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 ...
Dunno.
They had a falling out because charles, the dad, said a pastor who gets divorced should no longer lead their church. Well charles got divorced, and didnt step down from his church. Did not sit well with his son, and it clearly was a hypocritical move on charles’ part, nobody forced him to say that, but he violated his own moral statement.
My take is that most arguments about the content of the bible is not the content, but the interpretation of the content.
What if “the spirit” instructs you to do something contrary to a biblical commandment? Then what is the final authority?
My wife is a history major and teacher and this is one of her chief complaints with the way history is taught today. You can’t view everything through a modern lens as it distorts the reality of the period you are studying.
Our founding fathers get dragged through the mud for some characteristic which today is considered bad. The flaws are emphasized while the historical gravity and importance are ignored.
There are very, very few evangelical tv-media personality types I trust, so that doesn’t surprise me.
No problem on the tone. When escalated, very few things are helped in a discussion of ideas. Follow-up question. What lens do you use to discern whether the message is from the Holy Spirit or from another spirit?
Also, I don’t normally see teaching-preaching as a family hand-me-down business thing. Shoe repair, yes. Teaching, no.
Mama called, daddy sent.
“The bible clearly teaches that women should not speak in church. I’ve never been in a church that applied that. Likewise women’s head covering.”
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I take it you haven’t attended some “Plymouth Brethren” churches?
I recommend the article fishtank cited; it is well-balanced and gracious:
http://theaquilareport.com/is-the-bible-foundational-to-christianity-engaging-with-andy-stanley/
I too think Andy Stanley has some good things to say, but he is wrong on this one. It makes me wonder if he is even aware of all the folks out there that do a great job of defending the Bible. I’ll just mention a few.
Here’s one that takes on all the supposed Bible contradictions:
http://www.philvaz.com/apologetics/bible.htm#INDEX
AND, every week apologetics host Greg Koukl takes on (Live, on the air!) any and all questions about Christianity and the Bible. http://www.str.org/training/broadcast
His website, str.org, has a wealth of information supporting the Bible, and another great site, www.coldcasechristianity.com does the same.
Really, Andy, you have to pay attention to what’s out there!
Stanley doesn’t understand the difference between a God and a man.
They are not on an equal footing, Stan.
Like the shepherd with the sheep, the shepherd has life/death prerogatives over the sheep.
Little Andy should go get a real job.
Defend the Bible? I would as soon defend a lion! Unchain it and it will defend itself.
- C.H. Spurgeon
Yes, it’s all or nothing. And Andy’s on the ‘nothing’ side of the equation.
This guy needs to read the entire book of Job, wherein Job demands God's answers to his questions.
God has an answer to Job (Job 38) and it would behouve Stanley to read and understand what God tells Job is also intended for lightweight, pretend believers, like himself!
Andy Stanley the HERITIC hireling is just too illinformed, lazy and derilict in his position of "shepherding" and protecting the flock entrusted to his care to simply read and communicate the truths and facts found in Josh McDowell's apologetic masterpiece "The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict".
I have but one question: where did Andy Stanley go to seminary and get his MDiv degree from?
As someone who has taught Biblical Studies, Systematic Theology, and Pastoral Studies on both the under graduate and graduate level, I can assure you that every theologically sound, biblically based evangelical seminary requires their MDiv, and Th.M. degree students to take a minimum of at least one course on Appologetics. And this subject is also thoroughly covered in the basic course of Bibliology, which all students are usually required to take in order to graduate.
So, in Andy Staney's case the ONLY conclusion that I can draw is that if Andy went to seminary and took either of these BASIC courses then he is taking this position because he does not believe the Bible is the Word of God, period! Therefore, Andy Stanley is a HERITIC. Following the principles outlined in Matthew 18, Andy Stanley should be tried, removed from his position and his ministerial credentials should be revolked by the Southern Baptist denomination.
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That view would fit in well with the mainline churches. Perhaps the PCUSA?
It sounds more like your pastor's sermons are inspired by Satan, based upon your comments. I'd be happy to help you try to locate a Christian church in your area. Specify dunking or pouring, and I can work from there.
You do have to be able to read.
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