My take on Andy Stanley and Emergent pastors

[SolaSaint]

I watched Andy's final sermon on the eight sermon series titled "Christian". I was kind of hoping to hear him explain his comments from the previous sermon where he sort of redefined the modern family, but I was disappointed. However I truly did like most of what Andy said on this sermon and the other sermons I listened to in this series.

Here is my take on Andy. I feel he is very similar to Rick Warren and many of the Emergent preachers in this way: He always seems to be painting a picture of Christianity for his listeners that is flawed. For some reason he feels Christianity is full of homophobic, fundamental intollerant people. He demonizes the Christian church for being hateful to those outside the church. In this way he feels he can get past the hang-ups young people have about Christianity and reach them. Now I say there is some truth to what he says. There are those within the walls of the church who are as he says, but to go this route is dangerous. He is no better that Obama trying to demonize America for being evil to the world, IMO.

This is what Rick Warren preaches as well as many withing Emergent circles. They feel that thousands if not millions of young people hate the church because they are not excepting of them, and the church needs to change it's approach. Both Warren and Stanley have said from the pulpit that preaching won't get people to love Jesus. They instead push for doing of the word, love! We must love everyone they say and they back it up with scripture. But, they don't preach the whole gospel as it is with them. They never include within their preaching to love someone is to preach to them in season and out of season, to shed the gospel light on their sin so they will see it and run to Christ for forgiveness.

Before I was saved I felt the same as young people do today. I thought the church was full of intollerant bible thumpers. But I didn't become a Christian because someone turned a blind eye to my sin and tried to make church fit my lifestyle. Today we have millions of young people who are lost in immoral lifestyles and these Emergents have turned upon the church to demonize it in favor of attracting these young people and then they won't love them with the truth of the whole gospel.

I agree with Andy that we need to love these lost young people but I don't agree that we minimize what sin is and how it offends a Holy God. If Andy is going to preach that we need to love everyone, I don't see his love for those in the church who he has labeled homophobic and intollerant. This Emergent movement has divided the church and I'm very saddened by it. I would love to hear any comments.

 

[Yeshua1]

My take on this is that while those in the Emergent church are concerned with the church showing intolerance/prejudice towards the unsaved...

BIG problem is that it eventually turns into left Evangelicalism/Liberal christianity, as the concerns over mistreatment/harsh doctrines becomes the basis of their "new Theology", and they getdoctrines/theologies that would 'feel good and right" to modern man in modern culture!

that is why jesus being ONLY way to God is watred down, alternate lifestyles 'tolerated", and hell no longer even exists!

we should say for theology"this is what the Bible said, I need to conform my teaching to that" to "this is what it should have said, howI would have said it!"

 

[Amy.G]

I think many in the church today have forgotten (or just ignore) that we are to preach the word, and God does the saving. We cannot "love" someone into the kingdom any more than we can "hate" them out. Salvation is God's business. Our's is to speak the truth. (And live it as well.)

 

[preachinjesus]

It is pretty clear the OP has no actual clue what the Emergent church is or how the respective ministries listed differ from that group of leaders.

I also disagree with your assessment of Andy's ministry. For people far from Christ one of our first steps is presenting grace which allows them to drop their spiritual sheilds and then present the truth of the Gospel. Andy's ministry context means that he gets to speak to a lot of folks who aren't your every Sunday, pew sitting, Bible thumping, morally pure Christians. Thus he communicates differently but arrives at the same Gospel truth.

 

[SolaSaint]

My take on this is that while those in the Emergent church are concerned with the church showing intolerance/prejudice towards the unsaved...

BIG problem is that it eventually turns into left Evangelicalism/Liberal christianity, as the concerns over mistreatment/harsh doctrines becomes the basis of their "new Theology", and they getdoctrines/theologies that would 'feel good and right" to modern man in modern culture!

that is why jesus being ONLY way to God is watred down, alternate lifestyles 'tolerated", and hell no longer even exists!

we should say for theology"this is what the Bible said, I need to conform my teaching to that" to "this is what it should have said, howI would have said it!"

