Rick Warren tells Rob Bell to “ignore critics”, then deletes tweet.
Since I am following @RickWarren on twitter mainly because @RickWarren is following me…I was just about to review another NOOMA when I got this text message on my cell phone from Rick Warren via Twitter.
@RickWarren: “thenoomaguy Hey Rob, Just wanted to encourage you to ignore critics. If you werent impacting & making a difference, theyd ignore you. rick”
Looks as if slick Rick wanted to send Rob a personal direct message and forgot to add the “D” and since the twitter API doesn’t allow for a delay in sending text messages, I got the text message on my phone even though he deleted it from his Twitter account.
So I want to ask Rick and Rob a question.
Do you honestly believe that because you receive critisism from people, that it means your doing a good job?
Let’s take this logic to the real world.
Rick Warren get’s a job at McDonalds and comes to work late every day. The manager confronts him about this issue and Rick Warren with a smile on his face says the following… ”I am going to ignore you, I must be making a difference, or else you would ignore me.”
Have you ever thought that people might be genuinely concerned with your easy believism and ecumenicism and are pleading with you to stop?
Rob, is it to much to ask that people, including myself are deeply upset because your teaching false doctrine and heresy.
As evangelist who are out there on the streets, we see the damage of both of your teachings every single day. We want people to be fed solid food but they are not, they are fed junk food…sure it tastes good, but to much of it will kill you. (Just like McDonalds by the way.)
Finally the question needs to be asked, if Rick Warren supports the ministry of Rob Bell does he also support his claims of a feminist view of God, open theism, universalism and fist shaking to the creator? Or is this just frivolous criticism?
Tags: McDonalds, Rick Warren, Rob Bell, Twitter
August 4th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Interesting.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Double wow
1). Rick Warren siding with Rob Bell
2). Rick Warren counseling anyone to ignore critics.
Here is a little bit of wisdom from the wisest man in the world besides Jesus:
Proverbs 13:1
A wise son hears his father’s instruction,
but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
Proverbs 17:10
A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
Proverbs 28:23
Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
than he who flatters with his tongue.
Ecclesiastes 7:5
It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise
than to hear the song of fools.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
One sticking point. You’re not Rob or Rick’s manager.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
Wow, spot on. I think they need to repent.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
The interesting part about all this is that church leaders won’t repent from giving their sheep the rotten food of the “Purpose Driven Life” even though it has been proven to be nothing more than humanism and the twisting of Scripture and Warren continues to show his ecumenism and no concern for the True Gospel.
August 5th, 2009 at 8:13 am
Thank you for the post, Mr. Pittman.
Rick Warren claims to be a pastor. Not only does he instruct other “pastors” to ignore the critic…he instructs other pastors to throw the critic out if the critic is within the “church”.
No room for Bereans in the Purpose Driven Pyramid.
Any Purpose Driven Pastor remember the part where Jesus washed the feet of the disciples?
Or when He told Peter to “feed ( not fleece ) My sheep?”
Oh, that’s right…you wont find those passages in the Purpose Driven Life or The Purpose Driven Church.
Arrogance thrives in rebellion.
Psalm 59:12
12 For the sins of their mouths,
for the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter
Jude 1
10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.
11Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
12These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;
13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
August 5th, 2009 at 9:02 am
[...] Warren is showing more and more of his true colors. Read this post by Marcus Pittman of Transplant Ministries describing how RW sent a tweet to Rob Bell the “Nooma” guy saying that he should just [...]
August 5th, 2009 at 10:35 am
No real surprise. We need to keep shining the light of God’s truth on these false teachers and expose them for the thieves they are.
August 5th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Wow, Marcus. Thanks for sharing this! Wolves are wolves. It shouldn’t be surprising when the hunt together. Press on, brother.
August 5th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Great catch!
August 5th, 2009 at 11:14 am
[...] [...]
August 5th, 2009 at 11:47 am
considering anti-discernment site runned by Chris Lyons
has leaders and people from Bell and Warren’s churches trashing bloggers and preachers
who show how Bell and Warren and others is deceiving people
I am not surprised at this.
August 5th, 2009 at 11:48 am
one other thing:
notice, how some of these false teachers are getting psycho people who call them out on their false teachers
or use discernment on them.
Perry Noble and Doug Pagitt and Steven Furtick and others including Bell and Warren are screaming at people who use discernment on them.
if Bell or Warren and others like them arent deceiving people,
Rob Bell and Rick Warren could easily debunk the things be accused and said about them
BTW: we need to PRAY for those being deceived by Bell and Warren will wake up and see the truth about Rob Bell and Rick warren’s teachings
August 5th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
So let’s tweak the analogy for some. you are the customer at mcdonalds and Rick dumps your fries on the floor, sneezes on your burger and spits in your drink. when you complain that he is not doing his job right and he has ruined the food, then he says ” I sam ignoring you, if I wasn’t making an impact, you would be ignoring me”
is that better?
August 5th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Josh,
Could you show one example where Bell has screamed at anyone?
