All In A Days Work

I was re-reading some quotes I posted by Rick as he gave his talk on the "Myths of the American Megachurch" with PEW Forum in 2005.  Struck by the realization I did not even comment on them, I have decided to re-post the quotes, with commentary.

QUOTES OF RICK WARREN:
"There is a verse in the Bible that says the intelligent man is always open to new ideas; in fact, he looks for them. And so when Mike invited me to come to this and I saw your names, I really jumped at the chance. I enjoy these smaller, intimate meetings. You know, when you speak to 23,000, 24,000 people every weekend, crowds don't impress you anymore." 

                     ~Rick Warren 

Pew Forum, Myths of the Modern Mega Church, 2005, Transcript

THINK ABOUT THIS:

What verse says the intelligent man is always open to new ideas? 

Rick doesn't mention the verse, but the verse or the wisdom is not the point.  

He does this only to infer his own intelligence.

He also should know better than to think that he would 

only be talking to intimate group of "names" he,

being the intelligent man that he thinks he is 

(and wants you to think he is,)

"jumped" at the chance to meet with.

Note also, how he brags about the numbers of people he talks to "usually."

"Last night, I was in Miami speaking to this huge international convention of all of the Spanish-language publishers and they gave me the city key to Miami, but really I would have more fun with you here today."

~Rick Warren 

Pew Forum, Myths of the Modern Mega Church, 2005, Transcript

THINK ABOUT THIS:

Isn't this bragging, and flattery....

Rick says that this meeting was  "more fun" than being honored 

with the keys to the city of Miami 

and speaking to a "HUGE," (and note,) "international...." 

(Question:  Does size get bigger or more important than"international?")

...convention of ALL of the Spanish -language publishers.

His hosts should REALLY be honored that Rick thinks

it is more fun to be here with them today 

than what he did the day before, 

and that he took this opportunity....

(and flattered that their names impressed 

such an "intelligent" man as Rick.)

"As you can imagine, I get a lot of invitations to speak - I get about four or five a day - and so I have been choosing pretty carefully which ones to accept. And I came here because I only speak to influencers, and God has given you a degree of influence. "

~Rick Warren 

Pew Forum, Myths of the Modern Mega Church, 2005, Transcript

THINK ABOUT THIS:

Again, his hosts should be impressed that Rick chose to be with them, as opposed to all the other offers he gets daily.... 4 or 5 you know.

He only speaks to "influencers"  

(Those others are probably not important enough 

to have audience with.) Then comes spiritual flattery:

"God has given you a degree of influence. "

(But probably not as much as Rick thinks 

that he has at this point of the conversation.) 

 "The Purpose Driven life is not just the best-selling book in American history; it's the best-selling book in about a dozen languages."~Rick Warren 

Pew Forum, Myths of the Modern Mega Church, 2005, Transcript

MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

Rick thinks his book outsells the Bible.

(He thinks it is that GREAT.)

Perhaps he would like it to replace the Bible too?

 "Saddleback is the largest church in America. We had our 25th anniversary on Easter this year. I did 12 services. We had 45,000 in attendance and I preached 12 services in a row. Two weeks later, we celebrated our anniversary and we had never had the church in one location, so we rented Angel Stadium and had 30,000 at Angel Stadium. I have 82,000 names on the church roll."~Rick Warren 

Pew Forum, Myths of the Modern Mega Church, 2005, Transcript

THINK ABOUT THIS:
Humility.
What is it, really?
Is Rick Warren a man that displays humility?

" When I wrote "The Purpose Driven Life," I took off seven months and I did not preach, and I did not teach, and I did not lead my staff of 300, but I just wrote the book. And while I was gone, the church grew by 800 people because it's not built on me, it's built on the 9,200 lay ministers in the church." ~Rick Warren 

Pew Forum, Myths of the Modern Mega Church, 2005, Transcript

THINK ABOUT THIS:

What did Rick say the "Purpose Driven" church is built on?

What does the Bible say that the Church is built on?

" I know about volunteers. We have 9,200 lay ministers who lead 200-plus different ministries all over southern California. I know these numbers are a little overwhelming, but just to give you an idea, we have 2,600 small groups that meet from Santa Monica to Escondido in 83 cities. And so the church gathers on Sunday for a big service and then meets during the week in homes. That allows us to do all kinds of enormous things. For instance, in November, during our 40 Days of Community, we decided to feed every homeless person in Orange County three meals a day for 40 days. We went out and we found out that was 42,000 people. How do you feed 42,000 people three meals a day for 40 days? Well, it takes a lot of volunteers. And we did - we collected over 2 million pounds of food and those 9,200 lay ministers pulled it off and we fed 40,000 people three meals a day." 
                                                                                                                             ~Rick Warren 

Pew Forum, Myths of the Modern Mega Church, 2005, Transcript

THINK ABOUT THIS:

IS there anything that Rick Warren does not claim to know?

He knows all about volunteers... and whoa... 

look at those impressive NUMBERS

that he has so well memorized and gloats over...

continually..

 "While I wasn't known like a Jerry Falwell or a Robert Schuller or some of these media personalities, every pastor in America knew who I was because I put all of my sermons on an Internet site and it gets 400,000 hits a day from pastors. And so, instead of me teaching it on the radio or TV, we put it on the Internet and we allow other pastors to take this material and use it."

~Rick Warren 

Pew Forum, Myths of the Modern Mega Church, 2005, Transcript

Impressive huh?

"Every pastor in America"

listens to Rick and his sermons

even preaches what Rick preaches to their congregations,

according to Rick.

They do not even need their Bible anymore;

they can just download Rick.

"And I would just say to that - the reality is that most members of typical churches could not join Saddleback because they would not be willing to meet the requirements. We have very strong standards for requirements. They're pretty tough, and we're not interested in the big membership; we're interested in turning an audience into an army and mobilizing it for good."~Rick Warren 

Pew Forum, Myths of the Modern Mega Church, 2005, Transcript

THINK ABOUT THIS:

Here he sets himself up as being somehow 

"better" than every other church... or rather...

"most "typical " Christians and 

their "typical churches.... as opposed to the 

special ones, like Saddleback.

