Four Laws of a Blessed Church

Four Laws of a Blessed Church


"Laws of a Blessed Church?"  


Did God already set forth his commandments in stone?  Didn't God already fullfill the requirements of the law on our behalf in Christ?  Yes... and yes!  What on earth is Rick talking about these "Four Laws of a blessed church for?


True as it is that God has already fulfilled the law in Christ, recently posted at pastors.com was this article,  Four Laws of a Blessed Church, by Rick Warren.  It seems to be a remake of a 2009 Purpose Driven article, of a similar title, Four Laws of God's Blessings. It's probably changed to appeal to a newer audience now, so it is slightly different, but the effect of reading it remains the same.  Gullible readers will be believing that "God's blessing upon your church "brings responsibility." Apparently there are Four Laws (laws that you have to be keeping) if you are, or want to be, that "Blessed Church" Rick is speaking about.

Rick's concepts are biblical, aren't they?  After all, churches do have responsibilities to carry out.  not only that, but Rick is a "pastor" and like all pastors, he uses some impressive quotes of the scripture to make his points in the mind of his readers and hearers.  He even sounds quite well versed and literate because he quotes from all kinds of "Bibles." 


Some readers, however, might be unaware of the difference between a translation and a paraphrase and they might just be glad to hear someone using the bible as they speak!  Well hooray for them, but sad for Rick who misleads people in the hows and why's of getting God's "blessing."  


Look at Rick's Laws and you will see that these "Laws" are not really "laws."  He doesn't even write them that way.  Rick just calls them laws as he teaches them to his hearers.  Look also how he uses the Bible to back what he says.


The first law, according to Rick, is for blessing to flow outwardly.   

"1. Blessing should flow outwardly."

From the Book of Genesis, he shows us how God told Abraham, "I will bless you and you will be a blessing to others." 

What blessing is he referring to?  He does not say.  and while Abraham is a great example... it is notable he doesn't mention the blessings we have in Christ.  Are you thinking yet that Rick is referring to earthly possessions and material blessings.... like finances?

Is that number one even a law?  It sounds more like a suggestion. ("Should flow?")  

 "2. When we bless others, God takes care of our needs.'

Oh, now he mentions Jesus.  Jesus "guaranteed," "Anyone who gives up anything for the kingdom of God will certainly receive many times more in this life and will receive eternal life in the next world to come." 


Is this number two, another law?  It sounds more like a principal. Furthermore, if it is a "Law" then who bound to keep this law?  God?  


So, when you bless others, God reciprocates?  (And it's a law?)  Hardly.
Rick has it backwards. 
 Someone even wrote a hymn that says, "Praise God from whom all blessing flows....."  


 "3.  Our blessings to others will come back on us."

Is this a LAW?  ( If it is, it actually sounds like the Buddhist "law"of Karma.  We do know that we reap what we sow...  Jesus tells us that.  We do know too that the measure you use, it will be measured to you.. (Luke 6:38) But Rick gives his hearers some motivation for blessing others.... (while quoting the Message by Eugene Peterson, which is not a Bible translation but a paraphrase.)  Rick says, in support of blessing others, "Luke 6:38 tells us, "Give your life away and you'll find your life will be given back.  But not merely given back.  Given back with bonus and blessing."

Christian, are you a follower of Jesus, for "the bonus?"  Are you in Christ for the bonus and the blessing Peterson and Warren insist God will be passing out if adhere to this third so-called "law" or are you in Christ because of what Christ has done for you on the cross.  

4.  The more we're blessed by God the more he expects us to help others."


Again, is this written as a law? (No.) More importantly, is this a law of God?
Statements like this are written in order to provoke people to give.  Instead however of giving out of generosity or with a cheerful spirit, one is urged to GIVE because of guilt and out of abundance.  


(Which of God's infamous Ten Commandments requires one to GIVE anything to anyone?)


