http://www.mnnonline.org/article/10052
Warren to present his PEACE plan
Print Mobile Posted: 22 June, 2007
USA (MNN) — Rick Warren, founder of Purpose Driven Ministries and author of The Purpose Driven Life, will be speaking at the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
Warren will speak at the October convention on his PEACE plan. The plan is “very similar to the concerns of the Baptist General Convention of Texas,” according to Charles Wade, executive director of BGCT.
It’s an endeavor to get the church to be the forerunners in eliminating social issues such as illiteracy, poverty, and AIDS. His sermon will be the focal point of the meeting which is called “Missions - Together We Can Do More.” Up to 2.3 million people from 5,600 congregations could be in attendance at the conference.
Time magazine has named Warren America’s New People’s Pastor. “Rick has caught the attention of the people around the world with his vision of what local churches can do to make a genuine difference in solving the giant problems facing humanity,” said Wade. The Economist calls Warren one of the most influential pastors in America.
Warren’s Saddleback Church started with one family in 1980 in Lake Forest, California. Currently 22,000 attend weekly.
Obama Points to Rick Warren, T.D. Jakes as Models for Faith-Driven Action
By Michelle Vu
Christian Post Reporter
Mon, Jun. 25 2007 04:44 PM ET
Prominent Christian leaders such as Rick Warren and T.D. Jakes were praised by Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) this weekend as role models of Christians who put their faith into action.
In his first speech on the intersection of faith and politics as a presidential contender, Obama discussed how religion should inspire people across the Christian spectrum to unite in helping to eradicate social problems rather than divide them.
“I’m hopeful because I think there’s an awakening taking place in America,” said Obama on Saturday at the United Church of Christ’s 50th anniversary convention. “People are coming together around a simple truth – that we are all connected, that I am my brother’s keeper; I am my sister’s keeper.”
During his speech to a crowd of nearly 10,000 people, the senator, a member of Trinity UCC in Chicago, criticized division within the Church, but praised Christian leaders and groups that have worked together to remedy social problems.
“That’s why pastors, friends of mine like Rick Warren and T.D. Jakes and organizations like World Vision and Catholic Charities are wielding their enormous influence to confront poverty, HIV/AIDS, and the genocide in Darfur,” Obama said.
Dr. Rick Warren, senior pastor of Saddleback Church in California, had invited Obama to his church’s HIV/AIDS conference last winter despite vehement protests by pro-life groups that urged the megachurch pastor to rescind his invitation because of the senator’s pro-choice stance. Warren had refused to uninvite Obama, explaining that he wanted the Church to work together on the HIV/AIDS crisis despite their personal differences on other issues.
“I’m hearing from evangelicals who may not agree with progressives on every issue but agree that poverty has no place in a world of plenty; that hate has no place in the hearts of believers; and that we all have to be good stewards of God’s creations,” said Obama.
“From Willow Creek to the ‘emerging church,’ from the Southern Baptist Convention to the National Association of Evangelicals, folks are realizing that the four walls of the church are too small for a big God. ‘God is still speaking,’” the senator added, citing the motto of UCC’s media branding campaign.
Obama also talked about health care, the genocide in Darfur, Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and the controversial immigration bill.
The UCC, which celebrated its 50th anniversary on Saturday, is holding its biennial General Synod in Hartford, Conn., June 22-26. The liberal denomination, which prides itself on being the first denomination to ordain openly gay and lesbian ministers, emphasizes progressive causes and also began to endorse same-sex “marriage” starting in 2005 - a decision which caused a rift in the denomination and the departure of about 100 churches from the UCC.
Last year, according to the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches, UCC faced a 3.8 percent membership drop in the 1.2 million-member church body. Donations from church members to the UCC’s national offices and regional conferences also decreased by more than $2 million in 2006, according to the church’s annual report.
Zactly what I’m concerned about. This man is very very influencial. And, in the churches, the fruit of his influence is mixed at best. Couple this with his meetings with the Syrians and his willingness to work with the local imams to get this peace plan accomplished; his lack of desire to evangelize the Jews (he has enough Christian souls to worry about) when if he believes what the Scripture states, non-evangelization has eternally horrible consequences; this article just peaks my interest all the more.
http://www.cicministry.org/radio_series.php?series=redefining
Well worth listening to (particularly the PEACE plan topic)