Posted in theology

Beth Moore announces wrap-up to Living Proof Live events, slow-down & reduction of the ministry overall

By Elizabeth Prata

Yesterday on her social media platforms, professing Christian Beth Moore announced that she is winding down her Living Proof Live part of her ongoing ministry and reducing her office staff to minimal personnel.

see video at Youtube here. Facebook here.

screen shot from Youtube announcement

Who is Beth Moore?

Beth Moore is a professing Christian who spent many decades as a Southern Baptist, eventually leaving that denomination to become Anglican in March 2021.

She began in her early 20s as a motivational speaker who also led an aerobics class at her church since the early 1980s. Noted for her ability to speak and connect with audiences, she became a Sunday School teacher at Houston’s First Baptist Church in 1984 and continued in that role for over a decade.

How old is Beth Moore?

Beth Green was born in Green Bay Wisconsin in June 1957, so as of this June 2026 Moore will be 69 years old. She was raised in Arkadelphia Arkansas.

When did she found Living Proof Ministries?

Moore founded Living Proof Ministries (LPM) in 1995 as a non-profit Christian corporation.

When did she publish her first Bible study?

Beth Moore’s first published Bible study is A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place, released in 1994 through LifeWay Christian Resources. She and Lifeway had a publishing relationship for many subsequent years, formally parting in 2021 when she left the Southern Baptist Convention and her SBC church. Lifeway even paid to charter jets or provide first class airplane accommodations to Moore as she traveled, paying half such costs. A LifeWay representative said that at her height, “no one’s products raise as much revenue as Beth Moore’s”.

At that time, “Although still without any formal theological education, LifeWay Christian Resources’ publishing arm Broadman & Holman (later B&H) began publishing her Bible studies in 1994, leading to a national speaking ministry for Moore.” (source Christianity Today- “Why Women Want Moore“)

I reviewed her first published Bible study, here

Are Beth Moore’s Bible Studies any good?

Many say they are, and the number of these studies and the popularity of them would confirm this to the undiscerning. For a long while, anyone who said anything negative about Moore would receive heated and immediate pushback. Luke 6:26 however warns against universal popularity,

Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

Others say her studies are not good, that they are rife with direct revelation, teach the unbiblical stance of learning to hear from God directly, are emotionally driven, and contain a twisted hermeneutic riddled with eisegesis, and many other issues. She preaches another Jesus, many claim.

What was Beth Moore’s Announcement?

As Moore said she is nearing her end phase, her Board of Directors said that “According to the protocol of a nonprofit organization like ours, after I turned 65, my board of directors asked me to propose a transition plan with just some idea of what I foresaw concerning Living Proof.” (source youtube video as above).

This is normal. It is wise to prepare a succession plan, but according to Council for Nonprofits, only 29% actually do. It makes sense as Moore looks at turning 70 in 18 months that she not only slow down but prepare a future vision for what she wants to do with the corporation.

Moore said in her announcement: “The plan includes downsizing Living Proof Ministries in June 2027 to minimal staff and minimal office space so that turning 70 I’ll have less responsibility overseeing a very busy ministry

Both her daughters and her son-in-law work for LPL, so this is definitely a family discussion.

Why is Beth Moore slowing down? Is she retiring?

In truth, she has already tapered off these last couple of years with reducing the number of heavily scheduled and widely traveled large scale LP Live events. Moore has still been actively speaking but only at small venues such as colleges, churches, ship cruises, and so on. Her IRS Tax return states she puts in 50 hours per week, in the past in addition to that, she spoke at up to 12 LPL events per year (every other week according to The Atlantic article) hosted a weekly TV show, went on book tours, led Sunday School at church or Bible Studies/prayer meetings at LPM offices, and wrote more books. In a lengthy article in the Atlantic Monthly magazine she was called an ‘evangelical superstar’. She was busy.

Moore said in her announcement this serves as a path toward retirement-

“So though it may sound like retirement unless the Lord wills it, it’s meant to actually delay retirement.” (source, video).

So she is slowing down and dispensing with some of the heavier responsibilities so that she can focus on her plans to speak, write, and teach.

How many Living Proof Live events will there be now?

