Posted on 12/31/2006 8:41:18 AM PST by Gamecock
The facade is beginning to peel back from the so-called ministry of Southern California Pastor Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose Driven Church" and "The Purpose Driven Life." Unfortunately, many among his ample flock have far too much invested in him, both emotionally and otherwise, to admit their mistakes and cut their losses.
Moreover, he certainly faces no possibility of in-depth scrutiny from the "mainstream media," as his brand of "Christianity" poses little or no threat to their liberal social agenda. Yet to the degree that anyone at all questions Warren as anything less than authentic, his response is thoroughly telling as to his true character, as well as the nature of his "ministry."
Joseph Farah, editor-in-chief of the Internet news site, "World Net Daily," opened a can of worms by calling Warren to account over his fawning praise of the terrorist stronghold of Syria. While there, Warren lauded the brutish dictatorship as "peaceful," claiming that the Islamist government does not officially sanction "extremism of any kind."
When confronted by Farah, an American of Middle Eastern decent who knows too well the history of horror and tragedy faced by persecuted Christians in that region of the world, Warren immediately denied ever making such statements.
Subsequently, Farah offered as evidence a "YouTube" video from Saddleback Church, where Warren is pastor, inarguably proving Farah's statement. So Warren's church simply pulled the video from circulation and continued the denial, being unaware that a copy of the video file had been downloaded and is still in circulation. Warren's follow-up to this inconvenient circumstance is perhaps most telling of all.
In a concurrent set of moves, Warren sent a seemingly conciliatory e-mail to Farah while distributing another to his "flock," in which he characterized Farah's pursuit of the incident as nothing less than "doing Satan's job for him." Throughout this sorry episode, Farah's only error has been to suggest that Warren's disturbing behavior represents some new departure from consistency.
In fact, Warren is actually being entirely consistent. Whether his audience might be Farah himself, Syrian despot Bashar Assad or the Saddleback congregation, Warren tells each exactly what he believes they want to hear.
This pattern is the essence of what Warren is and what has made him so "successful" from a worldly perspective.
For those among his congregation who sincerely want to know the truth, the evidence is ample. Unfortunately, it always has been available, and any present "confusion" merely results from past decisions to ignore that evidence.
For example, his letter to the congregation decrying the "attack" and making his defense by invoking Scripture is barely four paragraphs long. Yet in those four paragraphs, he employs three different "translations" of the Bible. Why, it must be asked, does he not trust any single translation to convey God's message to humanity?
Could it be that he has his own message and agenda to advance, and that he has found it very convenient to utilize different wordings of different passages, not because they better convey God's purpose, but rather his own?
It would be better to ask, could his motivation possibly be anything else?
As Farah has refused to let this indefensible situation simply drop, Warren has responded by taking it to another realm, making personal attacks against Farah in an interview with the magazine, "Christianity Today." But once again, by so doing, Warren succeeds in revealing much more about himself than about his adversary.
Warren, who has not to date been known as any sort of standard bearer for Christian principle in the political arena, decries Farah (whose societal and moral views fall unambiguously on the right) and his ideological allies as part of a wrongful "political" encroachment on the faith.
In contrast, Warren's forays into the political realm prove, not surprisingly, to be decidedly leftist. At a recent conference on the African AIDS epidemic, Warren invited the very liberal Senator Barak Obama (D-Ill.) as a keynote speaker. He justified the inclusion of Obama, who avidly supports abortion and same-sex "marriage," on the grounds that Obama offered a worldly solution to ostensibly curb the spread of the disease through condom usage.
The morally ambiguous message conveyed by the advocacy of condoms, along with their inherent unreliability, make them nothing less than iconic to the abortion industry, which fully understands how much new business they generate. In the face of such pragmatism, one has to wonder what will be next. Perhaps Warren's church will sponsor a "designated driver's ministry" at every bar in its locale.
Appalling though Obama's inclusion in the conference may be, it is nonetheless entirely consistent with Warren's behavior from the beginning.
Leading a megachurch in the culturally disintegrating landscape of Southern California, Warren certainly knows that his prospects of maximizing the "flock" will be greatly enhanced as long as he shows proper deference to the real religion of the area, "political correctness."
In this, his Christian populism movement has proven to be far more palatable to the God-hating secularists of the surrounding communities than such stodgy, old-fashioned and "intolerant" notions as "Thou Shalt Not." And the Warren influence has been predictable wherever it can be found.
If other churches that abide in the Warren philosophy, such as Chicago's gargantuan "Willow Creek," were to truly uphold Christian values among their enormous congregations, they would certainly be a constant "thorn in the side" of their surrounding populace, acculturated into the modernism as those communities certainly are. Yet an amazing degree of compatibility and congeniality exists between the Warren Church model and the social structures of Chicago and Southern California.
