===Andy Stanley===
Charles Andrew Stanley, known as Andy Stanley, is an American who is the founder and senior pastor of North Point Ministries, a nondenominational evangelical Christian church with several campuses across the north metro Atlanta area. Stanley earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Georgia State University and a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. Stanley founded North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, in 1995.
The Plot to Queer Evangelical Churches
The following essay is adapted from Shepherds for Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded the Truth for a Leftist Agenda. In September 2019, in Mesa, Arizona, pastor Ryan Visconti was thrilled to find himself at a private dinner with Andy Stanley, pastor of what was then the largest church in the United States. On any given weekend, Stanley’s North Point church has roughly 31,000 attendees across eight campuses in Atlanta, Georgia. Stanley is also the author of dozens of books, and his sermons are distributed through a vast digital ministry that includes not only podcasts and YouTube videos, but also traditional broadcasts on NBC, CBS, and radio stations across the country. Little wonder, then, that Preaching Magazine ranked him number eight on its list of the twenty-five most influential preachers of the last twenty-five years. But perhaps over no group does Stanley hold more sway than other pastors. Stanley was in Arizona for his “Irresistible” tour, a conference that promised to teach church leaders how to “expand [their] influence.” Visconti was excited for the opportunity to pick Stanley’s brain, though, at thirty-four, he would be the youngest at a table of about fifteen men and expected to spend the majority of the meal quietly soaking up wisdom from Stanley and the more seasoned leaders. That plan went off the rails when the discussion turned toward homosexuality and how the men’s ministries were confronting increasing cultural pressure to compromise on clear biblical teaching. Stanley shocked the room by arguing that they shouldn’t so much confront it as accommodate it. “He said he would encourage any gay couples in his congregation to commit to each other,” Visconti recalled.
(First Things 8/1/24) READ MORE>>>>>
The following essay is adapted from Shepherds for Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded the Truth for a Leftist Agenda. In September 2019, in Mesa, Arizona, pastor Ryan Visconti was thrilled to find himself at a private dinner with Andy Stanley, pastor of what was then the largest church in the United States. On any given weekend, Stanley’s North Point church has roughly 31,000 attendees across eight campuses in Atlanta, Georgia. Stanley is also the author of dozens of books, and his sermons are distributed through a vast digital ministry that includes not only podcasts and YouTube videos, but also traditional broadcasts on NBC, CBS, and radio stations across the country. Little wonder, then, that Preaching Magazine ranked him number eight on its list of the twenty-five most influential preachers of the last twenty-five years. But perhaps over no group does Stanley hold more sway than other pastors. Stanley was in Arizona for his “Irresistible” tour, a conference that promised to teach church leaders how to “expand [their] influence.” Visconti was excited for the opportunity to pick Stanley’s brain, though, at thirty-four, he would be the youngest at a table of about fifteen men and expected to spend the majority of the meal quietly soaking up wisdom from Stanley and the more seasoned leaders. That plan went off the rails when the discussion turned toward homosexuality and how the men’s ministries were confronting increasing cultural pressure to compromise on clear biblical teaching. Stanley shocked the room by arguing that they shouldn’t so much confront it as accommodate it. “He said he would encourage any gay couples in his congregation to commit to each other,” Visconti recalled.