Only 7 more, and two of those are already sold out. It is keenly insightful from an economic standpoint for her to create scarcity. It only makes the object one wants to consume all the more desirable.

What is Beth Moore known for?

It depends on who you ask. Supporters say she is known for passion for Jesus, long-standing expertise in teaching Bible to women, notable skill and verve in speaking, and excellent at her craft of writing.

Detractors say she is a Christian in name only, a false teacher who spreads seeds of false doctrine throughout the faith, a rebel who preaches to men, and a stiff-necked, self-identifying obnoxious woman unable to control her mouth or submit to correction.

–She was sexually abused by her father for a number of years starting at a very early age.

–She dislikes President Trump so intensely his candidacy and eventual winning of the Presidency shook her to the core. She sees the world through a lens of abuse. “Moore believes that an evangelical culture that demeans women, promotes sexism, and disregards accusations of sexual abuse enabled Trump’s rise.” (The Atlantic).

–She has been married to her husband Keith, a Catholic, for 47 years, though Moore has consistently publicly claimed the marriage has been difficult, turbulent, arranged in ignominy,  wearing an ever so slightly off-white, nothing special wedding dress so as not to be a total fraud, and at one point Beth sought a divorce, but Keith refused on Catholic grounds.

–Beth and Keith have two daughters, one divorced and remarried, the other still married to her original husband, and several grandchildren. Beth and Keith are still married.

–She owns the two homes on her 50-acre compound, (one a 4,537 sf home and the other a 2,126 sf home); and a ranch in Menard TX, all managed by the Keith & Elizabeth Moore Family Trust.

–Beth’s given first name is Wanda and Keith’s given first name is Ivan.

Conclusion

I am glad Moore is stopping her Living Proof Live events. I attended a Live Event and also a simulcast at another time. She is a false teacher and the fewer venues she pumps out her version of a false Christianity and the fewer women she reaches, the better. It is not a sign of God’s approval that He allows a teacher to teach for so long, nor is it validation of doctrinal solidity that she is so popular. God uses false teachers to hone the true believer’s discernment, to test us, and to separate the false from the true body.

I owned my own business at one time, so I definitely understand the need to look ahead and plan for succession. I am also in the same age bracket as Moore, so I also understand the desire to slow down. I pray she stops completely soon, for even though she has plied her ungodly trade for so many decades seemingly unperturbed by Jesus, He may indeed still ‘stop her mouth’ as it says in the KJV,

Titus 1:10-11

For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain. 

In any case, Beth will have a lot to answer for when she meets the true Jesus whom she does not currently know.

Posted in theology

The Spiritual Danger of Self-Made Identity

By Elizabeth Prata

SYNOPSIS: Christians must measure cultural female role models by Scripture. Figures like Oprah Winfrey may show admirable traits, yet their influence often celebrates self-exaltation. Oprah’s spirituality illustrates the danger of becoming your own authority, urging believers toward discernment and identity in Christ.

Continue reading “The Spiritual Danger of Self-Made Identity”
Posted in theology

Not Every Christian Book Is Safe

By Elizabeth Prata

SYNOPSIS: Examining trends in Christian publishing, the article warns that bestselling breakout books often gain popularity through marketing and consumer demand rather than sound doctrine. Because false teaching can spread through widely read titles, believers should approach popular books cautiously, seek counsel, and practice discernment carefully.

Continue reading “Not Every Christian Book Is Safe”
Posted in theology

The Shack: A sequel is coming and that is not good news

By Elizabeth Prata

Reviewing The Shack book was the first big discernment essay I wrote. The Shack was hugely popular, you might not know that since it’s been 19 years since it was published. But it swept the churches in tsunami waves. Opposing it and speaking negatively about it was a risk.

One thing that stands out to me after having re-read my review from 18 years ago is that I’m just as opposed to false doctrine as ever. I am also just as sad over how satan persistently deceives many, even the faithful. A sequel to The Shack has been commissioned and is in the works right now. More on that tomorrow, along with insights about Christian publishing.

