Featured If Andy Stanley were the "Evangelical Pope"

Exactly.

I remember when several Christians attacked Paul Washer for a few comments that he made in a sermon. I recall his apology for the way he expressed a couple of truths and his acknowledgment for having misspoken in the heat of a sermon. But some of the things he presented, perhaps out of proportion, still remained as they were also taken out of context by his detractors.

Christians are going to have to stop attacking pastors that neither influence nor answer to them. I doubt those here who are attacking Andy Stanley are students of the pastor. I doubt they are disciple or pastored by the man. While I am confident Stanley answers to his congregation and God, I sincerely doubt that he feels accountable to those who debase his ministry from within Christianity but without his pastoral accountability.

There are people within Christianity who seem to believe it is permissible to attack other servants of Christ simply because they disagree with their “theology” or practice. How can Christianity advance in our nation when we have professing Christians striking at its foundations? When did it become permissible for members of local churches to turn inwards and mount an assault on the Body of Christ? Why do we object to the opposition we see in the world, which is expected to be anti-Christ, yet tolerate opposition from within?

 

Do you believe that Andy Stanley was advocating ditching Scripture, or do you think that perhaps he had another intent...perhaps something along the lines of focusing on Christ through Scripture rather than the "Biblical narrative" itself?

What I'm asking is if Stanley actually denied the gospel or if his wording opened the door for others to take advantage of his statements. I've listened to a few of his messages and read a little of him (he's not really my "cup of tea"). So while he may not be my pick, I also believe that we will answer for times when our voices turn against Christ (by opposing God's work through other pastors, by wrongfully denouncing servants who belong to God...not us, etc.).

Basically, the little I do know of the pastor seems to contradict the way some are painting him here and I'd appreciate your insight.

 

I agree in part with Stanley here, and I think that you have severely missed (or misrepresented) the point he was making.

1. There are people who take Scripture as an idol. Stanley is obviously not saying "ditch the Bible" (as evidenced by his remarks of the biblical accounts). He seems instead to be rejecting the idea that Christians take the Bible, divorced from the powers behind the text, as the reason to believe. Scripture is a revelation of God, not the ends which substantiates our faith. Sometimes I believe that pastors intentionally frame their words to draw objection...or at least raise an eyebrow. But he is right that ultimately we don't believe "because the Bible says so". We believe because what Scripture is...that is, it's the Word of God, it contains the eye-witness accounts of the prophets and apostles, it is God's revelation to man of His plan of redemption and the Kingdom, etc.

2. It is not the job of a preacher to make people fall in love with God; instead the preacher brings God's Word to people and waits on God to transform the heart. I absolutely agree with Stanley here. We do not save people. We are the "matchmakers", bringing the gospel to people. Pastors do not "make people love God". They bring the Word of God to their congregations and rely on Holy Spirit God to move in the hearts of men.

Where I disagree with Stanley is that I do not believe it the job of the preacher (I'm taking this as pastor) to get the unbelievers to come back to church. I believe that it is the job of the pastor (and a preacher in the pulpit before the local assembly) to preach the Word of God to the children of God in order to build up and equip the saints. He has, IMHO, mistaken the role of pastor for the role of evangelist. (Think of the instructions on an airplane...you put your oxygen mask on first so that you can help the children).