I have. Half the time there's some legitimacy to it, the other half it's complaining about how they don't like being told that something they want to do is a sin.
anchored
“By trying to find fulfillment everywhere, we find it nowhere.” -Elisabeth Elliot
Jen does go to church- the church of her idol, Jen Hatmaker. Thankful the Lord is so slow to anger towards us broken, self- seeking people. When she has her road to Damascus moment, I pray her eyes will finally see.
Martie
I was so disappointed when Jen began to fall into the enemy's trap. I pray her eyes are opened and her heart is softened so that she can be reconciled again with Jesus.
pjp
Never heard of her and glad I didn’t.
EGUI6497
It always boggles my mind that people think they can love Jesus, or be a fan of Jesus, and completely disregard vast swaths of His and God's teaching. C.S. Lewis really summed it up very well when he said Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. There is no good moral teacher or example to follow unless He is the Lord.
My Two Cents
I don't follow Christian influencers, so I am not defending or condemning Jen Hatmaker. I read reports and analyses of her lately, so am somewhat familiar with the controversy. Reading this alone, it seems like she is a heretic. But, Denny Burk failed to mention that her ex husband, a pastor and church founder, cheated on her. If we are blaming Ms Hatmaker for her unbiblical views of church and other things, it seems like the biblical admonition for husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church, should be equally applied to him. She and her then husband BOTH came out in support of LGBTQ acceptance when their 18 year old daughter "came out". Sadly, 2020 (when they divorced) was a time of great upheaval in personal lives, and spiritual health. I'm sure as everything piled on, it is understandable that she went through a time of soul searching. That is not to say she is absolved of responsibility of her own sin, but as Christians, we have fallen short in praying for one another, exhortating our fellow believers, and sharing our burdens with one another.
I did not know that about her husband. I am sorry to hear it. My husband and I just watched the memorial service of John MacArthur. What a sharp contrast! John faithfully taught God's word for 56 years. He loved his family and church well. The testimonies were moving. All of this as an outward expression of His love for God and His word!!
Her husband's having an affair is not an excuse for her apostasy. She began turning away from Jesus when her daughter decided she is a lesbian. Instead of leading her daughter towards Jesus, she hopped on the LGBTQ+ train. Brandon was not the influencer, so the spotlight wasn't on him.
Brandon was her husband, and should be leading his family according to scripture. He definitely WAS an influencer. He had an affair and also hopped on the LGBTQ train. I also never said her husband’s affair was an excuse for her apostasy. In fact, I said just the opposite. Mr. Burk should have rebuked the husband.
Knowing Dr. Burk, I'm sure it was not an intentional omission. The fact is that Jen Hatmaker has primarily been the one in the news. In fact, this whole piece seems to have been prompted by a recent interview which she was using to promote her new book. Omitting her husband's acts was not meant to excuse his actions. If those things are true of her husband you are completely right about his own culpability.
I don't know Mr. Burk, and I certainly don't presume nefarious motives for his omission, but I do think Brandon Hatmaker's affair is more of a major factor than an inconsequential one. According to Burk's bio, he is president of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. I hope he doesn't just assume broken marriages are all the fault of the women. Perhaps Brandon's response to their daughter's sexual sins precipitated poor exegesis all around. The man is head of his wife, and responsible for the spiritual training of the children. That, plus infedelity is a huge elephant in my book. Did Jen come up with all these ideas and beliefs by herself? Maybe if she had been loved and cherished by her husband as Christ loved the church and gave his life for her, she wouldn't be in this spiritual wilderness. HOWEVER, she is where she is, so we can pray that a godly older woman can mentor her and come along side, and lead her into the fold. Beauty from ashes! Thank you for your comment.
"Maybe if she had been loved and cherished by her husband as Christ loved the church and gave his life for her, she wouldn't be in this spiritual wilderness." If your faith depends on what your husband does or does not do, it's not Christ you're following.
I'm sorry, I just now saw your comment. While I do agree with the last sentence, do you believe being married to an apostate is a contributing factor to Jen's fall?
Good question. I guess I believe that, if someone decides to depart, he or she will adopt pretty much anything (other than his/her own decision) as the excuse to blame. But the ultimate reason is that he/she was never "there" in the first place. "They went out from us because they were not of us." If she had been "of us," his affair would have driven her closer, not farther.
You make a lot of good points. I believe your response is the most loving one I've read. I am sure Paul would advise us to pray for this broken woman who has been confused and hurt in a lot of ways. Compassion and mercy are fruits of the Spirit. Not condemnation or writing people off.
