HD: Andy Stanley Holds ‘Unconditional Conference’ Instructing Pastors To Celebrate and Affirm LGBT Congregants
Andy Stanley (NPPublishing)
Harbinger Daily put out the following warnings related to Protestant Andy Stanley:
Andy Stanley Holds ‘Unconditional Conference’ Instructing Pastors To Celebrate and Affirm LGBT Congregants
October 1, 2023
Is there a “quieter middle space” when it comes to gender, sexuality, and marriage? Well, the individuals behind the Unconditional Conference taking place this week at Pastor Andy Stanley’s North Point Community Church seem to think so. But as Christians, we should always be comparing what anyone says—including a popular, influential pastor such as Andy Stanley (who is presenting at the conference)—against the authority of God’s Word. So when we start with God’s Word, is there a “quieter middle space”?
According to the event website, the Unconditional Conference is designed for:
Parents of LGBTQ+ children and for ministry leaders looking to discover ways to support parents and LGBTQ+ children in their churches. You will be equipped, refreshed, and inspired as you hear from leading communicators on topics that speak to your heart, soul, and mind. We deeply desire this time will bring about healing and restoration. No matter what theological stance you hold, we invite you to listen, reflect, and learn as we approach this topic from the quieter middle space.
Notice that the event description says this is for those looking for “ways to support parents and LGBTQ+ children” (emphasis added), not “ways to point people toward Christ” or “ways to encourage those struggling with sexual sin or a sinful identity to live according to God’s Word.” While the event page doesn’t explicitly detail what “support” means, the speakers at the event certainly heavily imply that “support” means “affirm and celebrate” LGBTQ identities.
As others have pointed out, the speakers include “two men who are married [so-called] to other men”—one known for arguing for the legitimacy of “monogamous same-sex relationships” and the other for his seminars on “restoring LGBTQ+ faith”—as well as a speaker who wrote a book called Changing Our Mind: Landmark Call for Inclusion of LGBT Christians.
So, yes, we know what the “quieter middle space” looks like to those behind the Unconditional Conference—it means taking what the world says about sexuality, identity, and marriage and trying to dress it up in Christian language. It’s compromising God’s clear Word with the pagan religion (sexual humanism) of our day!
Indeed, it’s not even possible to have a “quieter middle space.” This idea of middle ground implies there can be neutrality, but there is no neutrality! …
Sadly, these LGBTQ-affirming professing believers are not pointing anyone toward Christ (the real Christ, not the cherry-picked version they have invented themselves) but rather are leading others away from Christ, away from repentance, and away from freedom from sin— https://harbingersdaily.com/andy-stanley-holds-unconditional-conference-instructing-pastors-to-celebrate-and-affirm-lgbt-congregants/
The Bible teaches:
22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. (Leviticus 18:22)
13 If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. (Leviticus 20:13)
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, …
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:22-32)
The Bible teaches that homosexuality is wrong and it is dangerous.
Fools discount a real God (cf. Psalm 14:1) and His word–Yet, Andy Stanley does that. I have warned about Andy Stanley for years at this COGwriter Church of God News page.
For example, notice the following about him and the Ten Commandments:
Mega-pastor Andy Stanley is at it again – running down the Ten Commandments.
In a new article in Relevant Magazine, he tells Christians God’s words from Mount Sinai don’t apply to them any more.
- You shall have no other gods before Me.
- Don’t take the name of the Lord your God in vain. …
- Honor your mother and father.
- Don’t murder.
- Don’t commit adultery.
- Don’t steal.
- Don’t bear false witness against your neighbor.
It’s all apparently irrelevant today, he says.
“Participants in the new covenant (that’s Christians) are not required to obey any of the commandments found in the first part of their Bibles,” Stanley wrote.
“Participants in the new covenant are expected to obey the single command Jesus issued as part of his new covenant: as I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
Is that what Jesus said? Did He ever suggest the Ten Commandments were irrelevant, outdated and replaced by a single new one?
You won’t find that suggestion anywhere in the words of Jesus, the Gospels or the rest of the New Testament no matter how hard you search for it.
