Charles Stanley

Status
Not open for further replies.
W

WrittenFromUtopia

Puritan Board Graduate
Does anybody know what this great preacher believes about the doctrines of Grace, etc?

Before, by God's providence, I became reformed, he was my favorite preacher, and I still enjoy his books and sermons, although they are mostly in regards to Christian Living, which I think, in his case, are well-done and still God centered for the most part..
 
I can't say for sure, but he does have a dispensational view of "eternal security." Norman Geisler quotes him in both [i:6f86f1277d]Chosen but Free[/i:6f86f1277d] and [i:6f86f1277d]Eternal Security: Four Views[/i:6f86f1277d].
 
Yeah, I kind of assumed if he WAS reformed, he'd be Dispensational.. but his statement of faith is still kind of using vague language.. hmm :puzzled:
 
I agree. Lots of churches use vague languange on these issues. "Don't want to offend my brother" kind of thing. He sounds very orthodox according to this statement, but his preaching tends to focus on Christian living. He might be a 4-pointer though.
 
Well for starters he is disqualified from the preaching ministry; he was divorced about 4 years ago. His son abandoned his ministry as a result of it...........The church voted to keep Charles in the pulpit even though the word of God forbade it.

Eschatologically, he is pre-mil dispensational; more charasmatic than not.

Soteriologically, Arminian.

Look at that calf shine!
 
Baptist Press
Wednesday, May 31, 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ATLANTA - Charles Stanley and his wife, Anna, have divorced. According to an official of First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Stanley will remain as senior pastor.

Stanley, 67, told the congregation in a service May 21. Following his report, Gerald Spicer, church administrator, told the congregation Stanley would remain as senior pastor. The congregation rose in applause.

According to the May 23 edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Anna Stanley filed a petition as "A.J. Stanley" requesting a divorce from "C.F. Stanley" on Feb. 16 charging their marriage of 44 years was "irretrievably broken." An Atlanta judge signed the final decree May 11 following the execution of a property agreement by the Stanleys April 5.

The Stanley's troubled marriage was made public in the 1990s and caused some struggles in the church because of an unwritten policy that First Baptist not allow divorced men to serve as ministers or deacons.

Stanley told the congregation in 1995, "If my wife divorces me, I would resign immediately."

"We hate it that things like this happen, but our church is moving right along," said the vice chairman of the church's deacons, Jerry Beal, according to the Atlanta newspaper. "He is our pastor, and he will remain our pastor."

Pastor of the Atlanta church since 1972, Stanley is a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and his In Touch television ministry is seen and heard around the world.

According to the Atlanta newspaper, SBC President Paige Patterson said he is "deeply sympathetic with the sorrow I know all of the Stanley family must feel over this. It ought to be a wakeup call for America that if something like this can happen to the Stanley family, it shows how much society has lost its bearings."

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Charles Colson calls for Charles Stanley's resignation
Prison Fellowship founder devoted his June 13 2000, "Breakpoint" radio commentary to calling Charles Stanley to step down as pastor of Atlanta's First Baptist Church. "I'm certain there's a role for Charles Stanley in the Christian world, but he needs first a time for personal repentance and healing," Colson said. "Biblical standards for pastors are very high, and rightly so. Given the already high divorce rate among Baptists, the last thing we need to do is to give one of our own leaders a pass, no matter how much we may respect him." The commentary has been republished all over the Web, from Beliefnet to World magazine's site. World also runs an excellent news item on Colson's declaration and the Stanley divorce, quoting Colson as saying he'll apologize for not contacting Stanley before the broadcast and for not making clear that it was Stanley's wife who sued for divorce. World also notes that some radio stations refused to air that day's "Breakpoint," but that others dropped Stanley's "InTouch" radio programs
 
She left him, from what I understand she was a bit on the loony side, and she just wasn't happy with him anymore. It was quite the soap opera here in Atlanta.
 
Actually it was Chrles' fault; His wife had routinely complained to him that he was married to his congregation and not her. She called him on that one and he didn'y respond. She left him.
 