You can see too that he is not interested in ministerial "numbers,"

though that is all he ever talks about is numbers.

"Well, I'm actually speaking at the University of Judaism this next month, where I've been asked to come in and teach the rabbis my preaching seminar. "~Rick Warren 

Pew Forum, Myths of the Modern Mega Church, 2005, Transcript

THINK ON THIS:
Rick is demonstrating his own greatness once again,
telling us he is "actually" so much in demand that he is
even being asked to teach Rabbis...
and bragging about it.
Do you suppose he will preach the gospel
of Jesus Christ to them
there at the University of Judaism?
Paul preached in the synagogues you know.
He was thrown out.

" All my life I planned to simply pastor this church for life and train pastors. That's all I wanted to do. And so I've spent the last 20 years training about 400,000 pastors in 162 countries. I didn't want to do anything else. And all of a sudden after the book came out, two things happened. First, it brought in a ton of money. I mean, a ton of money. Second, it brought in a lot of notoriety, which I didn't really want. And I began to say, what am I supposed to do with this affluence and what am I supposed to do with this influence? And I call it the stewardship of affluence and the stewardship of influence."~Rick Warren 

Pew Forum, Myths of the Modern Mega Church, 2005, Transcript

You get the idea that he is quite boastful.

And as for all that "affluence," where did (does) it go?

It apparently goes "broke."

In 2009 the word was, Saddleback Church was broke!

Rick Warren in a desparate plea, begged his church for money.

Then the  miracle of people's "radical generosity" took place..

But then, who knows, maybe this urgent plea

was just a gimmick? Perhaps it was planned as a public display

of Rick's "influence." over his congregation, for the media and the watching world?

As it turned out, Saddleback didn't have to close it's doors 

and Rick drummed up more money than he asked 

his congregation for.

You can read my other noted quotes of Rick from this Forum talk
  HERE.


Or better yet, read Pew Forum's Interview
with Rick Warren yourself, Click HERE.

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)

*****************************
        RICK WARREN POEM  Click Here

"Pastor"," President" or Possibly, "Pope?"

Rick Warren answers, "How do you organize a mega-church?"

"One of my mentors was Peter Drucker. And he mentored me in principles of leadership for about 20 years."  Rick Warren

 

"I mean I could be a mayor. Just call me "Mayor Rick" instead of "Pastor Rick." The church I pastor is like 1,000 times as big as the town I grew up in. It’s 100,000 names." Rick Warren


" And so, I actually pastor about 14 other pastors. And these 14 pastors take care of about 450 full-time staff. And those 450 full-time staff take care of over 10,000 lay leaders in different small groups. And those 10,000 lay leaders in different groups and ministries take care of 100,000 people."
Rick Warren

About that Brighter Future

How to have a brighter future:

 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, 
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him  
from the dead, 
thou shalt be saved."   Romans 10:9

****************************

Once again, it is interesting how Rick Warren offers his hearers a completely different kind of future, one he says is" brighter" and he fails to offer people the forgiveness for their sin through Jesus too.  Hos idea of a brighter future has nothing to do with the gospel and is based upon the rudiments of this world. 

Rick Warren concluded his recent, Belief Blog editorial for CNN, (July 3, 2011, ) a piece he titled, "Church is world's most powerful weapon against AIDS,"  by saying, "But if the church and other faith communities will step up to the table, and as governments and other health organizations welcome their assistance, the future can be brighter."  With no mention of the gospel in the article, one has to assume that a brighter future will be had "IF" the people of earth (the church and other faith communities,) would just "step up to the table."  What table he is talking about is anybody;s guess, but He presumes they don't and he wants to lead the church in an effort to help people with AIDS. 


AIDS is a terrible disease and as a disease, it is now become one of Warren's pet projects,. Taking on the issue of AIDS is not only politically correct in certain circles of influence, but is also demonstrates his concern for the welfare of humanity.  Not only that, fighting the terrible "giant" of disease is part of his "P.E.A.C.E. Plan," his plan for saving the world.  But what is AIDS?  What hope is there currently for people who are infected with AIDS?  Is a "brighter" future- the kind of future where the church and other faith communities come together to cure diseases like AIDS, all they really need?

AIDS, the acronym given to a disease known as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.  As the name suggests is not a disease you are born with, but it's a slow attacking virus called HIV that is acquired, transmitted from person to person, through the exchange of bodily fluids, like blood.  The infected person who is infected with the virus, develops AIDS and then suffers the progressive failure of the body's immune system making them susceptible to all kinds of disease, including cancers, for which they have no defense.

If you remember the early 1980's, you might remember that AIDS, appeared on the health scene as a very serious health matter.  At first it seemed to be affecting homosexual males only, and as more and more people were dying, the concern about public health grew, especially when the disease appeared to transfer not only in sexual contact, but in the blood supply as several hemophiliacs were diagnosed. 

The now rapidly spreading disease rightly had the attention of the Center for Disease Control who began talking about how everyone, not just homosexuals, was at risk.  Our national supply of blood used in hospitals to aid in emergency situations and surgical procedures was being tainted with the HIV virus that caused AIDS.  It was not just the homosexual, the sexually promiscuous or needle drug users who were in danger, it was everyone and anyone who came into direct contact with bodily fluids, especially blood.  Scientists were working hard to find the disease's specific mechanism of spreading, hoping for a cure.  

Needless to say, fear spread far and wide about the possibilities for contracting the disease and people became vocal... and as such, you can guess that a lot of things were said, (as rick Points out in this article,) but with research, screenings to identify infected individuals and the ability to specifically identify tainted blood, as well as a better understanding of the progression of the disease a lot of  unrealistic fears have been quelled, but contrary to what some people think, AIDS remains a killer disease.  There is no cure.  AIDS leaves in it's wake sick people, broken lives, death, torn apart families and the real fear of contracting such a terrible, deadly disease unsuspectingly.

Click here to read a History of AIDS

Click here to read 30 years of AIDS moments 

 (Something recommended by Rick in this CNN article.)

