Influential pastor John MacArthur thinks that Christian preacher and author Beth Moore should “go home.”
Speaking at the “Truth Matters Conference” meant to honor his 50 years in ministry, MacArthur, fellow pastor Phil Johnson and a small panel of other men were asked to play a word association game. The moderator starts off the game by asking MacArthur what he thinks when he hears the name of Beth Moore.
MacArthur responded saying, “Go home!”
RELATED: Cruel Viewer Body-Shames Weather Anchor But She's Not Letting It Get Her Down
“There is no case that can be made biblically for a woman preacher – period, paragraph, end of discussion,” the 80-year-old preacher added to roaring applause.
When Johnson was asked about what word he associates to Beth Moore, he said “narcissistic.”
Johnson then recalled the first time he saw Moore preach. He said upon seeing her, he thought, “This is what it looks like to preach yourself rather than Christ.”
MacArthur then spoke up again only to further criticize Moore along with the #MeToo movement.
He said, “The #MeToo movement, again, is the culture of reclaiming ground in the church.
“When the leaders of evangelicalism roll over for women preachers, the feminists have really won the battle,” he added before the audience broke out in applause.
“The primary effort in feminism is not equality” he continued. “They don’t want equality, that’s why 99 percent of plumbers are men. They don’t want equal power to be a plumber, they want to be senators, preachers, congressmen, president, the power structure in a university. [Women] want power, not equality,” MacArthur asserted.
The long-time preacher’s comments sparked widespread outrage among other Christian leaders over the weekend.
Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear, took to Twitter on Saturday, and speaking directly to Moore wrote, “Dear Beth Moore, you’re welcome in our home any time.”
Dear @BethMooreLPM, you’re welcome in our home any time.#BFM2000
— J.D. Greear (@jdgreear) October 19, 2019
Singer, author and wife of pastor Matthew Chandler, Lauren Chandler, wrote on Saturday, “When I hear the words ‘Beth Moore,’ I think ‘good and faithful servant.’”
When I hear the words “Beth Moore,“ I think “good and faithful servant.”
— Lauren Chandler (@laurenchandler) October 19, 2019
Pastor Brandon Cox also commented on the situation writing, “The host says, ‘Beth Moore.’ And a man who is supposed to be a model of biblical manhood and spiritual leadership responds, ‘Go home!’ And a room full of men laugh. This is sad. It's unbiblical. But it's the fruit of arrogance.”
The host says, "Beth Moore." And a man who is supposed to be a model of biblical manhood and spiritual leadership responds, "Go home!" And a room full of men laugh.
— Brandon A. Cox (@brandonacox) October 19, 2019
This is sad. It's unbiblical. But it's the fruit of arrogance. https://t.co/bRW0QmtnzT
Preacher and Christian Counselor Kyle Howard also chimed in writing, “I have lost all respect beyond Imago Dei for John MacArthur, Friel, & Phil. To hear them mock, degrade, & publicly slander a sister in Christ like this is wicked. To hear a crowd of pastors laugh is disgusting. This is utterly shameful.”
I have lost all respect beyond Imago Dei for For John Macathur, Friel, & Phil. To hear them mock, degrade, & publicly slander a sister in Christ like this is wicked. To hear a crowd of pastors laugh is disgusting. This is utterly shameful.https://t.co/bLdDzpsKFN
— Kyle J. Howard (@KyleJamesHoward) October 19, 2019
Moore broke her silence Monday without directly naming MacArthur, Johnson or the conference.
“I did not surrender to a calling of man when I was 18 years old,” she posted. “I surrendered to a calling of God. It never occurs to me for a second to not fulfill it. I will follow Jesus—and Jesus alone—all the way home. And I will see His beautiful face and proclaim, Worthy is the Lamb! Here’s the beautiful thing about it & I mean this with absolute respect. You don’t have to let me serve you. That gets to be your choice. Whether or not I serve Jesus is not up to you. Whether I serve you certainly is. One way or the other, I esteem you as my sibling in Christ.”
Here’s the beautiful thing about it & I mean this with absolute respect. You don’t have to let me serve you. That gets to be your choice. Whether or not I serve Jesus is not up to you. Whether I serve you certainly is. One way or the other, I esteem you as my sibling in Christ.
— Beth Moore (@BethMooreLPM) October 21, 2019
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Lauren Daigle Sings 'Still Rolling Stones' On Late Night Show
Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Terry Wyatt/Stringer
Video courtesy: Reformation Charlotte
H/T: Christian Headlines