The tradeoff between true Christian principle and acceptability to the locals is apparently worth the spiritual sacrifice it entails, with expanding parking lots, increasingly lavish facilities and, of course, fuller collection plates bearing witness. Meanwhile, such churches offer ever less of a worthwhile and much-needed alternative to the ailing world around them.
Ultimately, Warren gives conformist Christians, wearied from their ongoing battle with a world that is increasingly hostile to true Christian faith, an apparent "out" by offering a version that the modern world can find more acceptable while remaining in its present spiritual darkness.
Many among Warren's vast following have made the mistake, in light of his "purpose driven" ministering, of presuming, at the heart of the movement, a Christ-driven purpose. Yet as Warren's real character continues to be revealed, it is becoming apparent that members of that following are presuming too much.
(Christopher G. Adamo is a freelance writer and staff writer for the New Media Alliance. He lives in southeastern Wyoming and has been active in local and state politics for many years.)
AND RW AND HIS MATERIALS AND OPERATION
DOES PLENTY OF THAT.
He accepts everything, under the guise of "love".
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NO. He doesn't. Talk to folks who've been in his Saddleback congregation a significant period of time. That's just not true.
Amen. Good points.
"One thing I can't argue with is the Holy Spirit is convicting people to a saving knowledge of God through Warren's ministry."
I can.
It's not Rick Warren's doing. He's not convicting anyone with his lies and humanistic teachings.
When a person seeks HIM, He will be found. They would have found the Lord with or without Rick Warren. Rick Warren doesn't call the shots - God does.
Maybe more like... despite Warren's ministry.
That stuff is NOT what Schumpeter and Drucker -- and when you get down to it, Marx -- are all about.
(Funny, though, how Marx's ideas have found their way into so many churches during the latter part of the last century, purportedly a good fit for "the gospel.")
These guys are talking about tearing down the society, churches, and lives, and then reconstructing them the way they determine to be best for society.
Note that I said "for society". If you examine Warren's teachings, he IS preaching a "social gospel" -- he is literally talking about establishing "peace on earh" -- a condition that every orthodox (and I use the term in the generic sense) Christian KNOWS will not happen until the return of the Messiah, when HE establishes HIS Kingdom.
Yet, Warren preaches a "different" gospel -- a gospel that does assert that if we obey his rules, we WILL have that which Christ says we will NOT have.
Not to put too fine a point on it, this is the "gospel" that the antichrist will attempt to impose on the world: A type of "unity" among the nations of the world, based on the works of man. (And no, don't anyone go putting any words in my mouth. I am NOT saying that Warren is the beast. There have always been people who have been seduced into preaching the false gospel. This is nothing new.)
These are not complex issues. This is the simplest "milk" of the Gospel. Yet, "even the elect" are subject to the siren song of worldly "peace", and all the trappings.
To go back on an earlier (faulty) comparison attempted to apply to what is going on, it's NOT like pruning a tree in order to get more fruit. It's like pulling out the entire orchard, so that a supermarket can be built on the site. Reams of "proof" will be provided, demonstrating that it makes much more sense to bring in produce from afar, and market it using efficient business techniques, so that more people can buy more fruit for less money.
Might make "economic sense", but it's certainly not even a rough fit for the parable.
Creative DESTRUCTION. Not by Christ, but by Rick Warren -- with the ghost of Joseph Schumpeter whispering sweet less-than-nothings in his ear. (Please, no lectures on "ghosts" -- I am using a figure of speech, OK?)
We can go round an round -- but I won't. I'll lay out some facts, and those who want to see what's going on, well, he who has ears to hear, let 'im listen.
For those who are apparently committed to Rick Warren, there's nothing I, or anyone else can do for you.
Hopefully some lives -- some families -- perhaps even some churches -- might be spared, if enough people wake up to what is happening in their midst. It's already too late for far too many, but there are many more still "in the valley of decision."
It seems like every decade or so, something "different" comes along, promising to "help" churches, but in the final analysis, leaving a trail of broken lives in its wake. I remember the "Basic Youth Conflict" seminars back in the '70s, and then, a few years later there was the "Shepherding and Discipleship" movement (which destroyed a church I built from scratch -- and many lives and families in the process), and now, the "Purpose Driven" Gospel.
It's sad, but it's like clockwork. Funny how that works, isn't it.
And hopefully I'm done for tonight. I am weary beyond words.
My church's "gimmick" is to exalt Jesus. He said, after all, that if He be lifted up He will draw all men to Himself.
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There are DOZENS UPON DOZENS OF WAYS TO DO THAT.
DOZENS OF SEQUENCES.
DOZENS OF METHODS.
DOZENS OF MANNERS.
DOZENS OF TONES.
