Sunday, February 27, 2011

How to Host a Takeover


How Rick is able to influence so many churches...and make "purpose driven nations?"
            
Easy. He sells you his product and ideas!

Purposedriven.com 2006 ---  40 days of Purpose Campaign Group Study says,  
“The small group curriculum comes with two teaching options—a video of Rick Warren teaching the material, and a transcript of the video so that your teacher or host may prepare and teach the lessons themselves. The teaching video contains six videotaped sessions, including a “Leader Lifter” where the host is given coaching tips for the upcoming session, plus a 20-minute lesson taught by Rick Warren. Video-based curriculum equips your new hosts to lead a group even if its for the first time,” 

and continues saying (under a section titled, Host Home Strategy),

“whether in place of or in compliment to an existing Sunday school program. We’ll equip you to launch groups using the Host Home strategy – a simple plan which recruits “hosts” instead of “leaders.” We’ve found that equipping group hosts with video teaching sessions overcomes hesitation and will raise up new leaders you didn’t even know you had! Led by Rick Warren, each video lesson also includes weekly preparation suggestions and encouragement called, “Helps for Hosts.”

 "Video-based curriculum equips your new hosts to lead a group even if its for the first time," 
This is because they do not do uch of anything but provide snacks and video accomodations.

"Host Home strategy – a simple plan which recruits “hosts” instead of “leaders.” (But these soon become the "leaders"  ... for "equipping group hosts with video teaching sessions overcomes hesitation and will raise up new leaders you didn’t even know you had! " And do you know what?  They could be new to the church as well s not even have to be Christian, because they do not have to teach the course!.

"Led by Rick Warren, each video lesson also includes weekly preparation suggestions and encouragement called, “Helps for Hosts.”"
In place of or in compliment to... all you and you Sunday school classes need, is to listen to and be inspired by this new message God has given to Pastor Rick.



"With a Campaign Online Access Pass, you’ll get everything you’ll need to participate in your own campaign on any level, team training to resource planning, an exclusive campaign director’s website, creative idea exchange, coaching articles and team training.  You’ll never run short on key learning and creative ideas."  Saddlebackrescources.com

In other words,
all you have to do is buy into using all sorts of
Saddleback stuff...
invest in the sermons and conferences,
read the books, do the study guides on the books,
memorize the key verses,
do the workbooks,
attend the webcasts,
watch the lectures...
and you will be
purpose driven in no time!

Your  pastor can get all of Rick's emails from pastors.com, download  Rick's  Sermons and programs (like the Daniel Plan,) and use them to bring his brand of HEALTH to your church.  Pastors can even "feed" their congregation with highlighted information from Rick's pastors.com "Saddleback 6"
a daily dose of topics each week:..to help you and your congregations grow!
All you have to do is implement the Purpose Driven strategy..
and  your church can GROW... 
exponentially.

People will contractually tithe... 
as they come into community, 
and help you build
more purpose driven churches
and draw more members
into ministry, just like Rick.

All this, can be done simply, 
 stealthy. over time, 
with comittment to purpose
but in place of 
the simplicity of Christ
and the Good News he brings
 recorded for us in the Bible.
You see, n
 instead of Bible Study,
churches everywhere,
will listening to and repeating all they are learning
from, RICK.
And the next thing you know,
you
and your hearers,
your family,
your church, 
your children's ministry, 
your congregation, 
maybe even
your nation,
and ultimately
 the world, 
will be 
built 
upon  that one,
all impoirtant thing
people need in order
to be healthy....

Purpose!

JESUS SPEAKING:
And everyone that heareth these words of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell! and great was the fall of it.
Matthew 7:26




Saturday, February 26, 2011

Church Change

Church Change...
To help the Church change, Rick wants to change meanings of words and doctrinal understandings...

for example, repentance...  
God simply wants people to change 
their minds... and people in the church need to change their minds at the deepest level of beliefs and values...