As AIDS reaps it's devastation, it is kind of Rick to encourage people of all faith communities to lend those who are suffering, a compassionate, helping hand.  It's the right thing to do.  However, those who are dying, those who are facing death, who hunger and thirst for life need more than a helpful human hand that calls them to remind them to take their needed meds, as Rick, in the CNN article suggested as a practical way for the church to help the AIDS epidemic.  No, what they need is to  know God and the love of God in Jesus Christ.  They need to warned of where they are headed, told about Jesus, and be saved from the peril of death and doom, that awaits every sinner that is on their way through death's open door.

Unfortunately, right here, on CNN, writing to the world and the church, (Pastor) Rick fails once again to mention the gospel that leads to eternal life and a hope beyond the grave.   Instead he has apparently written to enlist the Christian church, (which he even called the world's most powerful weapon)  in helping governments and health organization, build for the world a brighter future.  But he wants to give hope to AIDS patients and the people he inisters to, so he titles the article, Church is world's most powerful weapon against AIDS." 

It should be noted that the church is powerful but the church is not the world's weapon.  There is power behind the church, making it powerful, but that power is not the church itself.  It is not in the numbers of Christians that there currently are in the world or in the large and measurable size of a churches congregation or building either, (contrary to what this man, (Rick,) so interested in numbers, might say or think.   The powerfulness of church is actually the power and glory of God, the Holy Spirit,  working in his people, doing and leading others into the will and work of God, which is believing on the one whom he sent.   In fact, the church, while is is not a "weapon," has it's own weapons that are nothing like the weapons of the world.  The church is God's and it originated with God; it was his idea from the beginning.  Since the "church" does not originate with man, but God; God is the owner of it and it is not the world's greatest weapon. 

Now some people, like Rick, might believe that if only the people of earth would all collaborate and work together there will be a brighter future for humanity, but this kind of salvation is only for this life.  It is not the same as the salvation we have in Jesus Christ which lasts forever, and ever.  It's the kind of salvation that is only helpful to you as long as you are alive and well on planet earth, but sooner, or later, one will  come to realize that this immortality is only for a limited time, for like everything else that experiences life on this planet, you...(yes you) ... die. Life underground with a body that is deceased and decayed, is not such a pretty picture and certainly not a "bright" future.

What happens to your being after you die?  Well, that is where faith comes in.  A person can believe many things.  Christians believe that life is sacred and special and meaningful.  They believe in a creator God and in his love for all of creation.  They also believe in God's love and forgiveness displayed in Jesus Christ, and they believe Him for the promise of Eternal life. They believe that because God is God and because God sent Jesus and because Jesus rose from death to life, and they believe upon him, they, like Jesus will live again
.  

It can be quite perplexing when Rick, professing to be a Christian, neglects to tell the watching world what this Gospel is. Right here on CNN, again and in this article, Rick Warren skipped the gospel.
Yet in this article, he also finds fault with the church and complains they just do not do enough.  He then uses the guilt (or self-righteous thoughts people have in response to his accusations against THE CHURCH,) to get people moved into action, wanting to fight his cause. But slick Rick goes even a step further, than adding guilt to insult.  His special finishing touch, the thing wrapping his lack of the gospel up in a bow is flattery to those who would do as he bids.... those who want to be great and do great things like Rick.  He flatters people saying,  "Church" (this means YOU  church,) is the greatest weapon of the world.

But Pastor Rick should know the church is not "of the world,"  (John 18:36) and he should also know that we who are the church are not to be conformed to the pattern of the world,  (Romans 12:12)and yet, we see he thinks the Christian communities are just like all the other faith communities around. 
But let's talk about the "brighter" future that Rick does offer.... that future that "will be brighter. "if the church and other faith faith communities will step up to the table, and as governments and other health organizations welcome their assistance"  

You cannot have a  brighter future without light.  

Jesus said, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:22-23) NIV He also said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”(John 8:12) ESV  It's a bit ironic, maybe even a bit "protest-y," that Rick demands pastors and churches be "healthy," like him, and subsequently make use of being able to buy his books and programs by the score. 

So the question is, "How can Rick offer people a true brighter future, without JEsus, the light that comes from God?" The answer:  He can't.  Instead he offers them world government organizations (and Purpose Driven Lives.)

Rick's ideal future is  (see his P.E.A.C.E. Plan) is really no "hope" for anything other than a good life while you are alive and well, here on planet earth. 

"But if the church and other faith communities will step up to the table, and as governments and other health organizations welcome their assistance, the future can be brighter."
Rick Warren CNN Belief Blog editorial, July 3,2011

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, 

we are of all men most miserable.

1 Corinthians 15:19

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

Colossians 2:8

God Laughs Out Loud?

Rick has taken to tweeting things for people to read and believe.  He says, 

"When we try to plan out every detail of our lives, God laughs out loud."
 Rick Warren Tweet,  June 10, 2011

So, what picture of God do you get here?

Does God really laugh at you because you have a plan,

because you "try to plan out every detail" of your life 

and he knows so much better than you do?

And, is God really laughing at you, "laughing out loud" or does he luagh simply 

because he is thinking you are "cute" as you attempt something too big for you to do?

What picture of God does Rick Warren here offer you?

Whatever picture you get, the ironic thing about this message he tweeted recently is that 

 Rick, himself, is always telling people that they "need a plan."

He is hoping you will want one he offers....

the PEACE PLAN...

The DANIEL PLAN.

You see, Rick thinks you need a PLAN.. one of his.

He says:

"Although faith and prayer are important ingredients to bringing others to Jesus, you need to do something too! You need a plan."

Seven ways a small group can reach people for Jesus

By Rick Warren, 8/04/2004, Minstry Toolbox

 

Does the reader realize Rick just told them that simple faith was NOT enough?

"Your small group needs a plan to bring people to Jesus. Without it, you’ll never bring anyone to the Savior.

Seven ways a small group can reach people for Jesus

By Rick Warren, 8/04/2004, Minstry Toolbox

 

(You not only need a plan, but you need to purchase

a book or a program from Rick to help you plan, too.)

 

Do you, who know wht the Bible says about how people come to know JEsus

actually agree with Rick when he says, 

that without having a plan, 

you will NEVER 

bring anyone to the Savior? 

 

"Never"? 

 

Do you realize that Rick is peddling something 

and it's not the Word of God?