(First Things 8/1/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Andy Stanley criticises Southern Baptist Convention over female pastor fallout
Pastor Andy Stanley, from North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, has publicly criticised the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) for disfellowshipping Rick Warren's Saddleback Church over the ordination of a female teaching pastor. According to the Christian Post, in a sermon delivered on Sunday, Stanley, son of the late Southern Baptist pastor and televangelist Charles Stanley, emphasised the need to "remove obstacles" for those seeking to follow Jesus Christ. Identifying himself as "theologically conservative," Stanley said that the progress many churches were making to reach the lost "is being undermined and reversed like crazy." (Premier Chistianity 7/4/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Pastor Andy Stanley, from North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, has publicly criticised the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) for disfellowshipping Rick Warren's Saddleback Church over the ordination of a female teaching pastor. According to the Christian Post, in a sermon delivered on Sunday, Stanley, son of the late Southern Baptist pastor and televangelist Charles Stanley, emphasised the need to "remove obstacles" for those seeking to follow Jesus Christ. Identifying himself as "theologically conservative," Stanley said that the progress many churches were making to reach the lost "is being undermined and reversed like crazy." (Premier Chistianity 7/4/24) READ MORE>>>>>
The Good Pastors Are Under Siege
The most notable person in this shift is Pastor Andy Stanley of North Point Community Church in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Pastor Andy is one of the most influential evangelical pastors of our day. North Point Community Church averages almost 40,000 people a weekend across eight locations. Pastor Andy is the son of the late Pastor Charles Stanley. For the past ten plus years Pastor Andy has been on a journey to shift his view of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and specifically his view on homosexuality. He has very methodically walked a tight rope between conservative theology and his drifting view of it. Ten years ago, the Baptist Press in an article questioned Pastor Andy’s view when they stated, “Megachurch pastor Andy Stanley is being criticized for a recent sermon illustration involving a gay couple in which Stanley labeled adultery, but not homosexuality, a sin.” He has since bolstered his comments on this issue and has recently hosted a conference where he invited openly gay Christian leaders to share on how parents can help their children who identify as same sex. (Kelly M Williams/The Good Pastors 11/14/23) READ MORE>>>>>
The most notable person in this shift is Pastor Andy Stanley of North Point Community Church in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Pastor Andy is one of the most influential evangelical pastors of our day. North Point Community Church averages almost 40,000 people a weekend across eight locations. Pastor Andy is the son of the late Pastor Charles Stanley. For the past ten plus years Pastor Andy has been on a journey to shift his view of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and specifically his view on homosexuality. He has very methodically walked a tight rope between conservative theology and his drifting view of it. Ten years ago, the Baptist Press in an article questioned Pastor Andy’s view when they stated, “Megachurch pastor Andy Stanley is being criticized for a recent sermon illustration involving a gay couple in which Stanley labeled adultery, but not homosexuality, a sin.” He has since bolstered his comments on this issue and has recently hosted a conference where he invited openly gay Christian leaders to share on how parents can help their children who identify as same sex. (Kelly M Williams/The Good Pastors 11/14/23) READ MORE>>>>>
An Assessment of Andy Stanley’s Unconditional Conference
In 2014, I attended Matthew Vines’s conference on the Bible and homosexuality. His stated goal was to “promote inclusion of LGBTQ people by reforming church teaching.” The organization he started, The Reformation Project, teaches that homosexual sex and same-sex marriage are biblically permissible, and its goal to mainstream this theology into the church is overt and clear.Fast-forward to last month, when I attended the Unconditional Conference put on by Embracing the Journey (ETJ). Hosted by nationally known pastor Andy Stanley and held at his church, which boasts a weekly attendance of nearly 40,000 people, the event sought to create a theologically neutral space where parents and leaders could learn how to minister to youth who identify as LGBTQ. In other words, the stated intent was not to change anyone’s theology.
(Alan Shlemon/Stand To Reason 10/12/23) READ MORE>>>>>
In 2014, I attended Matthew Vines’s conference on the Bible and homosexuality. His stated goal was to “promote inclusion of LGBTQ people by reforming church teaching.” The organization he started, The Reformation Project, teaches that homosexual sex and same-sex marriage are biblically permissible, and its goal to mainstream this theology into the church is overt and clear.Fast-forward to last month, when I attended the Unconditional Conference put on by Embracing the Journey (ETJ). Hosted by nationally known pastor Andy Stanley and held at his church, which boasts a weekly attendance of nearly 40,000 people, the event sought to create a theologically neutral space where parents and leaders could learn how to minister to youth who identify as LGBTQ. In other words, the stated intent was not to change anyone’s theology.
(Alan Shlemon/Stand To Reason 10/12/23) READ MORE>>>>>
Denny Burk
As has been widely reported this week, Andy Stanley and North Point Community Church recently hosted an LGBTQ-affirming event called the Unconditional Conference. The church’s pastor Andy Stanley defended the conference in his Sunday morning message. He also argued that following Christ might be “unsustainable” for some Christians but that churches should nevertheless recognize them as true followers of Christ. If that seems like a contradiction, that’s because it is.
