Pastor Andy Stanley delivers sermon to President Obama before inauguration
Pastor Andy Stanley on Monday delivered a sermon at a church service near the White House attended by President Barack Obama to start off his ceremonial inaugural day activities.
Stanley, who leads North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Ga., thanked the President during a service at St. John's Episcopal Church for his work in the wake of the Newton, Conn., school shooting last month, adding that Obama should be called "Pastor in Chief," according to the Wall Street Journal.
Stanley also asked what one does when they realize they are the most powerful person in that room, according to the Associated Press.
"You leverage that power for the benefit of other people in the room," he said, according to the Associated Press. "Jesus would say to do less than that would be to declare yourself greater than me."
"Mr. President, you have an awfully big room. My prayer to you is to leverage that power for the stewardship of our nation."
The issue of homosexuality - which has been a side note to some of the presidential inaugural preparations after the Rev. Louis Giglio withdrew from giving the benediction at Tuesday's Presidential Inaugural over comments criticized as being anti-gay - has also been matter raised in connection with Pastor Stanley
The Georgia pastor came under scrutiny in evangelical circles in April of last year after delivering a sermon where he stated two men were committing adultery because one of them had not finalized his divorce from his wife.
Albert Mohler, a conservative theologian and president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, weighed in on the matter in his blog, saying "the inescapable impression left by the account was that the sin of concern was adultery, but not homosexuality."
The following month, after numerous questions about his stance on homosexuality, Pastor Stanley delivered a sermon on what it means to be a Christian, saying that Christians had a "branding problem" in that they were viewed as being "judgmental, homophobic, moralists."
Rev. Giglio withdrew from giving the benediction earlier thhis month after a progressive blog published the contents of a sermon he gave 15 years earlier where he said some in the homosexual community had an "aggressive agenda," that was "not benevolent" that sought to make the "homosexual lifestyle" become accepted as the norm in society.
The Presidential Inaugural Committee, which is organizing events related to the inaugural said it would find a replacement for Rev. Giglio, with an approach ensuring "their beliefs relect this administration's vision of inclusion and acceptance for all Americans."
The committee replaced Rev. Giglio with Rev. Dr. Louis Leon, the Episcopal Church denomination minister of St. John's church.
Tags : Pastor Andy Stanley President Obama Inauguration
Hot Trends
-
Daddy Yankee Plans to ‘Revolutionize’ Pop Culture After Converting to Christianity
-
Forrest Frank and Wife Grace Announce They’re Expecting Their Second Child
-
Chris Rice Maintains Public Silence Following Abuse Allegations; Focuses on Writing and Speaking
-
The Wingfeather Saga Returns: Season 3 Takes Fans to the Frozen Frontiers of Aerwiar
-
Vanessa Brown Knowles, Stellar Award-Winning Gospel Singer, Dies in Tragic Accident
-
Jaakko Ohtonen to Portray Jesus in Mel Gibson’s "The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection"
-
Tasha Layton on Her Suicide Attempt, Singing with Katy Perry & Working on Her Own Music
-
Forrest Frank & Cory Asbury Announce “Halftime for Heaven” — A Christian Worship Alternative to the Super Bowl Halftime Show
-
Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine Depart Maverick City Music Amid Legal Dispute
-
for KING + COUNTRY's "World on Fire (with Taylor Hill)" is 2025’s #1 Most Added Song
-
Christian Hip-Hop Artist nobigdyl. and Wife Chelsea Celebrate the Birth of Their First Son
-
Where Is Bebo Norman? Former Christian Music Star Finds New Purpose as a Physician Assistant
-
Steven Curtis Chapman Celebrates 41 Years of Marriage and Announces New Book "Still Here (Life Together On The Long Way Home)"
-
Tasha Page-Lockhart Announces Her Engagement to Deangelo Loftin!
-
Rave Jesus and Gracie Binion Release Powerful New Single “Need Your Love”
Most Popular
-
Daddy Yankee Plans to ‘Revolutionize’ Pop Culture After Converting to Christianity
-
Forrest Frank and Wife Grace Announce They’re Expecting Their Second Child
-
Chris Rice Maintains Public Silence Following Abuse Allegations; Focuses on Writing and Speaking
-
The Wingfeather Saga Returns: Season 3 Takes Fans to the Frozen Frontiers of Aerwiar
-
Vanessa Brown Knowles, Stellar Award-Winning Gospel Singer, Dies in Tragic Accident
-
Jaakko Ohtonen to Portray Jesus in Mel Gibson’s "The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection"
-
Tasha Layton on Her Suicide Attempt, Singing with Katy Perry & Working on Her Own Music
-
Forrest Frank & Cory Asbury Announce “Halftime for Heaven” — A Christian Worship Alternative to the Super Bowl Halftime Show
-
Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine Depart Maverick City Music Amid Legal Dispute
-
for KING + COUNTRY's "World on Fire (with Taylor Hill)" is 2025’s #1 Most Added Song
-
Christian Hip-Hop Artist nobigdyl. and Wife Chelsea Celebrate the Birth of Their First Son
-
Where Is Bebo Norman? Former Christian Music Star Finds New Purpose as a Physician Assistant
-
Steven Curtis Chapman Celebrates 41 Years of Marriage and Announces New Book "Still Here (Life Together On The Long Way Home)"
-
Tasha Page-Lockhart Announces Her Engagement to Deangelo Loftin!
-
Rave Jesus and Gracie Binion Release Powerful New Single “Need Your Love”