Featured Rick Warren & Muslims???

Our brother here is correct.

I have some issues with Rick Warren myself, but the man tells you what he believes. If he directly states his opinion, I am going to accept that as his perspective unless I am given a compelling reason not to believe him.

An article that does not quote Warren and seems to make unwarranted assumptions about his beliefs, does not have the same level of credibility as a direct statement from the man himself.

Remember that lots of people (even in this forum) apparently don't know the difference between the love and respect of people with whom we disagree versus accepting their belief system as true and condoning their actions. They think you must hate people with whom you disagree.

 

You have been supplied a direct quote from Warren...yet maintain he's silent?

 

The Bible teaches us that those who deny the Son---also denies the Father!!!

Islam is a religion of deniel!!!

 

http://www.baptistboard.com/showpost.php?p=1810963&postcount=22

 

This is a comment from Pastor Warren about the article:
“I deeply love my Muslim neighbors but this article contains multiple errors – factually and theologically that neither our dear friends in the Muslim Community nor the Christians at Saddleback Church would agree with.”

I'm always amazed at how fast people charge into these conversations with their fists up and expecting to find glory by beating up other ministries. We should never besmirch the ministry or name of a person based on poor information. Though I appreciate Pastor Warren's ministry, and believe it is Gospel centered, there are things that I don't necessarily agree with (which hopefully doesn't make me a mindless sycophant.) But here, shouldn't we give him the benefit of the doubt and await his reply before tearing down his ministry.

Right now our church is reaching out to the growing Muslim population in our region. I attend multiple interfaith conversations because they are important and we need to have them. We take groups of our people and go on a city wide tour of various places of worship (syangogue, Mosque, Hindu temple, etc) to expose our people to the various religions in our backyard. We then take the second step and equip them with how to lovingly respond to those outside of Christianity. Our next door neighbors are Muslim and we have eaten with them, enjoyed time with them, and even cut their grass while they're out of town. Too many believers think we can just hole up and pray for the rapture without actually engaging those outside the church. It is leading to our ruin.

Listen, I don't know everything about Saddleback's efforts or even what went on at this interfaith meeting. It isn't my place to savagely comment based on a less than charitable peice in a secular media source. Perhaps we can all step back and take a deep breath.

 

Lot of Warren haters on board... Most don't even know why, they just follow the herd.

The issue with Islam is called MISSIONS.

 

I've worked on doctoral level projects with some men who were former Muslims and who were/are working on the many issues that exist in Islamic missional advances. Most do not understand the various nuances involved in the discussion -- or that we can actually use the Koran (Q'ran) for Christian evangelism in much the same way we use tracts, for even in its severely perverted state it STILL points to ISA (Jesus) as the highest prophet and speaks about His life in ways that mirror the source document -- the OT and NT Scriptures.

Warren may be completely above board with this effort -- and likely is -- and yet just the fact that his name is mentioned in concert with Islam and he ends up reviled (again, what else is new).

About Warren in particular, I have not yet researched this latest issue so I have no informed opinion -- and from what I have seen here, neither does anyone else -- but in the tradition of the BB and of Baptist in general, if there are 3, there will be 5 opinions and a church split in the making. We're our own worst enemies on most days!

 

The article I read at http://www.christianpost.com/news/pastors-answer-does-rick-warren-endorse-islam-52833/ is dated Tuesday, Feb 28, 2012

 

Jesus was mentioned as associating with tax collectors, etc. I was once told by a former seminary professor that if both sides are shooting at you then you are probably doing the right thing as Jesus did. Jesus was shot as by both sides when he was asked about a reason for divorce.