The world has sold women a counterfeit version of strength. But according to Cissie Graham Lynch, the church may be contributing to the problem.
In a conversation with Pastor Greg Laurie and his wife, Cathe, Lynch, the granddaughter of evangelist Billy Graham, delivered a sobering warning about the state of women’s ministry and the growing emphasis on emotional experiences rather than biblical discipleship.
“I see this world where I believe the world has lied to women. They’ve sold them this fake counterfeit version of strength. But I also believe the church has weakened women,” Lynch said.
Discussing her book, Stand Steady, Lynch explained that her concerns developed as she attended women’s conferences and struggled to find the kind of biblical teaching she was hungry for.
“I would go to these conferences and there was very little Bible teaching,” she said.
Instead, Lynch described environments where emotion grew as she attended women’s conferences and struggled to find the theological experiences that seemed to take center stage. While acknowledging that many churches have strong women’s ministries, she questioned whether others are truly preparing women to stand firm in their faith.
“It was all emotional. Women are crying around me and bonding, and I’m like, I’m not feeling it,” she said. “I just want to study the word of God here. I’m hungry. I’m thirsty for it.”
Lynch also challenged the substance of some Christian resources marketed toward women, saying there are many books available with “very little content, very little meat.”
Her concern is that the church has increasingly embraced companionship and therapeutic approaches at the expense of genuine discipleship.
Cathe Laurie echoed those concerns, recalling experiences with ministries that placed significant emphasis on revisiting past trauma without offering what she believed was a biblical path toward healing and victory.
To order Abby Trivett’s new book, The Power of Suddenly, visit Amazon.com.
Laurie described encountering a speaker whose ministry focused on identifying emotional wounds and encouraging women to examine painful memories continually.
“What I saw as a result of that wasn’t taking those things to the cross and taking them to our healer and taking to them to the Word of God,” Laurie said.
For both women, the issue comes down to whether Christians are allowing their feelings or God’s Word to determine what is true.
“There has to be a truth that is deeper than our emotion,” Lynch said. “Are you willing to worship when you’re not feeling it? Are you willing to obey when you don’t necessarily feel the motivation or the reward at the end of that?”
Lynch warned that this lack of biblical grounding becomes especially dangerous when believers encounter cultural opposition.
From defending biblical convictions about marriage and family to making difficult decisions for their children, Christians cannot assume the world will applaud their obedience to Scripture.
“They’ll mock it and they’ll persecute it,” she said.
Lynch emphasized that people must develop spiritual strength before moments of testing arrive. Reflecting on the devastation Hurricane Ian brought to the Fort Myers Beach area, she recalled seeing homes destroyed while their concrete foundations remained.
“The storms of life can shake us and try to rip us apart, but the foundation will remain,” she said.
That foundation, Lynch explained, comes from knowing God and understanding His Word.
“Our emotions are not truth detectors,” she said, emphasizing the importance of measuring personal feelings and cultural messages against Scripture.
At a time when the world is continually redefining strength, identity and truth, Lynch’s warning raises a serious question for the church: Are we raising women who know how to stand on the Word of God, or are we simply teaching them how to feel better about their circumstances?
Romans 12:2 calls believers not to conform to the world’s patterns, but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. That kind of transformation requires more than an emotional moment at a conference. It requires a life rooted in Scripture’s truth.
The church cannot afford to replace discipleship with temporary encouragement or mistake emotional experiences for spiritual maturity. Women do not need a watered-down gospel. They need the fullness of God’s Word, the power of the Holy Spirit and the spiritual discernment to recognize deception.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected]. Learn more about Abby at abbytrivett.com.
