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People went to their church for Sunday services and they were locked out. Now, they're left wondering if they'll have to find a new place to pray. It all stems from an ongoing dispute with their church pastor. The St. Joseph's Episcopal Church is about 400 members strong. They're praying this will all get resolved and they'll be able to stay at the church and keep the congregation together. The problems began at St. Joseph's Episcopal Church about a year ago. Members began complaining to local publications that the Rev. Nogozi Ehmehkah Agimm was ignoring his pastoral duties,; not helping...

Pastor emphasizes path of good works, not divisive politics Author says Christianity needs 2nd Reformation By MICHELLE BOORSTEIN Washington Post WASHINGTON — Rick Warren, a megachurch pastor and philanthropist who is courted by political leaders worldwide, says he thinks Christianity needs a "second Reformation" that would steer the church away from divisive politics and be "about deeds, not creeds."Speaking Tuesday to a group of Washington Post reporters and editors, the evangelical author said he had an "epiphany" in recent years because of his wife's battle with cancer and the success of his book, The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold...

According to the Family Research Council, a new Barna poll shows that the "born again," whatever that might this week, now overwhelmingly support Hillary (20% of the "born again" vote) and Obama (18%). How is it possible that seemingly devout Christians could support the party that stands like a phalanx behind partial birth abortion and redefining marriage into oblivion and opposes biblical free market principles? Look no further than "America's Pastor" and the Saddleback Church, where Obama and Hillary were guests last year. Rick Warren, while claiming to be acting in a Christian, conciliatory manner, treating these leftwing politicians as...

Lent Can Change Your Life! by Mike McManus February 5, 2008 This Lent could be a season to deepen your walk with God. How? I suggest reading - or re-reading - the most significant book published in the last century - "The Purpose-Driven Life" by Rick Warren. With more than 25 million copies in print, it is the best seller of all time other than the Bible. It quotes a thousand Biblical verses to help answer one question, "What on earth am I here for?" The opening sentences of the book are stark: "It is not about you." "The purpose...

Rick Warren, a megachurch pastor and philanthropist who is courted by political leaders worldwide, says he thinks Christianity needs a "second Reformation" that would steer the church away from divisive politics and be "about deeds, not creeds." Speaking today to a group of Washington Post reporters and editors, the evangelical author said he had an "epiphany" in recent years due to his wife's battle with cancer and the success of his book, "The Purpose Driven Life," which has sold more than 25 million copies. Humbled and scared, he said he decided to focus on helping the needy and the sick,...

“Evangelicals are going to vote this year in part on climate change, on Darfur, on poverty,” said Jim Wallis, the author of a new book, “The Great Awakening,” which argues that the age of the religious right has passed and that issues of social justice are rising to the top of the agenda. Mr. Wallis says that about half of white evangelical votes will be in play this year. ... Look, I don’t agree with evangelicals on theology or on their typically conservative views on taxes, health care or Iraq. Self-righteous zealots like Pat Robertson have been a plague upon...

The California pastor who has helped churches worldwide increase attendance by leaps and bounds through his “purpose driven” phenomena now has his eye on New York City. Wed, Jan. 30, 2008 Posted: 11:25:35 AM EST MT. BETHEL, Pa. - The California pastor who has helped churches worldwide increase attendance by leaps and bounds through his “purpose driven” phenomena now has his eye on New York City. Speaking at the 17th annual Pastors' Prayer Summit in Pennsylvania Tuesday, Rev. Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, asked for the collaboration of 300 pastors and church leaders from the Greater New...

Rick Warren: Mainline Church Problems Need Evangelical Solution Megachurch pastor Rick Warren suggested Sunday that mainline churches need to reconcile with evangelicals to counter its mounting problem of membership decline. Mon, Jan. 28, 2008 Posted: 09:32:12 AM EST WASHINGTON – Megachurch pastor Rick Warren suggested Sunday that mainline churches need to reconcile with evangelicals to counter its mounting problem of membership decline. “The reconciliation is that in a pluralistic world…we (Christians) need to be on the same team because we share the same savior,” Warren contended Sunday, as he spoke with the dean of the Washington National Cathedral, Samuel T....

Churches' Greatest Critics May be Their Own Followers Criticism from people outside of Christianity toward the Church doesn't surprise many. But when negative viewpoints are being expressed by believers, it raises a red flag for churches across the country. Wed, Jan. 23, 2008 Posted: 14:38:43 PM EST Criticism from people outside of Christianity toward the Church doesn't surprise many. But when negative viewpoints are being expressed by believers, it raises a red flag for churches across the country. In the latest research report by Sam S. Rainer III, who heads Rainer Research, only 39 percent of people who dropped out...