Thank you! I appreciate your kind words. I did some digging to satisfy my curiosity, and to see that my heart is in the right place. The church her ex founded, or led up until their divorce, is a pro lgbtq "church." Its entire leadership team is properly labeled with pronouns. He apparently isn't there anymore, but the tone is still alive. If Jen suddenly went all cushy, it wasn't the result of their daughter, but is ingrained in the fabric of that group that calls itself a church. Much bigger problem right there! Again, thank you, and many blessings to you.
DavidBSable
The church needs to get the word out that the Christian sexual ethic that transformed Roman paganism is oriented towards human flourishing, the restraining of disordered passions, and the protection of women. When we buy into the notion that sexual questions are worked out based upon adult fulfillment with the mere requirement of consent, women are hurt, and children are deprived if not eliminated. Sex in the context of a man and woman in a covenantal, self-sacrificing relationship is by all measures produces the greatest opportunity for human flourishing from which society and nations are built.
Tom
"She’s divorced and says she’s dating a guy and going through a “sexual renaissance.”"
Not the first time, nor the fifty-first, nor the last.
“The organized-religion part of faith is not serving me right now.”
Technically speaking, yes.
Of course, you're also going to have to reject the entire rest of the New Testament in order to make that stick.
spikewerks
She’s one of many “pop” Christian heroes who have done the same thing in the last decade.
mereimmortal
Jen Hatmaker did not deconstruct; she was never constructed. Even in her ‘evangelical’ days there were signs. And I would tell my friends and daughters, ‘Watch out for that one. She is not a believer.’
Never constructed…very accurate observation….
“Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.“
Funny how so many of these types have "meteoric" rises and become celebrities rather than steady builders. 1 Corinthians 3... one day each man's work will be tested...
Interestingly, Jesus did give advice on sewing--specifically, what you shouldn't sew together. For he said that you should not tear a new garment and use it to fix an old one. (Matthew 9:16; Mark 2:21; Luke 5:36)
"The Jesus that she thinks she knows talked much about sewing and reaping." No, He talked about SOWING and reaping. He was not a tentmaker; that was Paul.
KDON9307
Jesus isn’t looking for “fans”.
Jason Maas
Ugh. Thank you for the warning. Her thinking is really twisted.
“I’m a complicated person because I’m still a big fan of Jesus, but I guess I don’t like many of his folks.”
That’s four “I’s” in one sentence. Maybe that’s the problem.
"...don't like many of his folks." Nor, apparently, many of His teachings. So of what about Him is she such a "big fan"?
You've never heard anyone say "Lord, save us from your followers"?
I have. Half the time there's some legitimacy to it, the other half it's complaining about how they don't like being told that something they want to do is a sin.
“By trying to find fulfillment everywhere, we find it nowhere.” -Elisabeth Elliot
Jen does go to church- the church of her idol, Jen Hatmaker. Thankful the Lord is so slow to anger towards us broken, self- seeking people. When she has her road to Damascus moment, I pray her eyes will finally see.
I was so disappointed when Jen began to fall into the enemy's trap. I pray her eyes are opened and her heart is softened so that she can be reconciled again with Jesus.
Never heard of her and glad I didn’t.
It always boggles my mind that people think they can love Jesus, or be a fan of Jesus, and completely disregard vast swaths of His and God's teaching. C.S. Lewis really summed it up very well when he said Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. There is no good moral teacher or example to follow unless He is the Lord.
I don't follow Christian influencers, so I am not defending or condemning Jen Hatmaker. I read reports and analyses of her lately, so am somewhat familiar with the controversy. Reading this alone, it seems like she is a heretic. But, Denny Burk failed to mention that her ex husband, a pastor and church founder, cheated on her. If we are blaming Ms Hatmaker for her unbiblical views of church and other things, it seems like the biblical admonition for husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church, should be equally applied to him. She and her then husband BOTH came out in support of LGBTQ acceptance when their 18 year old daughter "came out". Sadly, 2020 (when they divorced) was a time of great upheaval in personal lives, and spiritual health. I'm sure as everything piled on, it is understandable that she went through a time of soul searching. That is not to say she is absolved of responsibility of her own sin, but as Christians, we have fallen short in praying for one another, exhortating our fellow believers, and sharing our burdens with one another.
I did not know that about her husband. I am sorry to hear it. My husband and I just watched the memorial service of John MacArthur. What a sharp contrast! John faithfully taught God's word for 56 years. He loved his family and church well. The testimonies were moving. All of this as an outward expression of His love for God and His word!!
Her husband's having an affair is not an excuse for her apostasy. She began turning away from Jesus when her daughter decided she is a lesbian. Instead of leading her daughter towards Jesus, she hopped on the LGBTQ+ train. Brandon was not the influencer, so the spotlight wasn't on him.
