For The Record

Forward, by Libby:

I know that it must seem like the attention we give this matter is excessive.  And I understand how uncomfortable this is for some people, because it feels too personal.  Because the person whose teaching we are examining and refuting is someone I know and used to count as a friend, it may seem to those looking on like a personal vendetta.  It is not.  Once and for all, we want to straighten that out.

There is nothing personal about this, and we here at DIUR have no grudge or vendetta against any one person. We only follow the Biblical mandate to test the spirits of church leaders, and if their teaching proves false, to face it head-on (see this previous post, and this one, for more on identifying and dealing with false teachers).

Believe me friends, there have been many times that I prayed this particular burden be taken from me; I have little joy in the doing of it.  But I'm afraid that if we were to stop now, because the pressure to do so was so much, or because we were causing such discomfort or anxiety to people we care about, or because of the massive blow our reputations have taken because of it, we would be doing a grave disservice to the One who called us.  We must see it through, and it is with a heart for obedience that we do so. 




By David:

We feel it necessary, since we have heard stories around our community, and since Ms. White continues to spin this thing as a personal "tiff," to  provide our local readers with an overview so you can judge for yourselves the accuracy of the stories you have read and heard.

It has happened that, over the past six months or so, readers (including us) of the blog FEED YOUR STRENGTH have been challenging the teachings of the blogger, Debi White.   Ms. White has never answered direct, pointed questions about her teaching, choosing instead to close her blog to comments.  Forgive me this observation, but that move suggests she sees herself more as an oracle than a blogger, and above being questioned.  While never responding to us, Debi did continue to make swipes at us in her blog, and continues to this day to frame the situation as a personal grudge or misunderstanding.  That is simply not the case.  We are trying to hold up Debi White's teaching to the light of the Scripture so that others can see it for what it is.  That is it.  We have never cast any aspersions on her character, lifestyle, history. . .not at all.  In fact, I finally pointed out just this in an email I wrote her on August 24, to which, as usual, she did not respond.  But we open that letter to you.  We want you to understand and judge the situation for yourself. 

Thanks again for reading.  Our hope is that we can encourage you to commit yourself to knowing God and His ways better, particularly by reading and studying His Word, and letting His Spirit illuminate your mind.  The text of my email to Debi follows.

8/24/2013

Debi:

I was struck a couple days ago with this realization.  While Libby and I and others have challenged your teaching/writing pointedly over the past six months (you have been asked to clarify your belief about Jesus being the only Lord, about universalism, about whether one should admonish re: the flagrant sin of another professing believer), you have never deigned to respond directly or clearly at all.  You have responded, however, in your way, by closing your blog to comments, and making, in writing, "back-handed" swipes at our motivations and character.

Do you see?  While we are trying to "turn the light onto" your teaching, you seem to be, apparently,  hoping the light will fade. . . then making swipes at our character and motivation. 

You have written that we have "mistreated you," that we have "talked negatively about you to others,"  that we "have callous hearts," that we have a "haughtily perceived superiority,"  that we "are unwilling to let God work," that we "lie." 

For the record, we purposed at the outset to make the challenges to your teaching nonpersonal.  Speaking for myself (David), I know precious little about your lifestyle or history.  But regarding my lifestyle and history: in my memory, no one has ever made the kind of accusations against me you have.  And I can say with certainty that I have never had a conversation about you outside my nuclear family.  But I'm not really troubled by your slander.  It goes with the territory.

So, a heads-up.  We are not acting whimsically.  Not reactionary.  just doing what our Lord has called on us to do.  On to the next step.

David Nitz

No Offense, Ms. Witherspoon

by David

I'm astounded sometimes at the foolishness of people who write for the "progressive church" audience.  (I'm purposely using the term "foolish" in the Biblical sense of choosing contrary to God's ways.  Cf. the Proverbs.)

There is concerted writing and teaching toward the conclusion that God doesn't really mind if we live immorally.  This bs teaching is done with full knowledge that the Bible, from Genesis to the Revelation, constantly calls God's people to be holy.  I don't think I need to multiply Bible references here;  if you belong to God, He has already taught you this;  you know this to be true. 

Believer, when God called you to follow Him, he "called you with a holy calling" and began to change your heart (mind, emotions and will).  If, beforehand, you were into pornography and sexual immorality, God called you to follow His ways, stay within His boundaries, view other men and women as brothers and sisters (not as meat, or a possible sexual conquest).  We live in a thoroughly debauched culture, in which people are shocked at nothing.  Nevertheless, here and now, Jesus call us to cleanness.  Light in darkness. Sadly, I must report to you (in the event no one ever told you) that many groups of people in America who meet together on Sundays and call themselves Christ-followers (or whatever is the fad this year) live lifestyles not substantially, morally-speaking, different from the lifestyles common to the lost world around them.  The Apostle Paul wrote that these days would come, so we shouldn't be surprised.  But he also challenges us to be alert, aware and to hold true in these last days. 