AMEN Y1:thumbs::thumbs:

 

[SolaSaint]

I think many in the church today have forgotten (or just ignore) that we are to preach the word, and God does the saving. We cannot "love" someone into the kingdom any more than we can "hate" them out. Salvation is God's business. Our's is to speak the truth. (And live it as well.)

Amy,

What Stanley preached yesterday is opposite of what you just said. He said we cannot preach to get anyone to love Jesus but we must love instead. What he should have said and may have meant, is that we must preach the truth AND love them. He wants to paint the church as unloving and that we only throw condemning verses at the lost. He's trying to connect with the lost by showing he has a new way, a rebranded Christianity.

 

[SolaSaint]

It is pretty clear the OP has no actual clue what the Emergent church is or how the respective ministries listed differ from that group of leaders.

I also disagree with your assessment of Andy's ministry. For people far from Christ one of our first steps is presenting grace which allows them to drop their spiritual sheilds and then present the truth of the Gospel. Andy's ministry context means that he gets to speak to a lot of folks who aren't your every Sunday, pew sitting, Bible thumping, morally pure Christians. Thus he communicates differently but arrives at the same Gospel truth.

PinJ,

Do you think it is loving for Andy to condemn the church as being unloving and calling them names like homophobic. He even mentions in his sermon that some Christians secretly relish people burning in hell. Come on--he's painting the church as evil to attract whoever is put off by Christianity. Don't you think there is a more loving way? Why preach about love and spit out hateful stuff like Andy does? Is he being loving? This isn't the way to present the gospel to get people to drop their shields--they need to know the truth. The truth will melt their shields.

 

[freeatlast]

I watched Andy's final sermon on the eight sermon series titled "Christian". I was kind of hoping to hear him explain his comments from the previous sermon where he sort of redefined the modern family, but I was disappointed. However I truly did like most of what Andy said on this sermon and the other sermons I listened to in this series.

Here is my take on Andy. I feel he is very similar to Rick Warren and many of the Emergent preachers in this way: He always seems to be painting a picture of Christianity for his listeners that is flawed. For some reason he feels Christianity is full of homophobic, fundamental intollerant people. He demonizes the Christian church for being hateful to those outside the church. In this way he feels he can get past the hang-ups young people have about Christianity and reach them. Now I say there is some truth to what he says. There are those within the walls of the church who are as he says, but to go this route is dangerous. He is no better that Obama trying to demonize America for being evil to the world, IMO.

This is what Rick Warren preaches as well as many withing Emergent circles. They feel that thousands if not millions of young people hate the church because they are not excepting of them, and the church needs to change it's approach. Both Warren and Stanley have said from the pulpit that preaching won't get people to love Jesus. They instead push for doing of the word, love! We must love everyone they say and they back it up with scripture. But, they don't preach the whole gospel as it is with them. They never include within their preaching to love someone is to preach to them in season and out of season, to shed the gospel light on their sin so they will see it and run to Christ for forgiveness.

Before I was saved I felt the same as young people do today. I thought the church was full of intollerant bible thumpers. But I didn't become a Christian because someone turned a blind eye to my sin and tried to make church fit my lifestyle. Today we have millions of young people who are lost in immoral lifestyles and these Emergents have turned upon the church to demonize it in favor of attracting these young people and then they won't love them with the truth of the whole gospel.

I agree with Andy that we need to love these lost young people but I don't agree that we minimize what sin is and how it offends a Holy God. If Andy is going to preach that we need to love everyone, I don't see his love for those in the church who he has labeled homophobic and intollerant. This Emergent movement has divided the church and I'm very saddened by it. I would love to hear any comments.

I totally agree with you. It has become an evil today to tell someone they need to confess and forsake. Instead we are expected to accept that their sin is so different then others that it is not controllable so we should just accept them or because so many are doing it is is no longer sin. Andy is part of the last days movement that rejects sound doctrine.

 

[Iconoclast]

I watched Andy's final sermon on the eight sermon series titled "Christian". I was kind of hoping to hear him explain his comments from the previous sermon where he sort of redefined the modern family, but I was disappointed. However I truly did like most of what Andy said on this sermon and the other sermons I listened to in this series.

