40 Days in the Word - Intoductory Letter

Wow!  Another campaign from Rick Warren and friends.  It's called, 40 Days in the Word.

What caught my attention was the introductory letter in his sample preview, where Rick stresses the importance of the habit of being in God's word.  He tells readers that a "healthy" disciple of Jesus will be feeding on God's word, and that doing just that is to be your number one priority!

He's got a good point, doesn't he?   Does he?

I means check-out the strange adjectives he likes to use. What, exactly, is a "healthy disciple?"

Seriously, have you ever noticed how that in Rick's dichotomy, all disciples of Jesus are earmarked as either "healthy" or "unhealthy"?  And, if you want to be earmarked as a "healthy" anything, then you must most certainly have learned how to be "healthy" from Rick!  (Anyone who wants to be "healthy" instead of "unhealthy " is urged by Rick to do this.)  It's also interesting that he thinks of reading the Bible, not just as a means of it's life-giving properties and the individual gaining knowledge of the Holy One, but as a "habit." 

His choice of and uses of words and of the Bible in it's many translations and renderings are strange too.

Rick informs letter readers, that when it comes to being "In the Word," Jesus called it, "abiding."  He also quotes John 8:31 to make sure he proved that point.  However, my NASB read John 3:31 as. "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of mine." Some other versions say that, but the NASB as quoted is actually missing the word "abide."

I cannot help but note that Rick also tells us the Bible must be a standard of authority, a , a counsel and a benchmark, something that we use for wisdom, guidance and decision making.  He tells us that the Bible must always have the first and last words in our lives.  Fascinating to me is that Rick cannot even decide what Bible to use. It appears that Pastor Rick simply makes use of whatever Bible translation he happens to best for his desired outcome in making a particular point.

In his short introductory letter he quotes three different Bible translations, the NIV the KJV and the NASB.  Apparently, none of these translations really has any authority.  It is as if they all are simply wielded about under Rick's command, used by him to say whatever he wants them to say at the moment.  While your amazed by his feat of juggling them all before you, you might not realize he is just amking them say what he wants them to say to you.  The bible is not longer the authority; Rick is.

Rick did make a point to note each translation he quoted, but he got the "NASB" which he quoted for John 3:31 wrong.  The word "abide" is used in other versions for that particular verse, but not in the NASB.  


Rick says,
"By the end of our forty days together, my goal is to help you Love the Word of God like you have never loved it before, learn the word of God like you have never learned it before, live the word of God like you have never lived it before."

Rick, as usual,  uses a lot of superlatives.  He asserts that this journey with him teaching you will be beneficial, so beneficial that it will surpass everything you have ever done.  
He will, (apparently,) have you learning, loving and living God's word, like you 
have "never" learned, loved or lived God's Word before.

Do you supposed it's something completely new and different?  Do you suppose it's possible that he is teaching something new and different than the gospel you have already received?
Hmmm.   What else does Rick say?

I realize this is just a snippet, but Rick says:

"God never intended Bible Study just to increase our knowledge."

IT makes one think that when God intended for you to be doing those Bible studies
  he had didn't intended to "just increase your knowledge,"
(Perhaps Rick is right, but what did he intend to do?)  

 Rick tells us, 

God's word is not meant to "just inform you, but to transform you."

Funny.  Seems he is telling the church that they need to change, to be "transformed."
It is also as if he is complaining about this thing called "knowledge."
and this, after going on about how important abiding in the word is.  
After all, he just told us that the Bible has to be like our compass and our guide.

 
Before dismissing knowledge, check out Romans 10:2.  
Apparently, it is possible to have a zeal for God without knowledge.
And about that  'transformation;" Doesn;t he make it sound as if the churches he is talking to have not been transformed from darkness into light, death into life?

i mean, you might say that Christians, who have been "born again," who have believed on the One whom God sent to save us from sin and death, have already been "transformed." 
But Rick doesn't say that.  He does not even suggest it. 
No, there's Rick, insisting that the church needs the adjective "healthy" and that it is the church that needs to be "transformed."

Not only that, but because the church agrees with Rick that they need him to 
transform them, he is prepared to teach them to do things 
like they have never done them before! 

But is what Rick saying the same thing that the scripture teaches?
He tells us,

"Reading, researching, remembering, reflecting on the Bible is useless if we fail to put God's Word into practice."

It sounds about right, but not quite right.  I mean, 
do you suppose that any of these things, 
that all just happen to start with the letter "R," 

"Reading,"                                                            

"Researching,"                                   

"Remembering,"                                             

"or Reflecting "                            

are ever USELESS?

If I read , say, Isaiah 55 ...  verse 11, I have to think that 
God's Word is never "useless." 
 
How can the Word of God be useless, ever,

when we understand that it goes forth and accomplishes what God desires?

But where all of the above takes the reader is interesting.  First they subject themselves and/or other members of their congregation to Pastor Rick as he leads nd directs their teaching about God's Word.  Then for six weeks they voluntarily immerse themselves in everything Rick Warren, learning every thing to think about from him, and if Warren meets his goal, they will Learn the Word, Love the Word, and Live the Word, like never ever before.  

In conclusion, Rick points us to the teaching of Jesus.  He says,  

"Jesus said both knowing and applying the word creates the foundation for our lives." Rick then  relates  the NIV rendering of  Matthew 7:24.

This has me wondering...
Christian, what is the "foundation" for your life?

The foundation of "your life," (whatever that entails,)
where does it originate?
More importantly, is that foundation created by, (or simply built upon by,) YOU?

And, when we read in Matthew 7, as Rick relates it to us,

let's note that the firm and strong"foundation" mentioned there,
it's a rock... solid rock.
  

Are you the one responsible for creating the foundation
that Jesus is talking about in  Matthew's passage, 
or could the One truly responsible for the firm foundation
that "solid rock," possibly be someone else,
maybe even... God?

What is Rick Warren and his materials teaching in the church?

One thing more he says in this letter is that "the Bible, must have the first and last word in your life."

First and last?  Interesting.

With that, may Jesus Christ be, not only the solid Rock that your precious faith is founded upon, but the Allpha and the Omega that your Bible always points you to.