[P-D Pragmatism] Three Purposes of Christmas: "One thing that I learned from Peter Drucker is a concept that he got from Joseph Schumpeter. He talked about systematic abandonment. Systematic abandonment means you intentionally stop stuff in order to start something new. The way Jesus would say it: You've got to prune the branches so there's more fruit.... You have to cut back and then they grow to the next phase. We've been doing that for years and years at Saddleback. That's why we continue to keep growing. ... [Yes, that's why churches around the world are "abandoning" Bible studies, mission programs and ministry to the elderly, pragmatically replacing them with more popular programs that add "measurable results" -- especially more members and money.] (12/22/06) See Dealing with Resisters

Communitarianism. Rick Warren Talks about HIV/AIDS, Celebrity Status and the Upcoming US Elections: "Rick Warren... appeared on a Christmas Eve edition of NBC's Meet the Press to answer questions about the role of faith... his increasing celebrity status.... Moderator Tim Russert wanted to know why, of all the countries in the world, America is one of the most religious?

     "Warren replied: 'The history of America is faith-friendly, it’s pragmatic and it’s pluralistic.... Madison once said, 'If you have one religion then you’ve got tyranny in a country.' He said, 'If you have two religions, you’ve got civil conflict. If you’ve got many religions, you’ve got civil peace.'... [This quote seems to be from Voltaire, not Madison.]

    "A couple of years ago, Tim, I was at the Aspen Institute speaking....

    "I debated some leaders in China about this just a few years ago. We actually had a dinner in People’s Hall, and some of the Cabinet members had invited me to this dinner....

     "Last year at Davos I kept hearing people talk about public and private partnerships. And what they meant was, we need government and businesses to work together on these big global problems.... And when they said that, I said, 'Well, you’re right, but you’re not quite there yet. You’re missing the third leg of the stool.' ... There’s a public sector role, there’s a private sector role and there’s a faith sector role. 'Each of the three legs have something to bring to the table that the other doesn’t have. Government brings... safety and security... freedom... laws....  Business brings to the table expertise in technology... capital... management skills....

     "...the church has to be invited to the table for three reasons.... universal distribution.... here are 2.3 billion people who claim to be followers of Christ....Second... it’s got the greatest pool of manpower....  The third thing is, local credibility...." See Purpose-Driven Deception on a Global Scale

 

May I help you & your church this Christmas? "Last week 250 pastors from across America came to Saddleback for a day of brainstorming called 'Conversation About Tomorrow.' We prioritized the 5 greatest personal needs of pastors and the 7 greatest needs of churches and committed to a new expanded alliance to help you and your church....  We will use a broadcast 'The Purpose of Christmas' ... to point millions of people to the churches in our network.

      International Summit on Small Groups at Saddleback Church. How to start strong and self-sustaining small groups in your church. We have over 3,000 of these groups spread out over 93 cities in Southern California. May 15-17, 2007 will be the Global Summit on the P.E.A.C.E. Plan. After 3 years of testing prototypes by thousands of Saddleback members in 68 countries, we will share our discoveries with you and your church leadership." See Purpose-Driven Deception

 

The Emergent Social Gospel (CFR and the Social Gospel: Part 2): "Evangelical leaders are hoping that the current generation of believers do not know the church history of the past century. If they did, they might recognize the regurgitated Social Gospel decked out in new clothing. What is the Social Gospel? One simple definition on-line states: 'The Social Gospel movement is a Protestant Christian intellectual movement that was most prominent in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Social Gospel principles continue to inspire newer movements such as Christians Against Poverty. ...

    "Theologically, the Social Gospel leaders were overwhelmingly post-millennialist. That is they believed the Second Coming could not happen until humankind rid itself of social evils by human effort." See Transforming the World by Subverting the Church

 

The CFR and the Social Gospel: Part 1: "The Social Gospel was, in part, the creation of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). And the CFR was chiefly behind the propagation and widespread dissemination of the Social Gospel. These historical facts are exceptionally well-documented in Dr. Erdmann’s groundbreaking book, Building the Kingdom of God on Earth: The Churches’ Contribution to Marshall Public Support for World Order and Peace, 1919-1945.... This fact gains new significance with Rick Warren’s recent revelation that he is a member of this internationalist organization." See Treason in the Church: Trading Truth for a 'Social Gospel

 

Young Christians Put Concerns on Church Door: "I used to be a Media Director at an evangelical Church until 3 months ago. Recently, the church moved into a new building and really been pushing Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Church model. The leadership also shifted to more 'relevant' forms of worship. When I was on staff, I really became convicted that the church was watering down the gospel and was headed in the wrong direction. I finally confronted the Pastor about it, and he immediately asked me to resign. He also asked the Children's Director to resign also, because we were considered 'poison' by going against the vision or dream of the church" See Dealing with Resisters

 

Dissenters at Rick Warren's Church - shown the door over OBAMA: [A Saddleback member's letter to Rick Warren] "...you say, speak out.... If and when we do, we are quickly shown the door. I have tried to speak out on another 2 issues that are internally devastating. My honesty was not met with a willingness to take action or to make certain things stop....

    "I for one am praying and asking a great deal of questions. ...what has Obama actually done for the AIDS crisis? Other than take an AIDS test in his father’s home land of Kenya? I have read Obama’s speech record and even his latest transcript while on Larry King and this is clearly not a man that has a burden for those with AIDS. I have also read his speech transcripts from the conference at Saddleback. If he was not addressing the 'congregation' then I am not sure who he was addressing. Any fool can read just the introduction and glean that much." See Dealing with Resisters

 

Seeing the AIDS Crisis Through God's Eyes? "I'm Bob Lepine.... Rick and Kay Warren, who join us on FamilyLife Today [12-7], brought me out here to speak on behalf of HIV-AIDS orphans, and it was a privilege to partner with them...

     "Bob: ...there are some who would look at this emphasis and say, 'You know, 50, 60 years ago, the church got distracted with what became known as the 'social gospel,' and forgot evangelism, forgot the spiritual needs of people. Are we in danger of doing that again?

     "Rick: No, we're not in danger of doing that... [A]t the beginning of the 20th century, Protestantism split into two wings, and there were certain theologians who came out that said, 'We don't have to worry about redemption anymore. We don't have to worry about the cross and the atonement and personal salvation. What we need to do is redeem the social structures of society' and, basically, all it was was Marxism in Christian clothing. That's really what it was. Well, who was right? I actually happen to believe they're both right – that Jesus cared about both the body and society. He cared about the spirit. He wanted people saved, but He also wanted us to act different in society."