 

"Goal setting is the next step in planning.  You have to have a target.  If you aim at nothing you are going to hit it.  Ask yourself three questions:  What do I want to be?  What do I want to do?  What do I want to have?   Those are the questions you ask in establishing a goal."

Rick Warren, How Leaders Plan, Nehemiah: Lessons in Leadership, Part 3 of 11,

Does the average Christian reader of this 

"Bible Study" on Nehemiah by Rick Warren even realize 

that Rick just dismissed the whole Lord's Prayer concept

of a Christian praying, "Thy will be done," 

with this lesson on 

 leadership and his ideas 

of planning out your life 

and creating your own goals for what YOU WANT and 

what YOU WANT to achieve?

 

"A leader must think further in advance than everyone else to figure out what the problems are so that when you get there, you already know how you are going to deal with them."

Rick Warren, How Leaders Plan, Nehemiah: Lessons in Leadership, Part 3 of 11,

Yes, you too must anticipate and plan ahead for every detail..

.know exactly what you will eat and waer and do and what to say....

how you will deal with every problem that can arise.

(Just never mind Matthew 6: 30-34 and Matthew 10:19)

for according to Rick, you should already have this all planned out....

if you are a good" leader" anyway, at least according to Rick.

and Rick, is a man with a plan.

In fact Rick will teach "leaders" to plan...
everything in advance.  He even has a few plans of his own...

The  "P.E.A.C.E. Plan,"
The Daniel Plan.

So, are you now believing Rick when he says in his tweet, that "God laughs out loud" when people try to plan out ever detail of their lives?  Are you believing Rick when he tells you that you need to be that person planning out every detail of your life in advance, particularly if you are a leader... and this, under the tutelage of Rick?  Which is it, and what is the nature of the God that is supposed to be so happily amused?

Are you confused?

Rick says:


"Although faith and prayer are important ingredients to bringing others to Jesus, you need to do something too! You need a plan. When the four friends saw the way to Jesus was blocked, they came up with a plan to get the paraplegic to Jesus. Your small group needs a plan to bring people to Jesus. Without it, you’ll never bring anyone to the Savior."
Rick Warren, Minstry Toolbox  #166, 2004
Seven ways a small group can reach people for Jesus

So... is God laughing?  Is he laughing "out loud" as you, (and your congregations,) under the tutelage of Rick Warren's many "Purpose Driven" books and materials, make YOUR plans and decide what YOU want to do and be and purpose.. for yourself, and make BIG plans and BIG dreams for what YOU want to see happen in your life and in your ministry?  

"When we try to plan out every detail of our lives, God laughs out loud."
 Rick Warren Tweet,  June 10, 2011

Rick says, God is laughing... as if God either thinks it's cute of us humans to see ourselves in the role of trying to be God.... or that he is somehow amused to see us fail. in our attempts to do the impossible, the things that only He, as God, can actually do.

God is not amused when we put ourselves in the role of trying to be God, ,nor does he find our willfulness to be funny or amusing.  This, from what the scriptures tell us about God, is not the character of our Almighty, loving and Holy God.

Judge for yourself.... 

Is God laughing at or about such such things as us planning out every detail of our lives?  Wy would God laugh at such a thing as this?
 
Is God laughing with us...or laughing at us?  Is he laughing about this matter at all? 

What do you think? 
Is God laughing.... "out loud?"

Psalm 33 (NASB) verses 10-22

The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations;

He frustrates the plans of the peoples.

The counsel of the LORD stands forever,

the plans of His heart from generation to generation.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, 

The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance. 

The LORD looks from heaven; 

He sees all the sons of men;
From His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,

He who fashions the hearts of them all,
He who understands all their works.

The king is not saved by a mighty army;

A warrior is not delivered by great strength.  

A horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His lovingkindness,
To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.

Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You.

"Leaders don't do what they WANT to do;
they do whatever is necessary."  Rick Warren  Tweeted  5-24-11

Rick might as well have said, "whatever it takes," like he did in Anaheim stadium back in 2005 at the  Sadldleback Anniversary Party.  He told the crowd listening to him then, to hold up signs that said, "Whatever it takes" as they pledged to do the same.... "whatever" it takes.  


Rick gave a speech that day, saying how people in his projects had been on a secret mission:
"For the past 18 months we have been on a stealth, secret mission - project - around the world. We've been sending members out, actually over 4500 members somewhere overseas, over the period of the the last few years, going out to do what we're gonna call the PEACE plan......Friends, this is going to be a revolution. You see, over the years as we've been training these 400,000 churches around the world, we've built a network, and there are literally tens of thousands of other churches waiting to do what Saddleback has been testing the last few years.


What is the vision for the next twenty-five years? I'll tell you what it is. It is the global expansion of the Kingdom of God. It is the total mobilization of this church and the third part is the radical devotion of every believer. Now I choose that word radical intentionally. Because only radicals change the world. Everything great done in this world is done by passionate people. Moderate people get moderately nothing done.


In 1939, in a stadium much like this, in Munich Germany, they packed it out with young men and women in brown shirts, for a fanatical man standing behind a podium named Adolf Hitler, the personification of evil.  And in that stadium, those in brown shirts formed with their bodies a sign that said, in the whole stadium,

"Hitler, we are yours." And they nearly took the world.


Lenin once said, "give me 100 committed, totally committed men and I'll change the world." And, he nearly did. A few years ago, they took the sayings of Chairman Mao, in China, put them in a little red book, and a group of young people committed them to memory and put it in their minds and they took that nation, the largest nation in the world by storm because they committed to memory the sayings of the Chairman Mao. 

When I hear those kinds of stories, I think 'what would happen if American Christians, if world Christians, if just the Christians in this stadium, followers of Christ, would say 'Jesus, we are yours' ?

What kind of spiritual awakening would we have ?


"Jesus said, 'I want you to do this publicly.' So what I want you to do is take the card, and in just a minute, and if you say 'Rick, I am willing to serve God's purposes in my generation.'


I want you to open up to the sign that says 'Whatever it takes.'Whatever it takes.
And I want you to just say, 'This is my commitment, before God and in front of everybody else. I'm in.' "And I would invite you to just stand quietly and hold up 'Whatever it takes'. . .
I'm looking at a stadium full of people who are saying 'whatever it takes'.

