Rick Warren Quotes: Healthy Church

Showing posts with label Healthy Church. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Dem Bones

In Ezekiel 37 we learn about a valley full of bones.

"Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord." verse 4

There's a good word from the Lord!

Rick Warren teaches about bones too:

"The bigger the animal, the bigger the bones need to be. This is what is meant about changing structure. The structure, or organization, is the bones that hold the body of Christ together. When we were children our bones were very small. As an adult we’d look quite funny if we had the same bones. Did you know that you get new bones every seven years? Your body is continually eliminating old cells from your bones and creating new bone from your marrow. Similarly this must happen in our churches as they grow."

~Rick Warren

Churches That Change to Be Healthier Experience 5 Renewals (Part 2) by Rick Warren,

Apparently, big churches need a big structure. and mega pastor Rick knows all about big. There are little bone structures for little churches and big bone structures for big churches, according to Rick. Apparently, your body of bones is "creating new cells every seven years" (you know....eliminating those old cells) and so is your church. You can now understand, (thanks to Rick's wisdom about "bones") how to grow your churches "bone" structure. You can also better manage change, when you implement it, under Ricks directives and example), in your own church because certainly, if anyone knows structure, organization and God's purposes of church, its Rick. After all, "to many, he is Pastor Rick, but to his church, he is Papa Rick—a voice of wisdom, hope, encouragement, and vision."1

"The Purpose Driven Church, is all about purpose, renewal and how to structure and organize around God’s purposes for his church. ~Rick Warren

Churches That Change to Be Healthier Experience 5 Renewals (Part 2) by Rick Warren, http://pastors.com/5renewals-2/

Yes, do keep in mind that the Purpose Driven Church is about purpose, (not necessarily about "faith in Jesus Christ." ) You see, this is because strong, healthy, churches, (according to Rick,) are built on five things.... the five purposes of God. In fact, "purpose" is where it all begins.

"Nothing precedes purpose." ~ Rick Warren The Purpose Driven Church, pg. 81

(So much for John 1:1)

Also, the Purpose Driven Church concept is about "renewal" and not necessarily about you and your neighbors finding about God's forgiveness of your sin, not about you believing God's Word or you resting in the promises of God for the salvation of your soul; by faith. No, the Purpose Driven church is something completely different. It's not about you... it is about you finding a purpose, a cause; and about you committing yourself to service.

And how does one church structure and organize around God's 5 purposes? By keeping up with the balancing act of course! And dream big. The bigger the better. In fact, Rick suggests you unleash your imagination! And while you are at it, think big. (This is an idea often promoted by Warren. and friends.) Humility, modesty, simplicity, meekness, they're out.

Also, you want to eliminate those old cells:

"Your body is continually eliminating old cells from your bones and creating new bone from your marrow. Similarly this must happen in our churches as they grow." ~Rick Warren

Question....

Is this supposed to make people rationalize eliminating or exchanging anything "old" for everything "new."

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Mental Health Advocates in the Church

Launching his latest "campaign" Rick Warren's Saddleback Church hosted a conference called Mental Health and the Church." For this event, Rick Warren produced and made available to the public, his eight part "sermon series"... that he will give you for a fee of $48.00. Rick's wife, Kay, also featured her book, with which she promises to help the reader understand how you can always have joy... this too comes with a pricetag or just $21.99.

The multi-denominational mental health event was filled with all sorts of information. It brought Saddleback of Orange County CA, (and all her satellite churches) workshops hosted by the eight guest speakers, and it touted lots of mental health oriented advertising sponsors from the surrounding community. Saddleback even gave out a little conference notebook, that is chock full of advice from experts, advertising and articles, even prayers for attendees to pray.

Aaron Kheriaty who co-authored The Catholic Guide to Depression was a major guest speaker at this Saddleback Conference held last March. As an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Kheriaty gave reporters insight into the reason for the "Mental Health and The Church" conference saying,

"We want to convince Christians that psychiatrists,

religious leaders and mental health advocates,

all of us can work hand in hand."

