"So Close to Hell That I Can Smell It"

Hell?

The reality of a place called hell is an rather unpleasant thought, for it is a place where God is forever unreachable.  If hell has a smell, it would likely be more unpleasant that anything we know in this world.  Strangely, in his article, 8 Acts of a Healthy, Growing Church, by Rick Warren, he states that he wants "to get so close to hell that he can smell it." It's a rather weird thing to say, but then, in light of scripture, so are some of the other things Rick touts.

In, 8 Acts of a Healthy Church, Rick  uses the book of Acts in the bible, to show his readers the characteristics of the early church, and teach how, (if we want God's blessing,) we can do the same as they did, (Note: this is not necessarily what the bible says, but what is being taught by Pastor Rick.)  Rick's catch on the deal with God, is that you have to learn these 8 "acts" (of a "healthy" church,) from Rick. 

"There are a lot of churches that want to play it safe. They get as far away from unbelievers as they can so they don’t get tainted. I want to get so close to hell that I can smell it!" - Rick Warren

Rick accuses churches, a "lot" of them, of "playing it safe," being unwillling to take risks, like Rick, who evidently is so risky that he's willing to get close to "hell" then those other churches and Christians dare to get.) 

Rick, who claims to know almost everything, is out to convince you that he knows all about The book of Acts, but more importantly, that he knows how to get God's blessing.  The key to getting the blessing of God is apparently doing church like it was done in the book of Acts, with a catch..... it must be interpreted for us, by Rick. 

He begins the article by dropping names like B.H. Carroll, C. Peter Wagner, and G. Campbell Morgan.  You might not even know who those people are.   Rick probably never met B.H. Carroll or G. Cambell Morgan personally, but he did know C Peter Wagner well.  Droping the names of some popular names, one of which is a personal friend, Rick hopes the legacy of these men will validate what he has to say about the book of Acts.  Promising you and me a "blessing," from God.... IF....  we accept his wisdom about the early church.... validated by those three men of course, Rick teaches:

"If we echo the actions of the early church, we can expect God’s blessing on our church."  

Now that he has you trusting that he knows so much about this, and has validated it for you and me who are impressed with his wise associations of Carroll, Wagner and Morgan, it is expected that you will see...as Slicky Ricky teaches...that the Holy Spirit living inside of you is not sufficient.  

Nope.  you need to have Rick's teaching.  He says:

"If you’re a Christian, you already have the Holy Spirit living inside you, but...."  -Rick Warren

 But?...  

But what?  What follows is a long list of things that you MUST do in order to be "blessed" by God. 

Here is his list of things YOU (he says "we" so he himself is included....) "must" DO, (besides receive the Holy Spirit, because that is not enough:)

"We must maintain a warm fellowship."

"We must multiply small groups."

"We must magnify our vision of God."

"We must maximize the power of prayer."

"We must model Christ-like generosity."

(Must... must..... must.... must...must...must....must... and....)

"We must move out with God’s mission." -Rick Warren

8 Acts of a Healthy, Growing Church, By Rick Warren, October 10, 2013

Rick  has a long list of things for the Christian with the Holy Spirit "living in side of them," to get busy doing.   The thing is, those are Rick's commands, use here  to get you on his own programs.  there is no loophole, no rest... not even a choice on your part.  The Holy Spirit living inside of you when you put your faith in Jesus Christ, is not enough.  You MUST also do all these things Rick mentions.... as MUSTS.

Rick has people running themselves ragged, moment by moment doing their best to please God by maintaining warm fellowship with people in their small groups.  They must also be working to multiply and grow their groups, as well as be busy "magnifying" the "vision of God", (What is "God's vision" by the way?  Is that in the Bible or one of Rick's books?)  They must also be busy "maximizing the power of prayer," (as if we possess that power in and of ourselves.) and we must also be "modeling" of "Christ-like generosity." (Perhaps he means tithing?) As for  "mobilizing God's mission," this means promoting Rick's "movement of God."   

In his Purpose Driven materials he claims, "This campaign is all about the Kingdom of God, fulfilling his agenda in His world. Nothing brings more glory to God than having his churches, small groups, and his people fulfilling His Purposes. Because 40 Days of Purpose is about God's Kingdom, it is much bigger than any individual, church or denomination. We must work together "to serve God's purpose in our generation." (Acts. 13:36)   I hope and pray that your church won't miss out on this movement of God. I invite you to join us. We're waiting to partner with you on the journey of a lifetime!"  -Rick Warren

                                                                                   (Check Acts 13:36b here for meaning.)

People under Rick's tutelage, must do, do, do.  If you remember, the church, according to Rick, for the last fifty years, has been nothing but a big mouth, (better known for speaking than doing,) that is..... until Rick came with new insight from God.  Rick was tired with the big mouth church that never did anything to help people....and was always negative.