But back to my original theme, let me share the ideas of a couple blogs I've read lately to illustrate my point.  A couple months ago a local pastor was commending and forwarding a blog written by another "progressive" pastor titled something like "In Celebration of Yoga Pants."  In his blog this oh-so-cool dude wrote that one of his favorite pasttimes is hanging out in his local Starbucks to ogle the women customers in yoga pants.  Wink wink, smirk smirk.   In another blog recently, the writer (who identifies herself as a 60ish woman), relates with approval the following  story about her inlaws.  A supposedly happily-married woman gives  her husband permission to have a fantasy girlfriend, one at a time.  The blogger writes  "Men are apparently wired to notice women, cute celebrity women at that, so why not join the game, give it a for-fun voice and create one less avenue for tension?"    I feel that no one among God's people should even take the question seriously, much less feel it needs to be answered;  but there the question stands in all its foolishness.  Firstly, fellow-blogger, I should not be the one to tell you this.  Your mother should have taught you that men do not view attractive women as "cute."  In the real world of men, kittens are cute.  A bad joke may be sarcastically cute.  Men do not watch a shapely derriere in yoga pants because it is cute.  Men do not pay special attention to a particular actress or to their hot next-door neighbor because she is cute.  It is lust.  To label it otherwise is demonic.  God says so.

One of the greatest challenges facing Christian men is to keep a clear conscience.  To this end, historically, serious followers of Jesus have even quit their homelands to escape a morally corrupt culture.  Hoping that their children would fare better in an environment less hostile to their faith and calling.Let's just call sin sin.  Don't make light of it.  Don't minimize it.  Jesus died so that we can be free from the bondage of sin.  I heard a story about a young, graduating student who was being questioned about his beliefs and convictions who was asked "What do you think about sin?"  He answered "I'm against it."  Me, too.

An aferthought

by Libby

When my dad sent me this post to review and add my afterthought, at first, I didn't feel that I had anything to say; he pretty much covered it, as far as I could tell.  But as I reread it today in preparation to post it, I can't help but feel so discouraged.  Anyone that knows me knows that I spend a lot lot of time on the offensive: I fight for the Gospel of Christ, I fight for His bride, I fight against this treacherous progressive rubbish that is swallowing my brothers and sisters whole.  I put on the full armor of God and I charge into battle.  It's what I do.  But friends, I still have my days.  I still have my days where I'd just like to shrug off His armor, sink to the ground, hang my head, and allow the discouragement to wash over me.  And this particular post ..that it's even necessary ..has me feeling like this. 

I think there are a few reasons why this topic has me so disheartened. It's all just so worldly, and people don't see it.  That emotional infidelity could in any way be construed by any right-headed Christian as a wise way for couples to avoid tension is just so mind-blowingly worldly. I'm literally ...I think the word to describe me is "aghast," that an older Christian woman, whom the Bible tells us we young women are to turn to for counsel, would try to tell us that it's no big deal for our husbands to be emotionally unfaithful to us. My heart just sinks.  Who can we as young women turn to when this insidious trash is what the elder women in our church spew at us? 

 As a woman of faith, who does her best to model herself after the Proverbs 31 woman, to be a constant helpmeet, a trusted friend and lover, I absolutely deserve my husband's fidelity, both emotional and physical. Because do you know what your husband is saying to you when he says that he would like to pretend that Reese Witherspoon is his girlfriend? He's saying that you are not enough.  He's saying that God's design for two people whom He has joined together in marriage (a relationship that He specifically designed to reflect that of His Son with His Church-bride) is not enough. And that's not okay.

Because the fact of the matter is folks, we are ALL wired to live contrary to God's will.  All of us.  Does that mean we just give up?  Give in to our sinful natures in order to "create less avenues for tension"??  Gees, of course not!  Being a follower of Christ is hard work! It's a daily struggle that only His grace gets us through, but like anything else, the more we practice, the easier it gets.  The more a man submits his natural lustful desires to Christ, the more he practices keeping a clean heart and being grateful to and for the wife God has given him, the easier it will be for him to turn his eyes and his heart away from any woman, real or imaginary, who might tempt him.  And sisters? You are doing him no favors by sheepishly giving him permission to gallivant through a fantasy world with a supermodel on each arm.  Because you are in fact giving him permission to sin against you and against his Creator.  There are powerful words in the Scripture about lust, the sanctity of marriage, and how your husband is to treat you, and laying in bed next to you at night and fantasizing about "dating" celebrities is not part of His plan .  

Brothers and sisters, the marriage union is perhaps the most beautiful earthly thing God has designed for us, and it takes two avid partners, ardently throwing their whole selves into it, for it to weather the storms of this broken world and blossom into the personally fulfilling and God-honoring institution it is designed to be.  It must be purposefully, jealously, fiercely guarded.  Do NOT let the Enemy in, whether he be in the form of a hot neighbor, an ex-girlfriend, general discontent, or an imaginary Reese Witherspoon.   Don't rob yourselves of God's perfect design for your marriage by playing worldly games, because a happy, healthy, God-centered marriage is more absolutely beautiful and fulfilling than any imaginary tryst could ever be.