       But the foundations of Marxist social service and Christian are totally different! Marxism is based in the humanist agenda for the world; Christianity is based on the love of Christ in the born-again believer through faith in the cross. The two ways are incompatible. When the basis for "Christian" service shifts from faith in God's sufficiency to confidence in human plans, the "good works" become a counterfeit of God's plan for demonstrating His love through us." See Transforming the World by Subverting the Church

Warren, Obama: It takes more than wings to fly: "...according to Warren, Obama can oppose the AIDS virus, which has killed 25 million people worldwide since 1983, while supporting the major cause of AIDS, homosexuality, and supporting abortion, which has killed 1 billion people worldwide since 1973.... I don't mean to minimize those killed by AIDS. The point is abortion and homosexuality are not just issues that have nothing to do with AIDS. They are related.... According to the Centers for Disease Control, the No. 1 cause of the spread of AIDS in the U. S. (47 percent) is 'male-to-male sexual contact,' which Obama supports. The No. 2 cause of AIDS (27 percent) is 'injection drug use.' As Illinois state senator, Obama voted to make hypodermic needles easily accessible, which also deregulated how they are disposed. ...

      "Warren gave Obama a platform. He legitimized Obama, particularly among evangelicals. One consequence of this is that if Obama becomes president, he will exacerbate the AIDS crisis by promoting homosexuality.... Obama's ascension will also ensure more children are killed by abortion. He supports it to the extent his wife wrote a fund-raising letter against the Partial Birth Abortion Ban. The senator even supports infanticide. I know this full well since I testified before Obama several times in committee when he was state senator, after which he voted against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act." See Purpose-Driven Deception on a Global Scale

 

Barack Obama says he's a 'person of faith' and challenges the Church and business community to join with the government in the battle against AIDS: "At a press conference on December 1... the possible Presidential contender said, '...the network that Saddleback has helped to create has as much reach as any institutional force in our culture and has probably a wider reach around the world than just about anything that's going on right now.... I hope one of the things that comes out of this conference that Pastor Rick has emphasized again and again, is no single branch of our society is going do this alone. If government thinks they can do it by themselves they're wrong. Churches have to recognize that they've got to be partners with the government. Business has an enormous role....

      "...you know the separation of church and state as a concept of the first amendment the biggest practitioners and the people who advocated most fiercely for it were actually evangelicals.'... [Yes, but later liberal humanists turned the meaning upside down. See Foundations for Faith and Freedom]

      "Senator Sam Brownback (Republican)... spoke up....'I love to hear one of Mother Theresa's quotes in which she said, 'I love religion. I love all religions, but I'm in love with my own.' I thought that it was a great thought and it means that we should all respect and love everybody's search that's out there....

     "Rick Warren then addressed a question... "...when it comes to the public square, the issue is what's the common good? That's the way that I think any person of faith should come to it saying, 'How does my faith bring the common good in society?'... [Who determines that "common good"?" Christians, pragmatic politicians, or socialist dictators? Stalin, Hitler and Mao were experts in planning the "common good" and they killed all resisters.]

     "The event drew some 2,000 pastors, lay leaders, social workers and medical professionals from 165 organizations and 178 churches representing 39 states and 18 countries as well as a huge media turnout." See Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan and UN Goals - Part 2 and Obama and the "Covenant for a New America"

 

 

Obama Report from Saddleback: "Jim Brown, news reporter with American Family Radio... witnessed the standing ovation given to the virulent defender of child killing, Senator Barack Obama by the audience when he was introduced. Further, when Obama stated that 'just promoting abstinence' was not enough, that condoms needed to be handed out in the Third World, Rick and Kay Warren nodded and joined in the applause. Rick Warren responded to his critics by saying that he is willing to be a co-belligerent with 'anybody' in order to fight AIDS.... Would he be a co-belligerent with Aryan Nation or any other... neo-Nazi group? The answer to that is no. But homosexuals and those who advocate child killing? Yes.... Rick Warren believes that working for 'good' is all that matters. Who you partner with is unimportant.... How does Rick Warren decide which groups are 'evil' and which aren't?" See Don't Be Deceived!

 

Rick Warren shows Syria video in church: "Warren showed a brief video clip of his meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad to his mega-congregation after telling WND no recording was done on his controversial trip to the terrorist-sponsoring nation. Some members of Saddleback Church say they are distressed by this as well as Warren's comments that Syria is a 'moderate' country... though the U.S. lists it as a terror-sponsoring state and several Mideast experts confirmed there still is active and aggressive persecution of Christians and Jews....

     "...one church member... said Warren's policy is not to respond to or react to controversies of any type. ... 'To see [the video posted at YouTube] pulled after it gets put up, that doesn't spell straightforward truthfulness ....The member said there also have been hints of other issues, too, especially with the organization's developing PEACE plan. ...We've gotten word from people on the staff that the 'P' was changed, and it's called partnering with other churches or religious groups,' he said. 'If this is an outreach for Christian churches, why would we partner with Muslims? That type of criticism also has been leveled against Warren for his current AIDS conference at Saddleback." (More on this topic below)

The next 3 links deal with Warren's Purpose-Driven AIDS Conference at Saddleback:

 

Letter to Warren from 2nd Vice President to SBC: "I received a call this morning from Dr. Wiley Drake, 2nd Vice President to the Southern Baptist Convention.... Here is the letter he sent to Rick Warren....

     "Dear Rick, I beg you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, please rescind your invitation to Senator Obama to your Dec. 1st meeting on AIDS. I add my name to the list of other leaders who have also expressed their indignation and opposition to your invitation. Rick, I have known you for almost 20 years as a fellow pastor in the same association of Southern Baptist Churches in Orange County California. I am very disappointed at this move and simply attach to this letter the concerns of other leaders and say to you I agree with them that this is bad for the Kingdom of God. Dr. Wiley S. Drake." See explanations in the next article:

 

Rick Warren/Barack Obama AIDS partnership must end: "As those who have worked to defend preborn children from the horrors of abortion in America and who have stood uncompromisingly against the legalized slaughter of an estimated 50 million Americans in the womb since 1973, we join with one voice in expressing our indignation and opposition to Rick Warren's welcoming of Senator Barack Obama to his church on December 1, 2006....

     "Senator Obama actually supports the barbaric practice of allowing abortionists to kill babies by allowing them to be partially, born, their skulls punctured and their brains sucked out. Further, he repeatedly opposed an anti-infanticide bill in the state of Illinois that only passed after he left...."