“Now most people think of the word of repentance they think of sandwich signs, turn or burn, or they think repentance means stopping all my bad actions. That is not what repentance is. There is not a lexicon in the world that will tell you that repentance means stop your bad action.  Repentance, metanoia, simply means changing your mind… at the deepest level of beliefs and values.”
Rick Warren-  Purpose-Driven Preaching: Interview by M. Duduit


 “To be a world-class Christian you must make some mental shifts. Your perspective
and attitudes must change.”
World-class or worldly May-June 2003 by Rick Warren“

Rick, interestingly is not talking to unbelievers... 
but pastors...Christians.  .He is telling them THEY need to change..


He wants to change what you believe... and what you love; and, you only have two choices... believe what others say about you, or believe in yourself... like God does.  He believes in you.

It's your choice. You can believe what others say about you, or you can believe in yourself as does God, who says you are truly acceptable, lovable, valuable and capable.”
Learn To Love Yourself! By Rick Warren,
Ladies Home Journal, March 2005

How convenient that Rick Warren writes
such articles for the
Ladies Home Journal Magazine
2 Tim. 3:1-9

He wants to enlighten you to the glories of Saddleback church.  Joining them is the most important decision you will ever make.  You can change your church, become "Purpose Driven,"

“I make no apology for telling people that the most important thing they may do with their lives is to join Saddleback church, get involved in a ministry, and serve Christ by serving others.
Drawing More Members Into Ministry by Rick Warren
Luke 10:41-42

Rick says, "join Saddleback" 
It is the most important thing you can do
 with your life?  

 “Today, the sharpest guys I know are starting churches,"
Rick Warren quoted in Christianity Today Nov. 18, 2002

  This is quite the flattery....
Don't you want to be one of the SMART ones?  
You do not want 
to be the opposite of SMART,
do you?

The SMART ones, theyy are starting churches...
. ("healthy," "purpose driven" ones?)  
And you can only gguess whose 
"healthy" advice, and materials 
such a SMART one 
would wqant to use.. 


He wants to change how Christians pray:


“The classic book on learning how to develop a constant conversation with God is Practicing the Presence of God.  It was written in the seventeenth century by Brother Lawrence…Another of Brother Lawrence's helpful ideas was to pray shorter conversational prayers continually through the day rather than trying to pray long sessions of complex prayers… The Bible tells us to "pray all the time." How is it possible to do this? One way is to use "breath prayers" throughout the day, as many Christians have done for centuries.”
                                                                                    Rick Warren, the Purpose Driven Life pg. 89


Matthew 6: 5-14 
But when you pray,
go into your room, close the door a
and pray to your Father, who is unseen.
Then your Father, who sees
what is done in secret, will reward you.
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans,
for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them,
for your Father knows what you need
before you ask him.
"This, then, is how you should pray:
"`Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.'
For if you forgive men when they sin against you,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men their sins,
your Father will not forgive your sins.



 He tells you that you can change...
 ... all you need is to learn, from Rick, how to do a balancing act... and keep it going..... keep everything "in equilibrium..."

“Each of the five New Testament purposes
of the church must be in equilibrium
with the others for health to occur.”
Emphasize church health, not church growth  by Rick Warren

John 15:5

and when you change... 
(because you learned all about the importance of change from Rick.)
...you will find the path to "inner peace."

“... the truth is, very few people ever experience inner peace. The Bible is very clear about what brings inner peace. Philippians 4 says, “Don’t worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace.”
The Path To Inner Peace   Rick Warren


Yes, the Bible is clear.. .
Peace comes from knowing God
and the One whome he sent,
Jesus CHrist.  

2 Peter 1:2     
"Grace and peace be yours in 
abundance through the 
knowledge of God
and of Jesus our Lord."

Jesus is our peace.. peace with God and with our fellow man.

Yes,
we Christians used to get our Peace
from  knowing God's Word,
from the person of Jesus ,
but Rick is changing that for us.
He says, "stop worrying and tell God what you need...
thank him for all he has done,
then you will experience God's peace."
He doesn't even mention JEsus.


Rick wants you to know
how you can find the true inner peace
that every man searches for... this is why he has created what he calls the PEACE plan.


If you want PEACE and stablitiy
in the midst of
CHANGE
just remember,..
 
