Back on May 14th, Mary Birdwhistell ("pastor" of Highland Baptist Church) wrote an opinion piece for the Courier Journal entitled: "A female pastor’s open letter to Al Mohler: 'I’m sorry your God is so small'". As you can see from the title it's directed specifically at Al Mohler, and indirectly at those (men and women) who don't agree with her opinion about women in Ministry... more specifically her opinion on women Pastors. There's two main reasons her article is specifically addressed to Al Mohler, first they are both in the same town, and second Mohler is the President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention) and previously the President of the SBC. So for Mary, who just so happens to have grown up in a Southern Baptist Church and now pastors a "Baptist Church", she has a vested opinion on people like Mohler who disagree with her views.

The biggest issue with her view is that it's based completely on a worldview that revolves around self rather than a biblical view that revolves around God and scripture. She makes no effort to explain or justify her position on women pastors, and in fact states she has: "no need to try to defend myself to you or the calling God has placed on my life." and shares a quote from Marilynne Robinson, who writes in the book "Gilead"

“Nothing true can be said about God from a posture of defense.”

In other words, she dismisses the need for accountability by claiming that to defend her position would somehow result in lies being said about God. She couldn't be more wrong and in fact her refusal to defend her position reveals she's can't, from a biblical perspective, provide a defense of her views. Furthermore, her position contradicts scripture itself.

"but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,"

1 Peter 3:15

Unfortunately Mary believes her war is against folks like Al Mohler, but in truth she's waging a war against scripture and God. Here's why:

• Mary affirms women pastors, however scripture only affirms men in that position. (Titus 1:5-9, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, 1 Peter 5:1-4).
• Women are to submit to the authority of their husbands. That's impossible to do if she's a pastor and more so if she's her husbands pastor. (Ephesians 5:22-33) We can argue semantics, but the pastor is the Shepherd of the flock. You don't see shepherd's leading the flock who is simultaneously being lead by one of the sheep.
• Mary and her "church" affirm sinful sexual behavior and identities (LGBTQIA+) that contradict scripture, and how God created us. (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 2:24, Genesis 5:2, Matthew 19:4-5, Mark 7:21, Mark 10:6, Romans 1:24-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Timothy 1:10 and many more).

By extension those who uphold biblical Christianity will continue to have progressive folks like Mary attack them. However, Mary's war isn't really against Mohler or even the SBC, but instead against God and scripture.

While Mary claimed she didn't need to defend her views, she inevitably goes on to explain how she got to where she is:

"Over time, I realized that the picture I had been given of “what a pastor looks like” did not match the picture God was painting in my life. In order to pursue this calling, I would need to learn to color outside the lines! Thankfully, the winds of the Spirit blew through the locked doors of my mind and soul and unveiled a whole new spectrum of color and possibility for me."

So she's claiming new revelation from the Spirit that lead her to a new understanding external from Scripture. This is complete heretical nonsense and demonic inspired. The god that Mary is worshiping and teaching about IS NOT the God of the bible. Instead Mary and her flock are being lead by demonic false teaching direct from Satan.. the master of lies, the great deceiver. Unfortunately she's not only leading herself and her "church" straight to hell, but she's also trying to deceive others, especially women, into following her towards this same judgement.

Mary, I pray that one day, you, too, will come to know how big and how strong and how mighty God’s wraith truly is, and how one day God's justice will prevail against false teachers like yourself and those you've mislead.

For those reading this post, we urge you to cast out and rebuke Mary, her "church, and those like her. They neither represent the God of the bible, nor are they Christian.