Whatever it takes, God.  Time, talent, energy, money, effort, vision... God, whatever it takes.  Whatever it takes, that's what I'm going to do.
 
And I believe that today we are making history. We're making history that's going to start a movement that will bring a new Reformation in the church of God and a new spiritual awakening in our world. And, our world needs it. And today, as you say 'whatever it takes,' you're saying publicly,


"I'm in, God. I'm in...
...I'm in.' "

...
That was Rick Warren speaking, April 17, 2005, Anaheim Stadium. It has been a few years, but Rick has not changed his tune.  Seems he thinks those great leaders he mentioned... Hitler, Stalin and Mao, simply did what they had to do.  It was their "leaership" (you know) that made them "great."  Of course Rick wants to Christianize his concept, so he tells people to dedicate themselves to "JEsus" in this way, but why does he use Hitler and Stalin as examples of leadership and the greatness one can achieve through service.... doing, "whatever" it takes, to meet the end goal.  This is not Christian ways of thinking, the ends does not always justify the means.


Looking at Rick Warren's other recent tweets, I just want to say that am currently unimpressed that he has set himself up as some sort of wisdom guru as he tweets his own quips and quotes on life.. and most of which is in reguard to this idea, or concept of "leadership." HE is making an army of leaders.  Fynny thing, is that JEsus called us Christians to be followers and doers.... of the word.

What really kind of amazes me about Rick, even today, is that he seems to have a sort of "talent" or art in stroking the parts of a person psychologists call, "the Ego," and he uses it often.   He talks about the greatness one can achieve... the greatness YOU can achieve... but then, it's not about you.  I believe he uses this special art form quite effectively.  He knows how to get those with itching ears to heed his guru-like beck and call.  People in the crowd that day, held up signs to the world and told God, they would do "WHATEVER it takes" whatever is necessary, but "whatever" is a very big word, and it includes more than simply what is right, noble, holy, good, pure, lovely.... etc.

 I fear, that in the end, all those itching ears, people in the church in particular, who found themselves seeking greatness... maybe even seeking to do something great "for God".....will discover that they forsook the scriptures in order to listen to Rick, embraced this PEACE Plan and false, grand, wisdom and vision for the church and the world.  I wonder if those dreamers will wake up one day and find themselves without an anchor to the truth,  reading the purpose driven life instead of the bible, wondering, "What on earth went wrong?"

"Leaders don't do what they WANT to do;

they do whatever is necessary."

Other recent Rick Warren tweets:


 "The greatest leaders are those who develop followers who exceed their own skills & impact. It's not about you."   Rick Warren  5-24-11

So.. who is "it" about?  Rick doesn't mention that... just that it is not about YOU.--- and, what is "it" anyhow?  One thing is certain, Jesus died for YOU.... (and everyone else in the wolrd.) 

"Believe on JEsus and you will be saved."  That is what the scripture tells us.  

In a way it is about YOU....In't it?

"There are no secrets to success.The principles are visible to anyone who invests the time study those who've succeeded."  Rick Warren   5-23-11

So... if you you do not KNOW the principals, it's your own fault, because you didn;t 

take the time to study those who have succeeded... 

and one of those is obviously 

YOU KNOW WHO....

JEsus.... is probably not who he is talking about,

for if he were he would have mentioned him by name, and the funny thing is that Rick all always talking about "secrets" for being successful in his messages, 

which makes statements like this manipulative, at best.

 "God made your mind to be a storehouse of wisdom, not an outhouse of waste. Stop filling it with crap from our culture." Rick Warren, 5-22-11

Now I do not know about you, but in my opinion, this is rather rude and crude.  Besides, "crap" is not 

a very nice word to be flinging about at someone listening to or reading your words.  I mean, he could have been more precise and said, "desrtuctive" or "disgusting" 

but he didn't, he just resorted to the base word, "c---." 

I happen to live in a Christianized culture, and as such, there are a lot of good things and these are the things I tend to try to focus on.  How about you?  I am reminded that not every "culture" is bad.  This is nothing more than a blanket statement, a platitude, and really, it only serves to lump all sorts of thing to gether, some of which do not fit into the works.  It can serve as a trick to the mind, and leaves me to wonder, what culture, he is talking about. 

He does not say; so it is whatever culture you have in your mind.

Rick , if he is Christian, would do better to feed the sheep  who hear his speak

on the word of God, but he seldom does.  Instead, we get earthly, "leadership" wisdom, and examples to look to of leadership like Hitler, Stalin and Mau.

"You need Jesus as your Savior, Lord & Best Friend not because you'll die tonight but because you've got to live tomorrow."  Rick Warren,  5-21-11

Consider....

IS he saying living your life tomorrow,

(not death and the eternal life JEsus gives us when we die) 

 is the reason you need Jesus? 

Tricky Rick.

Why is he saying it like this?  Could it be because it is what he believes?

 

"There's no elevator to the top 4 effective ministry.You must climb every painful step to develop your character&competence"  Rick Warren 5-18-11

So, according to Rick, it's about you and what you do.

It's about you being great... (at the top)

                                                                                          
                                                                                            "You have to "climb every painful step 

to develop your character and competence."

  

No one else is going to do that for you.  So take the bull by the horns and get climbing!

That is, if you want to have an effective ministry and be at the top like he is

  This, I believe, is worldly wisdom, a bit Pharisaical too. It kinda misses the whole point of submitting to God.  It fails to acknowledgedoing what we do, not in our own strength and power, but in

His (God's) strength, His might, His power....the strength he gives us,

and not our own.

Yes, we must strive to develop character, which comes from submitting to doing what is right 

and saying no to temptation.  We do desire to be trust worthy, responsible people, 

but this all comes by submission to God and to his word. 

Most importantly, we must remember that God's word is always "effective."

ISAIAH 55:11

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: 

it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish

that which I please, and it shall prosper 

[in the thing] whereto I sent it.

A prosperous, and "effective ministry," a true effective ministry, is  one that preaches the word and believes God.  It is one that believes the wisdom and power of God to move any mountain...

and raise the dead.. 

