Word-of-Faith Rick

Apparently, the Christian church is and has been wrong..... and Rick Warren (and Buddy Owens who helps him write devotionals for the Daily Hope)  offers both believer and unbelievers a 

"new way of thinking about life, God, yourself, hardship, your family and your world?"  

Yes, you can think in a NEW WAY about God,  yourself, hardship, your family, and your world.  All it takes is a redefining of words.... (and the good news is that  it can be completely wrong... if you like it that way. ) All that matters is that you are feeling special and happy about who you are!  The idea is you just say things and make them true because you said them.....

It's a little like having a Word of Faith doctrine in your pocket to use whenever it seems like a good thing to do.  If you do not like  confession. If you'd rather not talk about how you have lied... no problem.... just redefine it.  No longer does confessing mean admitting you had done something wrong and are ready and willing to admit your fault.  Nope.  Rick says,

"Stop confessing lies. Confess your faith!"

 Stop confessing lies.

 Instead confess your faith.

Weird huh?

In fact, just saying "what God says" is "confession," and did you know, repentance is not having remorse for your sin?  At least it's not with the NEW way of thinking,  No, repentance is simply thinking what God thinks; you know, thinking just like him.

"When you say what God says (confession), you begin to think what God thinks (repentance)"

Believe who God Says You Are, by Rick Warren, Daily Hope with Rick Warren, May 21 2014

God is asking you to believe he is who he says he is, believe you are who he says you are, and then live like you believe those things."  -Rick Warren

Believe who God Says You Are, by Rick Warren, Daily Hope with Rick Warren, May 21 2014

How vague can you get?  This is no gospel.... just meaningless babble.


 It sounds remarkably like Rick and friends at Daily Hope, would next have you repeat the mantra of false teacher, Joel Olsteen....

" This is My Bible, I am what it says I am, I have what it says I have, I can do what it says I can do. Today I will be taught the Word of God. I boldly confess, My mind is alert My heart is receptive. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever-living, seed of the Word of God. I will never be the same…Never, never, never, I will never be the same in Jesus name!"  

And then, yes, listen to these messaged, redefine words to suit yourself, make up your own doctrine instead of watch them closely like the apostles did and you would "never... never, never..... be the same in Jesus' name" certainly not the same as those who confess and repent properly.



 

Rick Roarin'

"your enemy as a roaring lion, walketh about, 

seeking whom he may devour "

1 Peter 5 2-9

"Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock." 

"Over the years, as I worked with hundreds of leaders in various projects, I’ve developed a list of what I call “Laws of Leadership” – principles that real leaders operate by. Here are six of them: "

Rick Warren

Six Laws of Leadership by Rick Warren, 11/8/2011

"And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. "

"Be willing to let people leave the church. And I told you earlier the fact is that people are gonna leave the church no matter what you do. But when you define the vision, you're choosing who leaves. You say, "But Rick, yes, they're the pillars of the church." Now, you know what pillars are. Pillars are people who hold things up ... And in your church, you may have to have some blessed subtractions before you have any real additions." - Rick Warren

"Building a Purpose-Driven Church" seminar at Saddleback Church, January, 1998.

"Blessed subtractions?" 

"Real additions?"..

You do not want "pillars" around, do you?

Galatians 2:9;  Rev. 3:12; 

"Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. " 

"Most pastors do not understand the power of preaching. But even more important than that is they don't understand the purpose of preaching. I probably have the largest library of books on preaching in America. I've read over 500 books on preaching. Maybe some seminary might come close to that, but I am sure that no pastor comes close to 500 books on preaching. And as I've read them, the vast majority do not really understand...."

Rick Warren, 

 Purpose-Driven Preaching: An interview with Rick Warren, Pastors.com

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

"As Christian leaders, we need to be above reproach...That’s why I established these Saddleback staff standards for maintaining moral integrity:...."     Rick Warren  

(NOTE: Rick own "thou shall not's"  and "thou shalls" follow in a long list... Apparently Rick is a better lawgiver that God.)   The Saddleback Staff Standards of Moral Integrity by Rick Warren, 2003

 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 

“Any church that fails to fulfill the five purposes Jesus established for his people is not really a church!”  Rick Warren

What a Purpose Driven Church Is Not by Rick Warren , 2005

""The secret of reaching unbelievers is learning to think like an unbeliever. But the problem is the longer you're a Christian, the less you think like an unbeliever. And if you're a seminary-trained pastor, you're even more removed from unbelievers. You think like a pastor, not a pagan. So you have to intentionally learn to think like an unbeliever again." Rick Warrren

