kevkeegsdad Posted July 16, 2004 Group: Junior Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 8 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 77 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/10/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/29/1965 Share Posted July 16, 2004 My wife and I are having difficulties with our church. It follows the Purpose Driven philosophy of pastor Rick Warren, but we have noticed the tendency to be more secularized so as to appeal to a mass audience... The problem comes with the understanding of making the church more relevant to people today so that they feel more comfortable with the church and more readly recieve Christ as their Lord and Savior...but when we asked about the fear of the Lord we were given blank looks. Also, the church seems to have this drive to grow as a building rather than expanding as a church body and then providing needed space...almost as if they have the cart before the horse. When the leaders and deacons were approached about some of these concerns they act unconcerned and want us to accept it as it is. When reference was made to the loss of some of the attendees who were regular members we were told that sometimes the tree needs pruning. In our eyes, the fruit is being pruned instead of the dead branches. We also discovered a resource called pastors.com that gives you a sermon so you don't have to worry with writing your own...we noticed that our pastor was using these sermons and it is troubling us. Anyone else out there following Rick Warren or have any advice or comment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Isaiah64v8 Posted July 17, 2004 Share Posted July 17, 2004 Rick Warren's gospel is not the ENTIRE Gospel. It's a watered-down, feel-good pop psychology gospel, with some Jesus and God thrown in here and there. Check my other posts if you want to see what I had to say about him, but for starters, he doesn't mention anything about the need for repentence. That's how Jesus and John the Baptist both started their ministries. If you would like some real insight into what's going on with the Megachurch phenomenon, I highly recommend "Hard to Believe" by John MacArthur. It's in Christian bookstores now. I'd post that book here if I could - it's very, very good and is a wake up call for all who call themselves Christians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted Posted July 17, 2004 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 276 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 7,474 Content Per Day: 0.96 Reputation: 51 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/25/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/31/1966 Share Posted July 17, 2004 Pupose driven= money driven. Just the type of testimony that I expected sooner or later about this "Purpose Driven" stuff. When a church gives itself over to a fad to drive up their member roster, things have gotten out of hand. Yes, it has some good stuff in it, but it's not the Bible. Therefore, it should be noted, not followed. Kev, do your Pastor a favor and send him a subscription to "The Sword of the Lord". If he's going to plagerize sermons, they might as well be good ones! t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray Posted July 24, 2004 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 281 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 789 Content Per Day: 0.11 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/03/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted July 24, 2004 I guess with any church it depends what you are seeking out. To some I'm reminded of few qutoes "To each his own." or "There is a church for everyone" To me it is not an issue of the church rather what you are seeking from it. You only get from each church what you put into it is what you will get out of it. I have the Purpose Driven Life book. I too have also heard many wonderful things about it. I think I have not read it yet because I'm waiting for it to come out on tape or video format. I'm not big on reading anything. But if you are in avid reader I would be wondering what is preventing you from reading it if all your friends are excited about it. There are pros and cons to any church big or small. We each have our own baggage to bring to whatever church we attend. IT depends on what you are looking for in your jurney in of life. However, I'm deeply indebted to the Saddle Back church even though I have never ever been there. California is 3,000 miles away from me yet the impact of Sadlle Back has forever changed my life. They have an awesome program; which one can start there own church, called, Celebrate Recovery a Christian 12-step program. With out this program which has been growing by leaps and bounds on the east coast, I know with out I would no longer be a follower of Christ. I probably would have disowned my family and been living on the streets or dead now if were not for Saddle Back. No, Saddle Back may not be perfect but than again who is? People today disagree on different types of music from rap, heavy metal, country, oprea, or the great classics and even the hymals. People will also seek out fault because it is easier to deal with than what is positive. You can see that just from watching the news. They seek out the worst stories because they know we will watch them as to the feel good story of the week. However, Today all the music formats I have mentioned above have now all crossed over to world of Christian music. Such as DC Talk, Mary Mary, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Kurt Franklin, Petra, all of these groups I just named sing and glorify the Lord. Frankly it might not be your style of music and that is ok. What brings me to a closer relationship to Lord is more imporant. There also many styles of worship. but all of this is a discussion for another topic room. My point is regardless of where ever you are in your walk with the Lord Take it with an open heart and open mind. You don't have to agree with evereything. As it says in Lamentations 3:40 "Examine everything and let us return to the Lord" Hopefully you can examine this book and still be able to return to the Lord. However, I think to many Christians today have grown complacent. I hope this book changes your Christian walk for the better. I think more Christians today are lot of Talk and never really intend to get up off there blessed assurance. I know Saddle Back 3,000 miles away has helped me get off my blessed assurance and is continually changing me week by week and I have never been there are talked with any one directly from there. Well I'm getting bit to wordy now so I will stop. Walk with the King, ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted July 24, 2004 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 104 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,026 Content Per Day: 0.14 Reputation: 11 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/13/2003 Status: Offline Share Posted July 24, 2004 Anyone else out there following Rick Warren or have any advice or comment? Welcome to the great apostasy, it will come in many pretty packages! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray Posted July 25, 2004 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 281 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 789 Content Per Day: 0.11 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/03/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted July 25, 2004 I don't follow Rick Warren I follow God I don't know who you follow but thats your choice and the free will God gives to you. However the wisdom God has instilled to Rick Warren has been benefical to my life sorry its not your cup of tea. No one asked you to drink from it. Why can't we just look at the logs in out own eyes instead of making acussations about something that is making postive changes in peoples lives. No one is forcing you to make you follow Rik Warren however he does have what seems to fit many people lives just not yours so why don't you try something else. If everyone got on a boat and you missed maybe you eaither find a helicopter to get on board or find a new boat and go a new direction. Thats enough of my soap box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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