Posted on 12/11/2007 6:41:07 AM PST by free_life
TESTING THE FAITH Rick Warren: 'I always own up to mistakes' 'Purpose-driven' megachurch pastor answers evangelical
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first of a three-part series based on an interview with Rick Warren at his Saddleback Church in Southern California, which he and his wife of 30 years, Kay, founded in 1980 with one family. In part one, Warren responds to critics among his fellow evangelical travelers. In part two, published tomorrow, the senior pastor – called by Newsweek one of "15 People Who Make America Great" – discusses how he handles fame, his unconventional approach to ministry and his visit last year with Syrian leader Bashar Assad. In part three, he responds to concerns about the pitfalls of partnering with government and his massive AIDS initiative.
By Art Moore © 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
Rick Warren prays with people infected with HIV who participated in his church's "Global Summit on AIDS and the Church" (WND photo) LAKE FOREST, Calif. – Widely regarded by mainstream media as one of America's most influential leaders, he's met with dictators, apologized to Muslims on behalf of Christians, accepted blame for global warming and invited pro-choice politicians to speak at his Southern California megachurch.
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
In post #1 I meant to only post the next few paragraphs but all but the last paragraph ended up in post. Worldnetdaily is not to be posted in full. Can a mod fix this please.
And, if you don’t agree with me, shut up and find yourself another church. Saint Warren
Ping~~~~~
As long as I'm talking with my enemy, Warren said, "he's not sending a bomb my way."
Let's recall Pearl Harbor, since we just passed the anniversary. The Japanese diplomats were actively negotiating with Washington right up until the attack. The Japanese diplomats knew the plan, they knew it was definitely going to be carried out, but they maintained the pretense of negotiations so as not to alert suspicions.
Sometimes, when your enemy is talking to you, he IS sending a bomb your way.
If Hollywood thinks they are great then I probably don’t.
YBPDLN PL Ping
Bombs aweigh! Good point.
Warren and his ilk (he is a protege’ of Schuler even if he’s never head of him!) fail to comprehend the Scriptures. Jesus gave the law to the proud to break them of their sin and He gave grace to the humble who had already been broken over their sin. Coddling rebellious reprobates may make friends, but it’s not the gospel and it won’t “win them to Christ”. Only the Spirit of God does that He works as revealed in His Word (which is NOT “The Message”).
No, it's not. That church was New Life Church in CO (the one the gunman shot up). Rick Warren's is Saddleback Church in CA.
Negative on that one.
The Haggard church was in Colorado.
Warren is a pastor in California.
Truly a Peacemaker and child of God, only the world criticizes him.
I see megachurch “communities” as being a brilliant idea. That is, creating a city entirely for parishioners of a megachurch, reflecting their values and sense of community.
This recreates something that Christianity has long needed: the idea that “Membership has benefits”.
Typically, most churches in the US are miles from where parishioners live. The only time they see each other is on Sunday, for an hour or two, and maybe on Wednesday evenings in some denominations. There is little or no sense of community, and when even petty disagreements happen, parishioners go elsewhere to church, or leave it entirely.
In a way, it is the difference between marriage and “friends with benefits” that have sex once a week but never see each other, otherwise. The latter has nothing holding them together, so it is too easy for them to fall apart.
A megachurch community means a commitment. You have bought or leased a home in the community. You see and interact with other parishioners every day, as does the rest of your family and theirs. Everyone who lives around you does the same.
Likewise, crime is minimal and usually very minor, there is far less transience than is typical in suburbia, as there are good reasons to stay where you are and not move to find new work. There are also social support networks to help your family prosper.
Finally, the community is protected from “erosion” by outsiders who do not share the communities values. No liquor stores or adult clubs. No homeless, prostitutes, drug dealers, or even people who do not properly maintain their homes.
I also suspect that having a megachurch community in an area improves the area as a whole. Businesses that provide complementary products and services not available in the community will still have a large percentage of their customers from the community, so will have to behave accordingly, or lose so much business that they will have to move.
Let the one who is winning as many people to Christ as Warren and Saddleback church is, throw the first insult.
and from earlier in the article...
"Al-Qaida no more represents Islam than the Ku Klux Klan represents Christianity," he contended. "Actually, if you study the background of al-Qaida, they were influenced by the same people who influenced Hitler. It was a lot of secular writers and Nietzsche and nihilists and stuff like that."
LOL!
"Without a doubt," he told WND. "I make mistakes all the time."
How can you make mistakes all the time? What? When? Where? Why?
But he added, "I always own up to mistakes that I actually do. I just won't own up to mistakes that weren't really a mistake."
What kind of doublespeak is this?
Thanks for posting free_life. Very interesting.
Silly me, I thought the benefit was reconciliation with God.
Who are you to make rules about who can and can’t accurately describe Warren? I fart in your general direction!
Warren is a liberal douchebag.
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