" The problem for the last fifty years is that the church has been the body of Christ, but the hands and the feet have been amputated and all that’s left is the mouth. Most of the time, we’re known for what we say and not for what we do in culture. And we’re more known for what we’re against than what we’re for. I’m tired of that and I intend to change it. "  ~Rick Warren                     The Purpose-Driven Student, An Interview, Jan. 14th, 2007

So people must now do everything perfect... perfectly balancing the five purposes laid out by Rick .  Churches and Christians are by default, labeled not "healthy."  And evidently, you should never be tired or feel ill for this is certainly a sign that God is not with you, because, as Rick states,  that:

 "one of the characteristics of people who try to minister in a church without God’s Spirit is simple – tiredness, fatigue."         8 Acts of a Healthy, Growing Church, By Rick Warren, October 10, 2013

This is a problem.  It's not the truth.

 We do get tired and weary..  Jesus himself got tired.  This does not mean Jesus did not have the power of God with him.  Christians are to live lives by faith and trust the Holy Spirit living in side of them always, not listen so some man who puts himself up on a pedestal and who does nothing but find fault with the church so that he can, by his own ideas and programs, improve upon it.  

According to Rick in this article, the early church in the book of Acts, chapter 8, did not even do church right.  "They didn't spread the gospel." 

"They didn't spread the gospel. So God applied pressure by allowing persecution to get them to spread. The Bible says, 'On that day a great persecution broke out against the church of Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered through Judea and Samaria.' Notice that: the pastors stayed home but all the people were scattered into Judea and Samaria. Why? Because that’s where He wanted them to go..." -Rick Warren

8 Acts of a Healthy, Growing Church, By Rick Warren, October 10, 2013

The disobedient church refused to share the gospel with others.  Persecution didn;t come because they refused to share the gospel, rather, it came because they did share.... after all, Saul, who later became Paul, was out to destroy the church.   He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison, (Acts 8:3) and this while all the while thinking he was doing a good service unto God. Saul was wrong. Meeting Jesus personally and realizing his sinful errors and repenting of them, Saul became a Christian himself and leaving the old man behind, he became known to the church, not as Saul, but as Paul.


The way to be "church"  according to Rick, has nothing to do with people having faith in Christ Jesus as Lord. 

"We will be the New Testament church when we magnify the vision of God, pray like they prayed, when we are filled with the Spirit and when we are generous with each other." -Rick Warren

8 Acts of a Healthy, Growing Church, By Rick Warren, October 10, 2013

...and while Rick talks about being "filled with the Spirit," note that he does not say, be tilled with the "Holy Spirit."  

Filled with what "spirit?"   (1John Chapter 4) 

It would be easy to assume, he means the Holy Spirit, but he is vague.  HE a pastor, he talks about Jesus and he even says that he himself is a "believer."

"I am a believer and I know I’m going to heaven. Nothing can take that away from me. But between now and when I go to heaven, I want to take as many people with me as possible. I hope you’ll commit to that same thing."
 

Rick's words, are like clouds without rain.  His words are all about himself, and the object of true Christian faith is invisble.  while he claims that he wants to "take people to heaven with him,"  he does not give any opportunity for someone reading this article to put their faith in Jesus Christ.... even though he hopes they will "commit" to the same thing he's committed to, (a thing that is undefined and ambiguous.) We find him not sharing the gospel, but soliticing  people to follow his teaching  and do,do, do, do, all the things he says that  they "MUST" do to be  the "church" ....without any mention of the Savior.

 
People of all faiths can be classified as "believers" for they all "believe" in something.   

Religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Mormonism and other various cults all have their followers and their own particulars of what one is to "believe" ( and do) to be called of that religion.  Rick's a "believer?"  In what?  

He does not say.

Rick also says knows he is "going to heaven,"but so does a Muslim who practices jihad.  Meanwhile, he never mentions the way to heaven is only one way, nor tell you that Jesus is the only door.... and he wants to sell you his books and programs and ways of thinking about the book of Acts.  Apparently some people are not only perfect as doing everything God demands, but are also busy working to make converts.  Unwilling to be open about the truth of God, they simply make clones of themselves... or worse.  


Christian pastors proclaim the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  They encourage others to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation from sin and death ( and without hypocracy, this faith is the same that they believe.) Their hearers, actually have the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus Christ and receive God's gift of eternal life and thereby, with sin forgiven, be able go to "heaven."  Rick Warren, has his own agenda.  To get you interested in his programs and his P.E.A.C.E> plan and his teachings, like a bully, Rick paints churches in a negative light.  He is also quick to tell you that he is so much better than they are.

"There are a lot of churches that want to play it safe. They get as far away from unbelievers as they can so they don’t get tainted. I want to get so close to hell that I can smell it! "

Weird.