Continue reading “The Shack: A sequel is coming and that is not good news”
Posted in theology

NAR Resources from Amy Spreeman and Michelle Lesley

By Elizabeth Prata

My work here involves encouragement, theology, and discernment. I have not done any discernment work on the NAR, an acronym which stands for New Apostolic Reformation. I have not felt the pull of the Holy Spirit to do so. I can’t cover everything.

However, the NAR is a deadly false movement, with sub-topics within it containing their own dangers, which demand attention and discernment from us to avoid. To that end, Amy Spreeman and Michelle Lesley have done a ton of work to alert us ladies to the errors of this movement, and I want to highlight their work on this topic since it is making such inroads to the faith.

Amy Spreeman of Berean Research collected testimonies from people who have left a NAR church. She wrote that the spiritual abuse is real, and it lingers in the heart and mind long after their church departure:

Testimonies: “Leaving the NAR Church”


At Berean Research we also see “What Your Church Needs to Know about the NAR”:

This book is also a good resource

The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is a dominionist movement which asserts that God is restoring the lost offices of church governance, namely the offices of Prophet and Apostle. Leading figures in this seemingly loosely organized movement claim that these prophets and apostles alone have the power and authority to execute God’s plans and purposes on earth. They believe they are laying the foundation for a global church, governed by them.


At Michelle Lesley’s site we have “What is the New Apostolic Reformation?”


And also from Michelle Lesley, “Top Ten NAR and Seeker-Driven Buzzwords”


And from the pair, Amy and Michelle at their podcast, A Word Fitly Spoken an episode called Deliver Us from Deliverance Ministry with Dawn Hill

The Podcast A Word Fitly Spoken hosted by Amy Spreeman and Michelle Lesley featured Dawn Hill recently, who spoke about a growing subset of the NAR- ‘Deliverance Ministries’. It is an interesting and informative discussion-

There’s a growing movement within the charismatic and New Apostolic Reformation camp that we’re hearing more and more about these days: deliverance ministry. If you’ve ever seen a video of someone practicing deliverance, or if you have a friend who’s dabbling in deliverance, you might wonder if it’s biblical, and if it’s OK for Christians to take part in. Our friend, Dawn Hill, joins us to explore what the Bible has to say about deliverance ministry.


Both women have many more resources at their sites for you to explore on this important topic. I hope this helps you if you decide to research this important topic.

Posted in grace

The incomparable riches of His grace

By Elizabeth Prata

Scroll to bottom after photo for mini-library suggestions of books on grace.

What are these incomparable riches of God’s grace?

First, Christ Jesus.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-7).

As we are saved, we step from dead flesh to life eternal. From enemy sinner to forgiven friend. From object of wrath to recipient of grace.

He is GREAT!!

He manifested Himself as man, servant, no less, so that He could live a life full of the same temptations we experience, can you imagine that? “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18)

GRACE!!

As our High Priest, when we confess to Him, He understands! Thoroughly, bodily, intimately. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15).

GRACE!!

Another example of the incomparable riches of His grace is “The Promise of the Holy Spirit” –“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37-39).

We are given the grace of Spirit within us and as a result have eternal security of our salvation all the days of our life. Incomparable grace!

He set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 1:22)

What is to come is MORE GRACE!!

When you think of Jesus and what He has done for us and continues to do, don’t you just get weak in the knees? Doesn’t your heart faint with love? He saved us so that He could shower us with His grace. “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10) He is the God of all grace, and He chose to shower us with the riches of that incomparable grace.

Don’t forget to remind each other of these things. Encourage one another. Repeat your testimonies. Share verses, laugh with joy at our Great Savior, who is of all Grace. All is well because Christ Jesus has risen and dwells in His heaven. All of us in Him are testimonies of His grace, and that is all joy.

