With all due respect to my friends Quix and Charlie007,
for the same reasons I would not read “The Prayer of
Jabez”, I will not read “The Purpose Driven Life”. I
prefer to study the original Gospel and let the Holy
Spirit interpret God’s Word to me.
I’ve been a Christian for some 35 years now and have
seen these same themes come around again and again.
I was also raised in Christian Science. So my cult-dar
is pretty finely honed.
“Purpose” seems to bear fruit.
Many people who read that book really talk about Jesus
and they seem to know God’s Word. In my opinion, it’s
the media who are exalting the messenger (Warren),
rather than the message. The media are also in conflict
with Warren’s wealth. Proverbs 14:20 says, “The poor is
hated even by his neighbor, But those who love the rich
are many”.
All churches have a mix of Christians and Churchians.
It’s just the way it is. The people I’ve met from
Saddleback, love the Lord and their walk matches their
talk. Warren aside, Saddleback members have a good
witness.
That’s my opinion.
Fits my assessment.
Thanks.
You said — “All churches have a mix of Christians and Churchians. It’s just the way it is. The people I’ve met from Saddleback, love the Lord and their walk matches their talk. Warren aside, Saddleback members have a good witness.”
You know, there are a lot of differences of opinion here about Rick Warren and where he’s coming from — and that is okay. But, I think the real big issue is the “Emergent Church” issue and how it’s trying to address the “post-modern culture” (of our society today — as they *specifically* say they are trying to address that) — and how, instead, they are actually becoming part of that same post-modern culture and gradually losing their Christian basis for being.
And so, I think a lot of this argument, which is going on about Rick Warren is more along the lines of “How far down the road of the Emergent Church is he?” Some would say not too far and it doesn’t make too much difference. Others would say he’s gone quite a distance down that road.
Instead, one ought to be taking a look at what the Emergent Church is doing to the Evangelical Christian Church across the board and what it has done in the last five years.
In fact, one ought to read Dave Hunt’s book “The Seduction of Christianity” from back in the 1980s to get a perspective of what was considering shocking and outrageous, back then, but yet — today — is “ho hum” —what’s new? So, the “slide”into apostasy has begun — actually more than begun and we’re losing churches, wholesale, across the board...
Be sure to check out Jason Carlson’s materials on the Emergent Church, because of him having been in it and part of it, knowing Brian McLaren and knowing it all from the ground-up.
A starting place for some materials from Jason Carlson is at — http://www.jude3.com/ . However, there are many other Evangelical Christian websites with Jason Carlson’s articles and/or mp3 files (from his talks) and so on.
By the way, Brian McLaren (who might be considered the “prophet” of the Emergent Church) has a book out with the title —
“A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished CHRISTIAN”
Does that give you an idea of what he believes — just from the title? I just about don’t have to read his book to know not to go any further into that subject...
Regards,
Star Traveler