Andy Stanley Denies Hebrews 4:12, “Don’t Say ‘The Bible Says'”
North Point Community Church ‘impastor’ Andy Stanley continued his wretched job of unhitching the church from all the scriptures by claiming that appealing to pagans who want to “restart their faith” with the authority of scripture is not a good tactic, and that saying “the Bible says” is “not an adequate starting point or returning point for many adults.”
You’ll recall that Stanley previously said that it doesn’t matter if the bible is true, so long as it’s ‘mostly reliable, and that the “foundation of our faith is not the whole bible. In 2018, he got shellacked from all sides for saying that Christians needed to unhitch themselves from the Old Testament and in a recent sermon, told Christians not to follow Jesus through the Old Testament, but only through the Gospels. A few weeks ago, he said there’s no ‘Clear Divine Standard’ of God revealed to mankind, and then documented him explaining that pastors should preach in a way that gives pagans permission not to believe.
In a newly unearthed clip from his 2015 sermon series Starting Point, we read:
In fact, adults often need a brand new starting point for faith. So, what we’re going to do in this series, what we’re going to do for the next few weeks is, we’re going to hit the restart button. We’re going to hit the restart button, and ask the question: “What if we didn’t know anything, where would we start? What if we never heard any of those stories, where would we start? What if we never read the Bible, where would we start? What if we’d never gone to church, where would we start? Where would we start if we were starting all over as adults as it relates to faith and specifically as it relates to the Christian faith.
…We’re going to have to approach this a little bit differently than perhaps you approached it as a child. Because starting off with faith as a child is very different than starting off with faith as an adult.
Now, a part of the problem, part of the problem in Christianity is that when we grew up, we were taught the Bible. And that in and of itself is not a problem, but in some ways, the way we were taught the Bible is problematic. Because if you grew up in a home like I did, or a culture like I did, or a Christian tradition like I did, I heard that this was the word of God, and I’ve always believed that. I’ve heard that it was infallible and I’ve always believed that. I heard that it was inerrant, there were no mistakes, and I believe that. I heard that it was all inspired from Genesis to Maps.…And you know, Adam and Eve and Jesus and Noah and Moses and Jesus is coming back. It’s all equal. It’s all on equal terms. But unfortunately, because the Bible was presented to us as a book, which it is not, because it was all presented us to us one holistic thing, which it is not, because we never even understood where this came from, it was a house of cards.
So all someone had to do was come along and pull away a couple of the pieces, a couple of the foundational pieces, and suddenly the whole thing comes tumbling down. And so we went off to college and we discover that even though it was sacred it wasn’t scientific. And even though, you know, it was something to appreciate it wasn’t necessarily something that was factual. And even though there were stories in here that were inspirational, they weren’t necessarily true.…And then you went into an environment that didn’t respect it. And suddenly along with your childhood faith, that starting point that seemed so relevant way back then suddenly it all went away.
Here’s where things get really wild.
See, here’s what I think. And here’s where we’re going for the next few weeks. And here’s where I’m going to challenge you a bit. And here’s where there may be some misunderstanding, and here’s where you may be tempted to send me an email. So just hang on. “The Bible says” in quotes, “the Bible says” is not an adequate starting point or returning point for many adults.
For many adults, it’s not enough for me to say to you. “Okay, now I’m going to restart your faith. Now, the Bible says”…..
You’re gonna go, “okay, I already did that. I already did “the Bible says,” I grew up with “the Bible says”, and I know what the Bible says, but let me tell you about my job. Let me tell you about my divorce. Let me tell you about my children. Let me tell you about my unanswered, prayer. Andy, if we’re going to try restart my faith by starting with ‘the Bible says, the Bible teaches’- Not interested.”So what I’ve come to believe in, what we’ve come to believe in, a reason we’re doing this series, is that “the Bible says” for many adults, is not an adequate place to start.
Stanley ultimately argues that we should not start with the bible, but with the person and resurrection of Jesus, which is nonsensical given the only revelation we have about the person of Jesus is found….in the bible.
Stanely does not believe “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Instead, he believes them in a lot of ways to be a hindrance to someone coming to the faith, especially the Old Testament, and must be qualified, tolerated, and explained away.
About Author
That coward is a satanist through and through.
The Bible starts with “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” What better place to start than the beginning?
A weak, intimidated, shallow-thinking, narrow-minded coward with a worldly, atheistic, darwinist mindset.
