Rick Warren Finds the Missing Link

what you called an "ecumenical ideology".

 

I think of that wonderful line from Justin Martyr, "Whatever has been uttered aright by any men in any place belongs to us as Christians." Other faith-bases systems that are not rooted in Christ are, of course, fatally flawed, but that does not mean that they contain no truth.

As for Rick Warren -- this is going to be off-topic, but I have to share it with SOMEBODY: Last Thursday night I met with a man who, having been caught in an egregiously immoral practice, found Christ. I will not describe it all here, other than to say that is was the purest and most complete conversion I have witnessed in a long time. It started when his Catholic wife gave him a copy of "Purpose-Driven Life" to read. SHE recognized that although it is not a book that agrees with Catholic teaching, in it were valuable truths.

He came forward on Sunday and will presumably be baptized at Easter. His wife and son were present and I hope they too will follow. Warren's book is helping to change lives -- I also remember a young Ethiopian woman at the church I pastored who came to Christ and to a sense of purpose after I gave her that book.

 

The spelling is "too." The contraction "wasn't." When speaking of the Word of God, the "W" is upper case.

My guess is for all the flaws of Rick Warren, he beats the fire out of some purpose driven Pharisees on this board.

 

Then he isn't supporting or recommending wiccan or anything else. All he's really saying is religious peoples, whoever they may be, need to contribute, at least financially to aiding those in need. I happen to think we all should no matter what we say we believe. It doesn't sound like he isn't advocating joining forces with anyone else (wiccan, islam, etc.), just saying everyone should do their part.

 

Everyone who isn't one of the needy in the world. We all live on this planet, and we should all be responsable for helping those who can't help themselves. (and I'm thinking those who live in extreme poverty, no food,etc.)

 

RM - If you're set against RW, that's fine. But you're becoming obstinate.

Hey this Ethiopian woman I know came to Christ because of truth she encountered in Purpose-Driven Life. Isn't that great?

"Too bad it wasn't the Word of God."

That's ridiculous. There is Scripture all throughout the PDL. Who are you to determine what the Spirit will use to draw her to Jesus?

 

I think Rick Warren is simply being consistent with his theology, as little as I know of it.
It is good for Christians and churches to help the poor, anywhere they may be found, but, Scripturally, I think the poor mentioned in the Bible are those who are part of a church or of a community where a church is but this "helping" should be done within the context of a church's autonomy and individuality.

No church or pastor can or should compel others to "work hand in hand with them".

Each, if truly churches of the New Testament, is responsible to her Master and no one else.

 

Are the first three letters of your name "Rev"?!!!

My goodness REV.....you're lashing out at people you don't like and sure aren't making any BIBLICAL sense....especially for a REV!

 

Well you do know they hand out degrees for a tidy cost of $39.95 if you go to their website and say you want to be a minister.

Jamie

 

Quoted from RW:

In his speech, Warren argued that the solution of the world’s greatest problems lie in what he called the “third partnership.” The third partnership involves a relationship between faith communities, the government and the business sector.

“If business and government were able to solve the world’s problems by themselves, they would have done it by now. A combination of the public, profit and parish sector is needed,” Warren said. “The government has the administrative power to form agendas and set goals, the business sector can provide the expertise, the capital and the managerial skills, and the church can provide the distributive network and the local credibility.”

<snip>

Warren pinpointed the world’s problems in five main broader issues: spiritual emptiness (lack of God’s love in life), egocentric leadership and corruption, extreme poverty, pandemic diseases and illiteracy.

“Jesus did five things, the antidotes for those five problems: He promoted reconciliation, equipped servant leaders, assisted the poor, cared for the sick and educated the next generation.”



So what is wrong with this idea? I think he make's a great point to show how, in a combination of faith communities, the government and the business sector can all work together to solve some of the world's biggest problems.

I don't understand why you think it's wrong to band together for a common cause? Banding together to help the needy doesn't make a statement that you agree with another religion or even that it's the way to live.

Jamie

 

Mar 9:38-39

Seems some Christians think that any other Christians who are successful in this world's accomplishments are automatically heretics, and just can't stand it; regardless of their spiritual victories.:tear: