From the Desk of Arthur Burk: CASTING THE TIE-BREAKER

Arthur posted

CASTING THE TIE BREAKER
By Arthur
Someone forwarded me a blog written by Beth Moore about her experiences in the Body of Christ, dealing with males.
Here is a link to her blog.
https://blog.lproof.org/2018/05/a-letter-to-my-brothers.html
I read it all and I read the spaces between the lines and know that she only shared about 1% of the junk she has experienced at the hands of “Men of God.”
As one who has championed women in a hands on, tangible way (not just giving lip service to the role of women), I would like to add just a bit to her story.
When Jesus rose from the dead, He had options. He could reveal himself FIRST to anyone He wanted. He choose to reveal himself to a woman.
BUT because Mary who saw Jesus, and the other women who met with an angel in the empty tomb, were women they were discredited.
On the road to Emmaus the two males commented with disdain on some wild rumors floating around, which were utterly discounted because they came from women.
Later that evening, the same two males raced back to Jerusalem to find the ten abuzz with the fact that IT WAS TRUE, Jesus was alive.
How did they know?
The most utterly discredited male of the bunch, Peter, had seen Jesus, and because he was male, you see, his word was utterly believable.
So the spiritual eldership at the foundation of the church was indisputably, incorrigibly, male chauvinist. Horribly so.
And God went out of His way to document for all of time and eternity how utterly wrong the males were to discount the first hand, eye witness account of the females.
God did not disguise at all the warped and disgraceful chauvinism of the ten and their buds.
BUT, in spite of that facet of their world view and of their values, or possibly BECAUSE of it, Jesus choose to reveal Himself to a woman FIRST.
That was deliberate. Intentional. It was a statement for the ages. It can never be erased from the reality of human history. No man can undo the story line and step into first place.
So Jesus cast a vote.
He said “Women are my chosen, trustworthy stewards of first fruits revelation for the Body of Christ and I WILL use this woman, Mary of Magdala, as the very first member of the Body of Christ. The first person to see Me as the resurrected Christ, to believe in Me and to take her place in Christendom.”
Will Mary of Magdala lead the parade into the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, as the first Christian? I wonder.
Now, the spiritual eldership of the Body of Christ has voted against women being trustworthy stewards of first fruits revelation from the hand of God.
It was not just Mary and Beth who have been voted down by the males. Untold times over the years, God has spoken to women first. He has given them the revelation of what is on His heart, and has invited them to birth it into the visible flow of the Kingdom.
Again and again, they have accepted the revelation from God, only to be spurned by the male chauvinist spiritual eldership.
And a few months later, some male stands in a position of spiritual leadership and announces to the world that God has told HIM about this new thing . . .
So the score in 1 to 1. A tied game.
Jesus voted in favor of the trustworthiness of women,
The men voted against.
And in one of the most delicious, monumental ironies of the ages, the women get to cast the tie breaking vote.
So Beth Moore, as a White, male, visionary, passionate, trail blazing, spiritual, authority figure, I publicly celebrate you for casting a tie breaking vote in favor of YOUR design and calling by God.
You decided that you ARE a worthy steward of revelation from God. You decided there IS a space for you to minister the living Word of God to those who wish to sit at your feet. You agreed with God that your gender QUALIFIES you to speak into this culture, at this time, with the revelation God has given you.
Beth, I have never met you. I have never listened to any of your teachings. But we have a saying in our tribe. “You can measure the stature of a man (or woman) in the community by what people behind their back.”
By that standard, you cast a very long shadow. Lots of people have said a lot of things about you to me and those things define my view of you.
In a day and age of staggering slovenliness in the pulpit, what I have heard about you is that you have a remarkable work ethic when it comes to the Word of God.
I have heard that you serve your followers meat and veggies and eschew the cotton candy that is so in vogue these days.
I have heard that you produce measurable, verifiable, sustained change in people’s lives.
I have heard that the women who sit at your feet learn to be reconciled to their design. They walk in dignity because of who God says they are, no longer being yanked around by the opinions of mere men.
Beth, I have no idea what brand you set out to create. But I am deeply impressed with the brand that you have in reality established.
It is no longer the age of spiritual mugging. In this season of church history, people are going to smell the fragrance of Christ.
You are fragrant, as would be expected of one who has long been in the presence of the Lord of the Spices.
And Beth, I know you said you learned to wear flats when you were on stage with small men.
In the event we ever meet, you don’t have to wear your spiritual flats around me. You are free to tower over me, and be every bit of who you are. I am not intimidated by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ expressed majestically through women who are stewarding revelation with excellence.
Thanks for casting a deciding vote on behalf of yourself, and all women called to spiritual leadership.
MY world is a better place because you voted to be big, not safe.
Arthur Burk
Sapphire Leadership Group, Inc.

I have my own post of thoughts to share, but wanted this post to stand on its own.
I agree with every word Arthur posted here.