Facebook Question: ”How do I find materials for our ladies Bible study that aren’t emergent/contemplative?” – What About Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Kay Arthur?

On the Lighthouse Facebook account, the question was asked this week: How do I find materials for our ladies Bible study that aren’t emergent/contemplative … it seems almost everything has been “contaminated?

A number of comments came in. One comment suggested that women read Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Kay Arthur. However, we have concerns about this suggestion. Here is what we answered. You decide for yourself.

Our comments:

#1: A number of times over the past 11 years, someone would call our office and ask, “What can our women’s Bible study use if we can’t use Beth Moore.” Personally, I always marvelled at this. Commentaries, concordances, and other Bible helps definitely have their place, but so many of the “Bible studies” coming from the mainstream Christian publishers are tainted (to say the least) with terribly poor theology and now contemplative propensities. Perhaps the best thing to use for a Bible study is just the Bible, allowing the Holy Spirit to quicken His word to us.

#2 (after DeMoss and Arthur were recommended): But even there, one needs to use discernment. Kay Arthur may have some good material but shows a terrible lack in discernment when she sees nothing wrong with sharing a platform with Leonard Sweet and Tony Campolo, both emergent figures. We’ve talked with her organization about this, sent them our books, and their answer is, she’ll speak anywhere she is allowed to speak even if it is on the platform with heretics. She is giving these men credibility. Here’s our recent article on that situation: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=11053

#3: As for DeMoss, once again another Christian speaker/author who is not showing discernment. In this link from her website, https://www.reviveourhearts.com/radio/revive-our-hearts/potential-pitfalls-servanthood/#transcript/, you can read the transcript from one of her shows last year where she recommends both Richard Foster and Brother Lawrence. This tells me that DeMoss is reading the mystics. And now she is passing this along to all her trusted followers. And anyone who minimizes Richard Foster’s spirituality (as some of the people on the comments section did) does not understand contemplative spirituality and how it is devastating the church.

#4: We’re not saying that DeMoss and Arthur are suddenly false teachers because of these things, but we are saying that they are not showing discernment, and because of that, they could end up doing more harm than good. It’s when morsels of deception are hidden within quantities of truth that the most danger lies. That’s how deception usually works. People have come to wholeheartedly trust some of these teachers without question. That should not be so. They are mere humans and should be challenged and held accountable.

You are welcome to join our Facebook account. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lighthousetrails/.