Popular evangelist Andy Stanley recently raised the ire of some Christians on social media when he publicly said that Christians need to "unhitch" the Old Testament from their faith.
Stanley, the senior pastor of the North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, made the comments during an April 30 sermon to his congregation. The sermon was the third and final part of a lesson series titled "Aftermath: Not Difficult" that is available for public viewing on YouTube.
Stanley said that while he believes that the Old Testament is "divinely inspired," it should not be "the go-to source regarding any behavior in the church."
According to The Christian Post, Stanley had used Acts 15 in a previous sermon describing how the early church decided that Gentile converts did not need to observe Jewish law to become Christians.
"(First Century) Church leaders unhitched the church from the worldview, value system, and regulations of the Jewish scriptures," said Stanley. "Peter, James, Paul elected to unhitch the Christian faith from their Jewish scriptures, and my friends, we must as well."
In his sermon, Stanley expressed his concern that many Christians are turning away from the faith because of certain passages in the Old Testament. He argues the early church moved past the Old Testament for the sake of newly converted Gentile believers and that the resurrection of Jesus was their focus.
"Jesus' new covenant, His covenant with the nations, His covenant with you, His covenant with us, can stand on its own two nail-scarred resurrection feet. It does not need propping up by the Jewish scriptures," Stanley told the congregation. "The Bible did not create Christianity. The resurrection of Jesus created and launched Christianity. Your whole house of Old Testament cards can come tumbling down. The question is did Jesus rise from the dead? And the eyewitnesses said he did."
Stanley said he understands his comments might be "a little disturbing" to some, but for others, it is "liberating."
"It's liberating for men and women who are drawn to the simple message that God loves you so much He sent His Son to pave the way to a relationship with you," he said.
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