Women of the Table

Rosaria Champagne Butterfield, a former tenured professor of English and women’s studies at Syracuse University, converted to Christ in 1999 in what she describes as a train wreck. Her memoir The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert chronicles that difficult journey. In 1997, while Rosaria was researching the Religious Right “and their politics of hatred against people like me,” she wrote an article against the Promise Keepers. A response to that article triggered a meeting with Ken Smith, who became a resource on the Religious Right and their Bible, a confidant, and a friend. In 1999, after repeatedly reading the Bible in large chunks for her research, Rosaria converted to Christianity. Her first book, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, details her conversion and the cataclysmic fallout—in which she lost “everything but the dog,” yet gained eternal life in Christ.

As our culture has adopted a hatred of children and family, simultaneously, reality t.v. has picked up a few families who seek to fill their "quiver" full of "arrows". If you are in homeschooling circles, or even watch these families on t.v., you probably have heard about or wondered: what exactly is the quiver full movement? Betsy and Michelle discuss their findings and go over the main tenants of this ideology. What does it mean to be quiver full? What is Biblical and what isn't? Is there a current Biblical mandate to have children, and lots of them? We could have discussed this topic for hours and still only scratch the surface. So, if you have related questions/comments, please feel free to email us at womenofthetable@gmail.com or message us on our social media platforms @womenofthetable  

This episode we will be talking about something that we ALL have been guilty of and if we aren’t actively fighting against it, we probably are actively taking part in it…. Confirmation bias. -What is it?-How can we fight it?-How is it connected to our identity and worldivew?

We have all heard of the term “toxic relationship” or the popular question of “when do I cut off a toxic person/relationship?” These pop psychology phrases have morphed into the social phenomena of “cancel culture” and echo chambers of “self love”But when Christians have fractured relationships with family or friends, or even members of Christ’s body of believers, how should we respond? Should we be asking the same questions that popular culture tells us to ask - evaluating what the other person brings to the relationship? Should we seek to rebuild relationships that have been poisoned by a past wrong, or even more popularly today, by identity politics? What does scripture say about relational restoration and its level of importance? What kind of hope can we have for restoring relationships? 

To begin our newest series, "Women of the Table Minisodes", Betsy explores and reviews Gloria Furman’s “Glimpses of Grace”. This book focuses on God’s grace in the seemingly mundane moments of life. See what Betsy enjoyed about this book and her, very professional, star rating! 

Talking about the will of God is fraught with questions: How much does God really control? Is the future open or determined? Does God have a purpose for the way things are or is He sitting back, with his arms folded, watching it all happen? And how do we know if we are doing God's will? Join Betsy and Michelle as they recount the glorious, sovereign God who accomplishes all that He sets out to accomplish. 

Join Women of the Table as they discuss the “hot topic” of Christian discipleship. What is discipleship? How should it be done? What are common hindrances and how can we answer those hindrances? And, can we solely do long distance discipleship? In this episode we also break down Susan Heck’s fabulous book on discipleship and respond to answers from our listeners regarding their own discipleship struggles.

Can Christians be funny? SHOULD they be funny? Can Christians have a God honoring sense of humor?!?Despite popular belief, Christians don't have to abandon humor in order to pursue Christian virtue. On the contrary, Christians should be the most joy-filled, grateful, and fun-loving people. Betsy and Michelle discuss how we should employ the gift of laughter, humor, and joking. Are there humorous instances in scripture? Can we properly understand the seriousness of sin and still laugh at a good joke? Or...make a good joke?! 

Why should Christians think about technology? Technology offers insight into what problems human's seek to solve, and how (rightly and wrongly) to solve them, reveal our worldview, and change the way we operate on a daily basis. In this episode, Michelle and Betsy are reunited after months of quarantine, and discuss a new TV show that involves uploading consciousness, Amish decision making, and cutting off limbs. It's a fun one! We laughed and we cried, quite literally. Let us know your thoughts on technology! How do you determine what tech to use and what to reject? Do you think we will use and develop technology in Heaven? And the ultimate question of: if we can, should we? If you enjoyed this episode make sure to like, subscribe, comment, etc. We appreciate your feedback and support!

Chances are, you or someone you know, has experienced a form of mental turmoil or has been diagnosed with a mental illness. So, some questions must be asked: how, as Christians, should we view psychology and Christianity? What worldviews are at play and what are their implications? What are the dangers of taking a biblicist or solely scientific approach? If you are in Christ, what is God's purpose in this manner of suffering?Join @helloemilyurban on Women of the Table, and enjoy the discussion. Make sure to let us know your answers to these questions! Happy listening!If you enjoyed this episode make sure to share, rate, and subscribe!