Defender or Disciple; Christian, What Do You Believe?

A recent Warren "tweet" said,
"It's easier to fighter (I think he means "fight" or maybe he means "be a fighter") for truth than live it. It's why there are more Defenders than Disciples."
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Rick Warren, Twitter, April 2011

Are there really more "defenders" than "disciples"?

Are there actually these two categories of people, a defender, and a disciple? (oops, caps o the "D's", if you please)  Really, are people one or the other?

Do you, like Warren apparently, think that a disciple of Jesus would not be a defender of the faith, a defender of the truth of God?  HE makes it seem like you are either one, or the other....

Rick is attempting to separate people into these two distinctions, and it is an old strategy, called,  "divide and conquer." By making you pick a side, preseferably his, you have just mae his enemy smaller.... and made the smaller group... (in this case, those who might "defend" your enemy too.  So, which side of the Warren "coin" would you put yourself.. a defender or a disciple?

All that one has to do is pick one of the two options, and WHALLA!   You have either just sided with Rick and frown on those who would defend the truth rather than live it like you do... or you are about to be an enemy to Rick and those who think like him.  The important thing that happens though is that now, instead of one large group of believers who are both disciples and defenders of faith and truth, the group of potential defenders of truth is smaller, because he has convinced some, not all, to be silent about true faith in Christ, just like him.

According to Rick, defenders are the "bad" choice to want to be and disciples, are the "good," who "live out the gospel," (that is the "gospel, accroding to Rick and the purpose driven paradigm he touts)   He would have you believe that "Disciples," unlike those nasty "Defenders" who speak out against false doctrine like his own, live out their faith.

That, in case you didn't notice, is falttery... to those who believe what Rick has to say on matters of the practice and undersanding of the Christian faith, but take a look at what "living out the truth," looks like, in the scriptures.... and you will see it looks most like Jesus, who gave his life trusting what he believed and then too the apostles who preached not themselves, like Rick does, but Christ and him crucified to set the captives of sin, and death... finally.... and forever, free!

Jesus is the way and the TRUTH and the life!  (John 14:6)

He is the true God from true God.  As a man, the only begooten son of the Father, He was born into this body we all share called humanity.  He died, was buried and was raised from the dead....on the third day... according to the scriptures which he not only fullfilled but also taught... and this is the truth that we believe as Christians, disciples of JEsus as we follow him and believe in him with that mysterious thing called FAITH.  This is the truth that we stand upon and even perhaps "defend" as being true....  for it is worthy of our trust, if God, and if his sin Jesus Christ are true.  As for living out the truth...  the thief on the cross, crucified  beside JEsus, lived out the truth when he believed and so will we who will live, even though we die.  This is of course, because we do believe and are saved.

Rick certainly has a bad habit of whining about the church and here we see yet another example of him whining that people in the church defend their faith.  These are those who stand firmly grounded in the truth of God's word to us and do not accept Rick's ursupation of leadership which is what he would like to see. 

Those "defenders"... are an offense to him, impermeable to his manipulation and high sounding, lofty words, and so one of his devices is to turn people who like his flattery of being those who "live out the gospel" against those who would "defend."  He derogatorily calls them, "defenders;" and insinuates that those who would defend the faith do not "live" the truth.

Christian, what do you believe?

There are ungodly men who deny our Lord Jesus Christ, willing to take captive those who fall prey to them, unware.  What should we do, be silent?  Let them?

Jude 1:2-4

Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

^{There are those who would believe it is the law, not faith in JEsus Christ that saves....}

^{Galatians 2:16-21}

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Christian, what do you believe?

, "God Wants to Talk With You" says Rick Warren

If you are interested in this topic, please listen to the March 21 broadcast of Fighting for the Faith with Chris Roseborough and his Sermon Review, "God Wants to Talk With You" by Rick Warren.
On a scale of 1- 5 pretzels (to be awarded for extreme scripture twisting) Rick Warren maxes out at 5 pretzels! 

If you are a Christian, and you believe what Rick is telling you.... think again.  Read your Bible and listen to Jesus instead.

The Lord's Prayer- A Book For Children

"In praying the Lord's prayer together  it will become a meaningful bedtime ritual a treasured memory and a lasting legacy that bears good fruit for generations to come."

 Rick Warren,  Promo Video for The Lord's Prayer For Children Book, You Tube, 2011

 Rick Warren is reaching out to children worldwide with his newest book sensation, this time his book is "for kids."  It is called "The Lord's Prayer."   Yes, he has published a book the little ones, and you can get a sneak peek of it on Amazon.... just click here.  The book's description tells us readers, "Warren explains the meaning behind the words Jesus taught his disciples with line-by-line commentary, teaching young readers the value of prayer."   

If anyone knows the Lord's Prayer... it should be Rick. It was, if you remember, Rick Warren who lead the American nation, the United States, in the recitation of this prayer at the inauguration of our 44th president, Barak Hussein Obama, back in 2008.  Besides he is the leader of a church, "a pastor" and claims also to be a :christian."  Yes, if anyone SHOULD know the Lord's Prayer, he would be one.  There is however some redefinition of things that goes on as he teaches others about it.

Rick has been working on promoting the Lord's prayer in America. In addition to the kids book, Rick has been working on writing a book for adults based on the Lord's Prayer, called  The Hope You Need.   This book, intended to go public in 2010, has not been published yet, but he has taken the opportunity to still teach about the prayer in sermons at his church, Saddleback Community Church, in CA.   Recently, on  January 23, 2011, it was at his church, in a sermon titled, "The Prayer that Changes You," His listeners got a dose of Rick's "Lord's Prayer" teaching for adults, but more on that in a moment....

The kids book appears to be simply a timeless version of the prayer to present to children, a rendering of the timeless, King James Version, complete with pretty illustrations (and notably, a hearty introduction for parents guardians and teachers by "Pastor" Rick.) As you might guess, Rick highly recommends this book; he even made a video promotion for the book to help further it's use.  (Watch this video...click here.)  But note:  he has made this book (the Lords Prayer for children).... in King James English, (something he routinely dismisses as "archaic.")  Note too, that this book is not simply a book as presented upon the shelf; his book for kids also comes with a special on-line study guide so that parents and Sunday school teachers can know how to use this book.