Brandon was her husband, and should be leading his family according to scripture. He definitely WAS an influencer. He had an affair and also hopped on the LGBTQ train. I also never said her husband’s affair was an excuse for her apostasy. In fact, I said just the opposite. Mr. Burk should have rebuked the husband.
Knowing Dr. Burk, I'm sure it was not an intentional omission. The fact is that Jen Hatmaker has primarily been the one in the news. In fact, this whole piece seems to have been prompted by a recent interview which she was using to promote her new book. Omitting her husband's acts was not meant to excuse his actions. If those things are true of her husband you are completely right about his own culpability.
I don't know Mr. Burk, and I certainly don't presume nefarious motives for his omission, but I do think Brandon Hatmaker's affair is more of a major factor than an inconsequential one. According to Burk's bio, he is president of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. I hope he doesn't just assume broken marriages are all the fault of the women. Perhaps Brandon's response to their daughter's sexual sins precipitated poor exegesis all around. The man is head of his wife, and responsible for the spiritual training of the children. That, plus infedelity is a huge elephant in my book. Did Jen come up with all these ideas and beliefs by herself? Maybe if she had been loved and cherished by her husband as Christ loved the church and gave his life for her, she wouldn't be in this spiritual wilderness. HOWEVER, she is where she is, so we can pray that a godly older woman can mentor her and come along side, and lead her into the fold. Beauty from ashes! Thank you for your comment.
"Maybe if she had been loved and cherished by her husband as Christ loved the church and gave his life for her, she wouldn't be in this spiritual wilderness." If your faith depends on what your husband does or does not do, it's not Christ you're following.
I'm sorry, I just now saw your comment. While I do agree with the last sentence, do you believe being married to an apostate is a contributing factor to Jen's fall?
Good question. I guess I believe that, if someone decides to depart, he or she will adopt pretty much anything (other than his/her own decision) as the excuse to blame. But the ultimate reason is that he/she was never "there" in the first place. "They went out from us because they were not of us." If she had been "of us," his affair would have driven her closer, not farther.
You make a lot of good points. I believe your response is the most loving one I've read. I am sure Paul would advise us to pray for this broken woman who has been confused and hurt in a lot of ways. Compassion and mercy are fruits of the Spirit. Not condemnation or writing people off.
Thank you! I appreciate your kind words. I did some digging to satisfy my curiosity, and to see that my heart is in the right place. The church her ex founded, or led up until their divorce, is a pro lgbtq "church." Its entire leadership team is properly labeled with pronouns. He apparently isn't there anymore, but the tone is still alive. If Jen suddenly went all cushy, it wasn't the result of their daughter, but is ingrained in the fabric of that group that calls itself a church. Much bigger problem right there! Again, thank you, and many blessings to you.
The church needs to get the word out that the Christian sexual ethic that transformed Roman paganism is oriented towards human flourishing, the restraining of disordered passions, and the protection of women. When we buy into the notion that sexual questions are worked out based upon adult fulfillment with the mere requirement of consent, women are hurt, and children are deprived if not eliminated. Sex in the context of a man and woman in a covenantal, self-sacrificing relationship is by all measures produces the greatest opportunity for human flourishing from which society and nations are built.
"She’s divorced and says she’s dating a guy and going through a “sexual renaissance.”"
Not the first time, nor the fifty-first, nor the last.
“The organized-religion part of faith is not serving me right now.”
Says it all, really.
There's nothing in the teachings of Jesus that requires an organized religion.
Technically speaking, yes.
Of course, you're also going to have to reject the entire rest of the New Testament in order to make that stick.
She’s one of many “pop” Christian heroes who have done the same thing in the last decade.
Jen Hatmaker did not deconstruct; she was never constructed. Even in her ‘evangelical’ days there were signs. And I would tell my friends and daughters, ‘Watch out for that one. She is not a believer.’
Never constructed…very accurate observation….
“Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.“
Funny how so many of these types have "meteoric" rises and become celebrities rather than steady builders. 1 Corinthians 3... one day each man's work will be tested...
Pretty impressive how you can see into a total stranger's heart.
She’s gonna crash hard some day when the carnival ride finally stops.
The Jesus that she thinks she knows talked much about sowing and reaping.
Interestingly, Jesus did give advice on sewing--specifically, what you shouldn't sew together. For he said that you should not tear a new garment and use it to fix an old one. (Matthew 9:16; Mark 2:21; Luke 5:36)
"The Jesus that she thinks she knows talked much about sewing and reaping." No, He talked about SOWING and reaping. He was not a tentmaker; that was Paul.
Jesus isn’t looking for “fans”.
Ugh. Thank you for the warning. Her thinking is really twisted.