We've seen unbiblical meditation being suggested by doctors, friends, and our favorite internet personalities. As Christians we may know that this type of meditation is unbiblical, but why? And most of all, what does the Bible call us to do, in regards to meditation? What does it mean to meditate on the Word of God? Do you practice this often neglected discipline? Get some quick info and tips on how to practice meditating on the Word of God, along side Michelle!

In this short episode of WoTT, Betsy is flying solo. Enjoy her ramblings about soft pretzels, gardening and UFOs! Don’t forget to let us know if this episode brighten your day or left you confused lol!  

Do you consider yourself a fearful person? Did you know that the Bible addresses our fear, in the form of instruction, over 300 times? Scripture has a lot to say about our fears and Who we *should* fear. During this tumultuous time, join Betsy and Michelle as they discuss the comfort that can be found in God as our refuge. Fear of God destroys fear of all else.

Join Betsy and Michelle on this special Bible study episode, where they trek through the first chapter of James. Tag along and learn how to apply the study method outlined in the blog and discover the great joy believers have when facing trial, because of the great and good God we serve.

In this episode, Michelle gives us a brief history over the current trend of deliverance ministries, defines demon possession and oppression, asks the question:"can Christians become possessed?" and explains Who can really deliver us. All sources used can be found and explored through these links :) Happy Learning! The Truth Behind Generational Curses - TGC Africahttps://www.ligonier.org/blog/are-we-too-concerned-demons/https://www.ligonier.org/blog/rc-sproul-demons/https://carm.org/what-kinds-things-can-open-you-demonic-oppressionhttps://www.gotquestions.org/demonic-oppression.htmlhttps://www.gotquestions.org/psychological-demon.htmlhttps://www.samstorms.org/all-articles/keyword/spiritual-warfarehttps://www.equip.org/article/deliverance-ministry-in-historical-perspective/https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/spiritual-warfare-101/%3famphttp://www.isdmministers.org/about-us

We live in a world that is driven by pride, self-esteem, personal achievement, and self-focus. Besty and Michelle discuss how pride plays out in the culture and ourselves. Then they take a look at what we can learn from Jesus humility in the Gospel, which turns wretched sinners into saints. 

Join WOTT as they investigate what it means to have the qualities spoken of in 2 Peter 1. This first episode is a primer to understand where virtues come from, their purpose, and how the world understands virtuous characteristics..We hope you are in for a casual and fun time, because Betsy and Michelle are worn down from the toilet paper fiasco of COVID19. Have a seat at the table, laugh, and enjoy learning with us about Christ's excellencies!.Make sure to like/rate/subscribe wherever you are listening!

In this special revisit episode, Betsy and Michelle reveal a change of heart! What happened?!The girls open with discussion about the latest feminist video floating around and have a helpful Q&A on head covering.If you enjoyed this video, make sure to listen to our part one "Head Covering: Principle or Custom?"Also make sure to subscribe, like, or rate - and let us know what you think!

THE FINAL part (5 of 5) of our Hell series is here! Betsy and Michelle discuss the three major components of eternal conscious torment: punishment, destruction, and banishment. How does the picture of these three components illustrate God's character, sin, and the atonement? And finally, what can believers hope for after this life? We pray that this has been a helpful excursion (it has for us) into this essential doctrine.If you haven't listened to our previous episodes covering various positions on the existence of Hell, make sure you listen to those! Our intro episode is a great place to start and this episode wraps it all up, nicely. Make sure to like, rate, comment, and subscribe! Follow us on Instagram @womenofthetable and Facebook @wottable . You can also support us on patreon, linked in our bio. As a patreon supporter you will have access to bonus content, including episode 4 on Purgatory.

Do we *really* go to an afterlife when we die? Would a good God *really* inflict an infinite punishment on finite crimes? What about all those times the terms "destroy" and "perish" are used? What's the harm in believing that God annihilates those who don't believe, anyway?.This week, Betsy and Michelle begin Part 3 of the Doctrine of Hell Series on Annihilationism. This one was new for us! We hope that if you are new to these arguments, you will learn something too!.To stay updated on our latest episodes, make sure to subscribe! Also, if you enjoy our content, please like/rate/review. It is greatly appreciated and we love hearing from you!. 