     "'If Pastor Warren cannot find the courage to rescind his invitation to Senator Obama, he must at least make clear through a public statement that the Senator's support of abortion stands in contradiction to what the Bible teaches...'" See The Sanctity of Life

 

Obama lifted by hand of God: "...one of America’s biggest evangelical churches will this week welcome Senator Barack Obama, the rising African-American star of the Democratic party who has become a leading contender for the 2008 presidential elections. Obama will appear on Friday at the Saddleback church... where at least 20,000 conservative Christians gather each week for services led by Pastor Rick Warren.... At first glance Warren and Obama appear the unlikeliest of allies — the conservative white preacher and the liberal black Democrat — yet aides to both confirmed last week that they have formed an intriguing friendship that may prove a key element in the next presidential campaign....

     "Senator Hillary Clinton, his main rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, has had her own contacts with Warren." See Reinventing the World

 

The next 3 links deal with Warren's Purpose-Driven promotion of Syria as a peaceful and moderate nation:

 

Rick Warren says he's sorry: "Joseph Farah received this apology from Rick Warren [11-26]: "'It is evident from your columns and e-mails to others that I hurt, angered and offended you personally by what I said in a second e-mail to you. I am truly sorry, and I humbly ask for your forgiveness. I am commanded by God to 'Show respect for everyone. Love your Christian brothers and sisters....' My response was disrespectful. I'm sorry. I want God's continued blessing on my life more than anything. rick.'

     "Here is my [Farah's] response: ...I want you to know that I was not personally hurt or offended.... I was angered – and continue to be – by your seeming lack of concern for Jews and Christians in totalitarian police states like Syria.... I am not offended – at least not for my sake. I am offended for the sake of my brothers and sisters in Syria and Lebanon, my ancestral home countries, who... live under fear – the kind of fear that Bashar Assad and his father before him instilled with mass murder, assassination, torture....

      "A few minutes after I dashed off my reply, I got another e-mail forwarded to me from a member of Rick Warren's church. The juxtaposition of these two e-mails sent on the same day was striking. Here are a few excerpts from Warren's forwarded e-mail: 'When Kay and I announced the launching of the P.E.A.C.E. plan a few years ago, we both knew we could expect severe opposition.... The Bible tells us that 'Satan is the accuser of the brethren.' Unfortunately, sometimes Christians do Satan's job for him. They accuse and criticize other believers. I'm sure that makes Satan smile....'

      "[Farah] Do you see the contradictions? Who is Rick Warren talking about 'doing Satan's job'? I have to believe it's me. Yet, I got a personal apology from Rick the same day this nasty, brutish, accusatory...UNTRUE mass e-mail went out. I'm confused. ... Will the real Rick Warren please stand up?"

 

Rick Warren's taped message from Syria -- which was heard on "YouTube" before Saddleback's leaders removed it: "Syria's a place that has Muslims and Christians living together for 1,400 years. So it's a lot more peaceful, honestly, than a lot of other places.... There's a lot less tension than in other places. It's a moderate country, and the official government role and position is to not allow any extremism of any kind." (Copied by www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com) See the explanation in the next link:

Rick Warren on Syria: 'A moderate country': "...It's not a press release from the Syrian government that Rick Warren can deny.... Less tension? Let me explain how Warren's buddy, dictator Bashar Assad, manages to keep peace and tranquility. Secret police. Wiretapping. Torture. Political prisoners. Death squads. Bashar's father, Hafez, was the master at heavy-handed Big Brother tactics. When the citizens of Hama rose up to challenge his authority in February 1982, Assad sent in Syrian troops to massacre between 10,000 and 25,000 civilians. The town was paved over and marked permanently to ensure that others would learn the terrible lesson. It worked. There's been 'peace,' as Rick Warren would call it, ever since....

      "...the Assads simply crush any extremism that threatens their tyrannical rule. But Syria plays ball with the terrorists by allowing them to use Syria.... That's why Syria serves as the headquarters for more terrorist organizations than any other country in the world."

 

New Age Leader Comes to Rick Warren's Defense  -- "Meditation" is Common Ground: "The headline reads, 'Faith leaders deserve a shot at creating peace on earth.' The author of the article was defending Rick Warren. Well, that's not too unusual -- many Christian leaders, pastors and teachers have done that consistently since the release of The Purpose Driven Life. That would hardly be newsworthy. But this article was written by someone who does not defend conservative Christians. On the contrary, she stands for beliefs that are opposed to biblical Christianity. Her name is Marianne Williamson....

     "She is currently part of a growing effort in Washington DC to convince the US government to open a Department of Peace. Respected figures like Walter Cronkite work with Marianne Williamson in this effort, and New Age leader Barbara Marx Hubbard is a co-visionary of Williamson's peace plan." See The Rising World Religion

 

Calling Rick Warren! "...prominent anti-Syrian Christian politician Pierre Gemayel was assassinated in a suburb of Beirut yesterday. Gemayel, the minister of industry and son of former President Amin Gemayel, was a supporter of the anti-Syrian parliamentary majority, which is locked in a power struggle with pro-Syrian factions led by Hezbollah....

      "The government led by Bashar Assad, who met with Rick Warren last week, is anti-American, anti-freedom, anti-Christian, anti-Jewish and pro-terrorist. Rick Warren should know this. Yet, he has placed himself in a position of apologizing and excusing the government in Damascus.... Before any more blood is shed... it's time for Rick Warren to admit he was mistaken in suggesting Damascus is hospitable to Christians and Jews. I cannot even imagine the horror Christians and Jews trapped in the Middle East must feel, surrounded as they are by the jihadists and the tentacles of fascist dictators like Assad, when they hear co-called Christian leaders like Rick Warren explaining that things really aren't that bad in hellholes like Syria."

      Warren apparently believes in unconditional and worldwide Unity and Community and shuts his eyes to contrary evidence. See Purpose-Driven Deception

 

Obama will visit evangelical megachurch on World AIDS Day: "Aides to Obama say he will appear at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., on Dec. 1, World AIDS Day, drawing attention to the kind of issue the senator from Illinois says should unite all people of faith, regardless of their particular religion.... 'Sen. Obama has a deep respect for Mr. Warren's commitment to fighting AIDS and poverty,' said Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor. 'They met in January of 2006 while Mr. Warren was in Washington and have become friends, speaking on the phone with some regularity.'" See Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan and UN Goals - Part 3 Whom do we serve? and the next (older) link:

 

repeat Obama Asks Evangelicals To Assimilate: "Sen. Barack Obama, considered a possible Democratic nominee for president in 2008, told left-leaning religious leaders at the Call to Renewal’s 'Building a Covenant for a New America' conference June 28 that in order to sort through some of the 'bitter arguments' about religion in America today, evangelicals need to water down their views to fit in better with the rest of society. 'Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values,' Obama said.... Now this is going to be difficult for some who believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, as many evangelicals do,' he added. 'But in a pluralistic democracy, we have no choice.'” 