And that’s precisely the problem with Stanley’s approach. It’s fundamentally at odds with the Christian faith. Anyone who claims to follow Christ but then denies him by their deeds is lying, and the truth is not in him (1 John 2:4-5). In such cases, Churches must not recognize nor treat such unrepentant sinners as born again. To do so would be unfaithful to Christ, but that is apparently what Andy Stanley and North Point are doing.
--Denny Burk; Christians Cannot “Agree to Disagree” with Wolves 10.5.23
And that’s precisely the problem with Stanley’s approach. It’s fundamentally at odds with the Christian faith. Anyone who claims to follow Christ but then denies him by their deeds is lying, and the truth is not in him (1 John 2:4-5). In such cases, Churches must not recognize nor treat such unrepentant sinners as born again. To do so would be unfaithful to Christ, but that is apparently what Andy Stanley and North Point are doing.
--Denny Burk; Christians Cannot “Agree to Disagree” with Wolves 10.5.23
June 6, 2023: Answers in Genesis: The Art of (Spiritual) War
Andy Stanley’s Fall into the Fool’s TrapThe following quotes are all taken from an address Pastor Stanley made at Dallas Theological Seminary, where he was teaching the next generation of potential Christian pastors how he feels they should approach the exposition of the Word of God.
Stanley’s belief on what Christians should do when preaching and teaching is to focus exclusively on the resurrection of Christ rather than the authority, infallibility, or inerrancy of Scripture. (His statements in this transcript are timestamped for you to examine.)
Andy Stanley’s Fall into the Fool’s TrapThe following quotes are all taken from an address Pastor Stanley made at Dallas Theological Seminary, where he was teaching the next generation of potential Christian pastors how he feels they should approach the exposition of the Word of God.
Stanley’s belief on what Christians should do when preaching and teaching is to focus exclusively on the resurrection of Christ rather than the authority, infallibility, or inerrancy of Scripture. (His statements in this transcript are timestamped for you to examine.)
Andy Stanley
[S]o about nine years ago, I was sitting at home, and I'm watching the YouTube video of Sam Harris . . . famous atheist neuroscientist . . . somebody told me to watch. And he's at a university setting, and he is just completely dismantling the Bible, and the crowd is cheering, I mean every time he makes it—takes a shot at the Bible, they just cheer . . . and as I was watching, something dawned on me that I'd never thought about before . . . it rocked my world and changed the way I preached—I made the change almost immediately. [I]t dawned on me that Sam Harris shared an assumption with everybody in the room that was a skeptic or an atheist or agnostic . . . and the assumption that he shared with them he also shared with most Christians . . . it’s an assumption that I was raised on, it’s an assumption that most of you were raised on . . . that the Bible is the foundation of the Christian faith. ([T]he assumption being that, as the Bible goes, so goes the Christian faith. So he dismantles the Bible and all confidence in the Bible. He’s dismantling Christianity in his mind, and in the minds of the people in the audience, and in the minds and the hearts of people and students and high school students and college students everywhere. So after I watched this, I thought, “This is terrible, and someone needs to do something.” And I looked around, and it was just me. --Andy Stanley; June 6, 2023
“Leaders who don’t listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say.” -Andy Stanley
Andy Stanley
“The truth is, Christians are not expected to believe what we believe based on a collection of ancient manuscripts written by men who never met each other over the course of hundreds of years in a time when everybody was superstitious and everybody believed in the gods and there was no modern science. Our religion is built on something much stronger than that. It’s a much more long-term solution. [the Christian faith] rises and falls on the identity of a single individual: Jesus of Nazareth.............those who are seeking or doubting faith are typically wrestling with the wrong questions. The question to wrestle with is not ‘Is there a God?’ or ‘Is the Bible true?’ In fact, such are typically exit routes from religious belief rather than entry points.......the question at the heart of Christianity, is whether or not the gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John give an accurate account of the events they describe. What they say about Jesus is true if even one of these four is a credible account of actual events...And if what is said about Jesus of Nazareth is correct, then it’s game on and faith is justified. You need to keep going. “Lean in” is the correct posture. The story of Jesus is not a Bible story. The reason for the existence of the Bible is the account of Jesus’ life. The Bible exists because of Jesus.