Becoming a Purpose Driven Church Part 1, pastors.com and CBN.com

“You’ve heard me say many times that the greatest thing you can do with your life is tell somebody about Jesus … if you help somebody secure their eternal destiny, that they spend the rest of their life in Heaven not Hell …your life counts, your life matters because nothing matters more than helping get a person and their eternal destiny settled. They will be forever eternally grateful… And I’ve always said that that was the greatest thing you can do with your life; I was wrong. ” Rick Warren

Sunday Sermon at Saddleback Church, 11/2003 

 Rick Warren announces Global Peace Plan

Whom resist stedfast in the faith, 

"Faith in Jesus must be personal but it cannot be private." -Rick Warren

Rick Warren Tweet 4-22-14

"You’re going to stand before God one day and He’s going to evaluate your faithfulness. He’s going to look at eight different aspects of your life to judge your faithfulness and you should be highly interested developing these areas of your life and leadership."-Rick Warren

Rick Warren, 7 ways God Will Evaluate Your Faithfulness, 

....knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world."

Rick Warren's "Fabulous" Fables

This verse, the part about the fables in particular, makes me think of Rick Warren and his ministry:

“I charge thee therefore 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; reprove, rebuke, exhort with longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned into fables.” 

2 Timothy 4: 1-5 kjv

A pastor is to correctly handle the scripture, preach the Word…. and have sound doctrine. Doctrine is important, and you get sound doctrine from the Bible.

This is what Warren Says about doctrine in an article in Preaching Magazine, titled: Purpose-Driven Preaching: An Interview with Rick Warren by Michael Duduit. That old link above at Rick's own webstie, pastors.com, no longer works. you may access the same article here, at preaching.com.

Warren speaking:

“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. 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 or training is not the purpose. 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

Preaching Magazine, An Interview with Rick Warren by Michael Duduit

The man is gravely mistaken. He is telling you a fable, particularly as he tells you that the Bible "is not for" the very thing the bible tells you it "is for."   Preaching is suppose to tell you the truth about God, about yourself and present you with the gift of God, eternal life through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, not some generic form of life change.  Rick is wrong.

If the bible is not for doctrine, (like Rick Warren slickly says,) why did Paul tell Timothy that the scriptures "were profitable" for it as such? If the purpose of the Bible is not for doctrine and all those other things, but for .... (drum rolls please) "life change," like Rick says, who do you believe? Slick Rick is saying that if you think it is about doctrine, you are wrong.

If Warren were right, and if the Bible "is not for" doctrine (or correction or reproof, etc,)  but for life change, why would Paul write such things to Timothy? Why would Paul write to tell Timothy to watch his life and doctrine closely, if doctrine was not important or even an important part of what Pau already taught, long before Rick came alone and wrote his own book?  Also, if doctrine is not the purpose of the bible, then where does doctrine originate from? Who has spoken through tthe prophets and in these last times spoken through his own son?

Rick?

No.

.....And I want to know,(Rick Warren)  exactly, which "people" (names and examples please, "misread that verse."  He names no one, offers no examples so that you must take Rick at his word.... imagine in your mind who this might be.   It is everyone but you.  You are not amooung the rest because you, unlike them, learn to do it right from.... you guessed it, Rick!   (*Who reads that verse right.)

 "Anyone" who doesn't subscribe to, submit to, or tolerate Rick  audacious teaching on the matter has it wrong. The "select few" who really understand, think just like Rick! These are they who hang on his every word, buy his every book, so Rick can teach them everything they need to know, about church and leadership and missions and bible preaching and teaching... etc.... because Rick..... not the bible, not the Apostle Paul writing to Timothy, is the fount of biblical understanding and knowledge. The "misreaders" believe the Bible is for doctrine and reproof and correction and instruction in righteousness, but Rick says, in a manipulative way, they are wrong.

Go figure.

People who are Christian.... it is high time to think about what you believe, isn't it?

Hopefully you do not believe every single teaching coming from Mr. Rick. The man is mistaken. He has been fooled into thinking he is wise, but he is not.


He disregards the bible teaching and turns it into his own profit as he subtly undermines the very word of God. He knows his bible only enough to use it to gain followers for himself.


This is satanic.


Sidenote here about that same article… another fable.


Warren, the self-proclaimed, ans greatest, expert on preaching, has us look at Jesus and his teachings, and then tells us the exact opposite of what it says.