Here’s your starting point, Andy:
Is it possible that infinitely powerful, infinitely knowledgeable God exists? …. yes
Is it possible that such a being could speak the universe into existence, create the mechanisms by which it operates, and set them into motion? … yes
Is it possible that such a being could operate beyond and outside of those mechanisms He created and set into motion? … yes
Is it possible, then, that every word of the Bible is true? … yes
Is it possible that the severely limited knowledge and understanding of mankind, i.e. science, in comparison, could be wrong? … yes (it would be unscientific to assume otherwise – it is proven wrong every day)
There you go, Andy. There is nothing inherently unscientific about it. Now grow a spine.
Jesus also said to love your neighbor, but you can’t help but to write 10,000 words about how you’re superior. First master showing others love and grace before launching the assault from your glass house.
Tekton, I find your post INCREDIBLY humorous because the same things could be asked in the negative and they would be just as truthful and thought provoking. Let me show you.
“A weak, intimidated, shallow-thinking, narrow-minded coward with a better than thou and superiority complex.
Here’s your starting point, Tekton:
Is it possible that an infinitely powerful, infinitely knowledgeable God DOES NOT exist? …. yes
Is it possible that such a being DID NOT speak the universe into existence, DID NOT create the mechanisms by which it operates, and DID NOT set them into motion? … yes
Is it possible that such a being DOES NOT operate beyond and outside of mechanisms He DID NOT create and set into motion? … yes
Is it possible, then, that every word of the Bible is NOT true? … yes
Is it possible that the severely limited knowledge and understanding of mankind, i.e. Christianity/religion, in comparison, could be wrong? … yes (it would be unscientific to assume otherwise – it is proven wrong every day)
There you go, Tekton. There is nothing inherently unscientific about it. Now grow a spine.”
Reply
Only in your furtive imagination would your take be as truthful. A preponderance of historical, scientific, Biblical, and archeological evidence – as well as even actual demons today – testify to God’s existence, power, and glory.
With that being said, Tekton is far more intelligent than I and much better suited to give an educated and reasoned reply to your atheist assertions.
I’d argue over who’s the dumbest, but I’m not smart enough to win that argument lol
Your answer is spot-on, my friend. It bypasses the nonsense, and strikes right at the heart of the matter, which is not one of my strengths.
Please don’t stroke Tekton’s ego. His head is big enough as is. He is not nearly as smart as he or you think he is. In fact, instead of taking his comments to Andy Stanley (who btw, doesn’t give two shakes what Tekton thinks) he “talks” to Mr. Stanley here where Mr. Stanley will never see his comments. Which should tell everyone reading these comments that Tekton has zero interest in making significant change in Mr. Stanley’s beliefs, but instead just wants to show everyone who reads these comments how very “intelligent” he is as a keyboard warrior. Tekton only cares about Tekton and showing how “smart” he is.
Lindsey, I’m well aware that I’m not very intelligent. I’m slower than molasses at the north pole in winter. I’m old enough, have been wrong enough times, and have made enough mistakes in life to have learned that fact the hard way, all too well.
Compared to infinitely knowledgeable God, we are all infinitely stupid.
BTW, if the ignoramus Stanley made these comments (it is NOT a teaching) in public, they can be responded to in public. Anyone over twelve knows this particular verse you aren’t referencing is about a personal affront, not something that has occurred in public. Stanley is a few years away from abject apostasy with a message based upon who know what. No Bible, then there is no Jesus. He’s just a historical figure of note. No fulfillment of prophecy, etc. or anything. He has reduced Jesus to a caricature of the Person revealed in Scripture. This character cannot stand the test of time and will soon be just an appendage of some New Age doctrine.
Very true James. And since he has publicly misled many, if he were to repent and correct his errors, he should do so publicly.
Lindsey, I’m well aware of what the word “possible” means. SMH
I could say the same thing to you in reference to big-E Evolution, and other theories that you may believe. It is possible that they are not true. And in making the response that you made, you’ve implicitly acknowledged that possibility.
The subject at hand is the starting point one might use to witness to an unbeliever, and why it is reasonable to start with God’s Word.
The line of reasoning doesn’t exactly work in the negative, btw.
In a series of such questions where each is dependent on the previous, when one is deemed false the rest become irrelevant since they could only be deemed false as well.
As soon as you argue that God does not exist, your argument is finished.
I prefer God’s word says… to “the Bible says… but both make the point.
Stanley is following the golden rule, just not the one spoken by Jesus in Matthew 7:12. He’s following the golden rule of marketing: the customer is always right.
When Stanley is finished with the Bible, then what is going to draw the sheep to his den of heresy ?
He has been sliding to the drain for some years now. Not surprising that his race to apostasy is quickening