To make his point, Rick uses words from the Living Bible, a paraphrase, stating that God says, in Luke 12 that, "Much is required from those to whom much is given. For their responsibility is greater." Rick neglects however to mention what verse in Luke this is and he fails to convey that this verse, in context, even in the Living Bible is about punishment specifically for those who know the master's will and do not do it.  It is not about the proper reciprocation and distribution of goods or finances as Rick infers when he asks, "If your church is blessed with resources that others around the wold do not have, how do you think God wants you to use them to help (or plant) other congregations?"  Rick makes blessing all about money.  

 So, what is a blessed church and what does it look like?


The picture Rick paints  of a blessed church as one who has wealth and worldly possessions.  His Four Laws all reflect allusions to what can only be described as monetary "blessings" from God and being  given and being received back in bonus too.  Rick attempts to makes your motivation for giving all about being motivated to get "God's blessings" in return.    However, when it comes to serving, helping and even to "giving,"  Christians do not give in order to get.  No, they operate under greater principles than Warren's bizarre  repackaging of the "law" of Karma for Christians.  They are instructed in the bible to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, (and they do) .... how he said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive.'  (Acts 20:35) 


 Jesus gave us a very different picture of a church blessed by God... (Matthew 5)

• Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
• Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
• Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
• Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
• Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
• Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
• Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Dedication, Leadership and Rick Warren

It's quite amazing, really, that while Jesus said, "Follow me," voices in the church are trying to make men leaders instead of followers.  They want to bring out the "leader" in you.

You have heard the voices.  You have seen the ads, listened to the sermons, and seen or even read the books by such great leaders and experts on leadership as John Maxwell,  Ken Blanchard, and Rick Warren, just to name a few.  If you listen to these guys, they will have you enthusiastic about your leadership opportunities, attending leadership training seminars, earning your "Masters" ( in Leadership,)  degree, attending a leadership university, in no time..... because see, they are all about this thing called "leadership," and through their fine sounding communication, they want to bring out the "leader",( not the "follower,") in you.

So the question of the day is:  Where does Rick Warren get his big, great, ideas about leadership?

After being informed by media hubs like US News and TIME magazines, even Christianity Today,   about how great a "leader" Rick Warren is, and how he is a man of BIG Ideas.... we should wonder about his inspiration.  Where did he learn what he knows about "leadership?"  How did he learn about building a "mega church?"  Where did he learn what he knows and puts into practice in his life? You might be surprised to know that it's not REALLY the Bible.

Don't misunderstand, Rick Warren mentions the Bible, he went to Bible college, two seminaries, and he hold a doctorate. He reads it, quotes it, and knows a lot about what it says, (except for those "2,000 verses" about God's compassion on the poor that he finally discov3red back in 2002, verses he missed in his studies about helping the poor.)No, he knows a lot about the Bible, but his sources of wisdom and inspiration, his recommendations to other people, are quite interesting.  In fact, in a 2009 interview with the Superintendent for the Assemblies of God churches, George Wood, Rick told the listening audience where he got the inspiring idea for his many "40 Days" campaigns.

It wasn't Noah on the ark for Forty Days and Forty nights....  no, he has mentioned that before, but it's not that,  not really.  It wasn't the number of days that Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness either.  No.  Warren, told his audience exactly where he got the idea for his campaigns from, and, sadly, it really was not the Bible.

He was talking about how he uses what he called "multiple reinforcements," (the idea of being repetitive with an idea, repeating the teaching he gives over a period of time in various aspects during a week, so as to help people better understand what is being communicated and "mature in their faith,) and he then related this to his 40 Day "campaigns." (In a campaign, he basically is given a teaching role in and over a church and all it's parishioners, programs and ministries for a six week period of time and his sermons and lessons and Bible studies are undertaken by the congregation while nothing else is taught in any aspect of the ministry.) Everyone is anticipated to participate and earn the new thing being taught by the "leader," with pastoral permission and consent, no less.  This is then replicated all over the country in churches and homes near and far.