Really? Who wants to convince Christians and of what? Kheriaty and colleges want to convince .... Christians. This is interesting.

(Please feel free to re-read Kheriaty's statement.)

There is something to convince Christians of... and that this is the point of the conference? According to Kheriaty it is.

Asking questions get answers, and so, there are some other things to ask... like, what are they hoping to work for, toward? What are these people all building together or working on? And, these people who are, "working hand in hand," (you know... those now, but previous unconvinced, "Christians working alongside psychiatrists, religious leaders and mental health advocates....) to what end are they all now working together?)

Does it matter if these people are all Christian or not as they "work"?

Does it matter if they each have biblical understanding? Must all have even a mustard seed of faith in the true and living God? Does it matter, or not, if they even believe in God and then if they do, does it matter what or who the God they believe in is or is like? What is the example that is being followed? It is biblical to do this?

Rick Warren about the point of the conference told the Associated Press,

"Our goal is, as we say, we crack the door open and then churches go, 'OK. If the diocese is doing this, if Saddleback's doing this, we can do this.'" He added, "And we'd love to see a movement started where people actually begin to say, 'We need to see this element added to our local ministry.'"

Rick Warren

mental-health-ministry-son-suicide-article-1.1703839#ixzz33b2CoKyA

An atheistic psychiatrist... if you should know one, likely holds the notion that mentally sane people, (like him or her self,) does not believe in a "non-existent" God. Is this who Christians should hold hands and work with?

You can assume anything you want to about the beliefs of those Rick thinks your church should go to for help, or let in, but Rick does not say anything specific on these matters. Fortunately, Christians have examples in the scriptures that give keen and noble insight into "hand holding" with adversaries. Scripture also tells us that the adversaries of God, while they need the mercy, love and salvation God offers to all in Christ, have no real interest in respecting or furthering the things or Kingdom of God.

Let's take Zerubabbel and Jeshua for example:

"Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel. Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither. But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us." Ezra 4:1-3

Zerrubabel and Jeshua refused any "holding hands" or working together with those who had no real interest in the work of God, but Warren, for some reason, has no problem adding strange element to ministries. He thinks nothing of getting all denominations working together for a cause... mental health. Suggesting there be a crack in the church door to get these experts in mental health in.... or people out and into, Rick does not even lend credence to the understanding given to the church by Paul the Apostle when he says,

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" 2 Corinthians 6:14-15

Light or darkness...? Righteous or unrighteous? Believer or not? Roman Catholic or Protestant? Does it matter? Yes it does matter, but Rick and friends just want everyone to "join hands" as he curiously promotes the notion that the church "ignores" mental illness and it's sufferers. He also promotes the concept that the Church needs his insight into psychiatry and mental illness in order to actually do things right as the church.

In a recent TIME magazine article, Rick commented that churches are not doing enough and that pastors/leaders are ill-equipped for dealing with mental illness. But is this true? While Rick suggests that the church is head-in-the-sand regarding mental illness and must do more... curiously... he gave this little dissertation:
(Underlines are inserted for the purpose of highlighting his points.)

"(First)..from the Gospels, we know that Jesus cared for and ministered to mentally ill people during his ministry on earth. As Christ followers, we are compelled to continue His work today. In Christ’s name, the Church extends compassion, acceptance, and unconditional love to all who suffer from the pain of mental illness, and as his Body, we offer hope and the healing power of God’s grace.

Second, the church has been caring for the sick, both physically and mentally for 2,000 years longer than any government or agency. Most people are unaware that it was the Church that invented the idea of hospitals. For centuries the Church has been a refuge for the outcast, those on the margins, and anyone enduring societal stigma and shame.
Finally, studies have shown that when families or individuals experience the chaos caused by mental illness, the first place they typically call in a crisis is not a doctor, a law office, the school, or the police, but rather they call or go see their priest or pastor. Anyone who’s served as a receptionist for a church knows that they often are required to do triage in mental illness cases. Why is that? Because people instinctively know that churches are called by God to be places of refuge, comfort, guidance, and practical help for those who suffer.

