Posted on 10/02/2023 5:51:03 PM PDT by Morgana
The recent revelations about Andy Stanley’s gay-affirming theology come as no surprise to those who have watched the North Point pastor’s descent into heresy over the past decade. While not surprising, they do confirm unequivocally Stanley’s position and intent to affirm homosexuality in the Church. As reported extensively, Stanley’s “Embracing the Journey” conference provided a platform for speakers who actively promote acceptance and even celebration of homosexuality within the church, representing an unambiguous departure from historic orthodox Christian teaching on sexuality.
However, the bigger issue is not Stanley’s own drift—as we’ve been covering this for years at The Dissenter—but the fact that he represents just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to compromised doctrine and worldly accommodation amongst America’s evangelical megachurches. Stanley has clones planted throughout evangelicalism who are leading their congregations down the wide path of destruction.
Just look at First Baptist Church Orlando, for example. This church is a Southern Baptist megachurch that has been waving the theological rainbow flag for years, as we have reported extensively. The church came under scrutiny in 2016 for giving the pulpit to a group of homosexuals following the Pulse Nightclub shooting and has since only deepened its theological compromise. Just last year, both the associate pastor and lead pastor, David Uth, openly championed the church’s inclusivity of homosexuals and transgender people and even praised pro-abortion people, claiming all these people served the same God under the banner of their church identity. The Southern Baptist Convention has notably failed to hold them accountable. Where’s the leadership?
Far from being an isolated incident, this church’s approach serves as a glaring example of the broader issue facing modern evangelicalism—the prioritizing of the praise of men over biblical fidelity. With the SBC’s silence on such compromises, First Baptist Church Orlando continues its theological drift, aligning more with secular ideologies than the eternal truths of Scripture. This leaves us to question: where will the line be drawn, and who will have the courage to draw it?
Over in California, Saddleback Church has been undergoing a transformation of its own, spearheaded by Andy Wood and formerly, Rick Warren. We previously exposed the church for one of its pastors participation in the pro-LGBTQ conference at North Point Church which took place last week. But it doesn’t end there—our investigations revealed that Saddleback hosts its own in-house pro-LGBTQ ministry named “Embracing the Journey,” identical to North Point’s program. This ministry was co-founded by Doug Habel and Shauna Habel Morgan, who are aligned with radical pro-LGBTQ organizations like Matthew Vines’ The Reformation Project. Shauna’s involvement even extends to the promotion of the movie “1946,” which falsely contends that the Scriptures do not condemn homosexuality, drawing a misleading parallel between the so-called “oppression” of LGBTQ individuals and historical misuses of Scripture to justify slavery.
This paints a troubling picture. Andy Wood, in assuming the mantle of leadership from Rick Warren, continues to push the church into dangerous territory, being more committed to popular social movements than to biblical teaching. The direction at Saddleback parallels the compromise we’re witnessing across the evangelical landscape—substituting the clear teachings of Scripture for worldly ideologies that inevitably lead to spiritual destruction.
From Bill Hybels to Steven Furtick to Craig Groeschel, the list goes on of celebrity pastors who have pursued growth and popularity over truth. They have given in to the zeitgeist, promoting homosexuality, gender confusion, Critical Race Theory, and other ideologies utterly incompatible with God’s Word. Stanley did not start this dumpster fire, but he poured gasoline on it through his own compromise.
Brothers and sisters, do not be deceived. The Evangelical Industrial Complex is compromised from top to bottom. Those who follow Christ must be willing to come out of this corrupt system and its purveyors of false doctrine like Stanley. We cannot flirt with teachings that tickle people’s ears but put their souls in peril.
The path is narrow. Progressive megachurches promising self-actualization rather than salvation lead only to destruction. Do not wait for heretics and false leaders like Stanley to correct course—they have already shown themselves “twice dead” with worldly accommodation and rejection of the sufficiency of Scripture.
The time has come to abandon the celebrity-driven, culture-chasing circus of modern evangelicalism. Return to the eternal truths of God’s Word and the genuine Gospel of Christ. Then and only then will the Church recover its power and purpose. Andy Stanley isn’t the problem, he’s just a huge symptom. Andy Stanley only has a platform because people give him one. The real problem is unbelief.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. —2 Timothy 4:3
Everyone is really upset seems a lot knew his dad.
His dad was quite a remarkable man, I read his Daily Devotionals every morning first thing.
That is why a lot here have said. I have to wonder here he went wrong with his kid?
His church should be empty on Sunday. Anyone who attends is a heretic.
Charles Stanley was imperfect, as all humans are. But he is far and away my favorite preacher. I learned much from him, and to this day I continue to listen to his sermons.
Andy Stanley is a rudderless lightweight. If it weren’t for his last name, he’d be stocking shelves at Walmart right next to George W. Bush.
I'm sure Adam thought the same thing about Cain, as have countless parents throughout the centuries about their own wayward progeny.
Stanley and Pope Francis serve the same devil.
Pope Francis and an Anti-Pope
Andy Stanley is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
It is not always the parents’ “fault.”
Of course we should all be faithful to raise our children in the Lord. And of course no matter our best intentions we will at least sometimes fail.
However Mr Stanley at some point owns his own decisions.
The headline is bullcrap.
He is a problem. He is also a symptom of something larger. They aren’t mutually exclusive.
All this homo stuff is really tedious. It is the work of Satan.
There is really nothing else to say.
“Those who believe and endure to the end, shall be saved. “
Must have missed that verse. Probably because it does not exist.
After reading through some of the Andy Stanley messages here is what I see:
Andy speaks with forked tongue.
Also, Andy thinks he is smarter than Jesus or than God.
Andy doesn’t believe that “friendship with the world is enmity with God”.
You know what the Bible says about slanderers, right?
Here's a question for you. Exactly which sin is it that causes God to withdraw Salvation from born-again believers? Which sin is it that gets the ball rolling?
Is it slander? Or just telling a lie?
You suggested that I speak to others about it and then go to the minister about this issue.
I did speak to others about the issue, but they agreed with the minister.
Turns out that people don't want the sin of homosexuality addressed from the pulpit because they say it is "political."
I have stopped attending this church.
As an aside, the LGBTQ movement has been very clever in its invasion of churches. They invade under the guise of politics and then complain that ministers should NOT preach about politics from the pulpit.
I know you think “it’s a lie”, but Eternal Security is a real thing.
John 10:28
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
To quote John MacArthur, if you could lose your salvation - you would.
I post this so others won’t fall into the same deceptive and self-imprisoned trap the legalists fall into. They have no idea what freedom in Christ is.
As if Jesus’s perfect Sacrifice on the Cross wasn’t enough - we have folks slandering His Salvation now.
They really are coming out of the woodwork on FR lately.
Charles Stanley declines award after Jews question his views on gaysAmid a heated debate over his vocal opposition to homosexuality and same-sex marriage, Atlanta pastor Charles Stanley will decline an award he planned to accept from the Jewish National Fund in Atlanta on Thursday.
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Stanley, 82, has preached vehemently against homosexuality. He recently submitted a legal brief to the U.S. Supreme Court against legalizing same-sex marriage.
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He “has publicly called AIDS God’s punishment for America’s acceptance of homosexuality and called homosexuality ‘destructive behavior,’” read a letter signed by 240 people to JNF Southeast region leaders from SOJOURN.
“He has said that ‘God does not agree with the lifestyle of the homosexual’ and that accepting gay people is ‘an act of disobedience to God,’” the letter continued.
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