Posted on 07/03/2018 10:30:03 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
North Point Community Church Senior Pastor Andy Stanley recently explained to popular radio host and Messianic Jewish author Michael Brown why he's quit using the term "the Bible says."
In an episode of Brown's podcast "Line of Fire" that aired Monday afternoon, Stanley explained why, although he considers the Good Book inerrant, the term "the Bible says" doesn't work with those he's trying to evangelize.
"Once upon a time that was very effective in our country. Those days are long gone. But unfortunately, church leaders still want to leverage 'the Bible says,' which is great for people who take the Bible seriously," said Stanley.
"It's not my audience. ... I'm trying to recapture the imagination of people, adults and students who've left because of what else is in the Bible or because everyone is one click away from information or misinformation about the Bible."
Stanley described Christianity as "an event-based faith," telling Brown that he believes if people come to accept Jesus' Resurrection, "their confidence in the Old Testament and their interest, most importantly, in the Old Testament flourishes."
"And this is exactly what happened historically," Stanley continued. "When did Gentiles suddenly get excited about the Old Testament? After they fell in love with a Jew."
Stanley requested the interview with Brown to respond to concerns about a sermon he preached earlier this year in which he said that Christians should "unhitch" themselves from the Old Testament.
Peter, James, Paul elected to unhitch the Christian faith from their Jewish scriptures, and my friends, we must as well," declared Stanley in his message in late April.
The third and final part of a sermon series titled "Aftermath," Stanley preached on Acts 15, in which early church leaders agreed to allow non-Jews to become Christian.
Stanley argued that the early church showed that there was a need to move past the Old Testament for the sake of gentile believers and that the resurrection of Jesus was enough.
"Jesus' new covenant, His covenant with the nations, His covenant with you, His covenant with us, can stand on its own two nail-scarred resurrection feet. It does not need propping up by the Jewish scriptures," said Stanley.
"Your whole house of Old Testament cards can come tumbling down. The question is did Jesus rise from the dead? And the eyewitnesses said He did."
For his part, Brown had authored an opinion column published in May by The Christian Post that urged Stanley to disavow his "unhitched" comments.
"A pastor as influential as Andy Stanley needs to distance himself from such heresies, making a public, clear, and unequivocal correction that undoes the confusion he has caused. (He knows that I write this a friend, out to help, not to hurt.)," wrote Brown.
"He can preach against legalism and against Judaizing, exalting the grace of God and celebrating the newness of the New Covenant, without undermining the very foundations on which that New Covenant is established."
On Brown's podcast, Stanley explained that critics needed to understand the context, especially since his remarks were more for an audience that is turned off by biblical arguments.
"I told my kids growing up, if anyone ever asks you 'do you believe Adam and Eve are real people?' here is how you are to answer: do not say 'yes because the Bible says Adam and Eve were real people,'" commented Stanley.
"You say this: 'I believe Adam and Eve were historical characters because Jesus did. And when somebody predicts their own death and resurrection and pulls it off, I go with whatever they say.'"
In response to Stanley, Brown drew a parallel to a video he made on the question of "Can You be Gay and Christian?" noting that he used different apologetic methods for different critics.
"I'm trying to give the biblical evidence to those that accept the scriptures," noted Brown. "But the level of criticism and attack coming in about 'our Bronze Age God, our Bronze Age faith' ... obviously, if I'm trying to reach those people, I'm going to approach it from a little different angle."
His god the Fraud always condescendingly told us while pretending to be Christian, “Scripture tells us....”
If the person your discussing the matter with doesn't believe in the Bible, you appear to be engaging in circular reasoning, which doesn't persuade an intelligent person.
I saw a video of his sermon called “Because the Bible Told Me So”. The theme of which is that the bible is out of date. He even says that the parables of Jesus make no sense and the OT is myth. He doesn’t love the bible. The opposite is true. This guy is an apostate through and through. He’s talking to those with itching ears.
This guy is getting more confused and confusing by the day. Christians need to study both the Old and New Testament, and that will never change.
That is simply not true. The OT quotes and allusions by Peter, James, and Paul are so great in number that it's foolish to admit otherwise.
“Once upon a time that was very effective in our country. Those days are long gone. But unfortunately, church leaders still want to leverage ‘the Bible says,’ which is great for people who take the Bible seriously,” said Stanley.
_____________________________________________________
What A Maroon.
What does he say instead?
“In my opinion...” or maybe “The way I feel about it is...”
The fact is - I don’t want to hear any man’s ideas about salvation, life, death, morality and so on.
Only “What the Bible says” is of any relevance.
Period.
Sadly, my nephew and his family attend this church.
So what other sources should be used to evangelize about Jesus Christ other than the Bible?
andy stanley is a heretic- He wants to reshape the bible so that it becomes ‘palatable to sinners’- He apparently thinks it’s his job to make the bible into something that doesn’t offend in the slightest-
And how do we know that Jesus said this? The Bible says He did.
Maybe he should try using the example set down by the Founder of the Church(which is not a building). Ask simply, “Have you not read?” then lead with some infinite wisdom, of which there is plenty.
“’And when somebody predicts their own death and resurrection and pulls it off, I go with whatever they say.’”
And how do we know Jesus predicted this and pulled it off? The Bible says He did.
Christ quoted the OT for validation of many things.
He didn’t appear to “move past it” or think it was fantasy make believe.
Speaking only in general terms, I am very concerned that there seems to be a growing movement within evangelical circles that has mediatized from the mainline protestant churches. That movement is to eagerly contour as close as possible to our culture under the guise of being seeker friendly, or trying to reach Millenials and the unchurched.
While some of that motivation may be true, I do fear that many evangelical churches are shrinking back in fear of being out-of-step with the potent cultural forces. They want to be aligned with the culture in order to fly under the radar and avoid any public controversy.
Is that the way of the One who walked the road of Calvary? Or is it simply easier to cloak your submission to the culture in terms of being “seeker friendly”?
The Gospel offends. Jesus is a stumbling block to many. Some of the things Jesus says are hard. Do we trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to convict and to save, or do we trust in our own cleverness and cunning to trick people into the Gospel?
Sounds like time to find a new Pastor.
The church leadership and the Southern Baptist leadership need to confront Andy Stanley's heresy, strip him of his SBC credentials and remove Stanley from his pastoral position ASAP. If they do not because he is the pastor of a "mega church" and all they really care about is numbers, then they are ALL complicit in his ongoing heresies and the deception of everyone he has the ability to preach, teach and influence.
....the Bereans studied...
What?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.