Mr. Warren told Mr. Wood, and subsequently all of us,

"...a number of years ago, we've came out with what we call our "campaigns."  There's-- some people have heard of the "Forty Days of Purpose" campaign, but we've done a lot of them over the years at Saddleback.  One was called, 50 Days of Faith.  One was called, "Millennial Members."  One was called, "I Want to Grow."  One was called, "40 Days of Peace," and practically every year, we'll do this spiritual emphasis, where we pick a subject and we'll focus on it for an intense period of time and we will hear it on Sunday and we will read about it during the week, and we'll discuss it in a small group and we'll do projects and we'll memorize it, and somehow, by doing all these reinforcements, I have found, the spiritual growth just soars!  More than just hearing the sermons, but doing it, in multiple ways."

Interpreted, this means that just "hearing" it 

preached in a sermon is 

not as good as how Rick does it
-with his multiple "reinforcement" plans.

He says that it is this extra "reinforcement" that 

causes "spiritual growth" to "soar."

On the other hand God's word tells us

that faith comes by hearing, and that it is God 

who not only causes things to  grow, 

but God who gives the increase.  

(1 Corinthians 3:7)

After being praised by Mr. Wood for his great leadership abilities and his influence on all the churches in America, Rick loosened up a bit more and went on to explain where, exactly, his idea for the 40 Day, and other notorious campaigns came from.  Rick said, 

"You know, (he stuttered a little bit here,)" by- by-- by doing these, um, "campaigns...." (His tone changed a little bit, ) "I-I actually learned the idea of a campaign, from the communists, (Rick laughs a little... probably nervous laughter,)  "of all people."  (Still almost chuckling, he continued explaining, )"Years ago, there was a book written, called, Dedication and Leadership.  It was written in the fifties, by the head of the Communist Party of England, who converted to Christ.  He actually became a Catholic.  And he wrote this book on what the Church could learn from the Communists... not about "doctrine"...but you know, we know our doctrine, but "what were some of the tools that they used to help win converts to Communism," and he wrote this book called Dedication and Leadership.  It is still in print, by, a Notre Dame Press.  It's not a very well-known book.... but it's Douglas Hyde--if you are a pastor and you want to pick it up..." 

This, in case you missed it, is a sales-pitch for the book.  Rick is simply suggesting that if you are a pastor and want to emulate him, learn as he has, then you should read it too.  Then you will know how to recruit members and build them into leaders

Isn't it interesting that Rick encourages people in leadership position to read this book by Douglas Hyde?  He even went on to mention a particular chapter too, obviously implying that it was something valuable, something of worth to take the time to purchase from Notre Dame Press, and read.  Obviously, he thinks it will help you in your dedication and leadership abilities.  Have you ever even heard of Douglass Hyde?  

You might want to research a little and see 

who this man is before you buy his book simply

on a Rick Warren namedropping-whim.  

Rick fails to mention it, but Douglas Arnold  Hyde

didn't believe in Jesus Christ;

he did however believe in the power of the Vatican, 

but he left that scene too when he felt it 

had failed him and his aspirations 

to change the world.

One can certainly hope he believed in Jesus and that 

someone told him the good news of how

Jesus Christ died for sin,

but it is hard to know 

for sure because Douglas Hyde, 

according to sources like Kevin Morgan,  died having 

returned to the Communist/Socialist Party, 

describing himself as an 

"Agnostic Christian."

Essentially, Rick is instructing American pastors of Christian Churches, to use Communist tools, methods and Communist thinking and strategy.  Why?  And if you're a youngun' then you might want to ask, "Who, or what, are Communists anyway?"

There is a disconnect somewhere.  Have we forgotten human history?  Have we not heard or do we simply ignore what we have heard about the perils of Communist regimes? Do "pastors" not know or do they simply not believe that God gave a method, a specific, sure, guaranteed method for "winning converts" and bringing people into the church?

