Posted on 07/26/2004 1:57:27 PM PDT by Lasher
Would like to know if there are any other Christians out there that have not swallowed Rick Warren's version of the Gospel. I left my "seeker-friendly" Church after much prayer and ponder, and it took several months to make the split. I still must speak with my former pastor about this, so until I do, I will not name my former Church. I have noticed that most who follow the "Purpose Driven" material are emotionally attached to it, much like true Christians are emotionally tied to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Well considering the tragic, abominal nature of making the Gospel a laughingstock, I would have to say Benny Hill is funnier. But I'm not really a fan of his either.
We've already established that Rick Warren isn't God. So why do you continue to quote him?
BTW that's SOOOO catchy. Reminds me of an article I read a while back:
Rick Warren's The Purpose-Driven® Life has hung around on the bestseller lists for some umpty-hundred weeks now, proving that what we evangelicals lack as a cultural threat, we more than make up for in irrelevant spiritual Atkins-Diet® fads. Someone at Zondervan has taken pains to register the phrase Purpose-Driven®, apparently so that they get a slice of whatever market-driven® paraphernalia the Purpose-Driven® phenomenon begets. Warren plugs a whole cheekload of such Purpose-Driven® truffles throughout the book, including Purpose-Driven® devotionals, journals, something called a "Scripture-Keeper Plus," and his 1995 study in ecclesiology, The Purpose-Driven® Church. Of course many faced the inevitable Purpose-Driven® yuletide epidemic on immune systems already weakened by spending the past few Christmases praying with Jabez.....
All in all, it's a rather comprehensive summary of early Twenty-First Century Modern Evangelicalism, and is built upon three seemingly invincible Modern Evangelical axioms that are getting to be as itchy and persistent as an unbalmed poison oak rash. One: there is no theological principle or spiritual weight-loss program that can't be made to rhyme with itself. At moments, Warren floods us with his poesy the way God drowned the wicked in Genesis 7. From page 213: "Don't repress it; confess it! Don't conceal it; reveal it. Revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing." With Dr. Suess dead, it's encouraging to watch Christians rushing in to fill his literary void; if only we could also approximate the late doctor's narrative coherence and attention span.
Two: there is no theological principle or spiritual weight-loss program that can't be boiled down to a trite metaphor. To wit, from page 207: "Heaven has a twenty-four hour emergency hot line . . . I call this a `microwave' prayer because it is quick and to the point." All this is to tell us that we need to pray when we face temptation, because "God is waiting to help us defeat temptation" with a dollop of piping-hot, cinnamon-sugar glazed grace, available with just one touch of His express-cook button.
Three: there is no theological principle or spiritual weight-loss program that can't be expressed as a cutesy acrostic. Do you want to find out what your ministry gifts are? Then find out on page 236 what your SHAPE (Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, Experience) is. In Warren's favor, he resisted the temptation to exhort us to "Get in SHAPE for God!" no doubt thanks to a panicky microwave prayer.
At his very worst, Warren comes across like a youth pastor with his hand on your thigh, breathing pious come-ons in your ear: "This is what God wants most from you: a relationship! . . . Can you sense God's passion for you in this verse? God deeply loves you and desires your love in return"
CAAAAAN you FEEEEEL the LOOOOOVE Tonight....? WEll, can't you???
Ya know, I bet it'd be a real hit if Saddleback introduced that song into their praise and worship lineup! Growth of 20 percent, guaranteed. Gotta target the disney crowd.
Isn't that a broadway song?
Great way to capitalize on someone else's tragedy, Mr Warren. How utterly tacky.
How about the shockingly Ordinary purpose driven life of Henry David Thoreau? Name just about any New Ager, they probably have a simple life. Big deal. God isn't impressed.
All a waste of money.
To put it tritely, if everyone went and jumped off a bridge would you do it too? Wait, maybe I shouldn't put those kinds of ideas in your head.
Well LA dee DA! Let's hope he puts that in the next revision of his books.
But buy my book and come to my church and I'll show you how you can feel good about yourself and get to heaven too!
Imagine that. He plagiarizes CS Lewis too, not just Robert Schuller!
RW equates this, or says that this is the "worship" - that is NOT worship. Worship is exalting God, displaying His character in all we do or say...RW's definition is man-centered, not God centered.
That is just one of the reasons that I have rejected his book. BTW - Our chapel went through the "40 days of [man-devised] Purpose." This is one of the most misleading books I have ever been involved in. I haven't got the time or the space to recount all of my objections to the "Purpose Driven Life"
Because for some people, (i.e. neo-gnostics) what is clearly written in Scripture isn't enough. There must be some more tucked away somewhere. Books like PDL gives them that extra that God hasn't provided in His Holy Word.
I presented the Truth and you tell me God will deal with me.
Please show me the list of Scriptures I trashed?
You say God will prove Rick Warrens kosherness.
Are you then saying Rick Warren has the ability to turn Carl Jungs works and Pagan rituals such as Yoga and contemplative prayer into things that Jesus would approve of?????
Quix, are you part of the Cosmic Christ crowd.
The ones that think Jesus is coming back to earth on a spaceship?
The author doesn't like particular translations, not they are wrong.
You were saying something about the English word vanity and that was what I was asking about.
He rebuked those who rejected his words(Matt.22:29)
I get the impression that throwing black labels at folks helps you feel more righteous and more secure. Sad that. I'd think you'd want your security in the Blood of Jesus and in your walk with Him.
I get my security from the Blood of Jesus because I have His words (Eph.1:7, Col.1:14)
Well, I am still waiting for you to prove an error in it.
No errors means it is perfect.
You characters and your mean spirited assaults are something else.
The issue of vanity is in big red letters in the middle of that post 357
You evidently did not read the whole post.
see this link.
http://www.biblebelievers.com/Vance5.html
The King James is the 7th translation of God's words in English.
Hence, it lines up with Psa.12:6
the words of the lord are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times
As for being understandable, anyone can understand it if they take the time to read it.
Which is?
First, I haven't said anything mean spirited to you.
Second, I will recheck the post again and see if I spot it.
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