Mind Over Blather: Dr. Charles Stanley

There are many televangelists around today. I sometimes will watch these con artists for a while like I'd briefly watch a freak show, out of morbid curiosity. The camera will scan over a huge audience and it amazes me that so many can be so gullible. God help those poor people.

At one time I would have considered those in the audience to be total idiots, deserving of being conned. I don't think this way anymore. These people are searching for help, answers, anything that will help them get through their lives. Life can be so overwhelming at times that I can see how some will grab onto anything or anyone who promise some relief, comfort and hope.

In the wee hours of Sunday morning, I stumbled onto one televangelist whose sermons have kept me interested. Dr. Charles Stanley appears to be a rarity among the others. There is a sincerity, humility and simplicity in his sermons, spoken in his Southern drawl, that make Dr. Stanley come across as the real thing. I like this man. I like what he says. I like his face. There are some faces that shout SOB, sleazy bastard and many of the televangelists are prime examples of this.

Here are the video archives of Dr. Stanley's sermons. If you happen to listen to any of them, let me know what you think. I've only listened to the most recent ones.

Dr. Stanley's ministry is called In Touch Ministries. I will be catching his sermons every Sunday if I'm up at that time or I'll download his sermon sometime afterwards. Have I said that I like this guy? I do.

I'm also looking around for a Bible Church to attend - it's time for me to get back into the real world with real humans. You guys have been good company but God didn't create us to be hermits - unfortunately...

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Archived Comments

Jamie R ~

Sounds cool. Sounds real cool. Wanna name the one that first caught your attention?

Oi did I say it's cool to be here in a breath of fresh air?

Apr 24, 2008 13:03

Difster ~

Dr. Stanley is definitely one of the good guys. I despise most of the rest; especially Benny Hinn.

Apr 24, 2008 17:46

WaterBoy ~

Taylor: "...it's time for me to get back into the real world with real humans."

Sorry, just couldn't resist this one:

Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out.
Welcome back to that same old place that you laughed about.
Well the names have all changed since you hung around,
But those dreams have remained and they’re turned around.
Who’d have thought they’d lead ya (Who’d have thought they’d lead ya)
Back here where we need ya (Here where we need ya)
Yeah we tease [her] a lot cause we’ve got [her] on the spot, welcome back.
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

-John Sebastian

Apr 24, 2008 21:37

Difster ~

WB - Did you REALLY have to stick that song in my head?!!! GEEZZ... all I can hear now is Horshack laughing....

BASTARD!

Apr 24, 2008 23:07

Res Ipsa ~

HA!

Now WB has condemned poor little Taylor to a world that had John Travolta playing Vinnie Barbarino. The TV series Travolta's highest achievement as an actor, it showed his full range of acting ability.

Apr 24, 2008 23:22

Taylor ~

Wanna name the one that first caught your attention?

I can't name the first one. I only listened to parts of few sermons at first, expecting the typical televangelist BS, but then I realized that Dr. Stanley was not one of those. Maybe the March 30th sermon - When Your Fire Goes Out - was the first one I heard all the way through. And all the ones since then have been as good.

Apr 25, 2008 00:01

Taylor ~

Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out.

Actually, it was my nightmare that was my ticket out...

I should clarify that MY real world is probably not the normal person's real world. Actually, I haven't really decided what I want my real world to be, I just know that I have to get on with it.

Don't worry, Res. I don't know that show, never watched it. I know of it, but I'm happy to say that I couldn't name one character in it.

Apr 25, 2008 00:16

Taylor ~

Difster, earworms are songs you can't get out of your head.

From a quick search: Suggestions of how to cure an earworm, including chewing on a cinnamon stick, passing the earworm on to someone else or erasing the offending song by singing the theme from "Gilligan's Island."

I'd suggest to just go to my January 2007 post of Wagner's Tannhäuser Overture post and listen to that. Any silly song should evaporate in the presence of that.

Apr 25, 2008 01:00

Res Ipsa ~

"I'm happy to say that I couldn't name one character in it."

You lucky girl. If you knew you'd come running right back to blog land. Of course we have some characters around here that are a bit like characters on the show, Jamie could be Arnold, although he probably thinks of himself as more of a "boom boom Washington".

Apr 25, 2008 22:51

Billy D ~

Taylor: "...it's time for me to get back into the real world with real humans."

Yeah, we're having a little get together next weekend, maybe some BBQ. BYOB. Come on over.
Glad to see you out walking around...

Apr 26, 2008 18:15

The Temporarily Displaced Alas ~

Glad you are motivated seeking places to grow.

The charlatans mislead the lost, who while lost, realize they are wired to serve God.

Your discernment and wisdom serve you well.

God bless you Taylor.

Apr 27, 2008 15:32

Taylor ~

Yeah, we're having a little get together next weekend, maybe some BBQ. BYOB. Come on over.

Thank you, Billy. I'll just grab my bottle of Stoli, hop on a plane, rent a car and make my way to your BBQ. I'll be sure and go heavy on the Texas accent, so you'll know who I am... :)

Oh, don't be so sure that I'm not capable of do something like that - it wouldn't be the first time - but I can't get away now.

Good to see you around the blogs.

Apr 27, 2008 21:17

Taylor ~

The Temporarily Displaced Alas. Is that Alas as in wings? Are you a little angel who has lost his wings?

Thank you for your kind comment. And I hope you get your wings back.

Apr 27, 2008 21:22

JRL ~

God didn't create us to be hermits

This is true. Some of us he made pretty close to it though.

I should clarify that MY real world is probably not the normal person's real world.

What is the normal person's real world? I'd like to know, because most of what I see as normal these days I'd like to avoid.

Hey, I think it's an absolutely wonderful thing you're looking for a church family---as one theologian said, we are "created for community". There's no getting around that.

Apr 28, 2008 05:57

"The Temporarily Displaced Alas" is the truncated version of "The Temporarily Displaced Alaskan" which seemed the fitting handle for me while I was in FL.

It was a personal joke. Sorry for any confusion, though I do like your interpretation of it.

One of my lifetime goals is to get my pilots license.

Apr 28, 2008 17:56

rhombus ~

His books are also very good, particularly the one (don't recall the title) about dealing with grief and loss.

May 01, 2008 17:20

orlok ~

benny hinn rocks -just kidding. video pretty funny tho.

May 20, 2008 15:49

Mary ~

I would like to take this opportunity to witness to you about the effect Dr. Stanley has had on my life.
I have listened to him for many years, and by God's grace, numerous times God has spoken to me through Dr. Stanley. He made me painfully aware of the dibilitating grip fear has had on my life (all my life!). I am now 58 and can praise God that I am now free of that grip of fear, and I thank God for using Dr. Stanley in such a powerful way. I would encourage you to continue to watch and listen to Dr. Stanley.
Dr. Stanley makes God's truth, His will and desire for our lives so clear, it's like those times when God's Word seems to jump off the page at you and you know that it is unmistakably God's voice speaking to you.
I pray that God will bless you greatly, and that He will make it possible for you to hear His voice.

God Bless,
Mary Nader
(Colorado Spgs, CO.)

Jul 23, 2008 10:23

Taylor ~

Thank you for sharing your story with us. It is a wonderful testament to the power of God's Word and to those, like Dr. Stanley, whose work is to bring it into our lives, through which we will be transformed into children of our Almighty God.

May God bless you and keep you, Mary.

Jul 25, 2008 08:07

2 comments :

TimNovember 14, 2008 at 7:24 AM
Great post! You are absolutely correct in your observation about Dr. Charles Stanley. I, too, have always been skeptical of certain televangelists. Stanley, however, is the real deal. Living in the south, my wife and I have been able to attend his church twice. (Atlanta is a three hour drive for us.) He is warm, loving and since man of God. What you see is what you get. You definitely feel the Holy Spirit in Stanley's church.

~Tim
Tina GurskeyOctober 4, 2009 at 7:50 AM
I have been watching Dr. Charles Stanley for the past 15 years...was even lucky enough to visit his church a few times while in Atlanta... he is the real deal! A very Godly man... I thank God for such a strong leader in my lifetime...

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Dr. Charles Stanley

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