Andy Stanley
In case the legislators think a pastor couldn’t possibly understand the political realities of the day, (Pastor Andy) Stanley reminded them that one location of his congregation meets in heavily conservative Forsyth County and another meets in the more liberal Atlanta suburb of Decatur.“I understand this,” he said. “It’s like two different countries.”
Yet success — making Georgia “amazing” — will only happen in the middle, Stanley emphasized.
“Do you love the state of Georgia more than you love your party? If not, maybe you should do something else.”
“I understand, but not as well as you do, it is hard to raise money in the middle. It’s hard to get people angry enough to vote in the middle. It’s hard to get people to turn out and vote if you’ve not made them afraid of their enemy. … It’s hard to do what you do if you don’t play this silly game, and I just wish we would stop with, ‘Oh no, we’re losing, we’re losing, we’re losing.’”
In politics, Stanley said, “the goal is to always appear as if you’re losing but not to actually lose. What a terrible way to lead. What if we just stop with all that and when we catch each other doing that, we call each other out.
Sitting in political rallies where such divisive rhetoric is used, he challenged partisans to say, “Even though I’m in your party, even though I’ll probably vote for you, I’m not buying it and I’m not going to respect it by clapping for it.”
Taking such a stand “requires a lot of personal maturity and personal security. To lead from the middle, it will require you to love our state more than you love your party. Do you love the state of Georgia more than you love your party? If not, maybe you should do something else.” -Baptist News Global
Yet success — making Georgia “amazing” — will only happen in the middle, Stanley emphasized.
“Do you love the state of Georgia more than you love your party? If not, maybe you should do something else.”
“I understand, but not as well as you do, it is hard to raise money in the middle. It’s hard to get people angry enough to vote in the middle. It’s hard to get people to turn out and vote if you’ve not made them afraid of their enemy. … It’s hard to do what you do if you don’t play this silly game, and I just wish we would stop with, ‘Oh no, we’re losing, we’re losing, we’re losing.’”
In politics, Stanley said, “the goal is to always appear as if you’re losing but not to actually lose. What a terrible way to lead. What if we just stop with all that and when we catch each other doing that, we call each other out.
Sitting in political rallies where such divisive rhetoric is used, he challenged partisans to say, “Even though I’m in your party, even though I’ll probably vote for you, I’m not buying it and I’m not going to respect it by clapping for it.”
Taking such a stand “requires a lot of personal maturity and personal security. To lead from the middle, it will require you to love our state more than you love your party. Do you love the state of Georgia more than you love your party? If not, maybe you should do something else.” -Baptist News Global
| --Andy Stanley; North Point Ministries |
Jan 10, 2022: Christian Post: Andy Stanley says shutting down 'the excuse factory' essential to living God-glorifying life
Andy Stanley, the pastor of North Point Ministries, urged Christians to stop making excuses, explaining that many professing believers construct a “paper wall”— often fueled by fear or insecurity — that holds them back from living a God-glorifying life.
Andy Stanley, the pastor of North Point Ministries, urged Christians to stop making excuses, explaining that many professing believers construct a “paper wall”— often fueled by fear or insecurity — that holds them back from living a God-glorifying life.
Nov 15, 2020: The Atlantic: The Evangelical Reckoning Begins
Andy Stanley, the pastor of one of the largest megachurches in the country, ponders the future of an influential corner of American Christianity.
Andy Stanley, the pastor of one of the largest megachurches in the country, ponders the future of an influential corner of American Christianity.
| |
Aug 23, 2020: Christian Post: Pastor Andy Stanley explains why North Point is suspending services until 2021
Responding to some members who accused him of “bowing to Caesar,” Pastor Andy Stanley of Atlanta’s North Point Community Church explained why his church decided to suspend services until 2021. The decision, he said, is not “left-wing, Marxist agenda,” but based on what’s central to the Christian faith.
Responding to some members who accused him of “bowing to Caesar,” Pastor Andy Stanley of Atlanta’s North Point Community Church explained why his church decided to suspend services until 2021. The decision, he said, is not “left-wing, Marxist agenda,” but based on what’s central to the Christian faith.
April 15, 2020: Pirate Christian: "Unhitching" Jesus?: Did Andy Stanley's Easter 2020 Message "Unhitch" Jesus From Scripture?
Andy Stanley's Easter 2020 message said we don't know about the resurrection because of the Bible. What if he is creating unnecessary and unhelpful distinctions that weaken the foundation of our faith instead of strengthening it?
Andy Stanley's Easter 2020 message said we don't know about the resurrection because of the Bible. What if he is creating unnecessary and unhelpful distinctions that weaken the foundation of our faith instead of strengthening it?
|
Aug 30, 2016: Pulpit & Pen: Superstar Mega-church Son of A (Hopefully Ashamed) Preacher Man Andy Stanley: Scripture Can’t Be Defended
Andy Stanley’s “sermon” – actually he called it a “conversation” – this past Sunday morning at his megachurch, Northpoint Community Church in Atlanta, comes on the heels of the outrageous commentary he offered merely a few days earlier at a Southern Baptist Conference hosted by Russell Moore and the Ethics And Religious Liberty Commission. Mar 8, 2016: Christianity Today: Andy Stanley Explains His ‘Stinking Selfish’ Parents Comment
Atlanta-area megachurch pastor Andy Stanley has come under fire for remarks he made about small churches in a recent sermon. |
|
May 8, 2015: Raw Story: Megachurch pastor rejects his father’s bigotry: Jesus would want you to bake a gay wedding cake
Andy Stanley, who has turned North Point Ministries into one the nation’s largest churches, said Christians must stop driving gay teens away from the church – saying that politics should not overrule biblical teachings, reported Project Q.
Andy Stanley, who has turned North Point Ministries into one the nation’s largest churches, said Christians must stop driving gay teens away from the church – saying that politics should not overrule biblical teachings, reported Project Q.
Nov 19, 2012: CNN: Two preaching giants and the 'betrayal' that tore them apart
Andy Stanley walked into his pastor's office, filled with dread.
Andy Stanley walked into his pastor's office, filled with dread.
| Charles Andrew "Andy" Stanley (born May 16, 1958) is the senior pastor of North Point Community Church, Buckhead Church, Browns Bridge Community Church, Gwinnett Church, Watermarke Church, and Decatur City Church. He also founded North Point Ministries, which is a worldwide Christian organization. |
