“Is the Megachurch the New Liberalism?” Dr. Albert Mohler asks this important question.
THE CONTEXT
Louie Giglio. Steve Fee. Kristian Stanfill. Todd Fields. Andy Stanley. These are men that are, or have been, connected to North Point Community Church in Alphretta, Georgia—just outside of Atlanta. North Point is a mega-church, with multiple “campus” in the Atlanta area.
Andy Stanley is the Senior Pastor of North Point.
Andy is the son of the well-known preacher of the past generation, Dr. Charles F. Stanley (Dr. Stanley has been a leading evangelical in the United States and the former pastor of First Baptist Church Atlanta).
THE PROBLEM
This article by Dr. Mohler’s about liberalism in megachurches documents and lays bare the recent mega-mess-up of Pastor Andy Stanley.
- In a sermon preached April 15, 2012 “When Gracie Met Truthy”, part 5 in a series titled Christian, Stanley carelessly—maybe intentionally—neglected to address homosexuality as sin.
- You should watch the whole sermon to get the whole picture.
In summary, Stanley illustrated his message with a long story (starts at 24:30) about a “modern family” from his church that exemplifies grace. The sum of Stanley’s long illustration neglectfully omitted calling homosexuality as sin, and exalted grace over truth—striving to resolve the supposed “tension” between grace and truth. Mohler writes,
The most puzzling and shocking part of the message was the illustration and the account of the homosexual couple, however. The inescapable impression left by the account was that the sin of concern was adultery, but not homosexuality. Stanley clearly and repeatedly stressed the sin of adultery, but then left the reality of the homosexual relationship between the two men unaddressed as sin. To the contrary, he seemed to normalize their relationship. They would be allowed to serve on the host team if both were divorced. The moral status of their relationship seemed to be questioned only in terms of adultery, with no moral judgment on their homosexuality.
THE DISAPPOINTMENT
While I have great respect for Andy Stanley’s ministry and work through North Point Ministries, I am greatly disappointed at this revelation of Stanley’s denial of biblical truth concerning homosexual behavior as habitual sin. His underhanded neglect and turning of the issue by his masterful art of communication is disconcerting.
Pastor Andy, I am deeply grieved and disappointed in you. I pray you clarify yourself, repent, and uphold the truth of God’s Word:
What does Andy Stanley now believe about homosexuality and the church’s witness? We must pray that he will clarify the issues so graphically raised in his message, and that he will do so in a way the unambiguously affirms the Bible’s clear teachings — and that he will do so precisely because he loves sinners enough to tell them the truth — all the truth — about both our sin and God’s provision in Christ. Biblical faithfulness simply does not allow for the normalization of homosexuality. We desperately want all persons to feel welcome to hear the Gospel and, responding in faith and repentance, to join with us in mutual obedience to Christ. But we cannot allow anyone, ourselves included, to come to Christ — or to church — on our own terms.
Is @NorthPoint Community Church the New Liberalism? @AlbertMohler