Now, you have to wonder.... what parent or school teacher would not know how to open up the book and read it to and with their children?  Are they not capable of enjoying the pretty pictures without some help?  And you have to wonder, after hearing at his recent sermon at Saddleback "The Prayer that Changes You," (where he taught the adults that saying the Lords' Prayer, the way Christians have been taught, was wrong...) why, if he believes that to pray this prayer word for word ... is like praying in heathenish, vain repetition which the Bible warns about, does he so highly regard parents teaching the prayer to their children o that they can say it every day... in King James English, no less!? 

And what does he teach adults?

In his Prayer That Changes You sermon, Pastor Rick had his congregation take a look at the scripture in writing, a look at the words in and around the Lord Jesus teaching his disciples this way to pray, and when they did, he had everyone in his audience circle the word "like" in the passage of Matthew 6:9, , where Jesus says, "pray like this."  

Circle that word will ya, in your mind.  LIKE

Then he made the suggestion that the prayer as Jesus taught, was only to be a model for our own prayer not a repeated prayer.  He said that not to use it as a model for our own prayer, was "vain repetition," something the bible clearly warns against!  Just the same, in (tricky-rick) Rick Warren double speak fashion, he publishes a book, The Lord's Prayer, (for children of the world) and encourages parents to teach their children this prayer.... even suggests they make it a bedtime ritual to do with their kids. 

In the Prayer that Changes You sermon, Rick also made it a point to say that we people, are not supposed to pray that prayer verbatim, (word for word) but instead that we were actually supposed use the prayer as "a model" and pray "like" (reference you previously circled word) that prayer.  Now he put himself in a position of authority, over parents and their kids, tell them to buy his verbatim book on the prayer and pray it, read it, every day ritualistically.  You, if you are like me, might wonder... "Which is it supposed to be, Rick?"  But his Prayer That Changes You sermon, wasn't really only about the Lord's Prayer; he also used the sermon to publicly defend his position regarding what he calls "meditation."  

And how does Rick Warren define meditation?

“But meditation is simply focused thinking—

a skill anyone can learn and use anywhere.”

pg. 90, Purpose Driven Life,( PDL)

Rick was defensive.  Regarding the matter of meditation and the definition of the word, because apparently there are some people, (Rick called them, "confused Christians," ) who actually have the audacity to promote the idea that Rick is teaching what they call,  transcendental, New Age, forms of "meditation," and Rick doesn't appreciate that,  Rick wanted to clear the air.  He,no doubt, wanted to ensure that everyone in his audiences knew that meditation was biblical, especially when these "confused people" make the claim that Rick promotes something that is not, something they consider as eastern religion types of meditation being promoted, by Rick, within what should be the Christian Church.  Rick insisted at this sermon,  just as he has written in his Purpose Driven Life book,(See the quote above,) that "meditation is biblical" and it just means "focusing on God. "

 "The bible tells us to "pray all the time".

How is it possible to do this? One way is to use 

"breath prayers" throughout the day, 

as many Christians have done for centuries. 

You choose a brief sentence or 

a simple phrase that can be repeated

to Jesus in one breath:"

-Rick Warren PDL pg 89

His teaching on the Lord's prayer that day, began with him reiting a portion of the scriptures and then telling he people what it "really" was and how then, knowing this, and using it as a model, they REALLY should be praying.  HE recited:

"Our Father.. who art in heaven, 

hallowed be thy name."  

Then Rick said this is where you think about ,"how much God loves you." 

Apparently, Rick reads that prayer a little differently than Christians through the ages have.  I would like to ask Rick, if he thinnks they too, were ALL confused, and he finally has the word revealed on the meaning of this passage.  You see, I say this because Christians throughout the centuries have not been confused when they have actually believed that this part of the prayer is where we address God for who he is in relation to us....  how great and holy God is and how he resides so far above man and his ways.This section of the scripture is not about God's love for me or for you.  It is about his place... our place  and God's Holiness.

. 

Rick then said, very specifically, "not" to think about your sins, worries or problems.... just think of God and how "God is Love."

Rick is correct, God is love...

but is that what this part 

of the Lord's prayer says? 
No.

Rick, that trusty change-agent that hs is,
is simply changing 
right before your eyes., 
and mine, 
what it means.

Rick goes on to say in his sermon, about this particular part of the Lord's Prayer... that there are a lot of names for God in the Bible... 

Which is also true....
God has revealed  
himself time and time again.

There are many names by which God is known...
Provider, healer...deliverer, 
our very present help in time of need,
to name ja few. 
But one could ask,
"What does he mean exactly?"

 

Rick explains that there are "so many names for God" that there is a name of God that is the antidote and answer for every negative human hang-up, hurt or.. emotion you can have-- things like  worry, fear, impatience...

It is true...Elohim, El Sahddai, Jehovah, Jehova-M'Kaddesh, Jehovah Jirah, Jehovah Rophe, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Shalom, Adonai, Abir, Branch, Stone, El Roi, Theotes.... there are many "names" for God, but Rick never mentioned any of them.  HE simply made a statement about it leaving one to wonder the whole point of saying this at all, if not to point to God who is all those things and then to him come in the flesh.  there is after all a name above all other names, we are told.

It makes you wonder if  
he is here making 
the inference that

some other religions are 

just worshiping the "same God" 
by another name.

Also, since we are talking eastern thought 
specifically on "meditation",  here, it is the kind of thing 
that makes you wonder if God according to Rick, is 

like the god of Buddhism where you 

simply call on whatever God you need

by name, for whatever problem you have... 

Rick Warren made comments to the crowd about how we,  (And remember, he is speaking to "Christians" here... in his church,) we,  "just do not know God enough."  In fact, he says, "if we knew God" more, we would be more connected to God our Father.  

Rick should be teaching that there is only one way to connect to God the father.... John 14:6. Instead, his message is that Christians just do not know God enough.

This is the kind of statement that makes you wonder how Christians connect to God at all.  They will be more connected to God.... than they are now....of course.... only if they listen to Rick.

Lo and behold, Rick is right again....

