Knowing that he recanted on a claim he would not if divorced, should he lead?
Was the divorce biblical or not biblical?
Should Charles Stanley Lead A Church?
Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by luke1616, Jan 30, 2011.
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Should Stanley Lead a Church?
Poll closed Feb 13, 2011.
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Yes
13 vote(s)40.6% -
No
5 vote(s)15.6% -
It's up to the people who attend
6 vote(s)18.8% -
I don't care either way
3 vote(s)9.4% -
Not for me to judge
4 vote(s)12.5% -
I wouldn't attend
1 vote(s)3.1%
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preachinjesus Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
I'm gonna take a guess and suggest that nobody on this board actually knows Dr. Stanley's situation or the circumstances around his divorce.
My suggestion is that this conversation should be taken up by those in his church and those who know him and is not the purview of people on this board. -
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But it's okay to talk about Ted Haggard?
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As I recall his wife decided to leave him as she became bored with his ministry.
If so, what was he to do? -
Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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JohnDeereFan Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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His church has decided.
Regardless of the juicy details surrounding the breakup of his marriage, Dr. Stanley has not remarried and thus has had only one wife. He has been, and is, the husband of one wife. That should remove the main objection to Dr. Stanley's being a pastor. -
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Huh??? Bored with his ministry?
What does THAT mean? -
I don't care about any sordid details of marriage/divorce et al. Nor whether his local church feels he is qualified to be an elder or not.
Neither of these is the issue. The issue is a BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE that is very clear and easy to see:
1) Is he above reproach and without blame in the eyes of the Church? I Tim 3:1
2) Does he have a good reputation in the eyes of the unsaved world? I Tim 3:7
. . and this says nothing of all the other qualifications in between the first and last in God's list in I Tim 3.
Now, not knowing anything about any pastor (rather than just single out this one who has some fame/infamy) how would you answer these two salient points?
He is NOT above reproach or blameless in my eyes.
He does NOT have a good reputation/testimony to the unsaved
I vote "No". He disqualified himself. And this is not "permanent", but until these issues are worked out, I'd tell him to seek other avenues of ministry. And would for any elder whose marriage failed, or who had scandalous issues, or went back on his own word. Famous or not. -
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accidental duplicate -
pinoybaptist Active MemberSite Supporter
But his church voted he continue, so there he is.
Hard to dislodge someone who's been leading you for 30 some years. He's got friends, supporters, etc.
Reading somewhat between the lines, though, and considering the target audience that his son is aiming for, there may have been deeper theological issues.
But I listen to Stanley, still.
On the radio.
Well, if you're driving 19 miles to work in stop and go traffic and Allistair Begg's finished his wonderful sermon, and you got a choice between Harold Camping, Stanley, hard metal stations, and political "commentaries", who'd you go for ? -
Thinkingstuff Active Member
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pinoybaptist Active MemberSite Supporter
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Thinkingstuff Active Member
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Now Merle Haggard or Roger Miller, on the other hand....
Seriously, most of those with inside knowledge of the situation, and who are not trying to defend Stanley at every point will say his own stubbornness and hardness played a major role in the breakup.
Whatever the details, it can be certain that both spouses played their own part in the drama. It is sure that Stanley was not just abandoned.
I'm not against divorced people in the pulpit at all. In fact, I think it's a great example if that person has been restored. But the troubling fact of this whole situation for me is that he said if his wife divorced him, he would step down.
Then it happened. He didn't.
My guess is he was just blowing smoke with his earlier statement, thinking or hoping it wouldn't come to divorce.
So when it happened, he suddenly found himself unwilling to live up to his statement, and after talking about it with those in power, probably decided that it would be okay.
We do know that his decision to stay further fractured his family, driving his son away from ministry in that fellowship.
It also bothers me that he's made claims about how his divorce has given him more credibility with those in his congregation. That's just a weird statement.
It really doesn't bother me that much, though. They can all follow their conscience. I think the man's teaching has long been theologically problematic, anyway. The divorce doesn't change that. -
I much prefer Celtic (Irish and Scotish) music. The likes of Enya, Maire Brennan, Dougie Mclean. Oh, and I love big robust movie score music.
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