Jesus is the Prince of Peace...
  Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
 
JEsus brought us true and everlasting peace
Ephesians 2:14---
For he himself is our peace, 
who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, 
the dividing wall of hostility,  by abolishing in his flesh the law 
with its commandments and regulations. 
His purpose was to create in himself one new man
out of the two, thus making peace,




Acts 10:36
You know the message God sent
to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace
through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.


Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The Bible....ala Rick

As a Christian,  you know the Bible is important, 
and you know that the the word of God is a lamp 
unto your feet, a light unto your path.  
But just how important is it 
according to Pastor Rick?

“God has a purpose behind every problem….In fact he depends more on circumstances to make us like Jesus than he depends on our reading the Bible”
Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life pg. 193


 “ Now, what is the purpose of the Bible? Well, it says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work." But people misread that verse most of the time. The purpose of the Bible is not for doctrine, not for reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness… "
Rick Warren- Purpose-Driven Preaching: Interview by M. Duduit

That is not a typo...
Rick warren says that 
the bible is not for doctrine....
not for reproof.......
what does he mean?
Didn't he just read that it was
"profitable for these" things?


Rick tells his listeners....

"Paul used his testimony to share the gospel instead of quoting Scripture.
Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life pg. 291

And yet, Paul charged Timothy,
"before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who shall judge the quick and the dead
at his appearing and his kingdom;
 Preach the word;
be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort
with all long suffering
and doctrine.
For the time will come 
when they will not endure sound doctrine;.

Care to be like a Berean?
Read: Matthew 4:4 
John 14:26
Joshua 8:34 
Eccles 12:11


There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to worship and friendship with God."
Purpose Driven Life: Worship that pleases God   by Rick Warren
John 14:6
 Jesus answered, “I am the way 
and the truth and the life. 
 No one comes to the 
Father except through me.



“ Now, what is the purpose of the Bible? Well, it says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work." But people misread that verse most of the time. The purpose of the Bible is not for doctrine, not for reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. ...
Rick Warren-  Purpose-Driven Preaching: Interview by M. Duduit


… “ Watch your life
and doctrine closely. 
Persevere in them,
because if you do, 
you will save both yourself 
and your hearers.”
 2 Tim 4


"But people misread that verse 
most of the time...
The purpose of the Bible is not for doctrine, 
not for reproof, 
correction, 
and instruction in righteousness....
Those are all “for this” in the Greek. 
For this, 
          for this, 
                  for this, in order that. 
The purpose is in order that. 

So doctrine in itself 
is not the purpose of the Bible. 
Reproof in itself is not the purpose; 
correction and training are not the purposes. 
The bottom line is to change lives. “That the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work.” 

So every message must be preaching for life change.
Rick Warren-  Purpose-Driven Preaching: Interview by M. Duduit



1 John 5:13
These things have I written unto you that
believe on the name of the Son of God; that
ye may have a changed life know that ye have eternal life, 
and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.



Unity in the Church Quotes of Rick Warren

On the topic of UNITY....

Rick Warren  says that the simple solution, 
if you have someone in the church 
who disagrees with you... 
someone who "causes" disunity..... 
simply "get rid of them."


"The Bible talks more about unity of the church than it does about either heaven or hell. It's that important. Churches are made up of people, and there are no perfect people. So people get into conflict with each other. As pastors, we need to learn how to deal with those situations. Specifically, we're called to do these six things when disunity threatens our church."-

~ Rick Warren: What the Bible says about handling disunity; Christiantoday.com:  

Nov. 28, 2007

 

Is this statement even true, or are you just expected to believe it because he said it?

Is there any significance to how many times something is mentioned and how many times it is not o

r is all of scripture and what it has to say actually important?

 



"You’ve got to protect the unity of your church. If that means getting rid of troublemakers, do it."
  - Rick Warren, What the Bible says about Disunity, christianpost.com Nov. 17, 2007


" As pastors, as shepherds of God’s people, it’s our job to protect our congregations from Satan’s greatest weapon – disunity. It’s not always easy, but it’s what we’ve been called to do."
~ Rick Warren, What the Bible says about Disunity, christianpost.com Nov. 17, 2007 

Actually, Satan's greatest weapon is lies and deception.  
He used it in the garden.  It worked then, and it works today.   
The Scripture actually says, "For there must be also heresies,  
(also called, factions, differences, divisions)  
among you, that they which are approved
may be made manifest among you."  