--Andy Stanley March 8, 2023
--Andy Stanley March 8, 2023
“If you are “seeking first” his kingdom where you are, then where you are is where he has positioned you.”
-Andy Stanley
-Andy Stanley
Andy Stanley
“Victims don’t want to be proactive about changing—they want to be proactive about making sure that the person who hurt them pays. And so we spend our energy telling our sad stories rather than taking responsibility for our behavior. Thus we open the door of our hearts and welcome in the Trojan horse of bitterness. And it stands there, a monument, a constant reminder of a debt someone has yet to pay. Somebody owes us.” -Andy Stanley
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January 23, 2023
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May 9, 2023: News Pocket: Andy Stanley’s Tweet About the Accuracy of the Bible Is Heavily Criticized!
This week, pastor and author Andy Stanley received criticism online for a tweet he posted, which he has since deleted, in which he claimed that the centrality of Jesus to Christianity is more important than the inerrancy of the Bible.
The tweet argued that the truth of only 66 historical scriptures was not crucial to the Christian faith. Everything hinges on whether or not you believe Jesus was the Messiah.
This week, pastor and author Andy Stanley received criticism online for a tweet he posted, which he has since deleted, in which he claimed that the centrality of Jesus to Christianity is more important than the inerrancy of the Bible.
The tweet argued that the truth of only 66 historical scriptures was not crucial to the Christian faith. Everything hinges on whether or not you believe Jesus was the Messiah.
April 25, 2023: AFA: Reprove, Rebuke, and Exhort
Schreve shared an audio clip from North Point Community Church’s 2022 DRIVE Conference. In the clip, lead pastor Dr. Andy Stanley openly commended “gay Christians” who regularly attend church despite the lack of acceptance received from fellow church members. Stanley said these gay men and women have more faith than he does, and he wished he could get straight people as excited and engaged in serving the church.
Schreve shared an audio clip from North Point Community Church’s 2022 DRIVE Conference. In the clip, lead pastor Dr. Andy Stanley openly commended “gay Christians” who regularly attend church despite the lack of acceptance received from fellow church members. Stanley said these gay men and women have more faith than he does, and he wished he could get straight people as excited and engaged in serving the church.
Andy Stanley Files
it's just disappointing to me that so many Christians in their bios, their little Twitter, I mean their avatar say, Jesus-loving, coffee-loving, Reformed Baptist. I love my wife and my kids and my church. And then they, you know, they say all these un-Christ-like things. It's, it's remarkable. And the best one ones that I, the best ones, I have a little folder on my phone that says, Andy haters, and I save the best ones. And I read them to my kids. So maybe somebody out there is part of the Greatest Hits, because it's crazy what people who have never met me say about me. And not just me, everybody. So yeah, that's, that's just disappointing that there's that many people that are part of the body of Christ that feel there's nothing in their conscience that kind of rings and, you know, warns them that, hey, maybe you shouldn't do this, so anyway. -Andy Stanley; World; 5.14.22
In today’s installment of Reformation Charlotte’s False Teacher of the Day series, Andy Stanley, son of former Southern Baptist President, Charles Stanley, and pastor of Northpoint megachurch in Atlanta, GA, takes the spotlight as one of the most prolific and unfruitful false teachers thus far. Stanley is one of the most nocuous false teachers because of his ability to fit within mainstream Evangelicalism. Make no mistake about it, though; Andy Stanly is a ravenous wolf in sheep’s clothing.