Instead, here’s what you will find:
- Matthew 5:17-18: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
- Matthew 5:19: “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
- Matthew 19:17: “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”
- 2 Timothy 4:3-4: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
Jesus did say in John 13:34-35 that He had a new commandment to give His disciples – that they love one another as He loved them. Remember how He loved them. He gave His life for them so that they might receive eternal life as His children. That’s how He expected them to love each other. It was a higher calling, not a lower one. 01/12/19 https://www.wnd.com/2019/01/mega-pastor-to-christians-10-commandments-dont-apply-to-you/#tYv8WK3LKMXSuIdt.99
Popular megachurch pastor Andy Stanley of North Point Ministries (NPM) says Christians need to stop erecting monuments to the Ten Commandments because they apparently no longer apply to Christians, which is completely false. …
“[I]f we’re going to create a monument to stand as a testament to our faith, shouldn’t it at least be a monument of something that actually applies to us?” Stanley openly pontificated. “Participants in the new covenant (that’s Christians) are not required to obey any of the commandments found in the first part of their Bibles. Participants in the new covenant are expected to obey the single command Jesus issued as part of his new covenant: as I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
He continued, “But how many times have you seen Christians trying to post the text of the sermon on the mount in a public place? Or the all-encompassing commandment Jesus gave us?”
Stanley goes on to say that this commandment from Christ is “a replacement for everything in the existing list. Including the big ten.”
“Just as his new covenant replaced the old covenant, Jesus’ new commandment replaced all the old commandments,” Stanley contended.
… The concept that the Old Testament no longer applies to Christians is actually a heresy known as Marcionism going all the way back to the 2nd Century. 01/10/19 https://www.dailywire.com/news/42048/popular-megachurch-pastor-says-10-commandments-no-paul-bois
As far as Marcionism goes, we have an article and a sermon about that:
Marcion: The First Protestant? Considered to have been an organized heretic, he taught against the Old Testament, the law, and the Sabbath. Some have considered him to be the first Protestant reformer. But was he? Here is a link to a related sermon: Marcion: The first Protestant reformer?
Marcion was condemned by early Church of God Christians such as Polycarp of Smyrna and Melito of Sardis.
Andy Stanley has failed to realize that the early Christians did strive to observe the Ten Commandments (see also The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast).
The Apostle Peter warned:
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption … (2 Peter 2:19)
That is what Marcion did and people like Andy Stanley do.
Like most who profess Christ today, Andy Stanley does not understand enough about early church history. But you can (and so could he) by reading the book: Continuing History of the Church of God.
Andy Stanley also wrote a book in which he calls the Old Testament obsolete. Yet, he overlooks the fact that the Apostles repeatedly cited scriptures in the Old Testament to teach about Jesus.
In a podcast, I heard Andy Stanley say:
“I’m convinced that we make a better case for Jesus if we leave the Old Testament or the old covenant out of the argument … you don’t need ancient prophs when somebody rises from the dead” (Jonathan Merritt interview of Andy Stanley. Seekers & Speakers, podcast. August 9, 2018).
By “prophs” he meant biblical prophecies from the Old Testament. That position is contrary to what Christians did.
The reality is that Jesus, the Gospel writers, and the Apostles frequently referred to the Old Testament to demonstrate that Jesus was the Christ. While there are too many references in the New Testament to list directly in this post, notice some examples of what Jesus and the Apostles did:
27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:27)
42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was? (John 7:42)
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. … 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’ 29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. (Acts 2:14, 28-32)
12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, … 18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. … 24 Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. (Acts 3:12,18, 25)
2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. (Acts 17:2-4)
24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, … 28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 18:24-28)
While everyone would not accept the biblical testimony, it was often used as proof by the early Christians. Philip also did this (Acts 8:32-35).
Peter and Paul did NOT unhitch from the Old Testament, nor did James (cf. Acts 21), like Andy Stanley claimed. Jesus’ resurrection did not prevent them from using Old Testament prophecies–it was a factor that increased their interest in doing so.
Consider also that Saul (soon enough after his conversion that he was not then called Paul) proved that Jesus was the Christ:
22 … Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 9:22)
The way he would have proven that was to use prophetic scriptures in the Old Testament. By this time he realized that Jesus had been resurrected.