"In my two-day seminar on preaching, I just keep coming back to, ‘Now let's see how Jesus did it. Now, look how Jesus did it.’ You take the greatest sermon in the world — which is the Sermon on the Mount — and He starts off, ‘Let me tell you eight ways to be happy.’ "(Jesus never said there were eight Rick is making this up!.)"Happy are you if you do this … You are happy if you do this. Then He talks about anger: don't get angry. He talks about divorce: don't divorce. He talks about worry — let me give you four reasons why not to worry: it’s unreasonable; it’s unnatural. He talks about all of these practical things and then He says, ‘Now, if you put this into practice you are a wise man. If you don't, you are a fool and you’re building a house on a rock." ~Rick Warren

Preaching Magazine, An Interview with Rick Warren by Michael Duduit.

Fools build their house on a rock? Really? This is what Jesus said? Tick's true colors are waving in the breeze.  Will you be fooled by "pastor" Rick or do you know the truth of what Jesus really said?

Rick is wrong. He makes up stuff..... to suit his own end. He uses the bible to talk about moral living, and loving God, even talking about "Jesus," but then he simply makes up things that he wants you to think, even when it comes to tell you what Jesus said. Strange isn't it? 

Satanic.

Why does Rick insist on not reading the scriptures as they are?

Rick Warren's moralistic hijackings of biblical purpose, church doctrine and the gospel of salvation by grace through faith is fabulous, but it is wicked to the core.  His number laden, falsified rendition of words that Jesus (supposedly) says, his misguided use of every bible version to prove his own agenda and sway your mind is highly sophisticated.  How marvelous is his idea that "building your house on a rock" is a negative thing, and spoken this way by Jesus, when actually, it is a positive thing in the scripture, Jesus himself being the very rock the entire church is built upon.

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Listen to the scriptures of Paul and Peter and speak up to your friends about the truth of God in Christ.... warn them about Rick.


"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty." 

2 Peter 1:16 kjv

Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds."

1 John 1 9-11 kjv

It's All About Change

Rick.... promoting "change" and "transformation," indoctrinating pastors of churches to as "the most strategic "change agents" in the world,* is definitely attempting to change the church and the ay people look at life, Jesus on the cross, the Bible and the gospel.  Are you believing Him... or God?

*Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1995), page 20.

Prove all things.... hold fast to what is true.
(Just a little note from 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5.)

The teaching of Christianity is that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.  Christiantiy teaches that even in death on the cross Jesus, Lamb of God, never sinned against God.  He never sinned against man either.  Jesus is our hope, and believe it , or not, the symbol of the cross, serves for many people, as a reminder of what he did for us.   Rick however, "changes" that all up.

Watch this innovate for Jesus (I4J) video where Rick tells us , "Jesus said, 'You've got to deny yourself take up your cross, and follow me'"

-Rick Warren

He is right, Jesus did say that, only Rick continued,

"....  We don't understand the implications of that, because today, the cross is a symbol of hope. we wear it we wear it around our necks like it is a pretty symbol, but to wear a cross in those days would be the equivalent of wearing an electric chair around your neck today.  The cross was not a symbol of hope, it's a symbol of torture; and what he is saying is, come and die."

-Rick Warren

Rick teaches the man sitting next to him that we don't understand the implications of what Jesus said.... because we (wrongly?) believe that "the cross is a symbol of hope."

(It is "not a symbol of hope," (as you apparently wrongly think or rather, do not understand.) The cross is/was "a symbol of torture."  Rick also goes on... (See it here) to teach that the cross of yesteryear is equivalent to an "electric chair" used today.

Is he right?  (No.  Keep reading.)

Is the intent of the electric chair that of inflicting some kind of  "tortureous death" upon a person, much like the cross was used in those yester-years of Jesus' day and age?   (No.  Keep reading.)

If you know anything about criminal justice, you might know that the use of the "electric chair" was introduced into society under the notion that it would be less cruel than other forms of inflicting death upon a person than all previous methods used by those enacting "justice" on individuals who had legally been condemned to death as a penalty for their crimes.  Whether or not this was accomplished in the use of the chair is another story.

While there is debate, has been debate, and will be debate over how to punish criminals for their crimes against humanity, of how to justly recompense an eye for an eye with human law, by human standard of 1890, the electric chair was supposed to be the most instantaneous, humane and painless method possible to inflict death upon a tried criminal, as compared to death by poisoning (or lethal injection,) suffocating, (gas chamber)  beheading, hanging or being shot by a firing squad.

So then, is the "electric chair" even comparable to the cross of the Romans?   Please read the Aug. 15, 2012,  Gospel Coalition FactChecker post by Glen Stanton... here.  He makes some vital points, including that "... the truth is, an electric chair and a cross are similar in only one way: each is designed to kill criminals. Otherwise, they are nothing alike."  Rick teaches they are.  

Why?  