One of Andy Stanley’s most grievous heresies is his teaching on the authority–or lack of authority–of the Scriptures. Stanley separates the Word of God from God himself and teaches that the Scriptures are not the foundation of our faith nor should we look to the Scriptures as the final authority. Instead, he teaches, we should look to Jesus.....................Andy Stanley is extremely dangerous because of his notoriety and influence among mainstream Evangelicalism. While his actual teachings are on par with rank heretics such as Rob Bell and Brian McLaren, his reach is much greater and tolerance within the Church is much higher. He has been platformed by the Southern Baptist Convention, by Dallas Theological Seminary, and many other mainstream outlets. However, he should be written off completely, marked, and avoided by any who actually love God and believe His Word. -DISNTR; False Teacher of the Day #16: Andy Stanley 6/4/21
One of Andy Stanley’s most grievous heresies is his teaching on the authority–or lack of authority–of the Scriptures. Stanley separates the Word of God from God himself and teaches that the Scriptures are not the foundation of our faith nor should we look to the Scriptures as the final authority. Instead, he teaches, we should look to Jesus.....................Andy Stanley is extremely dangerous because of his notoriety and influence among mainstream Evangelicalism. While his actual teachings are on par with rank heretics such as Rob Bell and Brian McLaren, his reach is much greater and tolerance within the Church is much higher. He has been platformed by the Southern Baptist Convention, by Dallas Theological Seminary, and many other mainstream outlets. However, he should be written off completely, marked, and avoided by any who actually love God and believe His Word. -DISNTR; False Teacher of the Day #16: Andy Stanley 6/4/21
2023
April 19, 2023: Church Leaders: Andy Stanley Reflects on His Father’s Passing as Church Leaders Offer Tributes to Charles Stanley
North Point Ministries founder Andy Stanley has said that his “final few weeks” with his father, Dr. Charles Stanley, who passed away at age 90 the morning of Tuesday, April 18, were “precious beyond words.”
“At the end of every visit, he asked me to pray for him,” said Andy. “Which of course I did. On my knees beside the big leather chair he was confined to for the past several months.”
North Point Ministries founder Andy Stanley has said that his “final few weeks” with his father, Dr. Charles Stanley, who passed away at age 90 the morning of Tuesday, April 18, were “precious beyond words.”
“At the end of every visit, he asked me to pray for him,” said Andy. “Which of course I did. On my knees beside the big leather chair he was confined to for the past several months.”
Feb 9, 2023: Gospel Coalition: Downplaying the Sin of Homosexuality Won’t Win the Next Generation
Much has been made of Andy Stanley’s recently surfaced comments about church leaders and homosexuality—specifically his counsel on how the church must approach this issue if we’re to advance the gospel into the next generation.
Much has been made of Andy Stanley’s recently surfaced comments about church leaders and homosexuality—specifically his counsel on how the church must approach this issue if we’re to advance the gospel into the next generation.
Jan 28, 2023: Christian Post: Did Andy Stanley do a 'great disservice' with comments on LGBT churchgoers?
A now-viral video of Georgia Pastor Andy Stanley magnifying the faith of LGBT people over "most" of his own congregation has drawn sharp criticism from pastors and Christian thinkers alike, with one ministry leader claiming the megachurch pastor does God a "great disservice."
The clip of Stanley, an influential pastor of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, and the leader of North Point Ministries, comes from North Point's Drive Conference last May, where Stanley told churchgoers that any LGBT individual who continues to go to church has "more faith than a lot of you."
"A gay person who still wants to attend church after the way they've been treated, I'm telling you, they have more faith than I do," Stanley said in the clip. "They have more faith than a lot of you."
A now-viral video of Georgia Pastor Andy Stanley magnifying the faith of LGBT people over "most" of his own congregation has drawn sharp criticism from pastors and Christian thinkers alike, with one ministry leader claiming the megachurch pastor does God a "great disservice."
The clip of Stanley, an influential pastor of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, and the leader of North Point Ministries, comes from North Point's Drive Conference last May, where Stanley told churchgoers that any LGBT individual who continues to go to church has "more faith than a lot of you."
"A gay person who still wants to attend church after the way they've been treated, I'm telling you, they have more faith than I do," Stanley said in the clip. "They have more faith than a lot of you."
Jan 31, 2023: Christian Post: Andy Stanley to host conference for Christian parents of LGBT-identified kids
Megachurch Pastor Andy Stanley, who has been the center of controversy following public comments he made regarding gay individuals in the Church having more faith in God, is scheduled to host a conference at his church for Christian parents of LGBT-identified children later this year.
Megachurch Pastor Andy Stanley, who has been the center of controversy following public comments he made regarding gay individuals in the Church having more faith in God, is scheduled to host a conference at his church for Christian parents of LGBT-identified children later this year.