EPrata photos

Some Suggestions for Books on Grace:

Fundamentals of the Faith: 13 Lessons to Grow in the Grace and Knowledge of Jesus Christ, foreword by John MacArthur

John Bunyan and the Grace of Fearing God, Joel R. Beeke

The Glory of Grace, Lewis Allen

Christian Freedom (Grace Essentials), Samuel Bolton

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners: A Brief Relation of the Exceeding Mercy of God in Christ to His Poor Servant John Bunyan, John Bunyan

All of Grace: An Earnest Word with Those Who Are Seeking Salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ, C. H. Spurgeon

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament, Mark Vroegop

Grace Transforming, Philip Graham Ryken

The Grace of Repentance, Sinclair B. Ferguson

Grace Defined and Defended: What a 400-Year-Old Confession Teaches Us about Sin, Salvation, and the Sovereignty of God, Kevin DeYoung

Transforming Grace: Living Confidently in God’s Unfailing Love, Jerry Bridges

Posted in theology

Not Just Housekeeping: The Deeper Call of Titus 2:3–5

By Elizabeth Prata

The author challenges the claim that Titus 2 limits older women to teaching homemaking. Examining context and the Greek term “teacher of good,” the piece asserts that Paul calls women to transmit sound doctrine and practical holiness, intertwining orthodoxy and orthopraxy in intergenerational discipleship, not merely domestic skills.

Continue reading “Not Just Housekeeping: The Deeper Call of Titus 2:3–5”
Posted in theology

Reading Leviticus and Remembering the Cross: From Unending Sacrifices to the Perfect Sacrifice

By Elizabeth Prata

Like many others, I read the Bible in a year through an annual Bible Reading Plan. I am currently using the John MacArthur Daily Bible. And like many others, I find Leviticus hard to get through. I become confused with all the sacrifices. I think about the burdensome level of the priestly work, the relentlessness of the People needing to know and perform the offerings…it’s a bit much. I needed to sort through these once and for all.

A friend sent me a link to a sermon she had heard at Grace Community Church in the Sundays in July series held there. It’s by Abner Chou and he preaches a survey of the difficult books of the Old Testament, including Leviticus. I found this very helpful. I’ll link to it here, it is called “The Road Less Traveled“. I summarize part of it below. These are near quotes but not total quotes.

From Abner Chou: ‘There are 5 major sacrifices presented in the book of Leviticus and 3 of them are not for sin. That means only 2 are for sin. What are the other 3 for? They are for worship. These 5 sacrifices then mix and match in different combinations for the purpose of theology. So if you understand the underlying theology of these 5 you’ve got the theology behind all of them’.

Mainly, Leviticus is about God’s holiness.

  1. Burnt offering. The whole offering is burned, representing our desire to wholly offer ourselves to God. It represents Dedication.
  2. Grain offering. Grain was commonly cultivated and represents how God took care of them and provided, so it is for thanks. It represents Thanksgiving.
  3. Peace offering. (Fellowship offering). Thanking God that we have a relationship with Him. This sacrifice represents Fellowship.
  4. Sin offering, it’s about Sin.
  5. Guilt offering. Different from sin offering because it includes times when restitution has to be made. It involves times when repentance deals with how you sinned against God or your neighbor in a way that has injured them, and part of repentance is making that right in an economic fashion. (In Isaiah 53:10 we read Jesus offered himself as a guilt offering, and this is because He dealt with sin AND its consequences on the cross).

While other Old Testament sacrifices focused on specific aspects of redemption—the burnt offering on self-surrender, the sin offering on guilt removal—the guilt offering uniquely emphasized restitution and the restoration of what sin had damaged,” says Don K. Campbell, “Sacrifice,” in The Theological Wordbook, ed. Charles R. Swindoll and Roy B. Zuck (Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, Inc., 2000), 311–312.

Back to Chou from his sermon: ‘The sacrifices show “the way we become holy must be holy”. We can’t just do the sacrifices any which way we want; we can’t go about salvation any which way I want, it has to be done God’s way and it has to satisfy HIM. And He has a standard. The example is Nadab and Abihu killed for offering strange fire. What is strange fire? It’s fire that deviates in any fashion from what God prescribes. They were supposed to mix the incense and ingredients in a certain way through certain steps. Any one that is off or different makes it strange. If you don’t offer the right sacrifice, you become the sacrifice.”‘

I also used my Logos Software to look up the offerings. Here is a short summary and the addresses for each of the 5 main offerings mentioned above:

Burnt: Lev. 9:2. Its purpose was to make an atonement for sin, Lev. 1:4; 7. Ordinances concerning, Ex. 29:15–18; Lev. 1; 5:7–10; 6:9–13; 17:8, 9; 23:18, 26–37; Num. 15:24, 25; 19:9; 28:26–31; 29. Accompanied by other offerings, Num. 15:3–16. Skins of, belonged to priests, Lev. 7:8. Offered daily, morning and evening, Gen. 15:17; Ex. 29:38–42; Lev. 6:20; Num. 28; 29:6; 1 Chr. 16:40; 2 Chr. 2:4; 13:11; Ezra 3:3; Ezek. 46:13–15. Music with, Num. 10:10.