Jesus was no criminal.  He did however, interestingly enough, take the place of one that was convicted and condemned... awaiting death on death row....who was set free as Jesus took his place.  Jesus, guilty of nothing was beaten and tortured to death by men, and still did not sin.  An "electric chair" would have been a walk in the park compared to what happened to him... not to mention the rejection.

Everyone rejected him.  But even alone, faced with hardship, cruelty and death, even death on a cross.... Jesus showed love.  

Christianity also teaches us about love... God is love, (1 John 4:8)  Christianity teaches that God loved so loved the world... so much.... that he gave us his son....Jesus Christ... to save the world from sin and death and the condemnation for sin we who live in the world have done against him.

 John 3:14-17
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

Rick, the ultimate opportunist, took the opportunity this week at purposedriven.com, to teach people about love.  He said a lot about love, but he never said how to be saved from sin.

"The only reason you can love God or love anybody else is because God first loved you. And he showed that love by sending Jesus Christ to Earth to die for you. He showed that love by creating you. He showed that love by everything you have in life; it’s all a gift of God’s love...."    -Rick Warren

We Love Because God First Loved Us by Rick Warren, Daily Hope, purposedriven.com 11/28/2012

(Jesus... Rick neglects to mention
 that Jesus also rose from death to life. 
He neglects some good news for sinners too:

 Acts 16:31

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and you will be saved... 
you and your household." 

Rick avoids that message.

But he does say Jesus died for you and 
"God loves you
  and he created you ..
(just the way you are) and even 
gave all the material things you have
in life in order to show his love...

"....In order to love others and to become great lovers, we first need to understand and feel how much God loves us. We don’t want to just talk about love, read about love, or discuss love; our need is to experience the love of God..." -Rick Warren

We Love Because God First Loved Us by Rick Warren, Daily Hope, purposedriven.com 11/28/2012

Feel?

Experience?

"... We need to reach a day when we finally, fully understand how God loves us completely and unconditionally. We need to become secure in the truth that we cannot make God stop loving us."  -Rick Warren

We Love Because God First Loved Us by Rick Warren, Daily Hope, purposedriven.com 11/28/2012

Hmm.. nothing about "repentance from our sin."  
Nothing about believing on Jesus for salvation...
 and.... if one must come to that "day" 
of understanding God's love for us...
When will it be?  
Today? 
or some arbitrary moment 
in time and space?

Rick addresses the world on "Big Think" on the topic of love... God's love for us, saying,

..."And our model for that is God. If God gave us what we deserve, none of us would be here. He gives us what we need, not what we deserve. He gives.. That’s called “grace”. Grace is when you get what you need, not what you deserve" -Rick Warren

Big Think, "What is Love?"

He mentions nothing about Jesus on the cross.  

He does  mention God as our "model" for love, but clearly neglected to mention the love of God in Christ Jesus.  He makes God out to be a stingy miser who only gives you "what you need," but God has given us everything we need and more... and our loving, gracious God is oh so generous with this thing called Grace.

"Love," says Pastor Rick, "is the opposite of selfishness."  -Rick Warren

Big Think, "What is Love?"

Thanks funny.  "Opposite?"
Up... Down
Left...Right
Rich....Poor
In..... Out
Love....Hate

Most five year-olds would be able to tell you that love's opposite is "hate."  Just ask them if they like to eat a particular food.  If they HATE it, this means they will refuse to eat it. The do not "love" to eat it.  In fact they might not love it so very much that they would even unselfishly let you eat it instead of them!

Jesus said that love and hate were opposites, in Matthew 6:24,  he made it clear....
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and mammon."

"The reason for Saddleback's growth and Saddleback's spiritual maturity and Saddleback sending out fifteen thousand missionaries, " says Rick, is because we move people.... from "Come and See" to "Come and Die".... we have a systematic...sequential...catechism...that moves people...for 31 years... through the stages of discipleship....moving them from no commitment to extreme commitment .. to be willing to die for Christ." -Rick Warren

Rick is in the business.... of moving... the church.... from "no commitment to extreme commitment."  And the funny thing is he contradicts the words of Jesus Christ about serving two masters.  He says that we are to have this "extreme commitment" to both Jesus and to each other, but can a man serve two masters?  Can he be committed to both the one AND the other?

"REAL fellowship is being as committed to one another as we are to Jesus Christ."

-Rick Warren 

Six Reasons You Need a Cell Group by Rick warren, pastors.com, Ministry Toolbox, 10/13/2010

1 Sam 12:23-25

"Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin 

against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: 

but I will teach you the good and the right way: 

Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart:

 for consider how great things he hath done for you. 

But if ye shall still do wickedly, 

ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king."

Luke 4:4-8

"And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto 

him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 

And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, 

and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; 

and to whomsoever I will I give it. 

