So the entire Old Testament is viewed as a nice story by Andy. Not the main story mind you, but a nice one. It seems that Andy wants to keep that in the background, maybe to make Veggie Tales out of, and skip right to the resurrection. Were there witnesses? Why yes there were a bunch! Andy will then explain using academia how rigorous the sourcing is for the Gospel account -- and it is. He will use logic and history and accepted worldwide standards to establish that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. Then somehow parlay that into entering into some kind of relationship with Him. Say a two sentence prayer, promise the goat they are now going to heaven and add them to your salvation statistics. Except you never really addressed sin. How could you when Adam and Eve are just a nice story now? You never spoke about repentance. How could you when David's sorrowful repentance in Psalm 51 no longer matters? The Old Testament is referenced almost 1000 times in the New Testament. What do you do with those references Andy? You need to unhitch your brain from the carnality of this world. Mercifully, Stanley concludes.
'Stanley's sermon was the third part of a series titled "Aftermath," in which the pastor was trying to appeal to individuals who left Christianity over what they were taught the Bible said about certain things. "If you were raised on a version of Christianity that relied on the Bible as the foundation of faith, a version that was eventually dismantled by academia or the realities of life, maybe it's time for you to change your mind about Jesus," stated North Point Community Church. "Maybe it's time for you to consider the version of Christianity that relies on the event of the resurrection of Jesus as its foundation. If you gave up your faith because of something about or in the Bible, maybe you gave up unnecessarily." Days before giving the third Aftermath sermon, Stanley preached at the Orange Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia, using Acts 15, as well as John 17, to argue that church unity was more important than "theological correctness." "[Jesus] prayed for our oneness, that we'd be on the same page," said Stanley at the conference last month. "This is mission critical. If they are not one, we will not win ... unity is mission critical and disunity disrupts the mission." "Will we prioritize our oneness over our politics? Will we continue to allow the kingdom of the world to divide the Kingdom of God that is in this world because of politics?" "Maybe it's time for you to consider the version of Christianity that relies on the event of the resurrection of Jesus as its foundation. If you gave up your faith because of something about or in the Bible, maybe you gave up unnecessarily."' -- Christian Post
As we showed
when we reviewed that previous sermon, Jesus only preached a unity based upon
sound doctrine. The sad thing for me is the utter disconnect Stanley has from
anything that was once sound orthodoxy. He actually states here "Will we continue to allow the kingdom of the
world to divide the Kingdom of God that is in this world because of
politics?" Yet Andy Stanley is allowing the kingdom of the world dictate
to him what to preach and not preach and to discard 4000 years of divine
inspiration. There are not multiple versions of Christianity beloved. What Andy
is actually offering you here is another version of Christ. One that started at
the resurrection and lives to be in relationship with you. This is simply another Jesus. The Church at Corinth had similar
problems. Just look at the key verses for today.
But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. - 2Corinthians 11: 3-4 (ESV)
Do not fall for it beloved. Andy Stanley has had some of the worst, human based, carnal teachings out there over the past few years. This "unhitch" theology is the proclaiming of another jesus who will try to convince you to accept a different gospel. It has no power to save you or anyone else. Andy Stanley is in the business of scattering people away from Christ. We should mark him as such, avoid him at all costs and guard other sheep or even goats, from going anywhere near him.
Reverend Anthony Wade -- May 11, 2018
