If you thought the quotes from Rick Warren highlighted in my last post were jaw-dropping, well hold on to your chin! Here is round two from the article Rick Warren & Purpose-Driven Strife.

So the debate goes on: Is the purpose-driven method simplifying Christianity in exchange for church growth? The founder of the movement says the conflicts and divisions are inevitable costs.
“You know, I wouldn’t intentionally want to cause pain to any person or to anyone,”

My comment: No. He would be pleased as punch if all the churches would conform to his image without debate.

Warren said. “Am I willing to put up with pain so the people [that] Jesus Christ died for can come to know him? Absolutely.”
Warren said that if some churches may suffer as a result of applying some of those principles, then “that’s the price.”

My comment: Pastor Warren is saying, ‘Deny the historic Christian faith passed on to us by Jesus and his Apostles, take up your copy of ‘The Purpose-Driven Life’ and follow me. For whoever submits their life to me and my PDL system will gain eternal life.”

“Every church has to make the decision. … Is it going to live for itself, or is it going to live for the world that Jesus died for?”

My comment: Here he goes again! Warren is setting up another false dichotomy. A church that does not embrace PDL is selfish and unconcerned with evangelism. One that does is living for the world Jesus died for! Isn’t this called binary reductionism? If you are not in the PDL camp you must be in the dead orthodoxy camp. Rick would sure like for everyone to buy his lies. Step right up! Dr. Warren has a snake oil cure for your church woes, even for the woes you didn’t realize you had!

When asked if he thinks that some of these splits are actually because Christians themselves are indulgent and refusing to change, Warren said, “Oh, without a doubt.”

My comment: I’m not certain where Martin Bashir pulled this question from. It smells like a setup, allowing Warren to accomplish his goal of bashing PDL dissenters. Pastor Rick intones confidently that all opposition is self-centered and rigidly married to long dead tradition. Nice job, Dr. Warren. Millions of remnant believers worldwide are now painted black by two swipes with your broad brush.

And when asked if he blames them, he replied, “I do blame them.”

There you have it. These wicked, self-indulgent, traditional Christians are solely to blame for all the strife, schisms and splits inflicting the church today. If an individual or family leaves a PDL franchise over matters of conviction and conscience, they are rebels, divisive vipers and poor, blind souls in need of conversion.

I am one of these rebellious, venomous blind soul in need of salvation – or so I am told.
Rick Warren though, is innocent of all charges; a suffering saint at the hands of us merciless persecutors. He is a clever character, able to manipulate the media to his advantage, using them to spread his propaganda of Purpose & PEACE while crushing his enemies beneath his heel. He hides behind biblical terminology in promoting the five purposes of the church in his book. He raises them up in defense when asked if his teachings are biblical. ‘Of course they are’! He will exclaim triumphantly, revealing how his book is centered around discipleship, fellowship, evangelism, ministry and worship. However, unbeknownst to many, Warren has cunningly redefined the definitions of each of those terms to fit his agenda and the carnal tastes of unredeemed man.

There is a way that seems right to man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Pr 14:12)

I plead with anyone who may stumble across this post that may just now be raising an eyebrow at Rick Warren’s teachings: Be a good Berean! Search the scriptures to prove if the things he teaches are in accordance with sound biblical doctrine. Pray that God grants you sight and hearing to properly discern the times in which we live. Wolves in sheep’s clothing stalk those who have strayed from the voice of the good shepherd. Hearken to his call and return to the fold of true biblical Christianity. Jesus Christ is Lord and King of Creation. Rick Warren is only a prince of (his own) Purpose.