If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, 

Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, 

and him only shalt thou serve."

But the plot thickens.

As you move... Church, move away from your Bible too.

"We need more than the Bible in order to grow; we need other believers. When others share what God is teaching them, I learn and grow too!" 

 -Rick Warren

 Six Reasons You Need a Cell Group by Rick warren, pastors.com, Ministry Toolbox, 10/13/2010

Rick, is sharing with the world what "God is teaching" him,

The inference here is to stop thinking your Bible is all you need.  

You should be  looking to people,

(especially famous, reverse-tithing Rick,) 

because this Purpose Driven paradigm 

is a new revelation

 "from God"

Rick calls it, "God's intention"

"But all this is not about us. God's intention 

is much bigger than the book.  It's all 

about the global glory of God!

The Peace Plan Letter, by Rick Warren, 2003

He reinterated once again , this time in Christianity Today, 

how, "In the dusty, dimly lit basement of that 

university library, I heard God speak to me: 

'That's where I want you to plant a church!'" 

Meanwhile, 

 We are supposed to be 

listening  to God's Son.

Luke 3:22

"We need more than the Bible to grow we need other believers."  -Rick Warren

                                                                  Chapter 17,  Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

Those poor believers.

They must be in the dark on 

this very important "growth" issue. 

 How would they ever

know this information 

or "grow" without 

hearing from Rick?

According to Rick, you need more than the Bible; however, Jesus quoted scripture to Satan.

"No matter how wonderful a translation, it has limitations."

                                                                                                                  Chapter 27 Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

No matter what "wonderful" bible translation you hold in your hand.... Rick says, it has "limitations."  (Seriously?)  Apparently, but only apparent if you believe Rick, instead of inerrant....something to look to and hold fast to, your Bible, no matter the translation, is imperfect, limited, and  has defects and failings.

"The last thing many believers need today is to go to another Bible Study."

                                                                                         Chapter 29, Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

But they do need a small group studying his book?

Wasn't it wise ol Solomon who said:

Proverbs 15:4

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: 

but perverseness therein 

is a breach in the spirit.

2 Timothy 3:16

"All scripture

 is given by inspiration of God, 

and is profitable 

for doctrine, 

for reproof, 

for correction, 

for instruction in righteousness"

According to Rick, "most people" misread that verse.  He says,  

"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." People misread that verse most of the time. The purpose of the Bible is not for doctrine, not for reproof, correction, 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, training are not the purpose. 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: An Interview with Rick Warren Michael Duduit, Editor (September-October, 2001 

Big Mistakes

Rick Warren says,
"The biggest mistake churches make,
is that they think sermons will produce spiritual maturity."-Rick Warren

Church Relevance article, "Rick Warren on Effective Discipleship, April 30, 2008,

churchrelevence.com

1 Timothy 4:1-4
I charge thee therefore 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...

1 Peter 2:2
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk
of the word, that ye may grow thereby...

Romans 10:17So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God

Galatians 3:2
This only would I learn of you, Recieved ye the Spirit by the works
of the law or by the hearing of faith?




"Churches have not understood that commitment is sequential, systematic, and processed." -Rick Warren

Church Relevance article, "Rick Warren on Effective Discipleship, April 30, 2008, churchrelevence.com

Luke 5:27-28
And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

John 8:12

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it
until the day of Jesus Christ:
1 John 3:20; 23-24
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart,
and knoweth all things......And this is his commandment,
That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments 
dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth
in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.


" The most overlooked principle for church growth is we have to love people the way Jesus did. Thats it!" -Rick Warren

CBN.com article, Becoming a Purpose Driven Church, Part One by Rick Warren; pastors.com

Matthew 12:34,
Jesus speaking:
" O generation of vipers how can ye, being evil, speak good things?
for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."

Matthew 23:33

"Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"

Romans 5:6
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.



"The church that claims to reach everyone is only fooling themselves." -Rick Warren

CBN.com article, Becoming a Purpose Driven Church, Part Two by Rick Warren; pastors.com

Matthew 28:19
(Jesus' own concept and directive that the church is to reach and can reach everyone:)
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free,
there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Rick Was Wrong.

“You’ve heard me say many times that the greatest thing you can do with your life is tell somebody about Jesus … if you help somebody secure their eternal destiny, that they spend the rest of their life in Heaven not Hell …your life counts, your life matters because nothing matters more than helping get a person and their eternal destiny settled. They will be forever eternally grateful… And I’ve always said that that was the greatest thing you can do with your life.... I was wrong. ”

 Sunday Sermon at Saddleback Church, 11/2003  Rick Warren announces Global Peace Plan