"Preach the Word!"

(In season and out of season... Preach Christ)

That is God's method, simple and true.

But Rick Warren, apparently, has a better methodology. He learned it from those who knew it well, from people like, Douglas Hyde.

                                                                                              (He learned it from the Communists, and you can learn it too.  

Just never mind that it is

based upon human tradition

and the rudiments of the world

and not on Jesus Christ..)

And, is Rick Warren serious?  He seems to be, as he recommends this reading material to the people of God's church. 

HE must believe it, for he used Stalin, Lenin and Mao as examples of great leadership when he spoke to the crowd at his 25th Anniversary gather at Anaheim Stadium in 2005.  Only then, he asked what would happen if people (American Christians) were "radical", as committed to Jesus Christ as people had been to those "fanatical " leaders of communism, Lenin, Stalin, and Mau se Tong.

Photo from Orange Country Register

The crowd holds up signs in front of Rick Warren, 

signs that say "Whatever it takes"

Yes, Pastor Rick.  "Whatever it takes."  

(They will do "whatever" it takes... only who is going to tell them what to do?  And, isn't that what the Hitler Youth told Hitler?)

Is Rick serious?  Does he really believe that the Communists with their Communistic methodologies should be employed or be an example to the church?  Do people in the church just simply believe him?

He must.  They hold up signs and read his books. And now, he wants you, pastor, to go get and read Douglas Hyde's "little known" until "now announced" by Rick, book.

It's weird.

Think of Paul of Tarsus.  Paul said, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (NIV)

Paul was always pointing to the savior, to the author and finisher of our faith...Jesus Christ.  He knew that it was his job to do so.  He knew that men needed to believe on the one who could save them from their sin, and he preach Christ relentlessly, pointing people to the scriptures so they could believe.  On the subject of what makes a good leader or how to be a leader, Paul would have probably replied, "I determined to known nothing among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified."

Who did Paul follow, who was he partnered with and from whom did he learn?

Who should we learn from?..... Douglas Hyde?

Who does Rick Warren partner, or "yoke" with?  From whom does he learn and take his cues?  (Hyde?)  What names and associations does he have a high regard for?  Who does he emulate or use as an example of leadership?  In case you have not noticed, Rick likes to drop a lot of names and ideas upon his "purpose driven" listeners and it is not so impressive that he chooses to use things like the "Communist Party" and "Douglas Hyde" and to present them in some strangely positive "light." 

But wait, there's more....

Rick, still being interviewed by Mr. Wood, (Minute 21: 17 if you care to view it yourself.) said quite proudly, as he chuckled once again,

"We actually started small groups with unbelievers as the leader."

Really Rick? (This too is supposed to be seen as a positive thing.) 

It makes sense, for if he had actual believers leading these small groups, they might be more like those "nobler " Bereans who checked the scriptures to see if what Paul (the Apostle) taught them was even remotely true.  (Note: They found that what Paul preached lined up with the Old Testament truths of God!)

Without believers as "leaders", no one will really need to question what they are being taught.  They will only get answers being taught by Rick  at the convenience of a DVD player.  You cannot ask a DVD questions.  You cannot ask a group leader who only has the answers Rick gives either.  Conveniently,living room and church audiences who do not know any better, will just believe Rick and whatever he says, cause he is the "pastor," and many naive people may even be willing to do  "whatever it takes" to get the results the leader desires.

"Whatever," is a pretty-big word.  It can entail a lot of things.

Jesus, perhaps, said it best, when he said,

"If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."

Matthew 15:14


But this same Jesus, heals the blind, redeems the lost and He sets the captive free!



Watch the Assemblies of God, Rick Warren Interview, here.

Colossians 2:8
"See to it that no one takes you captive though philosophy and empty deception, according to the principals of the world, rather than on Christ."
(NASB)

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