Grain: The grain offering in ancient Israel functioned primarily as an act of worship and dedication rather than atonement. Unlike sacrifices that addressed sin, the grain offering’s purpose centered on worship, allowing Israelites to express their relationship with God through voluntary giving.

Peace: Laws concerning, Ex. 29:19–22, 31; Lev. 7:11–15, 18; 9:3, 4, 15–21; 23:19; Num. 6:14; 10:10.

Sin: Ordinances concerning, Ex. 29:10–14 with Heb. 13:11–13; Lev. 4; 5; 6:1–7, 26–30; 9:1–21; 12:6–8; 14:19, 22, 31; 15:30; 23:19; Num. 6:10, 11, 14, 16; 8:8, 12; 15:27; 28:15, 22–24, 30; 29:5, 6, 11, 16–38. Temporary, Dan. 11:31; Heb. 9, 10.

Trespass: (AKA in certain translations the Guilt Offering). Ordinances concerning, Lev. 5; 6:1–7; 7:1–7; 14:10–22; 15:15, 29, 30; 19:21, 22; Num. 6:12; Ezra 10:19. To be eaten by the priests, Lev. 7:6, 7; 14:13; Num. 18:9, 10. Offered by idolaters, 1 Sam. 6:3, 8, 17, 18. See SIN OFFERING, above.


Here are other offerings mentioned in Leviticus-

Vow: Lev. 7:16, 17; 22:17–25; Deut. 23:21–23.

Wave: Placed in the hand of the priest and waved before the Lord. Ordinances concerning, Ex. 29:22, 26–28; Lev. 7:29–34; 8:25–29; 9:19–21; 10:14, 15; 23:10, 11, 17–20; Num. 5:25; 6:19, 20. Belonged to the priests, Ex. 29:26–28; Lev. 7:31, 34; 8:29; 9:21; 23:20; Num. 18:11, 18. To be eaten, Lev. 10:14, 15; Num. 18:11, 18, 19, 31.

Wood: Fuel for the temple, Neh. 10:34; 13:31.

Thank: Ordinances concerning, Lev. 7:11–15; 22:29; Deut. 12:11, 12.

Drink: Libations of wine offered with the sacrifices, Gen. 35:14; Ex. 29:40, 41; 30:9; Lev. 23:13, 18; Num. 6:17; 15:24; 28:5–15, 24–31; 29:6–11, 18–40; 2 Kin. 16:13; 1 Chr. 29:21; 2 Chr. 29:35; Ezra 7:17.

Free Will: Must be perfect, Lev. 22:17–25. To be eaten by priests, Lev. 7:11–18. With meal and drink offerings, Num. 15:1–16. Obligatory when signified in a vow, Deut. 16:10; 23:23.

Heave: Given to the priests’ families as part of their emoluments, Lev. 10:14; Num. 5:9; 18:10–19, 24. Consecrated by being elevated by the priest, Ex. 29:27. Consisted of the right thigh or hind quarter, Ex. 29:27, 28; Lev. 7:12–14, 32, 34; 10:15; spoils, including captives and other articles of war, Num. 31:29, 41. When offered, Lev. 7:12–14; Num. 6:20; 15:19–21. In certain instances this offering was brought to the tabernacle, or temple, Deut. 12:6, 11, 17, 18. To be offered on taking possession of the land of Canaan, Num. 15:18–21.