So, if your wife wasn't giving you enough attention, you'd leave her? It would be her fault that you left, not your fault for breaking the covenant of marriage? Weird.
 
I am not saying that she was right in leaving him; I am however saying that he didn't do everything possible to maintain the covenant relationship with her that God commanded him to.........he was a slacker.

Oh, by the way, you do not know me well enough to call me or anything I write as weird. Settle down..........:banana:
Get to know me a bit; you may learn a thing or two about a thing or tew...or twee.




[Edited on 7-9-2004 by Scott Bushey]
 
[quote:28621d062c][i:28621d062c]Originally posted by Scott Bushey[/i:28621d062c]
I am not saying that she was right in leaving him; I am however saying that he didn't do everything possible to maintain the covenant relationship with her that God commanded him to.........he was a slacker.[/quote:28621d062c]

So, it's still his fault for her divorcing him? :think: I don't think any of us know the whole reason why it happened, and it's definitely wrong to pass blame on Charles since he wasn't the one who pushed for the divorce..
 
[quote:8c7e9506d1]
So, it's still his fault for her divorcing him? I don't think any of us know the whole reason why it happened, and it's definitely wrong to pass blame on Charles since he wasn't the one who pushed for the divorce..
[/quote:8c7e9506d1]

He's still no longer qualified to be a pastor.
 
He talks some about Hudson Taylor's "exchanged life" on his website in biographies. I understand from a sermon of his on the radio once that he also has one of those. Hmmm. Sorry about the divorce, it's probably both their faults. I'm sure he still is a pastor because, baby, he's a STAR!!
 
[quote:e7b51e38cc][i:e7b51e38cc]Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia[/i:e7b51e38cc]
[quote:e7b51e38cc][i:e7b51e38cc]Originally posted by Scott Bushey[/i:e7b51e38cc]
I am not saying that she was right in leaving him; I am however saying that he didn't do everything possible to maintain the covenant relationship with her that God commanded him to.........he was a slacker.[/quote:e7b51e38cc]

So, it's still his fault for her divorcing him? :think: I don't think any of us know the whole reason why it happened, and it's definitely wrong to pass blame on Charles since he wasn't the one who pushed for the divorce.. [/quote:e7b51e38cc]

Someone is to blame. To say that he didn't technically [i:e7b51e38cc]push[/i:e7b51e38cc] for the divorce may also be flawed. For instance, could we discount the fact that it is known that he didn't do everything in his power to maintain the union? The general consensus, even from His son 'Andy" is that it is dad's fault. Dad was counseled to step down from the pulpit to attend to his marriage, whiuch was being neglected, and he rejected the notion. This had gone on for a long time; years. His wife left. The seperation was years. Stanley was not able to reconsile the union, eventually ending in divorce.

The church is called to judge each other. I only cast blame at the idea that his pulpit should have been vacated by himself. He has been disqualified and the fact that he does not submit to the word of God in this regard makes me inclined to believe the charges of whose fault the divorce was against him must be true! All the charges from the outside have been against him; even from his own family. Nothing on the wife; no infidelity, carousing, drunkeness etc. She remained otherwise, staunch.

Nuff said.


[Edited on 7-9-2004 by Scott Bushey]
 
There is a book about the founder of World Vision, Bob Pierce, written by his daughter, I think it's called "Days of Glory, Seasons of Night". It is her story of how he neglected his family for the "good" of the ministry. A very sad story, but yet very telling about the dangers of misplaced priorities. Basically his family fell apart because his "ministry" was just too important. Yes, God has made World Vision a great Christian relief organization, but the founder was eventually forced out and his family was estranged up until his death. :(
 
I had his book on eternal security before I was reformed. I thought it was very antinomian and was not too impressed.