IF the people who called by God's
name "knew God"that  more...

they would know this man, 
Rick Warren, 
was teaching nonsense that saves no one.  
They would recognize that this
is not the voice of their shepherd... 
not the voice of someone 
who loves sinners in need of a savior
like God does.  They might even notice that

Rick was simply drawing disciples 
after himself.

If people knew Jesus...

if they knew his voice at all,

they would know he was the exact

representation of the Father....

through which anyone could be 

 quite connected to God the father, 
safe and secure where nothing can be

snatched from his hand.

These would be God's Children

and these would pray,

"Our Father, who art in heaven..." 
not something made up to pray in it's place.

They would know his name is holy,

and that it is he who has

given us one name

under heaven by which men

might be saved....

"Jesus Christ."

But along comes Rick....  
teaching that Jesus taught his disciples 
the Lord’s Prayer, 
but that Christians are doing
it wrong.

But then, didn't Warren make a display of himself as  Christian, 
the day he prayed the Lord's Prayer with the nation, 
that most memorable day aon the White House Lawn?  
Didn;t he also write the Lord's Prayer book for children....
and encourage parents to read it 

and teach it,

in KJV,

to their kids---

complete with his "expert" pastorial 

commentary on it.. 

of course!

 

Rick further taught the congregation, "meditation is biblical."

He said that the bible "commands" meditation.

He said too, that when he talks about meditation, he means nothing more than "quiet time" in prayer with God. 

"....Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven

give us this day our daily bread"

But despite how simple "mediation" was just described by him to be, Rick seems to have this idea that prayer is really hard to do.  He then went on teaching how prayer must have the four components  (which he the proceeded to teach on) and how there are actually six steps to prayer, (things you NEED TO DO in your quiet time with God.)  No, according to Rick, prayer is just not simple.  It's a work, one that you must be expert at and do just as he instructs... because Rick knows, and teaches what he knnows... that praying to God is not as simple as the model Jesus taught his disciples to pray. You have to use it as a model for your own prayer... and then pray like Rick Tell you and learn all his steps and and components too.

After  laying all these heavy burdens on people about praying to God in the right way, and teaching that we bring God's kingdom down to earth by prayer, he got to the next part and recited,

"and forgive us our debts as we forgive 

our debtors, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil...."

According to Rick, the "main" thing, is to learn to forgive yourself. 

Funny...  the Lord's Prayer...  here... is about asking God for forgiveness and forgiving others, but there is nothing about forgiving one's self mentioned in there. 


But back to the book for kids...

The book description tells us readers how in this book,  "Warren explains the meaning behind the words Jesus taught his disciples with line-by-line commentary, teaching young readers the value of prayer."  He explains the meaning to kids, with an  online curriculum for the Lord's Prayer for Children by Rick Warren.  What does Rick teach in it?.

"In the Lord's Prayer, we are asking God

to make the earth as amazing as heaven, 

 the place where he rules and he is always present."  

page 11

Is this what the Lords Prayer is about?  
Are we asking God to make this earth 

as amazing as heaven? 

NO.

We are asking for his will, not our own to 
be done.

"Wouldn't it be great if all the treasures in heaven 

were on earth? The lord's prayer says that we can

pray for God's rule, authority, and presence to come to earth. "

   Page 13

"(Jesus) said that if we knew how 

valuable heaven was, we would want to

give up everything for it."   

 page 13

"Having just been told about

praying for heaven to come to earth,

now being told how "valuable" heaven is,

you get the idea that heaven on

earth is a possibility IF....

if you are willing to give up everything for it.

Funny how, according to Rick,
we are to want heaven on earth.
Funny too is this idea presented that 

we can have "heaven" on earth if we just 

give up everything for it.

 

What could this man mean by this? 

But it is not just through the words,,,, but also through the illustrations in the book, that children are supposed to be taught.  What do they learn the various parts of the prayer mean and represent through these pictures?  The curriculum explains:

"Our Father who art in heaven "...the picture represents how  "God provides parents and other adults to help you"

                                                                                                                                                    Nice.  Parents and teachers are helpers,
but is that what this scripture is about?  No.

And, who helped the 
Israelites escape Egypt
and who parted 
the Red Sea? 

Hint: It wasn't teachers and parents... 
and it wasn't Moses either.

"Give us this day our daily bread."  .... "God provides a world for children to live and grow in"

Nice thoughts here too.
the verse is  But once again, 
so much more than:

"God provides a world 
for children to live and grow in."

"Thy will be done on earth " ......"God gives us creativity to make the world a better and more beautiful place."

The niceness continues, but 
it is not true to the written word on the page.

  The will of God being done on the earth
is not that people 

would be creative in making 

"the world a better 

and more beautiful place."

Obedience...doing things that are right and good and true....
repenting of doing wrong... even
Faith in the one whom God sent to save us....
all come to mind, but instead we hear something about 
our own human abilities to "make the world a better 
and more beautiful place"

That sounds more like 
someone's fanciful
political agenda.

 

"As it is in heaven" ..... "God provides animals for food companionship and work."
                                                                                                             Pg 20,21

Regarding, "As it is in haven."

 This is about animals?
Wow. 
Is it really about animals?
Answer: no.

Yes, now thanks to Warren's new book, all those kids under the tutelage of teachers in Sunday school or in their homes with doting parents, wanting to train up their children in the way that they should go, can have Rick Warrens help.  He, and his friends,  can teach them all about the concept of bringing heaven to earth, without Jesus of the Bible being the only way to God, the only name under heaven by which men might be saved and receive not just life for this world, but eternal life.   They can make the world, their world, a better and more beautiful place, by being creative and by being willing to listen to Rick Warren, and be willing to take his advice and give up everything, for it.

Thanks to Rick, and to the children-loving parents and well-intentioned Sunday school teachers he has convinced to listen to him, who buy and use this book, (who have no idea that Rick changes what the Bible does say, and what words actually mean, the way Rick does, ) kids everywhere will be vulnerable, to his false teaching of what the Bible "says."They will have a new and changed perspective on the very prayer that Jesus himself taught his disciples, God's own children, to pray...
the prayer Christians call the Lord's Prayer.