      Not true! We do have a choice! But those who refuse to trade Biblical truth for universal values may face pressures and punishments that would have been unthinkable in our "free" nation some years ago. See Re-inventing the World

 

The purpose-driven lie (by Joseph Farah): Rick Warren wrote to me this morning to protest this column. He claims he didn't say anything he was actually quoted as saying by the official press in Syria. However, in a video... he says Syria 'does not allow extremism of any kind.' In fact, Syria is, in many ways, the No. 1 sponsor of terrorism in the world.... Rick Warren had no business traveling to Syria and being used for propaganda purposes by Bashar Assad, the terrorist-supporting president....

     "The official press in the Syrian police state is suggesting Warren is taking sides with Syria against his own country with regard to issues in the Middle East. The reports indicate we can soon expect Warren, upon his return to the U.S., to lecture Americans about our abusive role in the region. The Syrian newspaper Umar Jaftali quotes Warren as saying: 'Washington is wrong not to hold dialogue with Syria, which wants peace....' Here's what the Syrian Arab News Agency reported: "....Pastor Warren hailed the religious coexistence, tolerance and stability that the Syrian society is enjoying due to the wise leadership of President al-Assad, asserting that he will convey the true image about Syria to the American people.'" See Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan & UN Goals - Part 1

 

American Priest (Rick Warren) Says no Peace without Syria: "Rick Warren on Monday said there was no peace in the region without Syria, noting that 80 percent of the American people rejected what the US Administration is doing in Iraq and considered the US policy in the Mideast as wrong. Syria’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Badr al-Din Hassoun received the American Pastor in Damascus in which he referred to the importance of spreading culture of amity, peace and coexistence instead of the 'clash of civilizations'. ...  Warren expressed admiration of Syria and the coexistence he saw between Muslims and Christians, stressing that he will convey this image to his church and country."

 

New-media missionaries: "It is just hours since this small group of Saddleback missionaries alighted in Rwanda for a two-week PEACE plan trip.... Perhaps... the fatigue... explains the two missteps they have just made. The first: Give no free handouts to Rwanda's desperately poor, lest the hundreds of Saddleback small groups scheduled to visit this country become associated with the dependency-creating aid policies that have crippled much of Africa. ...

     "The fledgling 'e-missionaries' depend in turn upon a $3 million Internet-based training platform the church is building to educate and track its PEACE plan participants.... Saddleback's information technology department has morphed into a multimillion-dollar 'research and development department of Christianity,' says Warren (paraphrasing management guru Peter Drucker). ... Already, the platform's electronic brain – the 8-foot racks of hundreds of servers needed to store the site's growing database – is housed in a warehouse-sized, maximum-security 'Tier-1' Internet data center in Irvine. Such centers exist in several dozen locations around the world to host the electronic information of the world's largest companies, which explains the armed guards, biometric palm scanners and steel doors that guard the facility.... Church teams who want to use the materials must register (and attend a conference) under the PEACE program umbrella. Saddleback can, consequently, track and lay claim ... to the potentially thousands that will do so in the future and that will become, in the process, indirect partners in the PEACE 'movement' – and brand.... Using technology, a broad vision, an expressed desire to evangelize and, perhaps, a keen sense of market share, Saddleback may create a platform for both the kingdom of God and for itself." See The Emerging Global Church

October

Rick Warren... fused modern marketing techniques to a purpose-driven product: "Want to go to heaven? Bow your head and ask to receive Jesus. Feel lonely? Join a church and a small group. Want to know your purpose in life? Help the poor. 'God is pleased when our worship is practical,' Warren says....

     "Warren says he wants to make it easy for people to find God....Which is why Warren suggested that his publisher, Zondervan Publishing House, sell 400,000 copies of the $20 hardcover for $7.

     "Zondervan feared it would be giving away the book's profit. Instead, the discount, paired with a book-club-type campaign Warren crafted around the book's launch, created a sensation....

     "The organization of the future isn't the organization,' Warren says. 'It's the network.'... The '40 Days' campaign was the 'engine" that drove book sales, according to Greg Stielstra, then senior marketing director for Zondervan's Christian trade book department.... 'If your friend is reading it, buying it, chances are you will too,' Stielstra says. Zondervan tracked the results and found that the 400,000 churchgoers bought an average of five copies each for their friends and families – at the full retail price.... Stielstra calls the technique 'pyromarketing,' in which core supporters of a brand – Stielstra calls them 'dry tinder' – 'light the fire' of wider sales through an organized campaign. He decided to write a book about the book's marketing, titled 'PyroMarketing.'... Stielstra was quoted in Publisher's Weekly saying that Warren was obstructing publication because he did not want the book's success to be associated with marketing....

      "Is Warren – a self-described 'spiritual entrepreneur' who quotes management guru Peter Drucker's description of Saddleback as the 'research and development department' of Christianity – winning souls by faith or marketing?" See Marketing Christianity

Getting in S.H.A.P.E. for C.H.U.R.C.H.: "...after one takes the S.H.A.P.E. vocational-style interest inventory, one may be plugged into a 'zone, a region, a life precinct.' This particular 'shape' of the church as a whole, which will happen as people become catalogued, databanked and defined by the assessment, appears to be regimented and utilitarian. And this 'shape' is, as C. Peter Wagner suggests, a perfectly designed vehicle for marketing the New Apostolic Reformation's agenda." See Spiritual Gifts and Community Service and DISC Assessments

'Purpose-Driven' pastor Rick Warren goes global: "The Africans dance to the thump of a giant ingoma, a drum made from the black-and-brown hide of a cow. ... Chanting voices fill the room and float through a door draped with palm branches and red flowers, wilting in the African heat. It is March 26 and this is the place in which Warren hopes to plant an international movement.....

     "These missionaries are emissaries in Warren's next great leap of faith: the PEACE Plan. The goal: to forge relationships between people like the Americans... and the dancing Africans.... The idea: to network laymen volunteers in partnerships aimed at finding the solutions to poverty, sickness and 'spiritual emptiness.'...

      "Skip back one year [to Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA].... 'Whatever it takes!' Rick Warren chants.... 'Whatever it takes!' he repeats... 'I believe today we are making history... that's going to start a movement that's going to start a new reformation in the church of God and a new church awakening in our world." See Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan and UN Goals - Part 2

Rick Warren Distorts the Instructions of Jesus to Fit His Global Peace Plan: "On August 17th, acclaimed interviewer and broadcast journalist Charlie Rose interviewed Rick Warren.... As Warren did at the Pew Forum on Religion last year, he explained to Rose his 'man of peace' concept and said that every village, every government, every place has a man (or woman) of peace: 'The man of peace is open and influential... and here's the other thing, the man of peace does not have to be a Christian believer ... could be Muslim, could be Jewish.' Warren said that Jesus sent out his disciples to go find the man of peace in every village. He said Jesus sent them out to find people who would work with them on solving poverty, sickness and the other problems of the world. [No, their assignment was to preach the gospel, not fix the world!]