Where is the UNITY in that?

 And Jesus had something to say about UNITY too.  He said, 

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I did not come to bring peace,  but a sword.   For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father,  a daughter against her mother,a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’"


"Anyone who loves his father or mother
more than me 
is not worthy of me; 
anyone who loves his son or daughter 
more than me is not worthy of me;
and anyone who does not take his cross
and follow me is not worthy of me. 
Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake 
will find it."

(Matthew 10:34-39)


Unity?  Our unity is found in Jesus Christ. 
and actually, as pastors the job is to "preach the word."
(and Let "unity" be found in Jesus Christ (in the Word and in God's love)
Could we define, "troublemaker"?
Is a "troublemaker" someone who complains that the Bible is being ignored at church?
Is a "troublemaker" someone who speaks up when the Bible is being misrepresented?
Is a "troublemaker" someone who rejects the gospel or who openly refuses to repent of sin?
(That last one could cause disunity)
Rick's advice, "Get rid of "troublemakers".  That's a pretty open-ended directive too.
What methods would be recommended?
 
"You’ve got to protect the unity of your church. If that means getting rid of troublemakers, do it." 
 - Rick Warren, What the Bible says about Disunity, christianpost.com Nov. 17, 2007


  Updated 1/ 2015

On "The Prayer That Changes You" - Part 1

"The Prayer that Changes You." a sermon given Jan 23, 2011, by Rick Warren at Saddleback church.
The reason sermons are posted on the internet is 
so that they can be listened to, and if you listen to them,
you might as well think about what they have to say. 
You may want to watch it yourself!

The following is an observational review.  
After a worship song, Rick Warren began this Sunday service celebrating Pastor Tom, his staff member and fellow "pastor,"  (not to mention- brother-in-law,)  He wished him a happy birthday, noting that he had been at Saddleback for twenty years, and saying what an amazing Bible Teacher he is... mentioning how so many people listen to him every week.  We also heard about how brilliant Rick Warren, and his sister, (especially his sister,) is.

Observe here, that Rick takes every opportunity 
to ensure that his listeners can be impressed 
by numbers and the perception of  "greatness."
---Worship Song---
Rick came back,  after the worship song and "welcomed" the Saddleback congregation as well as “ten” different campuses, including of course, their pastors, introducing some of them by name, all while making mention of more numbers to make sure we all know how big his church is and how much it is growing.  He talked about some pastors that serve to "represent" Rick in their various locations... on the internet and across the United States, "everywhere.”
You can rest assured that if you are a part of Sadlleback 
anything, you are part of something measurable and "BIG!"

Then, he talked about his new partners, Mark Hyman, Mehmet Oz, and Daniel Amen, and his newest endeavor, the "Daniel Plan." He defended, and promoted, his choice of these associates saying that these were "nationally known" doctors and telling his church how fortunate they were to have these three great and knowledgeable guys as their "personal" coach for a year!  He gave us his slogan for it too... telling us all how the Daniel Plan is the launching point for "a New You for a New Decade."  
Rick has joined forces with these men,
“experts” in how to have healthy  minds, bodies and spirits,
 In order to bring “health” to the church
and he calls them, “personal coaches.” Really?
                  This is as personal and as one-sided
as a pre-recorded, video seminar. 
 