"It’s time to stand with those who are suffering." Rick Warren

So which is it? Standing already or the time has come to stand? Rick is unstable.. double minded. One one hand he suggest the church is the fortress of help in time of need and on the other, the time has come for the church to stand with those who are suffering because it has no idea of how to do this or does it poorly and needs the "experts" help. Which is it Rick?

Is it that the church has been a bastion for safety and help in time of need, doing exceedingly well as a place of help for people, or has the church been inept without the experts who Rick suggests needs to come in, under his direction? Has the "time" finally arrived for the church to "stand" and do the right thing that it has been inept at doing for so long?

It is fascinating that Rick so eloquently gives a three-point praise of the Church only to make it all null and void by suggesting time has come.... for change? It is as if he did not mean any of his three points he made about the operation of the church in human lives but only spoke those words to draw attention away from what he really wanted to say. like a magician, Rick tells true things to his hearers and suddenly and unbeknownst to them, he hurls in an entirely new concept he adds with slight of hand... that the church is doing everything wrong and needs his leadership. Rick says, "It’s time to stand with those who are suffering." This is the coin pulled out from behind the ear," the change," and it amazes people.

The coin in his slight of hand glistens.

It's cash for Rick and friends who offer something new and greater. It's cash when hearers amass to purchase books and attend conferences. Rick is positive and uplifting and he is wealthy and famous too. Not only does Rick Warren understand the pain of the common man, the pain of being overweight or suffering with the effects of mental illness, he has plan to solve all the problems of the world too. He has a P.E.A.C.E. Plan and he writes books. God is moving... according to Rick, God is doing new and fresh things, changing the church through Rick and his wisdom for the Church.

The coin glistens. People in the audience are wowed.

Meanwhile Rick has only feigned a belief the existing church in all it's many faucets of light and truth stands for and is a beacon of hope holding forth the Word of God to the hurting and offering healing and comfort through faith in Jesus Christ in the midst of humanity'd suffering, turmoil and pain. This is merely a facade, the point of which is to merely suggest that the time has come for the church to "change."

"It's time to stand with the suffering," Rick states... as if this is something that the church does not do. (Has he convinced anyone with his glistening coin that you, church, need to change? )

Like the Horse of Troy, the door to the church is cracked open and in falls the glittery coin. Thanks to be God... even the gates of hell itself have no more power over those who take God at His Word. As religious leaders, psychiatrists and mental health advocates offer help you and your congregation attain a new "wellness of mind," some of us know, all that glitters is not gold. Look and listen. Rick Warren's use of flattering words, even at his best, stand ambiguous. But the foundation of God stands sure.

"Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways,

and see, and ask for the old paths, where

is the good way, and walk therein,

and ye shall find rest

for your souls.

But they said, We will not walk therein."

Jeremiah 6:16:

EXPLORE MORE ABOUT RICK WARREN REGARDING THIS TOPIC

Christianity Today Article: Can Churches Separate Mental Illness and Shame?

Baptist Standard Article: Churches Must Remove Stigma of Mental Illness

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RICK WARREN POEM Click Here

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

The Source of Church Health.. Rick Warren

Rick Warren himself set the standard of what the "health" of a "church" is.... and in 2006 he awarded, churches with his "Church Health" Awards,.something he simply made up to stroke egos and reward those who adopted his programs and way of thinking about "church."

"A highlight of the conference will be the 2006 Church Health Award Winners. These annual awards acknowledge churches that have made great strides in church health and balance through introducing and deepening the Purpose Driven principles in their congregation." ~Purposedriven.com

2006 Conference Overview

http://web.archive.org/web/20060318014352/http://purposedriven.com/en-US/Events/PurposeDrivenChurch/PDC_Overview.htm

Apparently, to be "above average" (or to get a high grade in being a church) you have to have at least 90 members. (Funny, Jesus said, 2 or more was good enough for him; He would be there.... and Jesus is more than "above average."

