Several years ago, Andy Stanley, pastor of the large and influential North Point Community Church, asserted that there is nothing distinct about Christian leadership. When asked the question, “What is distinctly spiritual about the kind of leadership you do?” responded, “There is nothing distinctly spiritual. I think a big problem in the church has been the dichotomy between spirituality and leadership.” The interviewer asks, Should we stop talking about pastors as shepherds’?” Andy Stanley responded, “Absolutely. That word needs to go away.” He added, “It was culturally relevant in the time of Jesus, but it’s not culturally relevant any more.” (Leadership Journal, “Get-it-Done Leadership,” May 2006).
Recently, he took to twitter to oppose Southern Baptists focusing on praying for revival at the 2014 Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland.
Praying for revival equates to blaming God for the condition of your local church.
— AndyStanley (@AndyStanley) June 11, 2014
@johnnymhunt: Your church is a great church because it's led well, not because your folks are praying & waiting for revival.
— AndyStanley (@AndyStanley) June 11, 2014
RT @PastorAdamDBBC: Should we not be praying for God to send revival in our churches as well? //No. God already sent His Spirit. Get busy.
— AndyStanley (@AndyStanley) June 10, 2014
Instead of praying for revival leaders of the SBC should go spend three weeks with @perrynoble Why pray for one when you can go watch one.
— AndyStanley (@AndyStanley) June 10, 2014
RT @goldstar002: @AndyStanley @perrynoble For the real thing, you have to encounter Holy Spirit first //Nope. Already happened. Get busy.
— AndyStanley (@AndyStanley) June 11, 2014
RT @goldstar002: We can all agree that revival is the only option for our churches and our nation //Nope. Boldness.
— AndyStanley (@AndyStanley) June 11, 2014
Why not call the Church to pray for the things Jesus & NewTestament writers prayed for? Why add Revival to the list? I
— AndyStanley (@AndyStanley) June 11, 2014
RT @bbjsmitty: Revival is a work of God and we ask Him for it because we're dependant upon Him to send it.//Nope. Too passive. Get busy.
— AndyStanley (@AndyStanley) June 11, 2014
What if we pray what Jesus commanded us to pray: "Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore to send out workers into his harvest field."
— AndyStanley (@AndyStanley) June 11, 2014
Churches that need reviving most are the very churches that resist it most.
— AndyStanley (@AndyStanley) June 11, 2014
Something I've noticed. Church planters don't pray for revival. They pray for opportunity, favor with the unchurched & leaders.
— AndyStanley (@AndyStanley) June 11, 2014
In closing, congratulations to Ronnie Floyd whose fabulous church doesn't need reviving. It's led by a leader who follows the Spirit's lead.
— AndyStanley (@AndyStanley) June 11, 2014
It seems that Andy Stanley is advocating a brand of Christianity and ministry that intentionally deemphasizes the supernatural and consequently domesticates God as an observer of the work of über-gifted CEO church leaders. He appears to be accommodating Christianity to the prevailing corporate power spirit of the age in his ecclesial circles. Revival is often understood as an extraordinarily intensive and unusually extensive work of God in powerfully applying the gospel to the lives of his people, which results in the salvation of sinners and renewed obedience of his church. God alone can bring genuine seasons of revival.
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SOURCE: David Prince
Prince on Preaching / DavidEPrince.com
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