      "Warren has made a terrible distortion of what Scripture actually says. Jesus told his disciples to go out and call people to repentance whereas Warren is suggesting that we are to ignore our differences (including moral differences) and work together for peace...." See  the Biblical meaning of peace and Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan and UN Goals - Part 2

 

Can Rick Warren Change the World? (Video "preview" of Fox interview with Rick Warren, 8-20-06) "Rick... calls himself a spiritual entrepreneur.... He's the CEO [Chief Evangelical Officer]... of his growing empire with a faith in basic business principles that seems as strong as his pastor's faith in God. That's gained him the admiration and financial support from captains of industry including my boss... Rupert Murdock. Rick Warren  also forged ties with Bill Gates, singer Bono of U2, and Mel Gibson.

     "[Voice of President Bush:] 'Rick Warren by the way is here. Where are you Rick? There you go! I appreciate you.'" Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan and UN Goals 

 

‘If Jesus were alive today, he would be hanging out with people who have HIV/AIDS’: "During an interview at the 16th World AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada, Warren criticized those in the church who had pointed fingers at those with HIV/AIDS and said that they deserved to have the deadly virus because of their behavior.... 'The number one killer of people sixty years and younger of age is now AIDS, and I believe that the Church should not just be at the table but taking the lead in it.... We have the widest distribution network. There are churches in every village around the world. We have the most volunteers.... If Jesus were here today, He would be at this convention. No doubt about it. He would be hanging out with people who have HIV/AIDS; who have been stigmatized."

      Would Jesus simply "hang out" with those who chose to follow a deadly and forbidden lifestyle? Or would He speak words that brought conviction, then offer forgiveness and healing to repentant sinners -- as He offered all who now love and follow Him.

       Yes, homosexual, promiscuous sex and today's worldwide drug culture have indeed created countless innocent victims, but this tragedy doesn't free the perpetrators from guilt before God. See Human Nature and Mocking Truth

 

Why Has Fox News Interviewed Rick Warren So Much Lately? "On August 11th, Fox headlines read, 'Can Rick Warren Save the World?' A few days later another article read, 'Can Rick Warren Change the World?' On August 17th, Fox's Bill O' Reilly interviewed Warren. To wrap up the week, Fox did a special presentation Sunday evening with Warren, discussing his global peace plan. Calling him an 'evangelical superstar' and an 'inspiring figure' Fox brought Rick Warren and the Purpose Driven Life to the world's living room.

     "No longer is Purpose Driven Life a program just for churches and Christians -- with the help of Fox News, it is becoming a program for secular and religious alike. Why has Fox News taken such a positive, supportive interest in Rick Warren and his book, The Purpose Driven Life? Is it possible it has something to do with the fact that Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, the owner of Fox News, is also the owner of HarperCollins/Zondervan, which is Warren's publisher?"

 

Communitarianism. "Nobody has solved these five problems because [the solution needs] a three-legged stool. For the stability of a nation, you must have strong healthy government, strong healthy businesses, and strong healthy churches. ... So I’m going from country to country teaching business its role, teaching church its role, and teaching government leaders their role—you’ve got to work together! We cannot solve the problem in your country or in the world if we won’t work together."       

       This three legged Communitarian "partnership" is the new global management system. Guess which partner would be in control. See Re-inventing the World and Equipping Leaders to 'Lead like Jesus'?

July 2006

Purpose-Driven' pastor to preach in N. Korea: "'I will be the first preacher in 60 years to speak publicly in North Korea," [said Rick Warren].... 'When you go in they have to loosen up on religious freedoms.... It's like Mandela going into a country. Automatically people start loosening up.'

     "Suzanne Scholte, chairman of the North Korea Freedom Coalition isn't so sure. '... to go in there and believe that you could actually preach freely is an illusion. It won't do anything to help the church. It will only put the true church at risk, and it will be used as a propaganda piece by the Kim Jong Il regime.... They are raised to believe Kim Jong Il is god and that the God we worship doesn't exist. And so, what is he going to preach?'

     "Since 2001, North Korea has been designated a 'country of particular concern' for violations of religious freedom. Its citizens may not belong to unauthorized religious groups, and believers who proselytize or have ties to evangelical groups in China are arrested, tortured or executed, a 2005 State Department report said.... Scholte's fear is that the government will use the crusade to identify Christian believers who will be 'rounded up and sent to a political prison camp' once Warren leaves the country." See Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan and UN Goals

Rick Warren to Preach in Hong Kong, Macau in July (This link now seems to be broken): "The lectures will feature on three key areas: preaching to transform, behavior preaching and practical preaching. All of these preaching skills combine to change the life of the congregation, to mobilize them to change their behavior and to respond to the need of the society in this era.... Prior to the trip to Hong Kong, Warren is expected to participate in the high-profile 7th Chinese Congress on World Evangelism (CCOWE) in Macau.... Thirty thousand congregations in the United States and thousands more worldwide have walked through the discipleship program, 40 Days of Purpose." See Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan and UN Goals - Part 3 and Equipping Leaders to 'Lead like Jesus'?

What to do when your church hits a pothole: "...these promoters are now found in pulpits, in conferences, in bookstores and on big screens and stages encouraging Christians to, in effect, avoid 'the old paths' their parents and grandparents walked; to instead fill their eyes and the eyes of others with all that the brave new world has to offer from the right and left, and call it 'evangelism.'" See Re-inventing the World

Pastor Chuck Smith Issues Recall Notice on Book, Discontinues Purpose Driven Materials: "Last week at Calvary Chapel's annual pastor's conference... Chuck Smith announced that Calvary Chapel was rejecting various movements and practices.... This week a notice was placed on the Calvary Chapel Distribution website recalling Chuck Smith Sr's book, When Storms Come (which had been tampered with). The notice also stated: 'The teaching and positions of Rick Warren have come into conflict with us at Calvary Chapel. Pastor Chuck has directed us to discontinue this product effective immediately.'...

      "Both Purpose Driven and the emerging church promote contemplative spirituality... " See Emergent Delusion

 

What to do when your church hits a plateau: "...some people are going to have to die or leave. Moses had to wander around the desert for 40 years while God killed off a million people before he let them go into the Promised Land. That may be brutally blunt, but it’s true. There may be people in your church who love God sincerely, but who will never, ever change.... [Does Pastor Warren believe that he, as if like God, can simply dispose of people who question his clever marketing strategies?]