Jan 26, 2023: Christian Post: Andy Stanley says gay churchgoers 'have more faith than a lot of you'
Stanley, who leads the multi-site North Point Ministries and North Point Community Church based in Alpharetta, Georgia, said in a now-viral sermon clip that any LGBT individual who continues to go to church has "more faith than a lot of you."
"A gay person who still wants to attend church after the way they've been treated, I'm telling you, they have more faith than I do," Stanley said in the clip, which had over 1.2 million views on Twitter alone as of Thursday. "They have more faith than a lot of you."
Stanley, who leads the multi-site North Point Ministries and North Point Community Church based in Alpharetta, Georgia, said in a now-viral sermon clip that any LGBT individual who continues to go to church has "more faith than a lot of you."
"A gay person who still wants to attend church after the way they've been treated, I'm telling you, they have more faith than I do," Stanley said in the clip, which had over 1.2 million views on Twitter alone as of Thursday. "They have more faith than a lot of you."
2022
Dec 17, 2022: Frederick News-Post: Some Georgia pastors push back against spread of Christian nationalism
Andy Stanley, founder of the nondenominational, Alpharetta-based North Point Ministries and one of the most prominent religious leaders in the nation, writes in his book, “Not In It To Win It: Why Choosing Sides Sidelines the Church” that during the 2020 elections he felt pressured to “politicize” his church.
“Dozens of families reached out to me to let me know they were leaving our churches because I had bought into the Democratic narrative,” he wrote.
When a local church becomes preoccupied with “saving America at the expense of saving Americans, it has forsaken its mission,” Stanley wrote.
Andy Stanley, founder of the nondenominational, Alpharetta-based North Point Ministries and one of the most prominent religious leaders in the nation, writes in his book, “Not In It To Win It: Why Choosing Sides Sidelines the Church” that during the 2020 elections he felt pressured to “politicize” his church.
“Dozens of families reached out to me to let me know they were leaving our churches because I had bought into the Democratic narrative,” he wrote.
When a local church becomes preoccupied with “saving America at the expense of saving Americans, it has forsaken its mission,” Stanley wrote.
Dec 6, 2022: Atlantic Journal Constitution: Some Georgia pastors push back against spread of Christian nationalism
Andy Stanley, founder of the nondenominational, Alpharetta-based North Point Ministries and one of the most prominent religious leaders in the nation, writes in his book, “Not In It To Win It: Why Choosing Sides Sidelines the Church” that during the 2020 elections he felt pressured to “politicize” his church.
“Dozens of families reached out to me to let me know they were leaving our churches because I had bought into the Democratic narrative,” he wrote.
When a local church becomes preoccupied with “saving America at the expense of saving Americans, it has forsaken its mission,” Stanley wrote.
Andy Stanley, founder of the nondenominational, Alpharetta-based North Point Ministries and one of the most prominent religious leaders in the nation, writes in his book, “Not In It To Win It: Why Choosing Sides Sidelines the Church” that during the 2020 elections he felt pressured to “politicize” his church.
“Dozens of families reached out to me to let me know they were leaving our churches because I had bought into the Democratic narrative,” he wrote.
When a local church becomes preoccupied with “saving America at the expense of saving Americans, it has forsaken its mission,” Stanley wrote.
June 30, 2022: Eternity News: SAD DECLINE OF CHRISTIANITY IN CENSUS: A CALL TO UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
For comfort, I immediately picked up megachurch Pastor Andy Stanley’s new book Not in it to Win it: Why choosing sides sidelines the church.
Andy poses the question to the US church – is it possible to disagree politically and love unconditionally? He is especially critical of using Bible and faith claims in a relentless drive to win. Think of the US Supreme Court appointments and political power under Trump.
I found his assertion that we are not in it to win it personally calming and a reminder of my own motivations. A reminder that even if Australians are checking out of my faith – which deeply disappoints me – they must be respected and loved unconditionally.
For comfort, I immediately picked up megachurch Pastor Andy Stanley’s new book Not in it to Win it: Why choosing sides sidelines the church.
