou Giglio. One of Roy's good friends from Sunday School attended along with his family. When he saw that Beth would be speaking, he gathered his family and scooted them out the door. Roy ran after them, told him they would miss out on the Word if they left and his friend said that he wouldn't let a woman teach him and Roy, surprised at his friend's ignorance, said you are missing out! She is one of the best Bible teachers you will ever hear. He wouldn't let go of that legalism and left. Roy borrowed my CD's from Living Proof to listen while he drove in traffic to work and home. Roy has always been a cheerleader for women's ministry and for husbands to listen to their wives...because women hear from God better than men...his opinion and I'd like to say I am so proud of him for believing and sharing that.
In March, a friend came up from Houston and we went to Boone NC to hear Beth preach. I spend most of my time in Western North Carolina now. Wow! I had forgotten how much I loved being in Tuesday Night Bible Study and in her Sunday School class and to hear Beth. What a joy to be a part of the Body of Believers that weekend. I didn't realize really how much I had back then to experience Beth teaching on a regular schedule.
This weekend another friend from Houston came to visit. Just in our normal conversation, we talked about Beth and her influence and our mutual friend who knew Beth even before she was Beth Moore told some good, but also funny stories of that journey. My friend is a fabulous speaker and teacher as well and such an encourager. Most of her Bible teaching has been intertwined with wellness in a healthy lifestyle and choices. I am pretty sure she might have encountered the same thing...but weight loss seems to be a woman's issue to many a preacher.
It has been my observation that sometimes women in women's ministry are more harmful to teachers like Beth than men. These women know better but are in the position to push a pastor's agenda for women, that might include crafts and recipes...not much Bible. These women sometime enable the men to say or not speak toward women other than in condescending ways. When Beth wrote that sometimes she wore flats as not to be taller than a man speaker or minister and I had to laugh...flats would not help me one bit since I am six feet tall and have towered over many a Bible man....who probably thinks I need better posture cause I bunch up my shoulders trying to be shorter...doesn't work.
Beth Moore doesn't need my amen or awomen from me. She has people in her corner that have a larger audience or platform but I felt like I had to speak up...and ask friends and people I don't know who read Monablog to read her blog post. She has paid a price for those younger and coming up but I bet she counted it all joy in the grand picture of things for this next generation of leaders not to experience the same thing.
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