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Some of the biggest whiners about Warren's success are from those silly pastors thinking that if they duplicated what Rick did that that would bring them success too! And then when things don't go right as a result of their lousy teaching (thus, the reason they were looking for help in the first place) they blame it on everyone else but themselves.

The next group of whiners are the elders/deacons/leader groups of dying churches who have no idea that they are probably the root of their own problems looking for a quick fix to pay their monthly bills - you know, the ones that watch what everyone else is doing then force it on their pastors to implement.

The next biggest group are those who covet what Warren and his staff have done at Saddleback but are too "righteous" to call it envy and chalk up Rick's success to "leaning to the left" and huff their noses in the air. All the while their churches are arguing about what color the choir robes ought to be or if the church should pay for the Pastor's family to be on the medical plans or not - you know, real serious stuff. Meanwhile, the churches are dying because they are so inwardly focused and they've lost their true calling -bringing Jesus to the neighborhoods.

Do I sound a little harsh? Sorry. But my heart aches looking around at what real problems our churches have and how many are dying and closing their doors - and yet we are so critical and divisive about another brother's success. Yeah, I'm bitter ..... and I think Jesus would be too.

Let me be perfectly honest with you. I have gone to Saddleback for services often, but I am not a member. I'm not even a strong believer. That right there makes me the devil's pawn for the anti Warren crowd, I'm sure. But the venom spewed against the man is really over the top.

I first went to Saddleback around 1990, when Sunday services were held in the Trabuco Hills High School gym and a few thousand showed up. I believe the church started with six members or thereabouts. Warren has been wildly successful at building the church, and right or wrong the man's trying to do what his faith tells him to. I believe he still lives in the same house he always has, drives modest cars and certainly doesn't dress in expensive Italian suits. I don't know what his pay is but he certainly deserves a salary of well over two hundred thousand dollars a year heading such a big organization.

Is he a "humanist"? I suppose if believing that God's human creations were made with a brain for a reason, and not to use that intelligence is a mockery of "God's image". So he uses marketing and business techniques that actually work on people. Of course, all the marketing in the world won't work if the product's no good. The lack of robes and organs, and five hundred year old church music upsets some people. Of course, that's why they have old line denominations and please don't tell these people that they're rockin' and rollin' in the black churches!

I am not going to argue theology with those better versed on the subject, but I will say that if anyone thinks that Saddleback does NOT teach that salvation comes through faith in Christ, that Jesus is the son of God and died on the cross for man's sins they are wrong. It is stressed every Sunday.

If Warren thinks man made global warming is a problem, I'd say he's off base. He's not perfect, and he admits that. If anything, he probably sees an opportunity to appeal to today's mentality that holds the Earth above man. I'd bet he'd admit he'd use just about any way he can, as long as it was honest and ethical, to lead folks to Christ. That's why he invites Jews and others to his services. He feels God's word is enough to make converts. Some people are scared to reach out, but not Warren.