写完讲道稿，准备出门祷告一下，偶然在facebook上看到我的朋友Jeff博士提到著名的牧师约翰麦克阿瑟最近对贝丝摩尔的公开嘲弄，在网络上引起轩然大波的事。
这件事发生在两周前，所以我更吃惊的是这么多基督教新媒体，各种著名的公众号，尽然没有一家报道这件事情。这是一个值得进一步分析的现象。
Jeff（一个中型教会的主任牧师，神学院的教授，神学博士）提到这事，并且反应激烈：
I’m glad major evangelical leaders are pushing back of MacArthur, who has been divisive for a long time. But, I should ask, where was this outrage when JMac and Sproul sat on stage joking about God’s “hatred” and judgment of the unsaved while the crowds laughed and applauded? This was grieving to my spirit when I watched it. This pastor is in need of a solid rebuke from all of us by not buying or using his commentaries, study Bibles or books anymore. He has just gotten too big for his expository britches. (我很高兴主要的福音派领袖开始反击长期造成混乱分裂的麦克阿瑟。但是，我或许还要问问，当麦克阿瑟和史普罗在台上开玩笑说神“憎恨”和审判那些未得救之人，引起观众大笑和掌声时，这样的愤怒反应为何没有出现？当我看到这一场景时，我的灵甚为悲伤。这位牧师需要被认真责备，我们不要再买或者使用他的注释书、研经版圣经或书籍了。他在释经上的自负已经有点过份了。)
所以我就查询了一下事情的经过。
10月16-18号，为了庆祝麦克阿瑟服事50周年（老人家今年79岁），他的教会举办了一个庆祝会议叫做“TRUTH MATTERS CONFERENCE”。在一个论坛环节中，主持人要求玩词汇联想游戏，麦克阿瑟拿到的词是“Beth Moore”。
略微作一点背景解释。Beth是一位著名的圣经教师和作家，写了很多书。2011年，麦克阿瑟的门徒Mark Driscoll，在另一个巨型教会Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington，任命Beth为教导牧师（不是主任牧师，但是负责讲道）。
麦克阿瑟对“Beth Moore”的联想是“Go home”。在场的观众（许多都是牧师）热烈欢呼鼓掌。麦克阿瑟接着说，“There is no case that can be made biblically for a woman preacher – period, paragraph, end of discussion.”
接着，他的左膀右臂Johnson牧师补充说，他自己听到“Beth Moore”的联想是“narcissistic”（自恋狂）。
然后，麦克阿瑟接着说：
“The #MeToo movement, again, is the culture of reclaiming ground in the church. When the leaders of evangelicalism roll over for women preachers, the feminists have really won the battle, The primary effort in feminism is not equality. They don’t want equality, that’s why 99 percent of plumbers are men. They don’t want equal power to be a plumber, they want to be senators, preachers, congressmen, president, the power structure in a university. They want power, not equality." （#MeToo运动，是一种篡夺教会根基的文化。当福音派领袖们偏向女性传道人时，女权主义者将会确实地赢得这场战争——女权主义的主要目的不是平等。她们不想要平等，这就是为何99%的水管工都是男人。她们不想得到同等的权力以成为一个水管工，她们想要当参议员、传道人、众议员、总统，占据大学的权力结构。她们想要的是权力，而非平等。）
很快，福音派阵营就有了众多评论。许多人认为，在女性是否可以讲道问题上，并非不能讨论或者持有反对的理解，但麦克阿瑟这样当众取笑羞辱贝丝摩尔，绝不是一种合适的做法。引用几个评论：
Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear, took to Twitter on Saturday, and speaking directly to Moore wrote, “Dear Beth Moore, you’re welcome in our home any time.” (美南浸信会主席Greear直接在twitter上向贝丝喊话，“亲爱的beisimoer，随时欢迎到我们家里来。”)
Singer, author and wife of pastor Matthew Chandler, Lauren Chandler, wrote on Saturday, “When I hear the words ‘Beth Moore,’ I think ‘good and faithful servant.’” (歌手和作家，Matthew Chandler牧师之妻Lauren在上周日写道，“当我听见‘贝丝摩尔’一词，我想到‘良善忠心的仆人’”。)