He also gave an update to the congregation of his" Decade of Destiny," making sure to announce how popular the Daniel Plan is turning out to be, saying that the whole thing was “Just exploding!" Then, in order to impress us even more he began sweeping out numbers left and right, to impress us no doubt… to grow our understanding of how big and great and popular his projects should be thought of as by us who were listening to him speak.
Amidst all the numbers and figures, he said 6,000 people have put their Daniel Plan profiles on the web, and we heard about the 1,000 people who has signed up for the "clinical trials," which of course, made this all sound so very scientific.  He mentioned that churches everywhere want to do this program, dropping more numbers, as he told us how  30,000 churches in America wanted to do the Purpose Driven Life when it first came out, but to the request to do the Daniel Plan, Rick decline, telling those inquiries that they could do it…” next year,” and to his immediate church, (obviously the lucky ones who could be a past of this highly sought after program, he said that all the eyes of America are on them, so they "better not screw up."
(Ha-ha. The crowd was pleased by the joke, and so was Rick.) 
Additionally, we heard about how there were  "some very exciting things happening" (things that he, for some reason.. could mention , but he couldn't talk about. Apparently they were still secret... but we were assured that big names were involved and it would be profitable.  Whatever it was,  we would "probably hear about" these exciting things that were in the works, (thanks to Rick and the Daniel Plan,) sometime soon in the news. 

Do you get the idea that something GREAT and BIG is going on?  
Do you get the impression you should be impressed 
with Rick and just how GREAT and BIG
this all really is?

Looking at the sermon outline with the crowd, Rick Warren then talked about how people, like us, have good intentions in starting off to make changes- in things like finances or health, "but we loose our momentum" and "nothing really happens."  The obvious came next…  he was there to help remedy all of this as he told us that the subject of the day was going to be about, "What it really takes to change. "This week, in particular, it was going to be, "the Prayer That Changes You,” taught by Rick Warren, specifically, he was going to teach how the “Lord's Prayer is actually a model for our lives."
Pointing out the importance of breakfast in starting your day, which was a truth that he said could be testified to "by any doctor," he told the crowd, that the way you start your day, (not only physically, with breakfast, but spiritually and emotionally too,)  was important. 

"Write it down," he said...  and the people all write down, ”My time alone with God, every morning"... (is important,) "…because that's going to set the pattern of my attitude and my response to every event and every person for the rest of that day." 

He taught that the most important start to our day was a “quiet time" with God”  He said, this is "where you do three or four things,"  and this time with God goes by many "names." Pointing out how it is sometimes called, "quiet time," or "morning devotions" or even, "daily devotions," he said he "really doesn't care what YOU call it..." It's a time when YOU spend time alone with God and you do three or four things, and  it sets your thermostat spiritually for the day.
Do you get the idea that there are three…or maybe four
 things you are supposed to do in your quiet time with God?
You can be sure that this list of  
"three or four things" consists of things that 
he will teach  in a moment.

To prove the importance of this morning time spent with God, Rick said this was the habit of all great people of God in the Bible.  He then made note of Jacob, David Samuel, many of the kings... Elijah, and Elisha, emphasizing that they all had a quiet time with God in the morning.  He mentioned Jesus too and told us how it was Jesus' "pattern" to have a "quiet time" with God like this. Then quoting Psalm 5:3 (in the NCV) Rick said, "Lord, every morning you hear my voice, every morning I tell you my need and I wait for you to answer," stressing for us all the "every morning" in David's words.  He reiterated that these words of the Psalms was David speaking about his "quiet time with God. 

Observe how he selectively displays for us 
a sample of how God hears "my voice" 
and how God is poised to respond to what "I tell" him. 
This might be the reason for using this particular version
The NCV.  But, God is not "at our command" No.
David is writing here about 
being secure in God, 
knowing his care.  He is talking about how he, David, 
makes supplication to God and 
looks up to  and looks to God,
awaiting His deliverance
from enemies...
from evil.


Rick said what he wanted to do this weekend was first explain the four components of a "quiet time" and then explain six elements that REALLY  "will help you change your life" using this method." 

 But, hark!  After going on and on about how important, "quiet time" with God is, Rick says something quite the opposite.  He says that you can have a quiet time with God every day and it doesn't change your life.  In fact, he said that he knows a lot of people who read the bible everyday and they never change; that "it is not what you do that will make a difference, but how you do it that makes a difference;" and he said that he was going to… "teach you [how to do it right,] a little bit different that you have learned or known about it the past."