[Edited on 7-9-2004 by Don]
 
I think one thing that can be taken away from the Charles Stanley situation is that, and one that all of the young would be Pastors on this board should take to heart, [b:71f5a7ba66]its not your ministry!!!![/b:71f5a7ba66] All those who have been called by Christ to serve in His Church are field hands. Its not their field its Christ's. When an Elder/Pastor begins to think that its "his ministry" or "his Church", priorities begin to go haywire. They begin to think that the church will fall apart without "me" so "I" have to devote all "my" time to "my ministry". But what ends up falling apart is that Elder/Pastor's life, which would include his family, which is exactly what happened to Stanley.
 
[quote:b6eb807e46][i:b6eb807e46]Originally posted by joshua[/i:b6eb807e46]
[quote:b6eb807e46][i:b6eb807e46]Originally posted by wsw201[/i:b6eb807e46]
I think one thing that can be taken away from the Charles Stanley situation is that, and one that all of the young would be Pastors on this board should take to heart, [b:b6eb807e46]its not your ministry!!!![/b:b6eb807e46] All those who have been called by Christ to serve in His Church are field hands. Its not their field its Christ's. When an Elder/Pastor begins to think that its "his ministry" or "his Church", priorities begin to go haywire. They begin to think that the church will fall apart without "me" so "I" have to devote all "my" time to "my ministry". But what ends up falling apart is that Elder/Pastor's life, which would include his family, which is exactly what happened to Stanley. [/quote:b6eb807e46]

:amen: [/quote:b6eb807e46]

I second that :amen:

Also, I wonder what such pastors would tell a member of his church who was doing the same thing - neglecting his wife and family because of his occupation? I would hope that, if he persisted in doing so, the church would discipline him.

Lon
 
A husband's first priority (after God) is his wife and family. Any ministry should come both after and from that! I routinely ask candidates for ordination a question:

"If you have, by all acounts, a successful ministry, but your wife tells you there are serious problems that must be addressed in your family that require time away from that ministry, what would you do?"

I follow up with this:

"If your wife said you had to choose between her and the ministry which would you chose?"

The answer to the first is that the wife/family is his first priority and that if things need attention there but he won;t give it at the expense of "ministry", then no matter the outward signs of success, he does not have a successful ministry!

The second question should have as its answer the obvious, if you must choose between wife and ministry, you must choose the wife, for to choose the ministry is to lose both.

Too bad Stanley does not practice what he preaches. When I learned years ago that he and his wife were separated while he was still pastoring, I refused to listen to him! He was disqualified long before the divorce.

Phillip

[Edited on 7-9-04 by pastorway]
 
Should it not be the responsibility of the elders to rebuke a pastor that is not fulfilling his obligations at home? What do all the Ruling Elders here think?

I would hope as well that the wife would, after confronting the husband alone, would then take an elder with her the next time, and if necessary bring him before the session. I would also hope that the elders would have enough sense/gumption to rebuke the senior pastor.
 
I second what PW says wife and family come first if you cant have a Christ centered home how can you have a Christ centered church?

I think people are more turned on to church by how the pastors/elders run their homes.

blade
 
I thank you guys for these posts.After reading I realize he should still step down.From his perspective it is a prideful sinful perspective.He didn`t step down because he was comfortable where he was.If he was willing to give up his family for the ministry.He would want to keep what he tried hardest for.He is rewarded with it.:down:
 
I agree, he should have stepped down.
Being the shepherd (little 's'), of his church, he should have modeled Biblical principles for them - whether or not they wanted him to.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

weinhold
  • Locked
Remembering Stanley J. Grenz
Replies
1
Views
2K
PuritanCovenanter
PuritanCovenanter
V
  • Locked
Rev. Dr. Charles Hambrick-Stowe
Replies
0
Views
3K
VirginiaHuguenot
V
Reformed Covenanter
Charles J. Brown on Disruption principles
Replies
4
Views
769
Reformed Covenanter
Reformed Covenanter
A
  • Locked
Charles Hodge or John W. Nevin?
Replies
6
Views
3K
Reformed Covenanter
Reformed Covenanter
Reformed Covenanter
Charles J. Brown on state endowment and spiritual independence
Replies
0
Views
751
Reformed Covenanter
Reformed Covenanter
Back
Top