Andy poses the question to the US church – is it possible to disagree politically and love unconditionally? He is especially critical of using Bible and faith claims in a relentless drive to win. Think of the US Supreme Court appointments and political power under Trump.
I found his assertion that we are not in it to win it personally calming and a reminder of my own motivations. A reminder that even if Australians are checking out of my faith – which deeply disappoints me – they must be respected and loved unconditionally.
In Part 1 of Not In It To Win It, "One Nation Under God," Andy Stanley discusses that when it comes to potentially polarizing topics, our posture, tone, and approach will tell others all they need to know about what’s most important to us.
In Part 2 of Not In It To Win It, "Shine," Andy Stanley discusses why disagreement is unavoidable, but division is a choice. We can disagree politically and love unconditionally.
In Part 2 of Not In It To Win It, "Shine," Andy Stanley discusses why disagreement is unavoidable, but division is a choice. We can disagree politically and love unconditionally.
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Andy Stanley
“Let’s love, live, and lead in such a way that we, the ekklesia of Jesus, regain the moral high ground and can serve as the conscience of our nation.....The moment we step into a ring that requires someone to lose in order for us to win, we are no longer followers of Jesus.” --Andy Stanley
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Andy Stanley
I'm very conservative, politically, very conservative, conservative person. But to watch Republicans in particular, demonize, demonize Democrats, not just Democrat political leaders, just everybody's a Democrat to say, you know, we want to do evangelism and discipleship, but we're going to demonize half the country. And at the same time, so many Republicans pitch the Democrats as godless, they're against church against family. In other words, they need Jesus. So let's talk about them in such a way that they will never listen to us again, and never step foot inside our church. I'm like, wait, if the Democrats are as bad as you say they are, which I disagree with that bifurcation and with, you know, that kind of stereotyping. But let's, assuming for a minute that that message was true, well, then, shouldn't you be building bridges? Shouldn't we be thinking like missionaries? But instead, we ran to our political corners, and we discovered in this season what's been true for a long time, that what's most important to many of the evangelicals, many conservative Christians is what's important to everybody else, and that is winning. We got to win, win win. And then you open the New Testament and realize, Jesus decided to lose, lose, lose, on purpose with a purpose, with us in mind. And we are, we are commanded to follow him. And I just, oh. And when I want to say one other thing to be clear. It sounds like I'm, you know, wagging my finger, you know, pointing fingers. Early on in the book, I say, no, this is not a you versus me problem, this is a we problem because we're of the same body. And if you slap me with your hand, I'm not mad at your hand, I'm mad at your entire body. And so we have a problem. And I think 2020, you know, everything that happened in 2020, culturally, politically, you know, in terms of the health crisis, it revealed something dark and ugly about the current state of evangelicalism, and we need to look at it, be embarrassed by it and fix it. So this is my, you know, my attempt to add to other things that have been said to, to basically say, let's not do this again. -Andy Stanley 5.14.22
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
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.
Andy Stanley
“From a distance, an excuse looks like an actual reason. Excuses get passed off as reasons, and excuses easily become, in the real world, ‘becauses,’ because all of us have some ‘becauses’ that we habitually hide behind when certain things come up. What if we just quit disguising our excuses as reasons? What if we acknowledge, ‘This isn’t real. I’ve just made this up.'Is it possible you have created a paper wall or an excuse for why you procrastinate about certain things, why you neglect certain things, why you avoid certain things? Is it possible you created a paper wall for why you avoid certain kinds of people, certain people, events, circumstances, opportunities?” --Andy Stanley; North Point Ministries
2020
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?
2018
May 2, 2018: Christianity Today: Tim Keller, John Piper, and Andy Stanley Among the 12 ‘Most Effective’ Preachers
This week, Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary released its 2018 ranking of the ministers who set the standard for contemporary sermons. It lists a cross-denominational mix of evangelical heavyweights ranging from Reformed leaders such as John Piper and Tim Keller, to classic preachers such as Chuck Swindoll and the late Haddon Robinson, to fresher voices such as Andy Stanley and Ralph Douglas West.