That's right.  You have to learn the right methods from Rick ... 
because he wants you to know that your time with God is useless, unless of course you are doing it the way he here presents it.  In other words... no one ever until now did it right....
$Rick is the expert....  and he is the change agent...
making sure you will get it right....

and he will teach you new meanings of words.. like mediation
he will give you new presentations of what it means to pray...
new presentations of ancient texts...
teach you to pray...
teach you how to spend time with God in "mediation"
Teach you  how to pray....
(like David) because just you spending time with God... is not enough and you have to do it RIGHT, like he does.

Rick is wrong.
but he wants you to listen to him so he can change the church....
Because if you are not purpose driven....
if you are not listening to "healthy" Rick...
if you are not purpose driven
you are obviously "unhealthy"
You can be assured what Rick teaches will be 
 "a little different that what you have learned or known in the past."
. because it is unbiblical, not in the Bible,
a weird twisting of truth and notably worthy of scrutiny


So then, in teaching the elements of spending time alone with God, Rick began by saying that that it didn't matter "where" you spent time with God, he said that it just needed to be someplace special, quiet....secluded, and silent.  He suggested even in a car would be acceptable, if that was the only "quiet place" around, especially for a busy om.  But, back to the Outline...

The Four Components of Spending Time with God
1.Read God's Word...
Rick teaches that you do not have to read a lot... he says, "just read until God speaks to you."  He says also that you do not have to read it if you do not like to read; you can simply listen to it, in any version... or you can even watch it, like when it is acted out on video.  Above all, just be sure to use the four components!   
Then he made a point to mention how famous the King James Version of the bible is, how it is "the most famous version.  He called it, "beautiful,"  "poetic" and "a classic," stressing to us how the King James Bible "established our English Language" and our "English culture..."
But observe...he neglected to mention how it established our "Christian" faith.

....and then he dismissed it’s use for today, saying that it was archaic, because today, nobody really talks in "thee's and thous"... and so, he said "it's okay" to get a more modern version.  

He then recommended various bibles, including the NLT and the NIV specifically mentioning that these were available in his book store...  and he recommended his church e start reading through the book of Proverbs and the book of John. 

Using Isaiah 50:4 as an example... Rick said that spending time with God will give you wisdom... and he asks if people have ever come to you in a discussion, someone with problems, and you "didn't have an answer for them?" He said that if you didn't have an answer for them it was probably because you didn't spend some "quiet time" with God that day.  He said if you do spend time with God then God will tell you what to say to people you meet with that day and then he made it a point to let everyone know that HE SPENDS TIME WITH GOD EVERY MORNING.  He added that he "can't tell you how many times he was able to share with someone this way."  Then he tells us that this is what happened to a guy named Isaiah.

Observe how Rick has just demonstrated for us, that he has answers from God. 
Not only is he is told by God, what to say to people, but he’s  like that guy, Isaiah. 

Rick read from Isaiah 50:4 while it was posted on the screen in the room he was at
He read: "The Sovereign LORD has given me his words of wisdom," (... interrupting the reading, Rick interjects: "God wants to give YOU His words of wisdom... " and then he repeats it all from the top.)  

"The Sovereign LORD has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know what to say to all these weary ones... (Rick interjects again, saying: "...and all around you, there are weary ones. People tell me all the time, 'Rick, when you get up and you teach, I feel like you are speaking right to me.' Well, I am, and the reason I am and  I'm speaking directly ....(garbled words)… is because I spend time with God, and as I spend time with God, the Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom so I know what to say to all these weary ones."  

Observe how he has just given you the opportunity
to think that he, like Isaiah, is hearing from God, “The Sovereign Lord.” 
And he also takes opportunity to present this notion 
that people are attracted to his teachings…People, "all the time"
recognize, this wisdom, and since they do,
the premise is set that we too, should somehow, join in with the trend.

Apparently, there is a bandwagon of people who
tell him “all the time” that when he teaches 
they feel like it is a direct word for them, from God.

 He continues the reading in Isaiah,, " Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will."  (Rick interjects again saying  Notice, the reason why Isaiah was so wise...is 'cause every morning he got up and he spent time with God in the word and if you do that, you will become wise.. I don't care how much or how little schooling you had , you will become a wise person if everyday, you spend time in this book."

