This is very humbling and for those of you who posted in different threads about his book making him rich...this just might change your view of him. Whether you like his program or not, you have got to admire his Godly character.
You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having "wealth" from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren, "Purpose Driven Life " author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California
In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said :
People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond : In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body -- but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems : Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore..
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness,"which is my problem, my issues, my pain." But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her.
It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves : Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?
Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
(Sorry I don't have a link to this. I received it in an email.)
New Insight - Rick Warren
Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by I Am Blessed 24, Nov 6, 2006.
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I'm sure God has and is going to use Rick for His kingdom work waaaaaaayyyyyy more than He will ever use me. I'm content just being used of God in what manner He chooses. After all, I did not choose Him, He chose me.
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Here is the link to that interview--it was published in the November, 2004 issue of Decision magazine:
http://www.billygraham.org/DMag_Article.asp?ArticleID=492 -
It's amazing how we laud success until someone's successful. Then we demonize them. I fear Warren has suffered this fate. We applaud soul-winning, church building and works of compassion. Then when Warren does it on a scale beyond our imaginings, he is suddenly evil, worldly or compromised or whatever. BTW, if he kept every dollar from his book sales, that's his business. I have a problem with ministers accepting large salaries that are based on donations. But with book sales that's a different matter. The fact that he has gone above and beyond and actually given away his money is more than commendable.\
To set the record straight, I'm not saying this because I'm a big Warren fan. My philosophy of ministry is a lot more conservative than his. But who am I to judge? -
I have no problem with Rick Warren, or anybody, for that matter, making money and becoming wealthy off their work. My problem with him is theological in nature.
Joseph Botwinick -
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I saw him on 60 minutes last night. It was the first time I really paid attention to him. I agree with a lot of what he said. When it came to AIDS, he said one can love the sinner yet hate the sin. I thought that was solid. -
I agree Linda.
I also agree with I Am Blessed 16.......
while I may not agree with some of his ideas that does not mean that I cannot take a lesson from him on something that he seems to have gotten absolutely right.
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I had a chance to meet R W once and blew it!!!!
I had gone to a Southern Baptist convention meeting --- I think it was in Dallas and during one of those dull business sessions I went down to the book store area and was "me-andering" through and picked up a few books, etc and walked over to a check out booth ---- and there in front of me checking out was this dude with knee length short pants, sissy-fied loafers with no shocks and a Hawaiian shirt
I knew who R W was but had no idea he'd be standing in front of me and LifeWay checkout----still ---- I didn't know it was him until I watched him sign his "John Hancock" on the credit card charge
Sure enough ---- I was standing right behind him --- and didn't even know it ---- but faster than Santa Clause and Rudolph on 100 octane gasoline --- he was gone!!!
I had a chance to meet R W and I blew it!!!
Blackbird -
I'd would be interested to know what the conversation would have been about had you actually met Rick Warren. -
It amazes me that Christians always feel the need to attack people like Warren. I may not agree with him on some theological issues, but we do agree that people need to come to have faith in the shed blood of Jesus for salvation.
The man has probably done more to advance God's kingdom than any 10 people on this forum, and I am rejoice for every person that has found salvation through his work. -
2. Do they matter?
3. Are you attacking Rick Warren if you point out those disagreements and explain why you think they matter?
4. Do you see the cult like mentality inherit in question #3 (touch not my annointed twisted to the nth degree)?
Joseph Botwinick -
With popularity and success comes scrutiny. A man who says much will have his words twisted, and if he says something twisted it will be exposed. Rick Warren has supplanted Billy Graham as the go-to man for the media and for just about all religions around the world. He is immensely popular and successful.
That being said, one cannot deny that those churches which have chosen to try and follow Rick Warren's methods have been split on some occasions. Change is a dividing agent often. The older folks are fearful of change. The younger ones are tired of the older folks wanting to do things the same way they have been done for 40 years.
Regardless of who is right, as like with everything else, a church and individuals can either accept or reject Rick Warren and his ways. -
God can use us all, and does, and in doing so we give God the Glory.
I'm not sure he still doesn't tend toward works however. Your 4th reads "Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free." Seems he is saying he has worked off his debt to God.
James in 2:24 says, "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." The good Pastor seems to adhere to justification by, rather than through.
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I don't usually watch TV preachers.
BUT Rick Warren was on the Fox News Network in our area with "The Purpose of Christmas", his first church TV broadcast.
I've never heard him preach before.
I listened.
I was impressed.
It was the best Christmas sermon I've heard in a long while.
Here is his site featuring the controversial peace plan.
Rick Warren has filled the big shoes of Billy Graham as America's most prominent (and effective) Evangelist.
I may disagree with him on some minor issues (could easily be my err rather than his), he's a strong Christian leader, blessed by God.
Rob -
I once met Paige Patterson of SWBTS fame --- he was preaching at one of our Mississippi Baptist conventions in Jackson --- some years ago.
I was in the Men's room between sessions and was washing my hands in the lavartory when the door opens and he pops in. I introduced myself and commented something like --- "I appreciate the message you preached this afternoon, Dr. Patterson ---- the Spirit of God really spoke to me and I thank you!"
Engaging in deep theological discussion at a LifeWay checkout counter and in the Men's room at 1st Baptist Jackson, MS??? Even if I would have gotten the upper hand on both Warren and Patterson --- my wife would have told me that those were both inappropriate places to engage in deep thinkin' and talkin!!:type: -
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preachinjesus Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
great op on this thread.
Rick Warren has been doing far more than you or I could ever know about to positively advance the Gospel in our generation. While some might disagree with him and his methods, he is representing Christ wonderfully in our culture in places where most Christians have already discreditted themselves.
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