Saddleback Church Lead Pastor Andy Wood recently apologized to his congregants and staff for his comments in an Instagram post regarding President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
In the post, Wood wrote, “Today’s inauguration was beautiful! There were several moments when God was honored, including a wonderful prayer by @franklin_graham pointing people to the Hope of the Gospel,” emphasizing that “it's a moment in history that will mark a different era.”
He added, “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.”
Additionally, Wood included a personal prayer for Trump, asking that he would “honor God in this critical role at this critical hour,” and encouraging him to fulfill his intended purpose as president. “I am asking God to help you accomplish His intended purpose for your life and your role as our president for such a time as this,” he wrote.
During his Saturday sermon, Wood reflected on the backlash from the post and stated, “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.”
He explained that after witnessing over 400 comments on his post, he felt the atmosphere became hostile, prompting him to shut down the comments.
Addressing potential confusion among congregants regarding his stance, Wood reassured them, saying, “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.”
“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.”
He emphasized that he does not view Trump as America’s savior, stating, “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.”
Wood further recognized that there are issues within politics that require scrutiny, mentioning, “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.”
Although Wood was unable to change the photo on his post due to platform restrictions, he stated that he chose not to delete it after thoughtful prayer and discussions with his wife and church 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,” he explained, adding, “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. I believe God actually wants to use this moment to bring our church to greater unity.”
