In a recent turn of events, the grandson of the late Reverend Charles Stanley, Matt Brodersen, has publicly apologized for auctioning off some of his grandfather’s personal items on eBay. The sale of these items, which included several items of furniture and clothing, had caused controversy within the family and the wider Christian community.
Speaking in his youtube videos, Brodersen explained that his family members were not happy about his act. He said
“My uncle Andy Stanley begged me to take that stuff off of eBay, begged me to take the auctions off of eBay,” he said. “My mom called me and said, ‘You take that stuff down right now.’ My sister, she was mad at me as well. So yes, everybody in my family was pretty upset with me and disappointed with my actions.” He added.
Charles Stanley, who passed away in April 2023 , was a well-known figure as the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta for 49 years and took on emeritus status in 2020. He was also the founder of In Touch Ministries, a Christian media ministry that broadcasts his sermons to millions of people around the world.
In the wake of his death, there has been significant interest in his personal effects, with many fans of the pastor eager to own a piece of his legacy. However, the decision to sell off some of his belongings has been controversial, with some critics arguing that it is disrespectful to the memory of a man who dedicated his life to serving God.
In his video Sunday, Brodersen said the way he “worded things” in his initial video was “disrespectful.”
“I would like to apologize,” he said. “This is just how crazy and a whack job I am. I did not even realize that this was going to make people upset. I have some issues, some mental health problems; I’m a little disconnected from reality. When I put my grandpa’s stuff on eBay, I was just thinking about myself. I was thinking about bills I had to pay, and I kind of rushed and had an adrenaline rush and just decided to throw these items on eBay as fast as possible because I was thinking about me, me, me, and, ‘can I get some money please so that I can pay my bills.’”
“A lot of people I love, a lot of people I care about, a lot of people who are very close to me have pointed out that this is disgusting behavior. And there are a lot of people on YouTube who have said, ‘This is crazy. You should have just waited.’ So, I just want to go on the record to say I admit I shouldn’t have done that.” He added.
Still, Brodersen said he doesn’t plan to remove the items from eBay, adding: “People already started bidding on the items and I don’t want to take that opportunity away from them to get those items. So yes, I’m gonna leave the auction up. There’s like a day remaining of time. So, if you want to get those items, you better hurry.”
Certain social media posts by Matt Brodersen shows that there was a close relationship between the grandfather and the grandson.
My grandpa was great at preaching, and even better at being a grandparent. #DrCharlesStanley @InTouchMin pic.twitter.com/nQiWlGGCqo
— FriendsWithMatt (@FriendsWithMatt) April 19, 2023
The controversy over the sale of Charles Stanley’s personal items highlights the delicate balance that must be struck between honoring the legacy of a beloved religious figure and meeting the practical needs of those left behind. While the auction may have raised much-needed funds for a worthy cause, it is clear that more care needs to be taken in how these decisions are made and communicated to those who may be affected by them.