     "People ask, 'Is it easier to start new churches, or is it easier to take existing churches and turn them around?' My answer is this: 'It's always easier to have babies than to raise the dead.' However, God is in the business of raising the dead! He's a pro at resurrections, but it just might take some time....

     "...pray for an extra amount of patience. People change very slowly. They are resistant to change because they recognize that life as they’ve known it will cease to exist....

     "...move with the movers.... In every church there are the E. F. Huttons: When they speak, everybody listens!...they are the legitimizers in that church.... Find out who the legitimizers are; the ones who are willing to go for change.... Build your vision in them....

     "Third, be prepared for conflict.... Tension grows, and the battle cry becomes, 'We're losing our church!'"

      Notice that the purpose-driven change agents are on the "good" side. Those who question the marketing strategies and treasure Biblical truth are the ones who must "die or leave."  See Spirit-Led or Purpose-Driven: Dealing with Resisters

 

What about people who live in a country without Christian witness?  "Answer (from Rick Warren's Saddleback Church): What about those who haven't heard about the cross? They can be saved the same way that the people in the Old Testament were saved. The book of Romans tells us again and again that Abraham was saved the same way that we are, by his faith. Abraham didn't know the name of Jesus or that one day Jesus would die on the cross for his sins, but he trusted all that he knew about the God who had shown Himself to Abraham. Because of that trust, when Jesus died thousands of years after Abraham, the same forgiveness that was offered to us was given to Abraham."

     But God's Word says: "...how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? ... So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:14-17)

     And Jesus said, "Go 'therefore and 'make disciples....” (Matthew 28:18-20) See Faith and Evangelism

 

The Purpose Driven Life: "With the Gospel left vague and no repentance required, the rest of the book is built on the precarious assumption of the reader’s conversion. You are a child of God, and you bring pleasure to God like nothing else he has ever created.' ...

      "Saving faith is not blind. No, in fact it is a kind of faith that has its eyes wide open – opened by the Holy Spirit to the uncompromising holiness and unbending justice of God; to the reality and offensiveness of my sin in God’s sight; to God’s righteous and terrifying anger at my sin; to the need for an eternal Other to suffer my eternally damning sentence that I might be forever acquitted; and to my need to repent of my sins and trust in Christ’s death as God’s provision for my forgiveness and reconciliation to Him. Warren’s presentation of the Gospel simply doesn’t give the unbeliever enough to go on...

        "...encouraging assurance of salvation where there is not even the bud, much less the fruit, of repentance is one of the biggest problems in American evangelicalism today....  When the primacy of the Gospel is replaced by purpose, the gospel ceases to regulate our participation in those purposes. ... We risk getting fellowship grounded more in common demographics or even goals than in a common understanding and experience of the Gospel’s transforming power." See Spirit-Led or Purpose-Driven? and Conversion

May 2006

Global Dominionism: Past and Present: "Rick Warren and his Global P.E.A.C.E. Plan are getting a free ride from the 'liberal' media establishment. Surprisingly, this is happening despite the increasingly dominionist rhetoric calling for a 'Second Reformation' and 'advancing' the kingdom....

     "The following fascinating historical excerpt is from... Building the Kingdom of God on Earth: The Churches’ Contribution to Marshal Public Support for World Order and Peace.... "...The outcome of this special conference was to result in a far-reaching change in the relationship of the secular state to the ecclesiastical authorities.... Still basically leading toward collectivism, the New Deal was not accomplishing the degree of social and political collectivism that would bring about the realization of [the kingdom of God on earth]..." See Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan and UN Goals and the next five links:

Creating a "Community of Purpose": "Henry A. Wallace, a high-level U.S. government official holding various offices during the decades of the 1930s-40s... called for the creation of a 'community of purpose' -- a 'modern adaptation of the theocracy of old.'" See Conforming the Church to the New Millennium

Purpose-Driven. Purpose Driven Ministries honors healthy churches: "Nearly fifty congregations from 14 nations received Church Health Awards during the 2006 Purpose Driven Church conference held at Saddleback Church, May 16-19.... Since 1999, Purpose Driven Ministries has annually honored churches that have shown excellence in adapting the Purpose Driven paradigm within their congregations.... Thirty thousand congregations in the United States and thousands more worldwide have walked through the discipleship program, 40 Days of Purpose, which is based on Rick Warren's best-selling book..." The next two links show recipients of this award:

Purpose-Driven. New Zealand church uses survey to find out community needs, designs worship service to meet those needs: "The software NewHope uses to track its progress reported that 79 percent of church members have found a place to serve in ministry, and the church has not yet completed 40 Days of Community, which Buckley indicated NewHope plans to begin in early 2007." See Spirit-Led or Purpose-Driven?

Purpose Driven principles help California church effectively build a growing church: "Rockin’ music with a gospel band and choir appeals to the churched and unchurched who visit Family Community Church. Music, drama, and dance are used throughout the service to create moments that move, inspire, and challenge those in attendance.... Churchy’ language is purposefully avoided ...They also are using a new database tool to track the assimilation of their congregation, based on attendance, class participation, ministry involvement, and giving."

April

A Purpose Driven Easter: "Looking for help as you prepare your Easter sermon this year? Click here to check out Rick Warren's batch of Easter and other holiday messages. You can purchase CD's, transcripts, and outlines for each of the messages! ... Put on an Easter carnival. Kids will love coming to a carnival at your church --complete with face painting, egg coloring, and Easter basket decorating.... Don't forget the requisite Easter egg hunt and plenty of Easter chocolates, jelly beans, and marshmallow Peeps candies." See John 17:3 and Equipping Leaders to 'Lead like Jesus'?

A Purpose Driven Easter: "Looking for help as you prepare your Easter sermon this year? Click here to check out Rick Warren's batch of Easter and other holiday messages. You can purchase CD's, transcripts, and outlines for each of the messages! ... Put on an Easter carnival. Kids will love coming to a carnival at your church --complete with face painting, egg coloring, and Easter basket decorating.... Don't forget the requisite Easter egg hunt and plenty of Easter chocolates, jelly beans, and marshmallow Peeps candies."

