Last year at Women’s Bible Study at church we were going through a book by Kay Arthur. I came across a section in the study that rubbed me the wrong way and I spoke up about why I thought it was wrong. Later, I wondered if I should continue listening, reading and doing Bible studies by the author. Could I trust her theology to be sound?
I later realized that my reason for even considering ditching Kay was because I had ditched the Adventist prophetess, Ellen White, when I realized her words didn’t jive with the Bible. However, there were stark differences.
Neither Kay nor my church claimed that she was a “continuing and authoritative source of truth.”
Kay never said, “If you lose confidence in [my writings], you will drift away from Bible truth.”
I’ve heard some people refer to this as eating the meat and throwing out the bones.
No one leaves Adventism without baggage. In this instance my baggage was difficulty accepting a teacher who said something that I did not think was supported by the Bible. In Adventism, the freedom to disagree was stifled and suppressed. It was frowned upon. If you disagreed with Ellen White or openly disregarded her, you were labeled and shunned. It was all or nothing.
My tendency may be to swear off teachers who believe and teach something I disagree with, but the other extreme, a complete lack of discernment, is also prevalent among people who are unpacking their Adventist baggage. The bad news is, books, blogs, magazine articles, sermons and Bible studies don’t come with a 100% certified stamp of approval from God. The good news is, we can trust the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth. It’s new territory to navigate, where diversity of thought is not a threat. The fact is, no denomination, no church, no pastor or Sunday School teacher is going to have one hundred percent the same views and perspectives on the Bible that I hold right now. I am finally learning that that’s okay.
Will I continue to study under Kay Arthur? Yes! In fact, our LifeGroup is starting one of her inductive studies right now. I was delighted to read Kay’s introduction to the commentary section of the study, “This section is to help you apply what you’ve learned. Here, a little of our theology will inevitably come to the surface. We don’t expect you to always agree with us. We trust you will think through what is said in light of the context of the Word of God and then determine what you will believe.”
Refreshing.
How about you? Have you had difficulty discerning what Bible teachers are “safe” to learn from? Do you have a tendency to throw out teachers when you disagree with something they’ve said? †
- Does It Jibe with the Bible? - June 28, 2014
- Eyes to See, Not to Criticize - June 13, 2014
- Perfectly Maintained - March 2, 2014
Yes, Delina! I have had the same exact issue. I’ve run across two separate instances in my women’s bible study group that made me seriously question the authors of the studies. Once was when the author suggested we look to the law for something and the other was when I found out that Lysa TerKeurst was suggesting that people keep a sabbath. I had just finished one of her studies and was very disappointed to see her pointing people to keep a sabbath. I did finish the first study that pointed to the law. But with Lysa, I think I lost a little respect for. I’d probably still do another of her studies if that is what my group chose. But I would be very cautious as I did the study.
This is a great blog!
Yes, we former sda’s all seem to leave with baggage, the longer we were there and the more devout we were… the more baggage! I have felt all the windows in the house I grew up in (sda) were broken. Looking out my view of the world was distorted. In the New Covenant I’m having windows replaced and the world looks very different!!
What a concept – to “trust” the holy spirit to lead us to all truth! We no longer live in a religion of conformity – but amazing diversity on this journey!!
Great blog!!
Downright brainwashing. From childhood on I was too timid to ask questions I knew were “verbotten” as they would expose chinks in the armor of Adventism, but I knew nothing else so soldiered on. No position for a child to be in. Now after many years of studying on my own to learn “reasons for my faith” I find there are none and am free to rejoice in the magnificent mystery of Grace–the Gospel of Christ. The old conditioning returns occasionally as a fear of not being good enough but I ask forgiveness for this self-dependency and place my trust where it belongs–in the only Conquorer and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Bible is the story of God and we are but bit players in it, not the other way around. Blessings to you all and do not be afraid to move forward in faith, giving gratitude always for the Gift He has given.
Amen Delina, So well written! Fortunately I was able to leave sda with very little baggage. I unpacked it all and left it in the Pastors office during a meeting with him and never went back to pick it up again. This is the secret. Give it to God. Once you do, do not take it up again. I know that sounds eaiser than it is to do. Once during a sabbath school lesson I disagreed with an egw quote. I spoke out that i did not believe that egw was the spirit of prophecy.I was surrounded by 6 elders and deacons and escorted to the back door of the church. They questioned me there at the back door as to weather I would change my statement about egw. I renounced her again as the spirit of prophecy and quoted Rev. “The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy” They backed away from me.