Untwisting Scriptures and offering the Living Water, to help others (especially those who have been abused) experience the joy to be found in Jesus Christ
A while back when I (Rebecca) was talking with some former ATI members (Bill Gothard’s Advanced Training Institute), I thought about the devastation, confusion, and even anti-Christianity that has resulted from this homeschooling program. I said aloud to myself, “Bill Gothard certainly has left a tremendous amount of destruction in his wake.” Then I added …
In March I was privileged to speak at the Awaken Network’s conference on abuse. My topic was Biblical bitterness, showing how in the Bible “bitterness” refers to one who has been poisoned and is grieving, and “bitterness” also refers to one who is doing the poisoning. Both are called “bitter,” but only one is sinful. …
Continue reading “The Good News About Biblical Bitterness: A Short Talk”
It sounds radical, doesn’t it? And as a solid Christian, why would I want to convince anyone that something we’ve always thought of as “sinful” isn’t really sinful? To be clear, I’m extremely opposed to sin! But I believe many in the church of Jesus Christ can end up putting “heavy burdens and grievous to …
Continue reading “Maybe Your Bitterness Isn’t Really Sinful: A Video Interview”
This post is Part Three of a larger series on the Biblical concept of bitterness. Parts One and Two were published earlier this month, covering the “root of bitterness” in Hebrews and the “gall of bitterness” in Acts. Update October 2016: The topic of bitterness is addressed at length in the new book Untwisting Scriptures that …
Continue reading “Bitterness in the Bible? It’s Not What You Thought It Was”
In this series, I’m addressing the concept of bitterness in the Bible, how it is used to shame and blame victims of abuse who are seeking help from their churches. The first post in this series addressed the “root of bitterness” in Hebrews, explaining how it isn’t unforgiveness, as it’s often presented to be, but is …
Continue reading “The “Gall of Bitterness” in Acts — It Isn’t Resentment”
This kind of bitterness is not a “secret root” within the heart of Christians that Christians should constantly be searching their hearts for, or asking others to point out to them, the way so many preach.
I’ve had a few epiphanies in my lifetime, and all of them have been important. But this one, this is the biggie. It happened in November of 2004, eighteen years ago this month. I was scrubbing the kitchen floor. While I scrubbed, I listened to some Bible teaching on cassette tape. So let me back …
I’m reflecting on a few verses in Titus 2. When I was young, in my 30s, I wanted so much to one day be an older woman teaching the younger. But life can end up looking different from what we expected when we were younger, you know what I mean? And it seems in some …
Continue reading “Reflections on My 65th Birthday: The Little Red Hen”
MaryEllen Bream has been encouraging Christian mothers at her Imperfect Homemaker blog for several years. More recently, she has begun speaking up about domestic abuse on Facebook and at Hope for Hurting Wives. She has impressed me as a calm, steady voice in the world of abuse advocates, and goodness knows we need more of …
Jay Adams’ nouthetic counseling methods have done great damage to the abused. How has his view on sanctification distorted the Christian life?