"Churches have not been places of safety and security for women with HIV. My own church has not been a place of safety," Warren, 52, a petite blonde in a black pantsuit and a red AIDS bracelet, tells about 100 lawmakers. "If people think God is like the church, no wonder they ... think 'I'm rejected there.' " She pauses. "The exact opposite is true." Applause echoes up the 50-foot-high Corinthian pilasters of the Russell Senate Caucus Room. It strikes the gilded Greek key pattern of the ceiling and punctures the rarefied hush of the chamber that has witnessed many...

You can’t have opportunity without opposition. One of the great tests of leadership is how you handle opposition. Do you panic under pressure? Do you get uptight, lose your temper, blow up, become discouraged, or give up? Part of the job description of leadership is dealing with people who oppose you and your vision for the church. To find out how to handle opposition, we’re going to look at Nehemiah 4. You probably remember the story. Nehemiah had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall around the city – a very big project for his team of Jewish exiles! And...

Megachurch leaders such as Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, and Robert Schuller have principles like the elastic in an old woman’s drawers: It will stretch to fit almost any shape! They have problems with principle. It seems their ambition has outrun their character. In deciding right and wrong, character does not consider friends or foes, personality or position; family or faith; reputation or riches, but will apply absolute truth that comes from the Scripture. The above three leaders of aberrational Christianity are very careful to never offend anyone with such “barbaric” teachings as personal sin, repentance, judgment, hell and the like;...

Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores will feature their first-ever Christmas Carol Concert Friday morning, in partnership with The Salvation Army. Thu, Dec. 06, 2007 Posted: 14:26:58 PM EST Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores will feature their first-ever Christmas Carol Concert Friday morning, in partnership with The Salvation Army. The concert will be aired across the country at 9:30 a.m. in all stores and locations of the giant retailer to get shoppers into the spirit of giving this season. A special Christmas message will be given by Pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life. "The holiday season is a...

Rick Warren loves to apologize for things he didn't do, for things other people did that weren't wrong, even for things that occurred hundreds of years before he was born. For instance, he recently apologized to Muslims worldwide for atrocities committed against their ancestors during the Crusades. He also recently apologized for American "excesses in the war on terrorism." And he has apologized for the church because it hasn't done enough about the spread of AIDS and problems like global warming. Yet, I must observe that despite his predilection for apologies, he has a great deal of trouble owning up...

LAKE FOREST, Calif. – Rick Warren says he never wanted fame or celebrity, but when murder, bewilderment and grief engulfed a missionary base and church in Colorado this week, national media looked to the Southern California megachurch pastor to help make sense of it. Whether or not there is such a thing as "America's pastor" or an "evangelical spokesman," the man called by Newsweek one of "15 People Who Make America Great" fits the bill for many mainstream journalists. "I hate fame, but I love making an influence," Warren told WND. "So you put up with some stuff." Some of...

Covenanters Help Lead Worship During AIDS Conference LAKE FOREST, CA (December 11, 2007) – Representatives of Evangelical Covenant churches and North Park University led two of the worship services during the recent Global AIDS Conference that attracted thousands of people from around the world to Saddleback Church. Leading two of the worship services held during the three-day conference November 28-30 were Matt Lundgren, who also has led the CHIC band and music at the Covenant Midwinter Pastors Conferences; Alisha Thomas, worship leader at Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota; North Park student Sharon Irving; Brian Wu, former university arts and...

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...

Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton made what some called a “gutsy move” this past week when she appeared at a conservative evangelical megachurch to talk about AIDS. Sat, Dec. 01, 2007 Posted: 20:17:22 PM EST Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton made what some called a “gutsy move” this past week when she appeared at a conservative evangelical megachurch to talk about AIDS. Initially, some felt ill at ease over the New York senator’s appearance at the Global Summit on AIDS and the Church hosted by Saddleback Valley Community Church because of her support for abortion and gay rights, which most...

The Bible is against abortion. Hillary is for killing womb babies. The Bible is against active homosexuality. Hillary endorses sodomy. The Bible is against other gods than God. Hillary is polytheistic in that any deity is fine for her. Yet Hillary quotes then from the Bible in a sanctuary. So what’s new? Per AP, “Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton used an appearance at one of the nation’s largest evangelical churches Thursday to sketch a broad agenda to take on disease around the globe, calling it ‘the right thing to do.’ “The centerpiece of a speech laced with Biblical references and reflections...

While mega-pastor Rick Warren has joined a group of 100 church leaders calling for interfaith dialogue and the building of "common ground" with Muslims, he has a slightly different outlook toward Christians with whom he disagrees. In his latest missive to fellow pastors, he writes: "You've got to protect the unity of your church. If that means getting rid of troublemakers, do it."