Purpose parties help point way: "If Purpose Parties sound familiar, it's because they are one degree of separation from Rick Warren's The Purpose-Driven Life.... Among the book's admirers was Warren's research assistant, Katie Brazelton. With her boss' blessing, Brazelton kicked the 'Purpose' franchise up a notch by writing Pathway to Purpose and gearing it to women. Her twist: supplement the book with 'Life Purpose Coaching' - a Christian take on the 'life coach' idea in which a trained professional helps with everything from career to home organization. In this case, individual coaching runs between $50 and $125 an hour. In group settings they're called Purpose Parties. ... They're like hosting a Tupperware party.... We're sharing a process.' The process, using scripture, Christian principles and Brazelton's book, 'helps you discover God's purposes for your life and connect them to your passions.'" See Who is the Dream Giver? & The Dream Giver and DISC Assessments

Pathway to Purpose for Women: "As the Founder of Pathway to Purpose Ministry, Katie [Brazelton] has an international client base of Christian women who seek her advice. She also trains Life Purpose Telephone Coaches and '2-Day Intensive' Life Purpose Facilitators.... Until most recently... Katie was a licensed minister at Saddleback Church, the Director of Women's Bible Studies, Director of Saddleback Church Seminary, and Administrative Faculty for Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. Her previous roles included Director of Research for Dr. Rick Warren... and Vice President of Curriculum Development for an ethics education company."

Evangelicals venture into AIDS activism: "Nearly 2,000 pastors have traveled to Orange County's Saddleback Church for a national conference that coincides with World AIDS Day on Thursday. On the agenda: How to start local AIDS ministries and free HIV testing in churches. ... Harry Knox, director of the religion and faith program at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation - a leading gay rights organization - said he welcomed the outreach as long as it wasn't judgmental....

     "'The church has the moral authority to say, 'Hey, it's not a sin to be sick,' said Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life. 'The Gospels repeatedly show that Jesus loved, touched, and cared for lepers - the diseased outcasts of his day. Today's 'lepers' are those who have HIV/AIDS."

      There is a big difference. Leprosy was and is unrelated to moral choices. AIDS is not. This effort to remove all divisive moral standards from the church is part of today's quest for global and community solidarity. See  Romans 1:22-32 and Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan and UN Goals - Part 3

Larry King Interview with Rick Warren (12-2-05): "God chose them (the Jews) for three reasons. Number one, to give us the knowledge of the law.... Number two, is to give us the knowledge of God, that there is a God that exists. And number three, as a Christian I believe, was to give us the Messiah. I have known many people who believe in the Messiah of Jesus, regardless of what religion they are, because they believe in him. It's about a relationship, not a religion." But do they know Him? See John 17:3 and Equipping Leaders to 'Lead like Jesus'?

November

Saddleback HIV/AIDS Conference Provides a 'Wake-Up Call: "When we hear about all these people suffering from HIV/AIDS, we get mad and ask, 'God, why don't you do something about this,' and Jesus says, 'I'm asking you the same question," Dr. Warren said. 'We ask, 'God, what is Your plan for this illness,' and He says, "You, the Church, are My plan.' ... Dr. Redfield echoed the critical role the Church would play in implementing sustainable solutions and providing necessary leadership to bring about an equity in global health."

 

The Cellular Church: "[Robert] Putnam goes on, 'Warren didn't invent the cellular church. But he's brought it to an amazing level of effectiveness....
     "Small groups cultivate spirituality, but it is a particular kind of spirituality,' Robert Wuthnow writes. 'They cannot be expected to nurture faith in the same way that years of theological study, meditation and reflection might.' He says, 'They provide ways of putting faith in practice. For the most part, their focus is on practical applications, not on abstract knowledge....

    "Peter F. Drucker calls Warren's network an army, like the Jesuits. But the Jesuits marched in lockstep and held to an all-encompassing and centrally controlled creed. The members of Warren's network... march to the tune only of their own small group." 

Purpose-Driven Life' author to speak here Friday: Dr. Warren... has announced his intention to work with any person of good will to eradicate global scourges such as AIDS and malaria, no matter what they believe about God or condoms.... He envisioned the church -- and here he includes non-Christian religious communities -- as a global distribution network that could deliver solutions...." See Whom do we serve?

October

Will Success Spoil Rick Warren? "Warren... has become secular America's favorite evangelical Christian. This year he has spoken at Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, the Aspen Ideas Festival, the Young Presidents Organization, a Pew Foundation forum for religion writers, and the University of Judaism. (The rabbis wanted to get his advice on how to increase their market share.) He has gone before the Council on Foreign Relations....

     "'Forget any opinions you have about religion and just look at the guy as a CEO, and you've got to be impressed,' says Joe Ritchie, a Chicago businessman....

     "Touring Rwanda on the presidential helicopter. Chatting with George Bush in the White House. Receiving a standing ovation at Harvard.... Toughest of all is the political task he has taken on: He wants to get a broad swath of Americans to use churches to fight poverty at a time when the nation is divided along religious lines by issues like abortion and gay rights." See Whom do we serve?

 

Hula Praise! "Hula Praise is a unique form of worship.... Our group is family -- ohana. We meet together, learn hula together, and share our joys & hopes together.....

     "The five purposes above were derived from our home church, Saddleback Church... a purpose-driven church. The senior pastor is Rick Warren, author of the current best seller, The Purpose-Driven Life." See The Spirit of Worship and the next link:

Religion. In the beginning - Hawaiian gods: "...in Hawaiian mythology, Po was a vast, empty land, a dark abyss where only one life form dwelled. This was the spirit of Keawe. A single light shown through the darkness of Po-a flame holding the energy of creation....  Laka was the goddess of hula." See Idols and unholy gods

 

A story of two redemptions? "On the October 5th 2005 edition of Larry King Live, King asked his guest, Pastor Rick Warren: 'Why are many of your Christian brethren angry at her now?' referring, of course, to King's other guest, Ashley Smith.... The following statement expresses what I believe the 'brethren' are angry about: WARREN: '…Larry, this is a story of two redemptions. It's Ashley's redemption and it's Brian's redemption…'

    "...this statement is absurd.... Ashley's kidnapper, Brian Nichols, not only converted to Islam after the incident while awaiting trial in jail; but also unrepentantly pleaded 'not guilty' to the multiple murders....

    "...when asked by a caller near the end of the show, whether this ordeal would launch a public speaking tour for Ashley... Pastor Warren said: 'Oh, fantastic. And I'll be her agent…You know why? Because she's authentic.'"

 

Friend or Foe? (Rick Warren's www.purposedrivenlife.com) "What makes him [Bob] unique is that he is a Christian who is attending classes at a Buddhist temple.... A person with a worldview that believes that Christians are right and everyone else is wrong would not be able to understand how a person could do this.... A person with a worldview that believes that all truth is embodied in Christ Jesus, but not exclusively held by Him, might see this differently. God has not locked up His truth inside the church where no one else can get it....