DOZENS OF DEGREES OF ELABORATION.
DOZENS OF DEGREES OF ILLUSTRATION.
DOZENS OF DEGREES OF EMPHASES AND TYPES OF EMPHASES.
DOZENS OF ASPECTS OF RAISING CHRIST UP TO CHOOSE FROM, EMPHASIZE
ETC.
ETC.
ETC.
ANY ONE OF WHICH could easily be called a gimmick by someone who preferred a different one or different set.
SHEESH.
That is the crux of the problem - he is NOT Biblically sound. His theology is an inch deep and two miles wide!
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Hogwash.
Not so. His theology is as deep as the Bible because it's straightforwardly from The Bible. It's even that way in PDL. It's certainly that way listening to any signficant amount of Saddleback sermons and particularly so in their small groups.
Sheesh.
What a lot of inaccurate, wholesale false accusation goes on, on these threads. Maddening.
Yet, healings in Pentecostal services are considered gimmicks by the Jr Accusers.
Impressive.
Thanks tons.
Amen.
God's highest to you and yours in the new year in God's provision, protection, guidance, peace, joy, love, hope.
LUB
It was crystal meth. She was so kind ... she shared her illegal stash with him. Wasn't that nice and Christian of her?
Here ya go:
Associated Press ^ | September 27,2005 | GREG BLUESTEIN
Hostage Gave Meth to Atlanta Fugitive
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1492228/posts
September 27,2005 | ATLANTA -- The woman who says she gained the trust of suspected courthouse gunman Brian Nichols by talking about her faith in God discloses in a new book that she gave him methamphetamine during the hostage ordeal.
Ashley Smith did not share that detail with authorities after she talked her way out of captivity.
In her book, "Unlikely Angel," released Tuesday, Smith says Nichols had her bound on her bed with masking tape and an extension cord. She says he asked for marijuana, but she did not have any, and dug into her crystal methamphetamine stash instead.
Smith, who has been in a mental hospital and has flunked out of drug rehabilitation programs, says the seven-hour hostage ordeal led her to stop using drugs. She says she has not touched drugs since the night before she was taken hostage.
"If I did die, I wasn't going to heaven and say, `Oh, excuse me, God. Let me wipe my nose, because I just did some drugs before I got here,'" Smith told the Augusta Chronicle.
Police said Nichols took Smith hostage in her apartment March 11 after a shooting rampage at the Fulton County Courthouse. Nichols is accused of killing four people, including a judge.
Smith's 911 call to police when she was released led authorities to Nichols. She said she read him passages from author Rick Warren's "The Purpose-Driven Life" to gain his trust.
She was later bombarded with offers for books, movies and speaking engagements.
Financial details of the book have not been released, but she pledged to donate an undisclosed portion of the book's proceeds to a memorial fund for the victims.
THIS is what Rick Warren is doing - making up his own religion.
It really grieves my spirit when I read comments similar to the above. I think such comments are over the top and I encourage you to be careful making such statements.
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i AGREE WHOLESALE. But such broadsides and wholesale distortions and falsehoods are the stock-in-trade of the Jr Accusers of the bretheren. And at some point, Holy Spirit rises up within me and blows a whistle and says--tweet, everyone out of the pool, that's hogwash! Unmitigated, UnBiblical, destructive, hogwash.
The icing on the cake is that the "new disciple", once he got back into prison, became a radical Muslim.
I don'rt remember if it was meth or crack that she shared with him. It's moot. Reading PDL was the "high" while also on these drugs. Yeah, she's a new creature in Christ all right ... LOL!
Oops!
(A "Purpose-Driven Jihadi"? LOL!)
Great points.
"For those who are apparently committed to Rick Warren, there's nothing I, or anyone else can do for you. "
Correct!
Followers are of a works driven, feel good, cult. The Bible and it's teachings are irrelevant to them.
That lardass Warren certainly knows about doing Satan's work.
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May The Lord rebuke that accusation according to His priorities and timing.
Our purpose in life is simple. To love and serve God with all our being. To declare His Lordship over our entire lives. To never forget that while we are sinners, He still loved us enough to embrace flesh and die for us. Any other purpose must either complement these or it is just vanity.
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A nice summary of RW's Purpose Driven Life.
Look Quix, you seem like a nice person, but you don't appear to have been give the gift of discernment. You're really struggling here to make a case for your view. You need to be more trusting of those who are discerning and really consider what they are saying. There are lots of them here on this thread.
I have not observed nor read of RW failing to rightly divide the Word of God.
I've read a lot of self-righteous opinions to the effect that he has. I haven't found sufficient grounds to agree with such opinions.
Just because someone has a different emphasis etc. than I is far from sufficient grounds.
RW is VERY ORTHODOX in his theology.
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