Chrystalwuzhere
06-01-2006, 01:22 PM
This is how Rick Warren, author of the Purpose Driven Life, describes himself:
He describes himself as a "stealth evangelist" and describes his training programs as "a stealth movement, that's flying beneath the radar (http://www.moriel.org/discernment/purpose_driven_church.htm), that's changing literally hundreds, even thousands of churches around the world." He claims that he has sold tens of millions of copies of The Purpose Driven Life by developing a worldwide network of pastors.
Should an evangelist be "stealth"? A stealth movement flying beneath the radar? The Word of God is to be boldly proclaimed....not rendered in a stealthy manner.
When reading in the book of Luke last night, Jesus was saying how He didn't come into this world to bring peace, but to bring division. He came to bring a sword. That sword, His Word, will bring division.
The Gospel is NOT popular, and it never will be. So, since we know the gospel is NOT popular, then why are Warren and Osteen so popular with millions upon millions of people? Rick Warren has networked millions of churches throughout the globe. Osteen has the largest church in America. Why are millions around the world embracing Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, and all others in the emerging church/seeker sensitive movement? There is absolutely no division among their ranks. The only division I see is between them and Christians who stand on the Word of God as authority.
Does Rick Warren saying he's a "stealth evangelist" bother you? It bothers me. Those scriptures come to mind about how our light can't be hid. So, if he's doing this stealthily, is the Word of God being compromised?
Something is wrong when you are embraced by the world, as RW has been. I've seen him on secular news channels being interviewed, and given much respect by them. When you're popular with the world, something's wrong.
Want proof? Here's what Time Magazine says about Rick Warren:
Rick Warren
America's New People's Pastor: These are heady times for Rick Warren. His book The Purpose Driven Life, which says that meaning in life comes through following God's purposes, has sold more than 20 million copies over the past two years and is the best-selling hardback in U.S. history. When he took the podium to pray on the final night of Billy Graham's Los Angeles crusade at the Rose Bowl in November, the 82,000 congregants cheered as if Warren had scored the winning touchdown. And on the eve of the presidential Inauguration, Warren, who pastors the 22,000-member Saddleback megachurch in Lake Forest, Calif., delivered the Invocation at the gala celebration. Later he met with 15 Senators, from both parties, who sought his advice and heard his plan to enlist Saddleback's global network of more than 40,000 churches in tackling such issues as poverty, disease and ignorance. And when 600 senior pastors were asked to name the people they thought had the greatest influence on church affairs in the country, Warren's name came in second only to Billy Graham's. Although Franklin Graham is heir to the throne of the Billy Graham organization, many believe that Warren, 51, is the successor to the elder Graham for the role of America's minister.
http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101050207/photoessay/
America's minister? God help us!
Enough said.
Click here (http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/5/29/195855/959) to read the rest of the article. There is much more useful information in this article.
He describes himself as a "stealth evangelist" and describes his training programs as "a stealth movement, that's flying beneath the radar (http://www.moriel.org/discernment/purpose_driven_church.htm), that's changing literally hundreds, even thousands of churches around the world." He claims that he has sold tens of millions of copies of The Purpose Driven Life by developing a worldwide network of pastors.
Should an evangelist be "stealth"? A stealth movement flying beneath the radar? The Word of God is to be boldly proclaimed....not rendered in a stealthy manner.
When reading in the book of Luke last night, Jesus was saying how He didn't come into this world to bring peace, but to bring division. He came to bring a sword. That sword, His Word, will bring division.
The Gospel is NOT popular, and it never will be. So, since we know the gospel is NOT popular, then why are Warren and Osteen so popular with millions upon millions of people? Rick Warren has networked millions of churches throughout the globe. Osteen has the largest church in America. Why are millions around the world embracing Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, and all others in the emerging church/seeker sensitive movement? There is absolutely no division among their ranks. The only division I see is between them and Christians who stand on the Word of God as authority.
Does Rick Warren saying he's a "stealth evangelist" bother you? It bothers me. Those scriptures come to mind about how our light can't be hid. So, if he's doing this stealthily, is the Word of God being compromised?
Something is wrong when you are embraced by the world, as RW has been. I've seen him on secular news channels being interviewed, and given much respect by them. When you're popular with the world, something's wrong.
Want proof? Here's what Time Magazine says about Rick Warren:
Rick Warren
America's New People's Pastor: These are heady times for Rick Warren. His book The Purpose Driven Life, which says that meaning in life comes through following God's purposes, has sold more than 20 million copies over the past two years and is the best-selling hardback in U.S. history. When he took the podium to pray on the final night of Billy Graham's Los Angeles crusade at the Rose Bowl in November, the 82,000 congregants cheered as if Warren had scored the winning touchdown. And on the eve of the presidential Inauguration, Warren, who pastors the 22,000-member Saddleback megachurch in Lake Forest, Calif., delivered the Invocation at the gala celebration. Later he met with 15 Senators, from both parties, who sought his advice and heard his plan to enlist Saddleback's global network of more than 40,000 churches in tackling such issues as poverty, disease and ignorance. And when 600 senior pastors were asked to name the people they thought had the greatest influence on church affairs in the country, Warren's name came in second only to Billy Graham's. Although Franklin Graham is heir to the throne of the Billy Graham organization, many believe that Warren, 51, is the successor to the elder Graham for the role of America's minister.
http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101050207/photoessay/
America's minister? God help us!
Enough said.
Click here (http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/5/29/195855/959) to read the rest of the article. There is much more useful information in this article.