Replies

I was raised Catholic,I attend the baptist the methodist and the Catholic Church.I have respect for the major denominations .I have no problem as long as the individual church preaches sound biblical doctrine

On one of the recent Catholic Threads you came out admitting that you are a Catholic. You stated The point is that all denominations of Christianity have their problems because "Man"tends to try to Psychoanalyze the work of the Holy Spirit. I don,t consider myself anymore Christian then anyone else just because I,m Catholic"

Considering the fact that you have essentially set yourself up as the premier defender of the Evangelical Movement in your rabid criticism of Rick Warren, I must conclude that your motives may be different than that which you convey.

The fact of the matter is that Rick Warren's book has probably had a tremendous effect on uncommitted Catholics and I suspect that many Catholics who have been dissatisified with the liberalism and ritualism of Modern Catholicism may find comfort and meaning in a "Purpose Driven Life" that they have not gotten at the local parishes. Thus I suspect that the reason that you are so concerned about the influence of Rick Warren and his books is not because you are so concerned about protecting the integrity of the Evangelical Movement, but it is rooted in a concern that the effectiveness of the Evangelical Movement may result in many Catholics finding meaning and purpose in Evangelical and other Protestant Churches.

I am pinging a lot of people to this post because I think it is important for all your fellow Rick Warren bashing colleages and all the Rick Wrren defenders to know that there may be posters in their midst who may have ulterior motives for denigrating what actually may be an effective movement of God.

And next time someone asks you what denomination you are, don't pussyfoot around. Your claim that you were "raised a Catholic" implies that you either never joined or you stopped considering yourself a member. Thus your answer belies your post where you admit that you ARE presently a Catholic and thus your loyalty is to the Catholic Church and not the Evangelical movement.

Next time just tell everyone that you are a Catholic. Don't try to be so coy.

Have a nice day.

Marlowe

Actually P,My wife was raised Methodist,so naturally I attended Methodist Churches.
I never joined the Methodist Church but I really enjoyed few of the ministers.
The truth is before I became Born Again I never took Christianity too seriously.I fell into the category of people who are self centered and a family loving man.
I believed I could do everything on my own and Jesus would accept me anyway.
After my being Born Again in Christ Jesus I started to examine the Catholic Church and I found it to be a beacon of strong conservative Christian values and doctrines.
I,m truly a new man now in Christ Jesus and I trust the Holy Spirit leading me to see the truth in all things.

FYI, I still go to the Catholic Church and the Methodist Church and I,m happy to support any Church where the Holy spirit is present.

I hope this clears up any misconceptions you have.

Peace be with you in Christ Jesus

On one of the recent Catholic Threads you came out admitting that you are a Catholic. You stated The point is that all denominations of Christianity have their problems because "Man"tends to try to Psychoanalyze the work of the Holy Spirit. I don,t consider myself anymore Christian then anyone else just because I,m Catholic"

Considering the fact that you have essentially set yourself up as the premier defender of the Evangelical Movement in your rabid criticism of Rick Warren, I must conclude that your motives may be different than that which you convey.

The fact of the matter is that Rick Warren's book has probably had a tremendous effect on uncommitted Catholics and I suspect that many Catholics who have been dissatisified with the liberalism and ritualism of Modern Catholicism may find comfort and meaning in a "Purpose Driven Life" that they have not gotten at the local parishes. Thus I suspect that the reason that you are so concerned about the influence of Rick Warren and his books is not because you are so concerned about protecting the integrity of the Evangelical Movement, but it is rooted in a concern that the effectiveness of the Evangelical Movement may result in many Catholics finding meaning and purpose in Evangelical and other Protestant Churches.

I am pinging a lot of people to this post because I think it is important for all your fellow Rick Warren bashing colleages and all the Rick Wrren defenders to know that there may be posters in their midst who may have ulterior motives for denigrating what actually may be an effective movement of God.

And next time someone asks you what denomination you are, don't pussyfoot around. Your claim that you were "raised a Catholic" implies that you either never joined or you stopped considering yourself a member. Thus your answer belies your post where you admit that you ARE presently a Catholic and thus your loyalty is to the Catholic Church and not the Evangelical movement.

Next time just tell everyone that you are a Catholic. Don't try to be so coy.

Irrelevant.

pro610 has cited Protestant sources in his opposition to the PDC/PDL. His criticisms with the citations are no less valid than that of any Protestant.

By the argumentation that P-Marlowe has presented here, the Protestant sympathy and concern for the rash of child abuse accusations concerning Priests in the Catholic Church would be illegitimate because we're not Catholics.

Of course it is always easier to questions the motives of the messenger, rather than deal with the content of the argument. C.S. Lewis addressed this very issue in his essay Bulverism: The Foundation of 20^th Century Thought. It is no less true in the 21^st Century than it was when Lewis penned it.

I think pro610 has some legitimate concerns. What his motives are is irrelevant as CDL stated.

I’m not sure if I would criticize Pastor Warren for I don't know the person that well. However I think the issue falls on the broader division between a "Seeker Friendly" church and, what I would classify as a "Believers Friendly" church (for lack of a better term). The Seeker Friendly church, as the definition currently exists, is one that seeks to draw unbelievers into the congregations in order to share and evangelize. The Believer Friendly church is one that seeks to education and prepares believers for going forth to evangelize all the while worshiping God.

The New Testament churches, established by the apostles, were never designed as Seeker Friendly. Instead they were Believer Friendly churches. Paul talks in 1 Cor 14 about unbelievers being in the mist of the congregation but speaks of this as if it might be a rarity.

1Co 14:24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all;

Scripture seems to indicate that church service was only meant for the believers. Something that was set up and approved by the apostles. In trying to change the church to be Seeker Friendly these pastors are in essences rejecting the very foundation of church services established by the apostles. Another problem is that true worship is no longer the focus in a Seeker Friendly church. It’s evangelism. There is no worshiping of God per se because that is not really the intent by definition. Consequently the services are designed to appeal to the audience, not to God.

These two items alone has to make me conclude that not only are Seeker Friendly churches unbiblical but they reject the foundation established by the apostles themselves. Personally I think that in itself should give one pause to consider if Seeker Friendly churches are biblical.