Before you get started on Bud Ahlheim’s blog post, head over to our White Paper on Rick Warren, quickly browse our list of concerns, then return to Bud’s piece because you’ll want to know what this man is currently up to.
Because Rick Warren has been dubbed “America’s Pastor” and is held in high esteem by the clueless media as well as pastors who have bought into the purpose-driven model of doing church, it’s important to follow his career path. Since Berean Research makes an effort to closely monitor his comings and goings, we can report without reservation that “America’s Pastor” is not only a wolf in sheep’s clothing; he’s a leader of the pack. Too harsh, you say? Again, take a glimpse at our research, and then come back to Bud Ahlheim’s must read report….
Remember how Jesus, when He came to earth as the Incarnate Son Of God, actually became a vile, depraved sinner so that He could adequately reach sinners in a relevant way with His Truth? Or that time the thrice-denying Peter answered Jesus’ thrice-offered query, “Do you love me?” in the negative, but only so he could do effective ministry among Jews who didn’t love Jesus either? Or how about that story of the post-Damascus Road Paul who decided to forsake his apostolic calling and return to living as a self-righteous pagan so that he could reach pagans with the Gospel?
Don’t recall any of these things? Hopefully, you don’t. I certainly don’t. But according to the “pastor” of the purpose gospel, Rick Warren, it’s this sort of Scripture-denying, command-disobeying tact believers must take in witnessing for the goal of church growth. The mega-church, mega-pastor – who obviously doesn’t focus on being “Mega-Scriptural” – touted this in a recent Pastors.com article, How To Understand How Unbelievers Think.
This stellar example of Biblical obtuseness on the part of Warren comes only days after the “quick, delete that” Tweet by his doctrinally-inept Saddleback Church.
Nice, huh? Just the perfect message to appeal to the post-modern, feelings first, experience seeking, “who are you to judge” mindset. It’s the ideal sort of seeker-friendly message that might bring in pagan crowds, and just in time for Easter, too. Surely they’ll think, “Wow! A church that doesn’t focus on ‘theology’ but is interested in ministry first! And you know what ‘ministry’ means? It means it’s all about me! It should really be called “Minister-ME!’ And, just like Saddleback says, it’s what Jesus did! Yaaay!”
Warren won’t be happy till all of Africa is under his snare. Rwanda is just the beginning. He’s is busy leading the blind back to Rome, naming Christ, twisting scripture, doing “good” has mesmerized countless of people that can’t believe a wolf will do good to get his way……..This is exactly what scripture says will happen. If Warren is alive at the revealing of the Antichrist, he will undoubtedly bow down to him and the false prophet.
I find that oddly comforting, that Rick will meet his master~! He has a lot to answer for and I think by the time his master is through with him he’ll know the meaning of deceit not to mention everlasting torment~!!! Rick Warren is a self-absorbed, self-aggrandizing, self-motivated, self-centered, self-serving, prideful, lying, etc~!
What really got me was when he was talking about his book, “The Purpose Driven Life,” and how it was second bestseller next to the Bible…….the look on his face when being compared to Holy Scripture, made me want to vomit~! Like there was any comparison that could be made~!!!
I have a comparison of sorts,
“Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the road is spacious that leads to destruction, and many people are entering by it.”
(“The Purpose Driven Life,”)
“How narrow is the gate and how constricted is the road that leads to life, and there aren’t many people who find it~!”
(The Godly Life/Scripture)
I believe he has already bowed down to to the False prophet and I believe that man to be good old, Vatican Frank, you know, St. Francis of-a-sissy; the pope who believes that homosexuals go to Heaven, eventually~?
Amen Mark, yet so many can’t or won’t see the duplicity set before their very eyes. The last church I attended went “Warren,” the last straw was during a Sunday sermon that a junior pastor leading that morning said he kept his bible next to The Purpose Driven Life, I got so angry inside I inadvertently squeezed my wife’s hand so tight she winced! Needless to say, that was the last day we attended that church. Most “churches” are compromised. They worship Mammon not God.
It is a sad day when the under-shepherd (aka pastor/elders) is the one opening the gate of the sheepfold to the wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing.
Amen Maggie, in my opinion it’s already too late, I truly believe this is part and parcel of the Great Apostasy foretold to happen in the latter days, remember the sheep pile up teachers to hear what ‘they’ want to hear, so the sheep are to blame as well.
I am as much concerned about the apostasy that is upon us as most who read these pages or write them. Rick Warren has got it very wrong in many ways and is leading many astray. I dislike intensely his acceptance of catholicism and embracing of Islam etc. His PEACE plan is not based on our biblical mandate in relation to a lost world. I think his statement about theology was silly but I do understand (I think) what he is trying to say. I thought for the most part his article on ‘How to understand how believers think’ was right.
