Saddleback Church Lead Pastor Andy Wood apologized to his congregants and staff for causing “confusion,” weeks after he shut down the comments section of his Instagram post about the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Jan. 20, which made some of his followers ask if he had gone “MAGA.”
“Perhaps if there was more context leading up to a post like that or a different picture, it would have given less of a stir for some people,” Wood said of the post at the start of his sermon on Saturday.
He said the controversy forced him to first apologize to his staff.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know.
“When I met with the staff, what I said to our staff this week is, ‘I created a lot of extra work for you with this post and probably a distraction,’ and so I just said sorry to them. And I want to say if I created extra work and my post was a distraction to you I’m sorry, genuinely,” he continued. “I’m sorry for our staff was working really hard on lots of other things, and then this was for many of them, dozens of hours [wasted]. So genuinely, I’m sorry.”
In the Instagram post, Wood celebrated what he saw as the increased room the Trump administration would make for “our work.”
“Today’s inauguration was beautiful! A number of moments where God was honored, and a wonderful prayer @franklin_graham pointing people to the Hope of the Gospel,” he noted in the post.
“It’s a moment in history that will mark a different era. There is a divine window of opportunity with this shift in power. Government cannot change the human heart, but the new administration will definitely make more space for our work.”
Wood also offered a written personal prayer for President Trump that he would “honor God in this critical role at this critical hour.”
“I am asking to God help you accomplish His intended purpose for your life and your role as our president for such a time as this,” Wood wrote in his prayer.
In an update added to the post, Wood clarified that he turned off the comments because they became “divisive,” not because he can’t handle disagreement.
He said he didn’t think too much about the photo he used to highlight his post but was surprised after dinner with friends that day that the post had attracted some 200 comments.
Wood expected that the controversy would die down overnight, but when he woke up the following morning, the post had more than 400 comments with users debating his political allegiance.
“I woke up the next morning, and there were over 400 comments on my post. … I felt like it was getting very hostile. People against one another, so I just went ahead and shut it down. There were a lot of strong statements and questions like ‘Well, does this mean Andy’s MAGA?” he said.
The pastor debated whether to address the post with the entire church body. After meeting with his staff and getting feedback, he felt discussing it openly with the general congregation would be helpful.
“Some of you might have been confused about my level of love for people or groups in our church who are having a hard time with the new administration, and I want you to know from the bottom of my heart I love you,” Wood said. “Saddleback has been and always will be a church where people from all different walks of life and backgrounds can find hope and healing through turning to Jesus.”
Wood said he doesn’t see Trump as America’s savior.
“Some of you might have been confused by my post or the fact that I put up a picture of President Trump, that I think he’s flawless, or that I agree with every one of his actions, and I certainly don’t think that or believe that,” he said.
“It’s very clear that President Trump is a human. He is not the savior of the world and all followers of Jesus should have a hard time when the label ‘savior’ is given to any human aside from Jesus,” he explained.
“There are sins on the right side of politics that need a warning and need to be kept in check, such as greed and bigotry and these things very easily can creep into thinking or rhetoric and have no place in the life of a follower of Jesus. So, from my heart to you, if I’ve confused you, I’m sorry. Genuinely, I apologize,” Wood said.
Although his comments about the inauguration were well-intended, Wood said the post was made too hastily and pledged to ensure his comments online, particularly when they involve difficult conversations, are reviewed by “a trusted set of eyes from someone who’s both courageous and wise.”
Wood said he was unable to change the photo of the post due to restrictions on the social media platform and chose not to remove the post after praying and talking with his wife and elders.
“After seeking the Lord, praying about it, and discussing it with Stacie and the elders, I have a conviction that it is the right thing to leave the post up. I believe we are in a critical hour of the Church as a whole in the United States and globally, and the enemy preys on confusion,” he said. “I believe God actually wants to use this moment to bring our church to Greater unity.”
Contact: [email protected] Follow Leonardo Blair on Twitter: @leoblair Follow Leonardo Blair on Facebook: LeoBlairChristianPost
