Charles Stanley

[98cwitr]

Anyone have any insight on this guy?

Charles Stanley - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Eric Hibbert]

Not a fan. I won't repeat what I've heard, because I don't remember the details and I don't want to inadvertantly slander him or gossip.

If you go to NoCompromise.com and look through the archives, they did a show examining the teachings of Charles Stanley and I think they did a pretty fair job.

Not sure I believe he should be allowed to pastor after his divorce.

 

[SeventhValley]

According to CNN http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/17/us/andy-stanley/index.html

"He says he won't marry again as long as his ex-wife is alive because the Scriptures say that a divorced man who remarries commits adultery."

As long as he dose not marry it is o.k. But he should apologize for not allowing divorced people to serve as Deacons. Unless they remarry they are o.k. They just need to remain celibate.

 

[drstevej]

I attended First Baptist of Atlanta in college during the time when Dr. Stanley became pastor. He baptized me and later wrote a reference for me when I applied for seminary at Dallas Seminary.

I have a high regard for him.

 

[JM]

His not as bad as folks make him out to be. He was married to his flock and his real wife suffered because of it. He preaches standard conservative American Baptist doctrine. I use to listen to him a lot when I fist became a Christian not so much anymore.

 

[Eric Hibbert]

His not as bad as folks make him out to be. He was married to his flock and his real wife suffered because of it.

When I made my first post, I looked up the details of his divorce to make sure I had my facts straight and in the motion for divorce, he cited childhood trauma, not his duties at church, as reasons for the divorce.

He preaches standard conservative American Baptist doctrine. I use to listen to him a lot when I fist became a Christian not so much anymore.

Now, when you say "American Baptist", do you mean the American Baptist denomination or Baptists who are Americans, because nearly all Baptists I know would take issue with some of his doctrines.

Mike Abendroth, a Baptist pastor and apprentice of John MacArthur, dedicated a whole show to examining Stanley's teaching and used several citations from Stanley's own work. It's still available in the archieves at No Compromise radio.

 

[dysert]

When I made my first post, I looked up the details of his divorce to make sure I had my facts straight and in the motion for divorce, he cited childhood trauma, not his duties at church, as reasons for the divorce.



Now, when you say "American Baptist", do you mean the American Baptist denomination or Baptists who are Americans, because nearly all Baptists I know would take issue with some of his doctrines.

I've been a Southern Baptist most of my life, and I have no problems with his teachings. He's a conservative, fundamental preacher who does a good job at building up the Church. I've listened to him a lot and like him.

 

[drstevej]

I do not know about his marriage break-up. I do know that his becoming pastor of First Baptist was turbulent. He shared his story in a message at DTS. He was on staff when the pastor took another church. He was asked to preach during the interim and did so. There became a group strongly desiring him as pastor but he said he felt God wanted him to just preach and pray.

He said that during this time a man who had been instrumental in his coming to FBC took him to lunch, handed him an envelope of cash and said it was his if he'd leave quietly. He said he was devastated.

After he was called as pastor, this same group still opposed him vigorously. The opposition came to a crescendo at a deacons' meeting when one of them took a swing at him. That action discredited the opposition and they left (about 300 as I recall). As soon as they left peace came to the church and growth began.

I attended during this process but as a college student was unaware of the dynamics.

I have often wondered how much that hurt his wife too. I am a pastor of 40 years and I know that mean sheep who attack a pastor often harm the pastor's family more.

So I suspend judgment on their marriage failure, but reality may be larger and more complex than than appearances.

A divorce decree does not necessarily state all of the dynamics since it is a public document.

 

[Eric Hibbert]

I've been a Southern Baptist most of my life, and I have no problems with his teachings. He's a conservative, fundamental preacher who does a good job at building up the Church. I've listened to him a lot and like him.

I disagree, but that's between you and God.

 

[Moriah Ruth 777]

Why are we picking on Charles Stanley for his divorce? Are there not many ministers, pastors who are divorced and are in leadership? If that is all you can do is pick on him for him being divorced than you all need to get a life. I bet I can walk into your churches and find many pastors who are divorced and preaches the word of God. Who are we to judge? And how many of you are divorced? It is so easy to point the finger at other people but ourselves.

I have no issues with Charles Stanley. I may not agree with certain things but does this give me the right to speak bad of him?

Moriah Ruth

 

[Eric Hibbert]

Why are we picking on Charles Stanley for his divorce?

Unfortunately, Stanley has chosen to make himself a public figure and his divorce was a scandal that rippled thoughout the Church and the denomination. As such, it is fair game for discussion, as long as it is done lovingly and without gossip or malice.

