Posted on 01/03/2007 11:22:07 AM PST by Manfred the Wonder Dawg
From the body of the article:
"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."
(Excerpt) Read more at hawaiireporter.com ...
Already posted and beat to death.
My apologies. I searched for this story and did not find here.
Don't apologize. I hadn't seen it and it's useful info.
I don't know that it is a preacher's job to go in and criticize governments. Maybe Warren is a little to "fawning", but the job of an evangelist or missionary is to create a relationship where he has an opportunity to have some influence. You don't do that by criticizing the local government, that is the job of the State Department.
I would imagine that is behind Warren's thinking.
I don't personally agree with Warren's doctrine or even care for his books, and some of the criticism is valid. On the other hand, a lot of people dislike Warren for the same reason they dislike Walmart - he is very successful.
Luke 15:2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
First Missionary Paul of Tarsus said, "I determined not to know anyhing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2)
Warren might do well to adopt a like motto.
Luke 15:3&4 - "And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?"
Christ's mission was to bring salvation to the lost. He mingled with them - as saints are to do nowadays. But He did not conform to their culture - He came to fulfill the will of His Father. In so doing, Jesus contradicted many cultural rules - about women and children, and the outcast.
But He also rebuked folk for following Him for temporal "blessings" - see John 6:26 & 27 "Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed."
Further in John, He reveals His spiritual nature as the bread of life. When some murmured at this, He provoked them all the more with Truth, such that many "followed Him no more." (John 6:42 - 66)
So please - what the point of your post?
The great Comission was not, and is not fulfilled when we separate ourselves from the culture (physically) - Your spiritual fruits already separate you
We need to be careful in the distinction
have a great evening
No no no - Christ did not make Himself part of the culture. He came to redeem people from the culture and all that is of the world. I am not calling for Christians to separate from lost folk; we are to mingle with them as the Lord did. But we are not to have close fellowship with and become identified with them. Come out and be ye the light of Christ is the call on those whom God saves. In but not of the world. Yes, we do need to be careful of the distinction.
Peace to you in Christ alone; everything else is a deception.
exactly - i was initially misinterpreting you
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