What is universalism? Does everyone actually go to Heaven? Is God unloving for sending one of his own creation to a place of torment? Does adhering to universalism as a position on Hell, affect the other essential doctrines of the faith? What about the Gospel?Join Michelle and a special guest - her husband, Paul - as they look at universalism, its  implications, and discuss the "faith deconstruction" of one of their favorite YouTubers. If you enjoyed listening. Stay tuned for our next installment of our Hell series, where we take a look at annihilationism. Betsy and Michelle will be reunited after a brief break due to illness.Make sure to subscribe, like, and review! We appreciate your support and welcome any questions regarding the content of this or any other episode. You can reach us on our instagram page @womenofthetable or at our blog wott.blog

This week, Women of the Table begin their first series! This series of episodes will cover the doctrine of Hell. In our introductory episode, Betsy and Michelle discuss: Why talk about Hell? Is Hell an essential Christian doctrine? What are some wrong ways to go about it? We also talk through a few current events from this past week that are quite timely for our current topic. Through our study of this doctrine, we pray you are encouraged to share the Gospel in its entirety, to those in your vicinity..If you enjoyed this episode, please share, rate, and subscribe to continue with us on this series.

WOTT'S BEST EPISODE YET! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAY!! IT IS LIFE CHANGING AND YOU SIMPLY WON'T BE THE SAME! Just kidding, you will probably remain the same, but tag along with Betsy and Michelle as they discuss the power of sensationalism, how we can become desensitized to truly sensational things, how sensationalism can affect evangelism, and ultimately their disdain for click-bait. CHOO-CHOO!

In 1 Corinthians 11, we see Paul give instructions for praying and prophesying in the gathering of the church. These instructions include what's on, or off, our heads. Many faithful teachers have disagreed on the continued use of head coverings. Is it a principle that transcends time and culture? Or is it a custom of that age, subject to change in application to fit the current culture? Betsy and Michelle struggle together through this depthy passage of scripture - taking stances for themselves and providing both cultural and transcendent principles behind it. Join us at the table, bring your Bible, and have more clarity on whether this passage presents a custom or principle! Make sure to subscribe and like/rate. If you are blessed and want to partner with us, you can support us on patreon at patreon.com/womenofthetable Let us know your thoughts on this rich passage of scripture! Clarifications:Oops! Michelle and Betsy were having so much fun and forgot to discuss consistently handling scripture when it comes to head covering and women preachers. Are we to handle both of these portions of scripture the same? You may find two articles below investigating both sides of the argument. We pray you think through this portion of scripture and come to a Spirit-led conviction that glorifies God. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/should-women-wear-head-coverings/ https://www.headcoveringmovement.com/articles/should-women-wear-head-coverings-a-response-to Below are the sources we spoke of and used while studying this passage on head covering: https://www.headcoveringmovement.com https://www.gty.org/library/bibleqnas-library/QA0219/head-coverings-for-women https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/principle-or-custom/ https://www.monergism.com/topics/gender-issues/headcoverings 

"Bibliolatry" aka Bible worship. Is there a way we can turn Bible study into a sinful habit? Can we elevate scripture to a point where we are worshiping the Bible? What about the possibility of knowing the Bible, but not knowing Jesus?Betsy and Michelle discuss two common origins of this thought: Christian liberalism and hyper-charismatic camps. We also briefly touch on pastors who apostatize and KJV-onlyism.Make sure to subscribe/rate/review....Below are some further clarifications for this particular episode:WOTT holds to to the 5 Solas, including Sola Scriptura; meaning that the only authoritative, divinely inspired text, is the Bible. The Bible is infallible and inerrant in its original text and is fully sufficient for salvation and godliness. We also believe that it is beneficial to utilize the knowledge and wisdom that God has gifted faithful biblical scholars to better understand scripture, but that scripture is illuminated to the believer by the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit's work in our lives, we would be hopeless to understand scripture to a salvific end..In line with Sola Scriptura, WOTT believes that the office of apostle and prophet are no longer active and that the only sure place we can hear the voice of God is through the Spirit inspired text of the Bible..For further information on what WOTT believe regarding these matters, you may benefit from listening to our earlier episode on prophecy, called: fortune cookie prophecy - https://www.podbean.com/ea/pb-csqah-c1eb07

In a language full of homonyms, hate speech, and hundreds of newly created words every year, sometimes we have to stop and ask "What are you talking about?" Join Betsy and Michelle as they discuss words and their meanings in a postmodern society - how it relates to mental health, apologetics, and where to go from here. 16:30 - topic discussion begins

Many Christians struggle frequently with spiritual apathy. Sometimes we find it hard to feel joy in reading God's word, serving others, fighting sin, and loving God. Betsy and Michelle investigate why we need to fight the sin of apathy, common causes, and how the Spirit gives us the ability to contend with Apathy.If you enjoyed this episode and were encouraged, would you subscribe/like/rate and share? Make sure to check out our blog at wott.blog and follow us on Instagram for more content. You can also support us at patreon, where you will find bonus content only for partners!18:00 Shout out to Morgan W. for her support on Patreon!19:00 what are you reading segment 

Not all heroes wear capes! Betsy does a solo trek this week, talking turkeys, creating, and glorifying God in all that we are given skill to do! If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to like/rate/review and subscribe  

In this holiday special, Betsy and Michelle talk the future of Women of the Table, what they have learned about God this year, play "would you rather", and consider the things they are thankful for.Thanks for listening! Don't forget to like/rate and subscribe! 