Meal (or Meat): Ordinances concerning, Ex. 29:40, 41; 30:9; 40:29; Lev. 2; 5:11, 12; 6:14–23; 7:9–13, 37; 9:17; 23:13, 16, 17; Num. 4:16; 5:15, 18, 25, 26; 8:8; 15:1–16, 24; 18:9; 28:5, 9, 12, 13, 20, 21, 26–31; 29:3, 4, 14. To be eaten in the holy place, Lev. 10:13; Num. 18:9, 10. Offered with the sacrifices, Num. 15:3–16. Not mixed with leaven, Lev. 2:4, 11; 6:14–18; 10:12, 13; Num. 6:15, 17. Storerooms for, in the temple reconstructed by Ezra, Neh. 12:44; 13:5, 6; provided for in the vision of Ezekiel, Ezek. 42:13.

Special Sacrifices: In consecration of the altar, see ALTAR; of priests, see PRIESTS; of the temple, see TEMPLE, DEDICATION OF; for leprosy, see LEPROSY; for defilement, see DEFILEMENT.

Animal Sacrifices: A type of Christ, Psa. 40:6–8, with Heb. 10:1–14; Isa. 53:11, 12, with Lev. 16:21; John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7; 2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 5:2; Heb. 9:19–28; 10:1, 11, 12; 13:11–13; Rev. 5:6.


Jesus warned that any sacrifice whether Old Testament or New testament is worthless if unaccompanied by repentance. Rote offerings without the heart involved are rejected:

Unavailing When not Accompanied by Piety: 1 Sam. 15:22; Psa. 40:6; Psa. 50:8–14; Psa. 51:16, 17; Prov. 21:3, 27; Isa. 1:11–14; Isa. 40:16; Isa. 66:3; Jer. 6:20; Jer. 7:21–23; Jer. 14:12; Hos. 6:6; Hos. 8:13; Amos 5:21–24; Mic. 6:6–8; Mark 12:33

Swanson, J., & Nave, O. (1994). New Nave’s Topical Bible. Logos Research Systems.


My overwhelming thoughts as I read through Leviticus are several: Blood-blood-blood. It definitely makes us remember the verse in Hebrews 9:22, “And almost all things are cleansed with blood, according to the Law, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

Holy-holy-holy- as we read through this book we should have a solid understanding about how holy God is- and how UNholy we are.

It makes me think of how burdensome it was to attempt to atone for sins through endless sacrifices, which of course makes us value and understand the necessity of Jesus to make a once-for-all sacrifice (of Himself!) for our sins AND to declare us righteous through His imputed righteousness. If you watch a lot of cops videos or court TV we understand the recidivism rate is high. We may be declared innocent, or not guilty in court, but then how many people turn right around and go sin/break the law again?

As Chou mentioned there was a once-a-year reset on the Day of Atonement, but if you sinned the next day, what then?

Leviticus makes me grateful. The Lord saw fit to knit me in my mother’s womb in 1960 AD and not 960 BC when I would be under the Law in Solomon’s time.

As HA Ironside wrote in his 1929 book “Lectures on the Levitical Offerings, “He had been so continually misrepresented by the first man to whom He had committed lordship over the earth, and by all his descendants, that it was necessary that some man should be found who would live in this scene wholly to His glory. God’s character must be vindicated; and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Second Man, the Lord from heaven, was the only one who could do that.

Praise God he sent His Son to atone for us and impute His righteousness unto us! Jesus FULLY glorified God. Our blessing is that if we repent and submit to Him, we will be saved.

Posted in theology

A meditation on the trend to go back to analog

By Elizabeth Prata

I realize I am writing this on a digital platform to be published on digital media.

EPrata photo

However, I am 65 years old and I was a full adult nearing middle age before the internet came to my house. For most of my life, I had a heavy, black rotary phone, drove cars without a computer chip in them, and looked for books at the library through a card catalog. We sailed our boat over 22,000 nautical miles in the Atlantic Ocean without the help of a GPS. We always found our way to port.

When the internet came, and with it email, bulletin boards, Compuserv, streaming movies, I embraced the digital, it is an incredible invention. I do love it. But it is also fraught with potential for bad, even evil. Temptations and addictions abound. Distraction, FOMO, life comparison, phone addiction, and porn are just a few of those.

Children are entering school without knowing how to have a conversation, with limited vocabulary, and non-existent attention spans. Parents using the phone or tablet as a neglect-o-meter for their children, or on the phone so much themselves, their child wanders the house aimlessly not knowing what true loving engagement is.