This week, Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary released its 2018 ranking of the ministers who set the standard for contemporary sermons. It lists a cross-denominational mix of evangelical heavyweights ranging from Reformed leaders such as John Piper and Tim Keller, to classic preachers such as Chuck Swindoll and the late Haddon Robinson, to fresher voices such as Andy Stanley and Ralph Douglas West.
2016
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.
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.
Atlanta-area megachurch pastor Andy Stanley has come under fire for remarks he made about small churches in a recent sermon.
2015
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.
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2012
Two preaching giants and the ‘betrayal’ that tore them apart
Andy Stanley walked into his pastor’s office, filled with dread. The minister sat in a massive chair behind an enormous desk. He spread his arms across the desk as if he were bracing for battle. His secretary scurried out of the office when she saw Andy coming. The pastor had baptized Andy when he was 6, and groomed him to be his successor. But a private trauma had gone public. And Andy felt compelled to speak. The minister stared in silence as Andy gave him the news. The “unspoken dream” both men shared was over. After Andy finished, the pastor looked at him as tears welled up. “Andy,” he said, “you have joined my enemies, and I’m your father.” ‘I understand drive-by shootings’ He won’t wear a suit or a tie in the pulpit. There’s no special parking space reserved for him at his church. Everyone calls him “Andy.” (CNN 11/19/12) READ MORE>>>>>
Andy Stanley walked into his pastor’s office, filled with dread. The minister sat in a massive chair behind an enormous desk. He spread his arms across the desk as if he were bracing for battle. His secretary scurried out of the office when she saw Andy coming. The pastor had baptized Andy when he was 6, and groomed him to be his successor. But a private trauma had gone public. And Andy felt compelled to speak. The minister stared in silence as Andy gave him the news. The “unspoken dream” both men shared was over. After Andy finished, the pastor looked at him as tears welled up. “Andy,” he said, “you have joined my enemies, and I’m your father.” ‘I understand drive-by shootings’ He won’t wear a suit or a tie in the pulpit. There’s no special parking space reserved for him at his church. Everyone calls him “Andy.” (CNN 11/19/12) READ MORE>>>>>
Books by Andy Stanley:
- Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets. Zondervan, 2020 (ISBN-13 : 978-0310537083)
- Irresistible. Zondervan, 2018. ISBN 978-0-310-53699-4.
- The New Rules For Love, Sex & Dating. Zondervan, 2014. ISBN 978-0-310-34219-9.
- How To Be Rich. Zondervan, 2013. ISBN 1624909469.
- Deep & Wide. Zondervan, 2012. ISBN 0310494842.
- When Work & Family Collide. Multnomah, 2012. ISBN 1601423799.
- Enemies of the Heart. Multnomah, 2011. ISBN 1-60142-145-1.
- The Grace of God. Thomas Nelson, 2010. ISBN 0-8499-4814-2.
- The Principle of the Path. Thomas Nelson, 2009. ISBN 0-8499-2060-4.
- Communicating For a Change. Multnomah, 2006. ISBN 1-59052-514-0.
- Next Generation Leader. Multnomah, 2006. ISBN 1-59052-539-6.
- It Came From Within!. Multnomah, 2006. ISBN 1-59052-510-8.
- Fields of Gold. Tyndale, 2006. ISBN 1414311966.
- The Best Question Ever. Multnomah, 2004. ISBN 1-59052-390-3.
- Seven Practices of Effective Ministry. Multnomah, 2004. ISBN 1-59052-373-3.
- Creating Community. Multnomah, 2004. ISBN 1-59052-396-2.
- Louder Than Words. Multnomah, 2004. ISBN 1-59052-346-6.
- Can We Do That? Innovative Practices that will Change the Way You Do Church (With Ed Young Jr.). Howard Books, 2004. ISBN 1582294577.
- How Good Is Good Enough?. Multnomah, 2003. ISBN 1-59052-401-2.
- Choosing To Cheat. Multnomah, 2002. ISBN 1-59052-329-6.
- The Seven Checkpoints: Student Journal. Howard Books 2001. ISBN 1-58229-178-0.
- Visioneering. Multnomah, 1998. ISBN 1-57673-787-X.
- Like a Rock. Thomas Nelson, 1997. ISBN 0-7852-7612-2.