I strongly believe, if we have a church building, then it is just the club house for believers, the Church as in the body of Christ. It is where we gather together for fellowship, prayer, bible teaching. Our gatherings are not for unbelievers although we would not bar them from coming in. Sadly many so called evangelical churches have one sole aim – to get unbelievers through the door and if that happens they rejoice. And with the seeker sensitive idea they dumb down to appeal.
But Marsha and Amy I think we need to be careful in how we represent some of these teachers and base our warnings on good factual evidence. We cannot put words in his mouth. Mr Alheim’s rant is OTT in relation to that one article of Rick Warren’s that he is commenting on. If we want to effectively share the good news of Jesus Christ with the unchurched person of today, then we HAVE to try and understand how they think and know what our words mean. To them.
Cross cultural missionaries spend years learning the language and studying the culture so they can understand the people’s world view in readiness for teaching the Bible. And when a language just does not have an exact replica for a certain spiritual word one has to think outside the box.
The same must be true for our own society. In the old day most children went to sunday schools and heard bible stories in school.But that was a long time ago and people are now as ignorant as so called ‘heathen’ in many third world countries. If we want to get through to the person on the street or our neighbours or the one who dares to come through the church doors then we must understand how they think.
For example, I talked to a young man. It was obvious he was speaking from new age thinking. So when I talked about God he was thinking that we are all gods and godesses. Not of the almighty all powerful sin hating amazing God that I was thinking of. I did not use the word sin but ‘wrong doing’ (as I have a little idea of what sin is to a new ager) however an elder of the church kept quoting to him “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”.
A young woman who I have been teaching every week since September in her home has multiple problems – emotional, physical, social, mental health. And of course spiritual because she is on a road to being ‘lost’ forever. She knew so little and we still have a long way to go. She could not explain what sin was months ago, but now sees that she failed when God set a standard that children should obey and respect their parents because she did not do that. And that the book of James tells us – if you fail in one aspect of God’s law then you have broken all. And that makes us all sinners. She now acknowledges that. And soon she will hear about the redeemer who was promised from the beginning.
So on the whole, if we are going to go door to door and try to understand the people where we live and hope to share the gospel with, then Rick Warren’s questions were not too way out. I might ask similar ones myself. And then as we have opportunity, we have to teach them at their level, and starting where they are at.
Good morning Susan,
Here’s my take: I completely get where you’re coming from, and it’s correct, it’s adopting the message without changing its meaning to a different culture or person, the qualifier is “without changing its meaning.”
The problem is Mr. Warren changes the meaning, he sprinkles enough yeast to make the rest of the batch spoiled. Chrislam and Roman ecumenism being two of the overt. He’s a universalist and a NAR proponent, he backpedaled on the homosexual marriage controversy, he has been shown to be duplicitous and compromised over and over again.
So while I do agree with what you’re saying, I think Warren is the wrong example. He’s using a technique to spread a false gospel. He’s “wooing and wowing” many indigenous people with good works in order to bring them into his fold. Sadly, material goods are a double edge sword. As Paul said:
Philippians 4:11-13
11I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. 12I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation — to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need. 13I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
And I agree with what you are saying:-) I just think Bud Alheim’s article was an over-reaction to that particular one of Rick Warren’s. Where he is messing up the gospel message then we should point that out of course.
And I agree ‘Sola’ that we don’t change the message for the culture but we do have to present it in a way people can understand and to do that we must understand their world view. The apostle Paul was very good at that. Marvellous example is how he preached when he saw the altar to an unknown God. Amazing ‘sermon’.
We might think we are getting something across, but if the hearer is confused by our language then we have failed to communicate. And we cannot afford to do that with the Gospel.
The apostle Paul wasn’t concerned about what the culture wanted and he didn’t change his message for certain groups of people, therefore, we shouldn’t either. We must preach Christ crucified, and let the Spirit draw whosoever will:
“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;”
1 Corinthians 1:22-23 KJV
http://bible.com/1/1co.1.22-23.kjv
“Jesus never let his theology get in the way of his ministry.” Is it just me? That quote just floored me (but considering the source should not have.) The definition of theology is the study of the nature of God and religious belief. So his belief about Himself didn’t get in the way of His ministry? That is totally a nonsense statement. But its just another day at Saddleback, one of the leading purveyors of apostasy today.
No it’s just not you, it flabbergasted me when I read it. No one wants theology, they want pop psychiatry to relieve them of their “ills.”
In the last days people will gather teachers that say what their itching ears want to hear…….
Judgement out, discernment out, theology out, the Bible out……… “Feelings” in, emotions in, new age in, self righteousness in, eastern mysticism disguised as scripture in, any book but the Bible in, flagrant Apostasy in, rockstar preachers in, women teachers in, feminism and homosexuality in!
God out, the world (Satan) in……….. Sign of the times.
And the NAR fools think they’re going to usher in the kingdom of God, what utter stupidity.