We all embraced it when it came along. Schools scrambled to buy chrome books and desktop computers so their students would not be ‘left behind’. The dot.Com boom helped this attitude. The old humongous TV on a rolling cart used once in a while for a documentary program was replaced by ever larger screens used for just about everything. Apps were added to student computers to use at home and increasingly, in school. Even standardized testing went digital.

What I am seeing is a trend in the world back to digital. Being 65 and having seen trends come and go- and come again- is the way of the world. I’m glad there is a movement back to analog.

Many states in the US are banning student use of cell phones during school hours. Sweden was a country that initially wholeheartedly embraced it all. But over time, the glow dwindled. We read about Sweden

“…by 2023, Sweden’s government and educators began to voice concerns. Studies raised red flags about declining reading comprehension and concentration among Swedish students. The Swedish government officially announced it would scale back the use of digital devices in early grades, with more focus on physical books and handwriting. According to an AP News report, Sweden’s Education Minister Lotta Edholm said students “need more textbooks” and emphasized that physical books are important for student learning as the country reconsiders screen-heavy instruction.”

There is a swing among Gen Z and millennials to ‘go analog’. I’ve read more than once lately that vinyl records are surging in popularity. Young adults scour the thrift stores for record players. Apparently there comes a time when a critical mass of concerns make using digital media just not fun anymore. Recent announcements by streaming music companies that you can pay to download songs but you don’t own them have dimmed the glow of the ease of using digital media for music. Major services who offer a service but decline to allow the consumer to own the music- meaning it can be removed at any time from their platforms, include Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music.

When older adults fondly recall sitting snuggled on the couch with their family and reminiscing over a photo album with 35 mm pictures in them, telling stories and knitting together in love, younger adults only have the cold phone swiping photo and feel they are missing out. And they are.

Photo albums are going extinct, but is that a good thing? Photo albums are the repository of nostalgia, family stories, personal history. Pixels don’t last. Photos do. A family narrative huddled around a smartphone, looking at pictures one by one does not have the same tender qualities as the former way of creating meaning among a family unit.

EPrata photo

There is a documentary that’s got people excited, it’s called “California Typewriter.” The documentary’s blurb goes,

CALIFORNIA TYPEWRITER is a documentary portrait of artists, writers, and collectors who remain steadfastly loyal to the typewriter as a tool and muse, featuring Tom Hanks, John Mayer, David McCullough, Sam Shepard, and others. It also movingly documents the struggles of California Typewriter, one of the last standing repair shops in America dedicated to keeping the aging machines clicking. In the process, the film delivers a thought-provoking meditation on the changing dynamic between humans and machines, and encourages us to consider our own relationship with technology, old and new, as the digital age’s emphasis on speed and convenience redefines who’s serving whom, human or machine?

DIgital media can display the best of humans, as in a GoFundMe to help a flooded out or burned out family. It can also illustrate our depravity, as some of those GoFundMe cases are revealed to be lies. People are turned off by constant AI fakery, lies, nastiness over even innocuous comments. It seems to be a quiet revolution as more people turn off their phones, swap for flip phones, retreat from social media, or just in general, quit.

“We’re seeing that a group of Gen Z [and millennials] is choosing to leave social media entirely, and probably a larger group that’s choosing just to limit social media as they regain more of what they’re trying to find: balance and security and safety in their life,” Dorsey said,” in this article, “A ‘quiet revolution’: Why young people are swapping social media for lunch dates, vinyl records and brick phones.

In this article, we see the word tangible. In other articles I’ve see the word tactile. “Gen Zers and millennials flock to so-called analog islands ‘because so little of their life feels tangible'” More and more people are choosing analog hobbies –

They are setting down their devices to paint, color, knit and play board games. Others carve out time to mail birthday cards and salutations written in their own hand. Some drive cars with manual transmissions while surrounded by automobiles increasingly able to drive themselves. And a widening audience is turning to vinyl albums, resuscitating an analog format that was on its deathbed 20 years ago.”

