Posted on 12/03/2006 1:17:45 PM PST by paudio
Warren's The Purpose Driven Life is reportedly the biggest selling non-fiction book in U.S. history, aside from the Bible. He heads one of the largest megachurches in the nation - Saddleback Community Church - and is publicized by media around the world. The survey released Monday, however, found that 72 percent of adults say they have never heard of him.
The megachurch pastor is also unknown among born again Christians with 63 percent saying they have never heard of him.
Americans are a little more familiar with Christian psychologist James Dobson. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, hosts a radio program that reaches the largest audience of any religious personality. But 57 percent say they had never heard of him and nearly half of all born again Christians say they did not know who he was.
T.D. Jakes, one of America's best-known Pentecostal ministers, leads The Potter's House megachurch in Dallas, Texas. He was dubbed by Time magazine as America's Best Preacher and the next Billy Graham just five years ago. The Barna survey, however, showed that 68 percent of American adults have never heard of him and 55 percent of all born again Christians said the same.
All three Christian leaders were voted one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America by Time magazine in 2005.
Tim LaHaye, another influential evangelical, is co-author of the bestselling fiction series of all time – the Left Behind series. Still, 73 percent of adults say they have never heard of him along with 63 percent of born again Christians.
(Excerpt) Read more at christianpost.com ...
Apparently, a lot of people in this country buy a lot of books without checking to see who the author is.
Well, I have never heard of them either - and now that I've read their names, I'm going to immediately flush them down the memory toilet, so as not to litter too much. Regardless of the imagery and the choice of words, this is at the root of the problem, IF it is a problem and not a solution - people tend to remember what they need [or think they might need], or consider interesting and/or important. If the item is nether, then down the memory toilet it goes. Quoting the Psalms book in reverse translation, "and his memory will perish noisily".
But we have all seen Britney spears getting out of cars.
I never heard of him till that pretty lady in GA read his book to that cop killer.
Who is Britney Spears?
I don't much trust any of these "mega-church" outfits - they seem too prone to becoming cults of the "mega-personality" at the top. Pride can too easily overtake them because of their "great wealth and highly-publicized good deeds". I've had people talk to me about how I should come to their church for a variety of reasons which have nothing to do with faithfully worshipping God. I have wandered away from simple Sunday Catholic Mass on occasion in the past, but not any more. I don't care about the choir or whether the priest is a great speaker or some kind of political "glad-hander". I want to hear the Scripture and take the Eucharist. Period. Also, as a Catholic, I like knowing that it won't last more than an hour.
Oh to be one of the truly ... and blissfully ... ignorant!
It's a "mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow" kinda thing.
And just because everyone doesn't know him,is no cause to discount his importance on peoples lives.
Maybe you may wish to know at least some idea of what he stands for rather than start speculation about some overlarge ego entreprenurial type of personality type.
Somehow, rejection prior to any knowledge of a subject seems stupid.
This must have been what it was like back in the early days of other significant teachers. Lots of rejection out of hand, with no knowlege whatsoever.
We may not know a lot yet about Warren,but we are getting a fair idea about who you are from this little barbeque.
It should be amusing to review your other post Mr. P.
Just checked your busy postings and you have been busy.
This one just 10 days ago seemed curious...maybe you'll want to explain it to Rick Warren yourself:
America got what it deserved - the seeds of its own destruction [Good rant!]
Posted by paudio to edpc
On News/Activism 11/20/2006 5:02:51 AM PST · 8 of 79
Agreed. In fact, the same line of argument was used by Bin Laden after 9/11: "I know that it was the government who did all the bad things to Muslims in the Middle East, etc. But since ordinary people voted for the government, they bear the blame too!" Hence, his attack on the Twin Towers and killed many ordinary people...
I think it is because Christians don't care about what men say, they care about what Christ said.
For those that are interested here is a great number of essays on Warren and the rest of the Purpose Driven/Seeker Sensitive crowd
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/topic/seeker.html
Most of the more mature evangelicals are just not very personality-oriented. If they included in the survey: "what do you think of TV preachers," 90% of evangelicals would roll their eyes and say "not much."
My pastor is a lousy preacher, but I love my church, and I love my very ordinary pastor. I don't go there because he puts on a good show (which he does NOT), I go there because the people are positive and outward oriented, who want to do good things in the community in the world while worshipping God together. I read a lot of books, but very few "christian" books, they tend to be way too "me-centered."
And it also shows that Protestantism is not a "top-down" religion, like Catholocism.
(And no offense to anyone. Different styles for different people.)
I don't believe Warren is either of these. The Christianity that I know about, whether "evangelical" (definition, please?) or other, maintains its focus on the person, the identity and the ministry of Jesus Christ.
It reminds me of the old country music song "Would Jesus wear a Rolex?"
I think some of these mega churges which are non-affiliated are just platforms for personality. They seem to have a higher level of hypocracy risk. IOW some fraud uses the honesty of the faithful to secure financial security.
I suspect many of the new leftists' ministries are just triangulation frauds intended for diverting sheeple with wolves in preacher's clothing.
Most of these evangelical leaders are not christian leaders. Our leader is Christ - I like many thigs Dobson does but i'm not influenced by his particular theology or his voting pattern. He supported Harriet Miers and I know I did'nt. Rick Warren is into the social gospel so he might as well be a liberal theological leader or should I say the white Jesse Jackson.
The media has no understanding of born again christians!
Well, no special effects and circus entertainment for you! /sarcasm
I have missed out on most "Christian best-sellers" (except for the Bible). Somehow I missed the chapter in the Bible about "self-esteem," and I don't remember reading about "personal fulfillment" or "self-actualization" or how to have a perfect family with perfect children in a perfect neighborhood with a new car every year. Instead there is all this stuff about rules and about Abraham and Moses and Jesus and the Apostle Paul and they didn't even own a new car so what relevance could they possibly have? /a bit of sarcasm in case anyone misses it
Man, I'm still looking for where Jesus preached "tolerance".
Here in Nashville, the big thing is to bend your ear about the various "stars" who come to their church. Indeed, what would Jesus drive - except the moneychangers from the Temple? "Prosperity Theology" is the biggest hoot for me. Think about all those impoverished martyrs for Christ slain over the centuries. It's clear that they just weren't living right, ain't it?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.