He also taught that the Jews should have been able to accept Jesus from the prophecies in the Hebrew scriptures (had they been willing to do so):
26 Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. 27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. (Acts 13:23-27)
Notice also that, later, the Bereans checked out what Paul was teaching:
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men. (Acts 17:10-12)
The Bereans were using the Old Testament to do this.
Furthermore, I should add that the New Testament shows that over 200 Old Testament statements and prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. To see those, check out the free online book: Proof Jesus is the Messiah.
To learn more about Andy Stanley’s improper teachings as well as what the Bible teaches on these matters, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:
Did mega-Protestant Pastor Andy Stanley really say you should not use Old Testament prophecies to support Jesus’ Messiahship? Did he also claim that there was no Bible until the fourth century? Did he also teach against the Ten Commandments? Did Jesus, Peter, Paul, Apollos, and Philip use Old Testament prophecies to prove that Jesus was the Messiah? Did it really take until the fourth century to have a Bible? Did early Christians teach the observance of the Ten Commandments? Dr. Thiel, who listened to Andy Stanley in a podcast, plus who has studied the Bible and church history, answers these questions from a Christian perspective.
Here is a link to our video: Andy Stanley opposes prophesies of Jesus?
The New Testament warned:
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:13, KJV).
Andy Stanley is both deceived and a deceiver.
After Paul stated, “the truth of Christ is in me (2 Corinthians 11:10), he warned that there are,
…false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
Thus Paul is saying that certain professing ministers look like they are doing the right thing, but are really deceptive. Thus one reason to be separate is not to be deceived by Satan’s ministers, because they can look like they are righteous when they are not.
Paul also warned that false teachers, “by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:18).
Do not fall for Andy Stanley’s anti-biblical logic.
That said, Satan wants people to discount the Bible.
Big Tech, the major media, the bulk of academia, etc. continue to push against the truth of the Bible.
Yet, the Bible is true and God’s word can (and should) be relied upon.
Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:
Cross-dressing and other assaults against your children. What should you do? Is there an agenda to turn your children and/or grandchildren away from biblical morality and towards practices promoted by homosexuals? What does the Bible teach about cross-dressing? What should parents do? If there is an agenda, what has been going on? There are also videos related to this, titled Transgender ‘Woe to those who call evil good’, Cross dressing and Other Assaults Against Your Children, Disney’s abominable promotions!, USA pushing gender confusion, and New Transgender Study.
The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality and the LGBTQ agenda? Can homosexuals change? A related video sermon is titled: What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality? A short video is available titled: Gay Gene? Born That Way?
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free draft/unedited pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete? Are there lost gospels? What about the Apocrypha? Is the Septuagint better than the Masoretic text? What about the Textus Receptus vs. Nestle Alland? Was the New Testament written in Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew? Which translations are based upon the best ancient text? Did the true Church of God have the canon from the beginning? Here are links to related sermons: Let’s Talk About the Bible, The Books of the Old Testament, The Septuagint and its Apocrypha, Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and Lost Books of the Bible, and Let’s Talk About the New Testament, The New Testament Canon From the Beginning, English Versions of the Bible and How Did We Get Them?, What was the Original Language of the New Testament?, Original Order of the Books of the Bible, and Who Gave the World the Bible? Who Had the Chain of Custody?
Marcion: The First Protestant? Considered to have been an organized heretic, he taught against the Old Testament, the law, and the Sabbath. Some have considered him to be the first Protestant reformer. But was he? Here is a link to a related sermon: Marcion: The first Protestant reformer?
Simon Magus, What Did He Teach? Sometimes called “the father early heretics” or the “father of heresies”, do you know what early writers claimed that Simon Magus taught? Sadly, most who profess Christ still hold to versions of his teachings. Here is a link to a related sermon: Simon Magus and ‘Christianity’?
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them. Here is a related article in the Spanish language ¿Por qué estar preocupado acerca de falsos y heréticos líderes?
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the Messiah, Prophecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and death, Jesus’ prophesied divinity, 200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He made, Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?, Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but … These videos cover nearly all of the book, plus have some information not in the book.
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