Really?  Did he just say that?
Hold on a moment.  Let's .think back to that unveiling of 
that old PEACE PLAN...in September 2003, 
when Rick talked about the second "evil giant"  in the world,
("Corrupt leadership" he called it, 
placing it in category with  "poverty" and "disease,")
One  the day he announced that he intended to conquer
all these evil giants with his P.E.A.C.E. PLAN he talked about
“leaders” in the church 
and he explained “corrupt leadership” saying,   
"Not only have these leaders 
not gone to seminary or Bible school, 
they haven’t even gone to high school or primary school.
They have no training whatsoever -- 
and yet they lead the church. 
This must be remedied."


What made them corrupt?
HE called the “corrupt.”
But really, the only thing he described wrong with them,
was that they were untrained, unschooled, ordinary men
who had never been to seminary. 
Now he says, "I don't care how much or little schooling you had,
you will become a wise person if you spend time in this book." 

Seems these people must read their Bible, or at least know Jesus,
after all he is talking about them as pastors of a church.

 2.  Be quiet before God
This leads Rick to then begin talking about the reason for us experiencing stress and  poor health ... (the very things his Daniel Plan with the personal coaches, is supposed to remedy.)  Rick quotes Isaiah 30:15, "In quietness and confidence is your strength"
Then  before quoting Isaiah 40:31, (Those who hope in the LORD  will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint,) Rick Warren says to those listening.... the ones interested in the Daniel Plan, to those learning how to be “healthy” from him, and their new personal coaches, "The reason you have stress and poor health is because you do not have enough quietness in your life."

"A lot of you are like Job," he says, going on to say that we have "no peace," "no quietness" and "no rest," but "only turmoil." He read a portion of Job and reminded his listeners that God wants you to just be quiet before Him, in order to "recharge" your emotional battery, which one does by, he says, being "connected to God." 


Rick uses Job, as an example of someone… "not connected" to God? 
Poor Job.  HE, like us, was just  too busy and stressed out… unhealthy. 
Thanks to Rick...now we know why Job was so sick.

Yes, Job sure looked "unhealthy" to his friends, as well as to his dear wife. 
In fact, in his trials, Job lost all his family, all his possessions and  his health.
Wow.  Did you know that this was all because he probably neglected that “quiet time” in the morning… was not, "connected to God?"  
THEN… came the whole reason for this lengthy introduction
about spending “quiet time” with God..

Rick commented about how he had been receiving some unwarranted criticism regarding his use of the word, "meditation." 

It was now apparent  he was going to give this talk
about quiet time with God EVERY morning,
to help derail and deflect some of the criticism
he has received from outspoken individuals
in the Christian community,
whom Rick called,
"confused Christians."
Rick said, there is no reason why Christians should be wary of something as benign as "meditation." To show how confused those people were, he suggested that words have different meanings, causing confusion for people.  Then, he used the examples of words like "grass" and "pin," to prove that there was only some confusion on this issue.  He demonstrated for us that he was being biblical and they were simply confused Christians, saying, "the Bible says," meditation means "focused attention on the word of God."

It's a little hard to point out 
something wrong with meditation
when Rick asserts that 
"meditation” is a biblical word.- and truly, it is.
How can anything be amiss if
"meditation" simple means, “quiet time”
like he says... 
after all, the word is in the bible!

(Maybe it is not the word meditation itself,
--it is a very fine word--
but rather, maybe it is the kind of meditation 
 it is... like the kind of "pin" you are using...
and how it is being done, that matters...
. What do you think?) 

 Taking this a step further, he said that another word for meditation is "rumination."
He explained that this idea of “rumination” is like when the cow who has just eaten grass  is "ruminating" it, "soaking that grass,” “getting every once of nutrition out of it, in a relaxed way."  He insisted that when he mentions "meditation," he is not talking about "putting your mind in neutral" and "contemplating your navel," (No… far be it from Rick to do that.)   No, he is obviously teaching , right now what meditation means; "meditation," like he just said, is biblical and means, "focused attention on the word of God.