Here is my take on Andy. I feel he is very similar to Rick Warren and many of the Emergent preachers in this way: He always seems to be painting a picture of Christianity for his listeners that is flawed. For some reason he feels Christianity is full of homophobic, fundamental intollerant people. He demonizes the Christian church for being hateful to those outside the church. In this way he feels he can get past the hang-ups young people have about Christianity and reach them. Now I say there is some truth to what he says. There are those within the walls of the church who are as he says, but to go this route is dangerous. He is no better that Obama trying to demonize America for being evil to the world, IMO.

This is what Rick Warren preaches as well as many withing Emergent circles. They feel that thousands if not millions of young people hate the church because they are not excepting of them, and the church needs to change it's approach. Both Warren and Stanley have said from the pulpit that preaching won't get people to love Jesus. They instead push for doing of the word, love! We must love everyone they say and they back it up with scripture. But, they don't preach the whole gospel as it is with them. They never include within their preaching to love someone is to preach to them in season and out of season, to shed the gospel light on their sin so they will see it and run to Christ for forgiveness.

Before I was saved I felt the same as young people do today. I thought the church was full of intollerant bible thumpers. But I didn't become a Christian because someone turned a blind eye to my sin and tried to make church fit my lifestyle. Today we have millions of young people who are lost in immoral lifestyles and these Emergents have turned upon the church to demonize it in favor of attracting these young people and then they won't love them with the truth of the whole gospel.

I agree with Andy that we need to love these lost young people but I don't agree that we minimize what sin is and how it offends a Holy God. If Andy is going to preach that we need to love everyone, I don't see his love for those in the church who he has labeled homophobic and intollerant. This Emergent movement has divided the church and I'm very saddened by it. I would love to hear any comments.

yes.....this is correct.....they and those who like them, do not like what God has said...as if they believe they know better than Scripture.....the fact that no correction to the last sermon was offered is also telling....

 

[mandym]

He always seems to be painting a picture of Christianity for his listeners that is flawed. For some reason he feels Christianity is full of homophobic, fundamental intollerant people. He demonizes the Christian church for being hateful to those outside the church. In this way he feels he can get past the hang-ups young people have about Christianity and reach them. Now I say there is some truth to what he says. There are those within the walls of the church who are as he says, but to go this route is dangerous. He is no better that Obama trying to demonize America for being evil to the world, IMO.

This is what Rick Warren preaches as well as many withing Emergent circles. They feel that thousands if not millions of young people hate the church because they are not excepting of them, and the church needs to change it's approach. Both Warren and Stanley have said from the pulpit that preaching won't get people to love Jesus. They instead push for doing of the word, love! We must love everyone they say and they back it up with scripture. But, they don't preach the whole gospel as it is with them. They never include within their preaching to love someone is to preach to them in season and out of season, to shed the gospel light on their sin so they will see it and run to Christ for forgiveness.

Before I was saved I felt the same as young people do today. I thought the church was full of intollerant bible thumpers. But I didn't become a Christian because someone turned a blind eye to my sin and tried to make church fit my lifestyle. Today we have millions of young people who are lost in immoral lifestyles and these Emergents have turned upon the church to demonize it in favor of attracting these young people and then they won't love them with the truth of the whole gospel.

I agree with Andy that we need to love these lost young people but I don't agree that we minimize what sin is and how it offends a Holy God. If Andy is going to preach that we need to love everyone, I don't see his love for those in the church who he has labeled homophobic and intollerant. This Emergent movement has divided the church and I'm very saddened by it. I would love to hear any comments.

Whether you agree with Rick Warren or not one thing is for sure. He is not Emergent. And there is a big difference between the Emerging and Emergent movements. The emergent movement is the far left wing radical side of things.

 

[freeatlast]

Whether you agree with Rick Warren or not one thing is for sure. He is not Emergent. And there is a big difference between the Emerging and Emergent movements. The emergent movement is the far left wing radical side of things.

If Rick Warren is not considered part of the emergent church I don't know who is.

 

[SolaSaint]

""Whether you agree with Rick Warren or not one thing is for sure. He is not Emergent. And there is a big difference between the Emerging and Emergent movements. The emergent movement is the far left wing radical side of things. ""

Well I don't agree much with Rick Warren, I have researched him very much and I see a lot of what he was saying 10 years ago, now the Emergents are saying. I think Emergent is too wide to be nailed down. Surely Warren is Seeker Sensative and the Emergents are not. But Warren is like Stanley in his disdain for the conservative church as he also demonizes it.

How do polititians get converts to change to their point of view? Sometimes they demonize their opponent. Well Stanley appears to making an opponent out of traditional churches with his dmonization. IMO

 

[preachinjesus]

Stanley and Warren don't demonize the conversative church.

Also, I don't recall Stanley saying that evangelicals are homophobic in his talk. You might want to check that accusation as well. Likewise I didn't hear him demonizing the local church in his talk. As I've encountered Andy Stanley he has always been gracious towards other examples of Christianity in his talks. I think you're overstating your case.

Besides, it is clear several in here don't understand the difference between these guys and the Emergent folks. I've been in conversation with the Emergent folks for about 15 years now, there is a HUGE difference between the groups. Stanley and Warren are not, absolutely not Emergent.

 

[SolaSaint]

Stanley didn't come out and call Christians Homophobs or such, but he did say it in his sermon without impuning himself. He set up a view of a Christian as being homophobic, intollerant and relishing people burning in hell as viewed by unchurched people. So he didn't call Christians this but got away with it. If you understand what I mean.

Don't get me wrong here, I liked most all of what he had to say, but as always it is what these new (I won't say Emergent) preachers don't preach is what offends me.

See how I was able to call Stanley Emergent and get myself off the hook, this is what he does.

 

[Alive in Christ]

This was posted...

It is pretty clear the OP has no actual clue what the Emergent church is or how the respective ministries listed differ from that group of leaders.

I also disagree with your assessment of Andy's ministry. For people far from Christ one of our first steps is presenting grace which allows them to drop their spiritual sheilds and then present the truth of the Gospel. Andy's ministry context means that he gets to speak to a lot of folks who aren't your every Sunday, pew sitting, Bible thumping, morally pure Christians. Thus he communicates differently but arrives at the same Gospel truth.

Agree 1oo%

In my view Andy Stanley is doing wonderfully with his propagation of the Gosple of Jesus Christ.

 

[SolaSaint]

OK, since I have no clue of what Emergent means, please let me know the proper defenition. If I'm wrong I will apologize.

Again I think Andy Stanley is a wonderful Christian man and preacher. As I said in my post I agree with most all he says. So don't think I'm bashing Stanley so much as I'm worried that he is wrongly painting conservative Christians as haters. Here is his comment from his last sermon:

""Christians, he said, are viewed as being “judgmental, homophobic, moralists” who think they are the only ones going to heaven and who “secretly relish the fact that everyone else is going to hell.”"

This is the way he is painting Christians to his listeners. Are you pleased with this?

 

[webdog]

,

OK, since I have no clue of what Emergent means, please let me know the proper defenition. If I'm wrong I will apologize.

Again I think Andy Stanley is a wonder Christian man and preacher. As I said in my post I agree with most all he says. So don't think I'm bashing Stanley so much as I'm worried that he is wrongly painting conservative Christians as haters. Here is his comment from his last sermon:

""Christians, he said, are viewed as being ?“judgmental, homophobic, moralists?” who think they are the only ones going to heaven and who ?“secretly relish the fact that everyone else is going to hell.?”"

This is the way he is painting Christians to his listeners. Are you pleased with this?

Whos quote was that? You already admitted he didn't say it but it was YOUR perception of what he meant.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[SolaSaint]

,

Whos quote was that? You already admitted he didn't say it but it was YOUR perception of what he meant.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

No, I said it is what he said, please listen to the sermon. This is a quote from the 8th sermon titled Christian. I said he didn't call Christians this but painted Christians like this to make a point.

 

[Jerome]

I guess Albert Mohler gets a 'pass' when he actually says it LOL:

Mohler admits that the church has often done a poor job of engaging with the issue. "We've lied about the nature of homosexuality and have practiced what can only be described as a form of homophobia," Mohler says.

Mohler interviewed by Jonathan Merritt

 

[SolaSaint]

Jerome,

As I remember Mohler took a lot of heat for those comments.