Pastor Brandon Cox also commented on the situation writing, “The host says, ‘Beth Moore.’ And a man who is supposed to be a model of biblical manhood and spiritual leadership responds, ‘Go home!’ And a room full of men laugh. This is sad. It’s unbiblical. But it’s the fruit of arrogance.” (Cox牧师说，“主持人说，‘Beth Moore.’ 一个应当是圣经中男人形象之典范和属灵领袖的男人回答说，‘Go home!’满屋的男人大笑起来。这真让人伤心。这不符合圣经。但这是傲慢结出的果实。”)
Preacher and Christian Counselor Kyle Howard also chimed in writing, “I have lost all respect beyond Imago Dei for John MacArthur, Friel, & Phil. To hear them mock, degrade, & publicly slander a sister in Christ like this is wicked. To hear a crowd of pastors laugh is disgusting. This is utterly shameful.” （布道家和基督徒辅导师Kyle Howard回应说，“我对按照神的形象被造的John MacArthur, Friel, & Phil三人失去了所有的敬重。听到他们取笑、贬低和公开嘲弄一位在基督里的姊妹，真是件邪恶的事情。听到一众牧师大笑鼓掌真让人恶心。这实在是件可耻的事。”）
贝丝沉默了几天，在10月21日有一个推特回应：
“Here’s the beautiful thing about it & I mean this with absolute respect. You don’t have to let me serve you. That gets to be your choice. Whether or not I serve Jesus is not up to you. Whether I serve you certainly is. One way or the other, I esteem you as my sibling in Christ.” （这事也有美好之处。我这样说完全出于尊重。你无需让我服事你。这是你的选择。无论如何，我服事耶稣无需征得你的同意。我是否服事完全与你无关。但无论怎样，我还是认为你是基督里的肢体。）
几位从麦克阿瑟的“Master’s Seminary”毕业的学生，也发文表达了自己的意见。
This is a weird post for me to write. Maybe I should first tell you that I graduated from John MacArthur’s seminary. You should probably know that I chose that seminary above all others because I was drawn to John MacArthur’s fearless preaching of the truth as God revealed it in Scripture. I value the education I received at the Master’s Seminary. But—oh my gosh—I just heard an audio recording in which John MacArthur demeans and dismisses Beth Moore. I’m shaking. If I conjure up every ounce of optimism and benefit-of-the-doubt-ness I possess, I still can’t find a way to describe it as anything other than disdainful and mean-spirited. If I try to give an honest assessment of how it sounds to me, I think I have to say his words sound hateful and anti-Christ. (我写这篇博客自己也觉得奇怪。也许我应当首先澄清，我是约翰麦克阿瑟的神学院毕业的。你大概知道我选择这间神学院而没去别的地方，完全是因为被约翰麦克阿瑟无畏地宣讲神在圣经中启示的真理所打动。我珍视我从Master’s Seminary受到的教育。但是——天哪——我刚刚听了约翰麦克阿瑟贬低嘲笑贝丝摩尔的音频。我深感震惊。即使我以最好的意图来揣测，我也无法解释这种说法，只能说是一种轻蔑而卑鄙的态度。如果我诚实地评价所听到的音频，我觉得他说得话听起来充满仇恨，敌基督。
想要了解整个事态，可以参考CT上的文章：
John MacArthur Is No Stranger to Controversy
当一个牧师知名度太高，年纪老迈而不退休，渐渐说话口无遮拦的时候，损害的不仅是自己的名声，对于教会和福音也可能造成不小的破坏。建立教会不易，伟大的牧师寻找接班人更难，而顺利接班需要极大的智慧。
上周和Mike牧师还说起这事，因为我熟悉的两个教会垮掉，都是在第10年。我认为重要的原因之一是主任牧师没有休息安息年，一手把控教会造成的。当一个牧师认为教会是自己的而不是属于耶稣基督的，神就会显明自己的手段，让人认清楚谁在掌权。我和Mike牧师又聊起John Piper和Tim Keller的退休，顺便也说起John MacArthur的无法退休。难道Mike当时饭桌上说话，已经提前知道这个新闻？深感兴趣。
CT的文章配图是一句圣经“Quick To Listen”以及一句话：“Why MacArthur Doesn’t Stay Quite”。