Andy Stanley and the Gay Community
People are upset with Andy Stanley again. I suspect that this will be at least a monthly thing. People do not seem to understand what Stanley is trying to do.
The most recent controversy is about some comments that Andy Stanley made about the faith of gay men and women who still choose to serve in the church. You can watch the clip here:
But I think Stanley is completely correct in this statement. I don’t know the larger context of his message but what he says here seems to be completely reasonable. There is nothing here I disagree with.
It is true that the church has often created a setting that is very hostile to the LGBTQ+ community. Just over a year ago I asked a group of pastors if they had any gay people regularly attending their church. One pastor responded with: “No, they know enough not to come to our church.” He readily admitted that gay people were not welcome in his church.
As a pastor, I have received phone calls by gay people who were interested in coming to church but who were uncertain if they would be welcome. The only other group that I have received similar inquiries is that of parents of autistic children.
I know gay Christians who have decided that they would come to church, get involved, and serve in any way they can. They do this despite knowing that there would be people in the congregation that would deny that they are “real” Christians. That is faith.
I find it very sad that there are conservative Christians who see what Stanley is saying here as heresy.
But I have also been saddened by the reaction to this clip of some progressive Christians. I have seen some progressives react to this clip by stating that if Stanley is not a fully affirming ally who has already brought his church into performing same-sex weddings and making sure that there are gay people at all levels of leadership, then he is still the enemy. Some have suggested this clip is simply about being nice to gay people in order to collect their tithe money.
What I see from both conservatives and progressives is this extreme polarization of the church. each group sees any hint of a difference of opinion or interpretation as a reason for total rejection. Both groups are seeking to entrench themselves and to make sure there are clear boundaries of who is in and who is out.
I like where Andy Stanley is going with this. He may be rejected by both the left and the right, but I support his position and am thankful that he preaches based on his convictions and not by what either side demands of him.