"Do you realize that if your weekend attendance totals about 90 people, you’re an above average church (at least in the United States and when measuring by such numbers)?"

~Rick Warren, Eight Steps to Grow Your Church,

pastors.com and ministrytodaymagcom

You do not want your church to be one of those "dying" "unhealthy" churches do you? Apparently the only cure for a dying church, according to Rick, is his teachings on how to have a healthy church. This is nothing but manipulation to get you on board his ideas as he would have people leave behind the scriptural notion that nothing can stop God, not even a small., less than 90 person congregation. After all, not even the gates of hell can destroy the church.

"Since the church is a living organism, it’s natural for it to grow if it’s healthy. The church is a Body, not a business – an organism, not an organization. It’s alive. If a church is not growing, it is dying.

http://pastors.com/health-not-growth/

Rick has harsh words for churches that do not join him in his thinking. He paints them as unloving toward "the lost" and self-interested. Meanwhile, instead of talking about Jesus as our example, or talking about how Jesus showed his love, Rick uses the example of what he has accomplished....

and then he casts doubt on those who hold fast to the gospel that he just ignored.

"The most overlooked principle for church growth is we have to love people the way Jesus did. That's it! The motive behind everything we've done at Saddleback is that we love and care about lost people. The reason Jesus attracted such large crowds is because He loved people. On the other hand, I've heard churches justify their lack of growth by saying, Were small because we haven't watered down the gospel. But maybe the real reason they don't have a crowd is because they don't want a crowd! They love their own comfort more than they love lost people." ~Rick Warren

Becoming a Purpose Driven Church, Part One By Rick Warren, CBN.com,

originally posted at Rick's Toolbox for Pastors, Pastors.com

Rick says, growing a church is difficult.

"But growing a healthy church is not that easy or simple. It involves many different factors and requires certain leadership skills. Anytime you hear a person say, This it the one way to growth, you can be sure they're wrong because there are many keys to growth." ~Rick Warren

Who is in charge of managing a church? You. (Note, not God.)

Also, growing a "healthy church" will require leadership skills and other important information of all kinds that you can only get from someone who knows all the key issues, who knows what it takes...and what it will take in the future... .....Rick.

That's why I'm convinced that the key issue for our congregations in the 21st century is church health - not church growth. Focusing on church growth is the wrong focus. If we'll focus on developing healthy churches, they will grow automatically."~Rick Warren

Becoming a Purpose Driven Church, Part One By Rick Warren, CBN.com,

originally posted at Rick's Toolbox for Pastors, Pastors.com

Rick, tell us, please, How on earth do you get one of them-thar "healthy" churches?

"You must set up a purpose driven structure that allows the church to become more than just an extension of its pastor. Every church is driven by something: tradition, programs, finances, events, seekers, and even buildings. But to be healthy, it must become purpose driven." ~Rick Warren

Becoming a Purpose Driven Church, Part One By Rick Warren, CBN.com,

originally posted at Rick's Toolbox for Pastors, Pastors.com

Yes, it must become "Purpose Driven" to be "healthy"....but if it's not Purpose Driven, just like Saddleback, then what?

Walker:

In other words, you're not interested in Saddleback clones.

Warren:

Absolutely not! Not one of the dozens of mission churches we've planted is doing it exactly like us. We believe every church must have its own unique thumbprint. That's what The Purpose Driven Church is all about.

Becoming a Purpose Driven Church, Part One By Rick Warren, CBN.com,

originally posted at Rick's Toolbox for Pastors, Pastors.com

Now here's a parting thought to consider....

Who's hand, who's "unique thumbprint"... (really,) do you want to have as an identifying mark upon your church? Your's....or the one on the right hand of God?

It is better to be:

" Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;

who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,

despising the shame, and is set down

at the right hand of the throne of God."

Hebrews 12:2

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,

and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life;

and they shall never perish, neither

shall any man pluck them out of my hand."

John 10:27

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Dem Bones

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Mental Health Advocates in the Church

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

The Source of Church Health.. Rick Warren

Words of Wisdom

ROMANS 8:28