     "Am I suggesting that we all become Buddhists? Of course not. But I am suggesting we could be more open to truth outside of only what we can control.... One way to think about it would be this: The world is not wrong as much as it is lost."

     Do you wonder what "lost" means in this postmodern context?

September

A Conversation with Rick Warren at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) 9-12-05: "General Meeting  Speaker: Rick Warren, Author, The Purpose-Driven Life, best-selling hardback in U.S. history. Called 'America's New People's Pastor' by Time Magazine.      "Presider: Peter Steinfels, Co-Director, Fordham Center on Religion and Culture; Former Senior Religion Correspondent, New York Times 7:15-7:45 PM Light Buffet Dinner 7:45-8:45 PM Meeting." Read more about the CFR on these pages: See Regionalism and The Revolutionary Roots of the UN

 

Rick Warren at the United Nations: "...there were around 200 'high level' delegates, including four presidents of foreign countries attending the event where Rick Warren spoke on Tuesday morning (13th). This representative stated that his organization, an offshoot of Campus Crusade for Christ, exists at the UN, not to proselytize, but to "serve those at the UN and help them be successful." See Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan & UN Goals

 

Membership covenant draws questions: "...senior pastor Rick Wells... recognized even before came on staff that 'an entire restructuring of the church needed to take place.' 'We established that we needed to be a purpose driven church rather than a program driven church,' he said....

     "A membership covenant (lifted directly from The Purpose Driven Church)... was drawn up with the intent of ensuring that church members would be only those who 'are actively participating and engaged in all of the purposes that the church embraces,' so the church might become 'a vital part of the fabric of the community.'... 'I will protect the unity of my church: by acting in love toward other members, by refusing to gossip, by following the leaders,' is the first point outlined in the covenant....

     "But two ministry leaders refused to sign, and thus 'forfeited their ministry leadership.'.... One of them was Doris Skirrow, 70... an active member of the church for 33 years. She said she and her husband ... didn't believe it was biblical, the membership guidebook said voting 'creates division,' and outlined that the church was targeting its outreach to a specific demographic, 25-55 year olds.... [T]hey were left to wonder, 'Where do we fit into this?'" See Spirit-Led or Purpose-Driven?

August

Our Purpose Driven Diversion - One Family's Journey Through a Purpose Driven Church: "Within months, the church was promoting Warren's five purposes in just about everything.... Each sermon was built around a power point presentation that included points and sub-points, graphics, and scripture references from newer translations and paraphrases. Though not Bible scholars by any stretch of the imagination, my wife and I had enough solid expository teaching in our backgrounds that we quickly realized the stretch and even misuse of many of these scriptural references. We soon learned that much of our pastor's material at that time was actually sermons and notes prepared by Rick Warren himself, and made available to pastors....

      "We had a subsequent meeting with three of the elders of the church two weeks later.... During that meeting, the elders seemed concerned that people were getting the wrong idea about our leaving, and they wanted to do a little damage control.... They suggested some sort of communication with the congregation, such as a letter.... When we finally got a copy via email, it went far beyond anything we talked about. I immediately raised several objections to the content, and then asked them not to proceed.... A few weeks later, the letter was sent ... to the entire congregation. Though it was laced with spirituality, the letter misrepresented our family, our reason for leaving, and made a vague reference to someone's 'sin', presumably ours." See God's eternal, unchanging Word

 

The Gospel According to Warren: “...'purpose-driven' sounds better than 'market-driven' but it is basically the same thing. In his book The Purpose-Driven Life, his opening statement is, 'It is not about you,' then turns around and writes a whole book about 'you.' He belittles pop-psychology then repeatedly promotes it by simply calling it something else. He publicly cuts ties with Robert Schuller, then regurgitates some of the most odious things that Schuller has been teaching for thirty years. He claims commitment to the Scriptures then undermines them at almost every turn....

     "We find nothing here about sin, grace, repentance, the person of Christ, Calvary, faith, judgment, or the resurrection. This is the ultimate in a mutilated, seeker-sensitive gospel: the seeker comes to Christ in order to find his purpose in life, not to receive forgiveness from sin and the righteousness of God. Then, to pronounce someone a full-fledged member of the family of God because he has prayed such a prayer (based on minimal, if any, understanding of the person and work of Christ), is beyond tragic....

     "He tells his readership, 'To truly love yourself, you need to know the five truths that form the basis of a healthy self-image.' What are they? ...Accept Yourself....

     "In The Purpose Driven Life Warren wants us to have no doubt that, when we stand before the Lord, 'God won’t ask about your religious background or doctrinal views." See Spirit-Led or Purpose-Driven?

July

Peter Drucker On Leadership: "The Drucker-Warren relationship may surprise many readers, but it goes back two decades, to when the young minister came to Drucker for advice. Under Drucker's tutelage, Warren's own success as a spiritual entrepreneur has been considerable.... Successful leaders ... don't tackle things they aren't good at.... Successful leaders make sure that they succeed!" See Spirit-Led or Purpose-Driven (Part 4): Spiritual Gifts and Community Service

 

Wildside and Purpose Driven Hip Hoppers... Dance of your dreams: "Used as a popular form of storytelling through scat style rhyme and dance, this expression of art claims the Caribbean as its place of origin.... How did Hip Hop dancing arrive at Saddleback Community Church? This is a spotlight into one Christian’s odyssey of fulfilling her most cherished aspiration. ...

     "In July 2005, Kim and her group will participate in The Holy Hip Hop Artist Conference in Riverside, California. The four-day event showcases some of the nation’s most talented Christian performers. The interest to join a Hip Hop program at Saddleback Church has also spread to high school students and adults.

     "What dream has God placed in your heart—to perform at Carnegie Hall, or perhaps work a smaller room? No matter what your vision, the key to fulfilling that goal is perseverance...." See Who is the Dream Giver?

 

Poverty Is Rick Warren's Passionate New Purpose: "[Rick] Warren’s letter, and his increasingly outspoken endorsement of a global agenda, has some thinking that a natural alliance is emerging between Warren and his socially conservative colleagues and liberal anti-poverty figures like U2 rock star Bono.... But the boundaries between groups may be becoming somewhat more permeable, as evidenced by Pat Robertson's appearance alongside Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, Ellen DeGeneres, and P. Diddy in a recent public service announcement for The ONE Campaign to end poverty. ...

      "Warren's push is part of a larger vision he has been unfolding over the last few months. In April, during Saddleback's 25th anniversary celebration, he announced he would lead thousands of churches around the world in eradicating five 'giant problems' that oppress billions of people...." See Rick Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan & the UN Millennium Goals