Are there not many ministers, pastors who are divorced and are in leadership?

Yes and they're just as wrong as Stanley.

If that is all you can do is pick on him for him being divorced than you all need to get a life.

In all fairness, if you read my posts, you'll see that my comments about his divorce were only an aside and that the bulk of my problems with him are based on his doctrine.

I bet I can walk into your churches and find many pastors who are divorced and preaches the word of God.

Would you? That would be a great service because then we could iniate church discipline and call them to repentence.

Who are we to judge?

The Church.

I have no issues with Charles Stanley. I may not agree with certain things but does this give me the right to speak bad of him?

There is a difference between discussing bad behavior and speaking bad of someone. If there wasn't, then news anchors on the six o'clock news would be guilty of speaking badly of people every time they read a news story.

If this was something that was contained to his church, then I would say we shouldn't be discussing it at all. But Stanley is a public figure and has chosen to make his divorce public. As it reflects badly on all of us, I believe we have a right to discuss it.

 

[JM]

I have often wondered how much that hurt his wife too. I am a pastor of 40 years and I know that mean sheep who attack a pastor often harm the pastor's family more.

So I suspend judgment on their marriage failure, but reality may be larger and more complex than than appearances.

I think we have a lot of mean sheep in this thread.

By American Baptist I mean he teaches and believes what most American Baptists teach and believe.

 

[98cwitr]

I think he honestly didn't want the divorce and his wife really pushed the issue. They were separated for years.

 

[dysert]

I think he honestly didn't want the divorce and his wife really pushed the issue. They were separated for years.

Personally, I think the divorce thing is secondary. Since he's still preaching I'd want to know if what he's preaching is the truth. And as far as I know, it is.

 

[Moriah Ruth 777]

Dysert,

This is my thought exactly. The divorce happened many years ago, why bring it up now?

JM,

Who are you referring to when you state we have some mean sheep here in the forum?

Moriah Ruth

 

[JM]

JM,

Who are you referring to when you state we have some mean sheep here in the forum?

Moriah Ruth

Those who judge righteously.

 

[Moriah Ruth 777]

JM,

Thank you and I understand.

Moriah Ruth

 

[wpbarrett]

Dr. Stanley is doing a great job in my opinion. much better more than many of us. i've learned a great deal from watching the man.

 

[luggage]

I am a Christian and have been for over 50 years. I make no claim to be a scholar. I am not endorsing ignorance but I accept scripture as I understand it with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and have no problems leaving some of the more difficult questions (which I see this is) up to God to correct my thinking if appropriate. I am very aware of the scripture about Pastors having one wife and also Dr. Stanley's stand on deacons in the same situation. Full disclosure, my wife and I were blessed to be members of First Baptist Church Atlanta and were members before his divorce. We knew Anna casually, that is to say we saw her in church and had very close friends who were deacons and knew her well. We do not know for certain the details of the divorce primarily because what I know is second hand information. Dr. Stanley, Anna, Andy nor the membership are perfect or without sin. But at the ripe old age of 72 I have learned how I as well as others can make the mistake of using the Scripture as a weapon against other Christians. It is a two edge sword and many have said when I point a finger at someone I need to be conscious of the of the other three pointing back at me. As humans we tend to measure the degree of sin and we all seem to have some that we feel are worse. I am not saying that his continuing to be pastor is a sin; simply there is from a human perspective an inconsistency. I know Andy struggled with the same issues. I believe Dr. Stanley to be a Godly man and Teacher. It is virtually impossible for any man to be a true Pastor to a church that large. That is why they have Deacons, cell groups and a fantastic staff. I do not have any desire to engage anyone in a debate on this issue. A debate suggests that there should be a winner and loser on a particular point of view and I'll leave it to God to judge motives. God bless you all.

 

[mikedsjr]

WOW! Is he like the only Pastor to really apply this to his church? if this is true, BRAVO!!!! Churches need to take a Scriptural stance to Divorce and remarriage, and be extremely vocal about it. I've not attended christian weddings because of this. It grieves me when churches approve D&R men to leadership and clearly don't condemn D&R, apart from adultery, as sin.

According to CNN http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/17/us/andy-stanley/index.html

"He says he won't marry again as long as his ex-wife is alive because the Scriptures say that a divorced man who remarries commits adultery."

As long as he dose not marry it is o.k. But he should apologize for not allowing divorced people to serve as Deacons. Unless they remarry they are o.k. They just need to remain celibate.