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I am not a prophet and I can’t say this trend will last. I hope so. I tell my students at school about ‘the old days of the 1900s’ when we played outside, rode our bikes all over, went to each other’s houses, had sleepovers, drank from the water hose, begged a dime for the ice cream truck, went to the movies on weekends for $1, and never saw a personal screen in all our lives. Their mouths drop open. They are amazed. My heart aches for them because I know what they are missing out on.

Of course in today’s world many of those activities are no longer safe or possible. But the ‘analog’ hobbies were fun. As I said, I hope this trend lasts a while, but in the end I think the world will be overrun with technology and with it, its worst qualities.

The Bible says that the future will be a one world economy, and it’s hard to see that happening without even further advancement of the digital world. The Antichrist who will seem to rise from the dead could easily be a faked AI video or a hologram. But for now, I salute those young adults who are searching for ‘analog’ connection, tactile hobbies, and a life not dominated by emotionless digital pressure but warmth of fellowship, swapped stories, and sunshine.

EPrata photo
Posted in theology

“IF:One Night” and Jennie Allen’s “voice from the sky”

By Elizabeth Prata

In 2007, Jennie Allen heard a “voice from the sky”. Or it was a whisper. It spoke to her that day. Or it was the middle of the night. Anyway, the whisper told her things. It said, “Gather and equip this generation”. So she obeyed and founded IF:Gathering in 2014.

Ahem, you can see from the dates that there was a delayed reaction to her obedience…

Quote from Jennie Allen’s first IF:Gathering. I have the video of her saying it. It’s real.

This non-profit organization’s stated main mission is: “TO GATHER, EQUIP AND UNLEASH THE NEXT GENERATION OF PEOPLE TO LIVE OUT THEIR PURPOSE.”

Revenue last year was 11.3 million, expenses were 7.6 million, for a total take of 3.7 million dollars and 6.8 million in assets. (Source).

Their stated three-fold sub-mission is stated as the following:

If Lead: equipping women to share and learn through Christ-centered discussions

If Gather: a two-day gathering that brought thousands of women together in Fort Worth and at local gatherings across the globe. The gathering is a fresh, deep, honest space for a new generation of women to wrestle with the essential question: If God is real… Then what?

If Equip: a holistic, strategic, deep way to connect online with a like-hearted community and relevant resources. We hope to prepare women around the world to know God more deeply and to live out their purposes by sharing comments and feelings about daily passages posted online.


On Friday, February 26, Founder Jennie Allen will host this year’s big event: IF:One Night. On their website it’s stated that IF is not only an event, “but a discipleship ministry focused on putting tools and resources in the hands of women in the church. Through these, IF is able to empower women to reclaim discipleship as God’s means to change the world.”

Before you decide to attend (digitally only, the real life event being held at what I believe is Jennie’s church, Watermark Church in Dallas, is sold out) or before you decide to host a local gathering to stream along the event happening at Watermark Church, think on these things.

-Do you want to trust a founder who listens to voices from the sky? The Lord has ceased speaking directly to individuals. That voice from the sky cold have been anything from bad quesadilla rumblings in the night to demons whispering to her ear.

-Do you want to align with an organization that is based on doubt? “IF” God exists? He does. The entire organization, besides the whispery issue, is founded on doubt and promotes women gathering to obsess over them and their ‘feelings’.

-Do you want to trust an organization who presents to you “Bible” teachers who are apostate, false, and otherwise unhealthy? Slated to teach you at IF:One Night are Francis Chan, Matt Chandler, Lauren Chandler (who loves & partners with false teacher Beth Moore), Jennie Allen, Christine Caine, and others who are proven to be unreliable Bible teachers.

-Do you want to compete with and be drawn away from your own local church? Talk about feelings with strangers with whom you do not connect on a weekly basis over the preached word of God in your own assembly? This is a para-church organization whose intent is to multiply groups away from your local church and to whom you are not accountable as you are to your own elders. Please consider discussing any doubts or fears you have with your own church members. It is what they are there for and how the church grows through the word, fellowship, and discipling.

I’ve written about IF:Gathering negatively since the beginning of their foray into Christianity and women’s minds and hearts. I give you an earnest plea: Avoid IF.

See video clip here where Jennie admitted her impetus for founding IF was a voice from the sky: