Posted on 09/22/2016 10:45:55 AM PDT by fishtank
Pastor Andy Stanley says the Bible is too hard to defend
Evangelical pastor preaches that the Bible isn’t the foundation for the Christian faith
by Lita Cosner and Scott Gillis
Published: 22 September 2016 (GMT+10)
Andy Stanley has a church network of over 30,000 people in the Atlanta area, and his church was rated the fastest-growing in America in 2014 and 2015.1 Recently, he has been criticized by many evangelicals for saying that we need to take the focus off the Bible and put it on the Resurrection, because he claims that gives us a firmer foundation for our faith. As Stanley put it: “We believe Jesus rose from the dead not because the Bible says so. It is way better than that! Christianity does not hang by the thread of ‘The Bible told me so’.”2 And: “The original version [of Christianity], the pre-Bible version, was defensible, it was endurable, it was persecutable, it was fearless, it was compassionate, and it was compelling,” but he claims “it is next to impossible to defend the entire Bible”.2
(Excerpt) Read more at creation.com ...
The SBC doesn't have the power to discipline a pastor. The action would have to come from the local church, and as long as he's bringing in the cash, the Deacons are unlikely to act.
If the Bible is not the foundation of Christian faith, what is?
“For three hundreds years after the resurrection of Christ, the Church grew exponentially without the benefit of a compiled New Testament.”
Yes but many of them had Paul’s letters or copies of the letters. Stanley asserts that it’s all black and white but it’s not.
Also, in Acts the apostles continued the many miracles and mighty works Jesus started in His ministry. Performing miracles was part of the reason for people to believe Jesus was who He claimed He was (Acts 2:22), something Stanley’s church doesn’t do.
Prayer and the bible ;-)
I see the bible as HIGHLY useful in a general way (among others). As one really immerses themself in it, they can get a strong “feel” for the personality of God.
Where this comes in handy is i interpretting “confusing” scripture. Often what is confusing is someone trying to teach you false doctrine that needs to twist the meaning of some plain scripture. You know, like ‘The wages of sin is death”, where “death” doesn’t really mean death, and then they start preaching some myth about all the lost will suffer in a fire for all eternity.
When You know the bible, you understand the personality of God and know that that is hogwash.
I base my faith on God’s salvation of my life. The Bible is written by masters of the faith who came before me and wrote unfailingly the Word of God. The Bible illuminates. It does not save.
Without the Bible, how do we know about the Resurrection? the apostles and witnesses of Jesus’ life, and those that learned from then are long gone.
without the Bible, all we have are folk tales.
I also saw a couple of episodes of this series (My wife likes to watch both Andy and Charles Stanley on TV). I saw it as merely a way to make a non-believer see that the truth of Christ's resurrection was sweeping the world and the numbers of believers were swelling because of the fact that it had happened, and not because they read it in a book. This does not bother me. It's a lot like asserting that the apostles were not lying when they wrote the Gospels because they would not have died for something they knew to be wrong. It appeals to logic, rather than the veracity of a book. One would hope that if any non-believers take a step toward belief, that they would then be taught the importance and truth of the Scriptures.
However, the article says that Andy Stanley is dismissive of several events in the Bible (the flood, destruction of Jericho, the Exodus!!!), etc., because he does not think newbies will accept any of it as fact. I guess he just wants large number of people who kinda sorta believe. And it appears he does not believe that the Holy Spirit will open the believers' hearts to reveal the truth of scripture to them.
#1 sign of “last days” before Jesus Christ’s return in Matthew 24 is “false teachers”!
If the board of deacons refuse to institute church discipline in this clearly unbiblical, egregious case then the people should leave the church enmass because: their hireling false pastor and false teacher Andy Stanley is nothing but a HERITIC!
øbamic preacher. IOW: islamist facilitator.
I don’t mean to start an argument, just an FYI, the Bible does refer to the
Lake of Fire as the “second death.” Also, that all sinners will have their part in it.
I don’t mean to start an argument, just an FYI, the Bible does refer to the
Lake of Fire as the “second death.” Also, that all sinners will have their part in it.
All scripture is breathed by God himself...
“My focus is on Christ.”
Which one? Many antichrists have gone out into the world. On what basis can you know the Real Christ?
...the Bible does refer to the
Lake of Fire as the “second death.” Also, that all sinners will have their part in it.
It’s also how God dealt with ALL his enemies in the OT. He doesn’t waste time torturing, unless it is to bring someone back to Him. For the others, he simply removed the pieces off the chess board. Chaff is burned up, weeds are cast into the fire where they are burned up, etc.
They simply are no more...
I should mention that I am a regular poster here: rethinkinghell.com
I’ve applied a LOT of thought and study to this, and I’m far from done.
I think it was Corrie Ten Boom that said, the Bible says it, I believe it and that settles it. That is my defense. No other explanation is necessary.
**I see the bible as an “owners manual for the Christian human.”**
Jesus tells us, at least twice, that Scripture is about Himself.
I do believe any understanding of Scripture should start with that.
Well I don't know any Christian that bases they faith on the Bible...they base it on the finished work of Jesus Christ...the Bible is not only a historical record of his life...but presents the message he left that He is the Only way to salvation....he 'IS' salvation.
Even so there's a reason the Bible is seen as the “Living Word”..... .....for In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.....The Word 'became flesh' and made His dwelling among us...... He is before all things, and in him all things hold together..
Further...For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, 'the Word', and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Matthew Henry Commentary states.."The plainest reason why the Son of God is called the Word, seems to be, that as our words explain our minds to others, so was the Son of God sent in order to reveal his Father's mind to the world. What the evangelist says of Christ proves that he is God. He asserts, His existence in the beginning; His coexistence with the Father. The Word was with God. All things were made by him, and not as an instrument. Without him was not any thing made that was made, from the highest angel to the meanest worm. This shows how well qualified he was for the work of our redemption and salvation. The light of reason, as well as the life of sense, is derived from him, and depends upon him. This eternal Word, this true Light shines,.... ..... but the darkness comprehends it not..."
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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