Join the girls as they discuss another attribute of God - his goodness! How does God’s goodness compare to man’s goodness? How can a powerful and good God permit suffering and evil in the world? And what should be our response to His goodness?

Join Betsy and Michelle as they start investigating the attributes of God. In this episode the girls discuss God's immutability, what that means, why it matters, and the great comfort that believers can have in an unchanging God. 

Betsy and Michelle talk purity culture, a new wave of public school education policy, and what it meant to really be pure. 

When prosperity gospel, word of faith, pragmatism, cultural Christianity and man-centered theology collide, you get the hideous creature called Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. Coined by a team of sociologists, this American religion hides in plain sight. Join Betsy and Michelle as they discuss the core tenants, easy to spot signs, and how to counteract this all too common belief system within American evangelical churches. 

This week’s episode of WotT is hosted by Betsy and her husband Travis! Travis and Betsy sit down to discuss how serving the body of Christ is a call for all Christians. They look to the Bible to see examples of Jesus serving his people and how every act service should bring glory to God. They also offer up practical points on how to serve and how not to. We hope this episode spurs you on to love and serve the church even more!

The Old Testament does a great job at showing the nature of man and our natural depravity, but often we unintentionally unhitch from studying the nitty-gritty contained within those books. Tag along with Michelle on this solo-mission to see the benefits of reading and studying the Old Testament!

This week Michelle and Betsy talk about laziness and productivity! The effects of our laziness goes beyond dirty dishes and laundry (even though that is important). Laziness gives way to complacency and bad excuses for not taking care of what God has given to us. The girls discuss how God created work to be good and how we can honor God at our jobs inside and outside of the home. They go beyond opinions and look at what the bible has to say!

Join the girls as they talk modern day prophecy, mysticism, whether these are Gospel issues, and how you can really hear from the Lord.

Have you been devilishly duped? Have you bought into lies propagated as truth within culture or even the mainstream church? Betsy and Michelle talk about discernment: the need, command, gift, and the lack of it in Christian circles today. Don't be duped! Get discerning!

Speaking the truth in love. There are many misconceptions and misapplications of this phrase. So what does this mean? How should we be speaking the truth in love - to believers, unbelievers, and to those with influence? How can we be sure we are speaking truth, and grounding it in love? The girls give answer to these questions amongst a myriad of giggles.

You're looking hungry! Have a seat at the table to hear about the Word our souls can feast on. We discuss: What is the Bible? Why can we trust it? Do we really need to read it - how much, and how can we? This may seem elementary to some, but see the feast the Lord has given us in fresh light and renew your craving!Make sure to listen to the end, as we announce a super amazing PRIZE! You don't want to miss out on this!

In this episode of Women of the Table the girls discuss victimhood mentality. How the world uses this to elevate self, gain attention and validation. They also look to the Word of God and to the sacrifice of Jesus to put this all into a Godly perspective. 

Do you bear the fruit of fools: Unrighteous anger? Betsy and Michelle explore the culture of rage, personal expressions of anger, and most of all - what Scripture has to say on the topic.

This week Michelle and Betsy tackle the subject of nominal Christianity. What does nominal Christianity mean and what does it look like? What should we do if we suspect a loved one is living this life? They share a bit of their testimonies and how this subject hit them close to home. More importantly, Michelle and Betsy dig into the bible to see what it says about making Jesus the Lord of your life and what true salvation looks like.

Michelle and Betsy have a very special guest on this week's episode! "Leah" (not her real name, btw) joins the gals to talk about her overseas work in China and how she lives out the gospel in a different culture, in a different language with so many challenges ahead of her. You're gonna laugh your butt off and praise God for "Leah's" life, her love for the Chinese people and Christ Jesus!

Being gospel-centered is vital to every relationship as a Christian. Betsy and Michelle cover biblical examples, characteristics and common problems that arise within friendships - inside and outside the church body.

Women of the what? Check out this episode for all the info on what we will cover, what makes us unique and our goal for podcasting! - it's all about the Gospel of Christ!