PreacherBill,
We could also fix the analogy to a true to life story. When the founders of McDonalds started they were told they would never make it. They had critics. When they sold part of the company to an entrepreneur they had more, who again told them about all of their mistakes.
They ignored those critics and it turned out all right for them.
August 5th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
please note that “@thenoomaguy” is not Rob Bell
August 5th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Facebook accounts supposed to be run by “famous names” are in reallity run and opened by their fans, with that in mind do you think it possible the same thing could be true of Twitter ? I find it difficult to believe that Warren would be wasting time sending personal twitter messages to Bell to be honest.
- dale
August 5th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
“It has been often said, very truely, that religion is the thing that makes the ordinary man feel extraordinary; it is an equally important truth that religion is the thing that makes the extraordinary man feel ordinary.”
~ G.K. Chesterton
August 5th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
I think people should arm themselves with information such as the books that lighthouse trails publishing puts out by authors such as the researcher Ray Yungen, A Time of Departing is particularly good, ( Deals with the nature and direction of something these two and many other “pastors” now support and teach called Contemplative Spirituality- think TM, wrapped in Christian terms. He also wrote For Many Shall Come In My Name. What was just released and I am dying to get a copy of especially since I have read everything else he has written, by an author named Warren Smith: A Wonderful Deception. He has a free online read at http://www.reinventingjesuschrist.com.;very very good read, especially since his background was a former New- Ager. But now has come to Jesus and salvation, but all the things he left, he sees gushing uncontrolled back into the church, through various teachers. These things are of course dressed up in Christian terms, and we were warned in the scripture in Acts, 2 Peter 2, Jude and well- Revelation 17 of these imposters and they would eventually draw the world religions into an apostate religion that persecutes Christians. ( New ones post rapture? or the Church if we are not correct on the pre- trib rapture? But someone gets killed by their hands and they are drunk on the wine/blood and God comes to punish according to the scripture) These books do a fantastic job of research to see what trends are in the church that mirror the same philosophies as the New Age or what is now called the New Spirituality. Do not be fooled. Warren Smith has also written Deceived on Purpose, for anyone who is searching for answers regarding the direction and intentions of Rick Warren and friends. He also wrote an amusing true story of his release of bondage to all things dark, his read is called The Light that was Dark.
He is by no means that only one who is noting this reinventing of our Lord, his gospel, the church, the concept of missions and many other slight of hand changes that the Post modern and purpose driven church use to change our faith from within. This in not something that is even occurring with a gradual pace now, the speed of this change is incredible. And your average Christian or pastor has no idea what is happening, the speed at which it is occurring and scary enough, the direction in which this group pf New liberals are steering the cart towards is despicable. So read these books, familiarize yourself with these “pastors” because they are out to take your children and grandchildren’s minds. Lots of vids for and against the Emerging church at youtube, look for Yungen and W Smith too! Look me up there in the search engine as john146only to catch vids in my favs!
So funny is the sense of humor or our Lord, that a small but faithful remnant would stand up to stem the tide of evil in the regard. These men come with forked tongues as they pervert the gospel, do away with traditional salvation and the cross, question everything we have ever held to and build bigger congregations of followers with itching ears that neuter the Christian faith& mission. These guys of this Emergent and Purpose Driven are not out to make things better, they are here to introduce damnable heresy and you now more than ever need to know your bible, as the end of the end times are upon us. Our faith is under assault from within. Educate yourself. learn what the bible says and what these heretics are teaching in churches and books and talks. Know thy enemy- prayer for them, tell others post research as souls are at stake. Do not stop at those who defend them, as there seems to be an endless tide of them. Study what they say and teach for yourself and do not be hindered in your pursuit for truth, please. I can’t tell you how many people I talk to who love and support these men and then refuse piece after piece of damning evidence, not because it is not solid enough, but bc they support this change and play games. We must wake up, Church! The narrow road is being bulldozed into a broad one where all religions can hop on “group salvation” by means of the social gospel and leave the bible in the dust. The Jesus they vie for is not the true one, but an imposter we have read about since the days of Daniel’s book that warned us he would come.
And no wonder we see Rick Warren aligned and on some type of board with Tony Blair who is not shy in anyway with his philosophy to join all world religions together, while curtailing the “extremists” who are exclusive in religious conviction, the new sin. Some thing stinks in the UK and abroad, and it always lead back to this joining of hands with the world and this multi-religious TM like inner meditation prayer that binds us via experience of ONE-ness with al things including God and all of creation. Be forewarned and read Romans 1 for God’s perspective on creation worship. Study everything you can on Thomas Merton, bc he name just keeps popping up with Thomas Keating, Father Lawrence, Henry Nouwen, Brennan Manning and many others, if you follow the breadcrumbs they will always lead you in one twist or another back to pantheism and pan-anthiesm, the fruit of this New Reformation. God is in all , god is all…. Just not our personal God, but the force. Read Daniel 11 please. vs. 36? I think.
Excellent job in this blog to note this connection. A big” good job and bravo” to those sounding the alarm to do so via this blog and the many others out there who care for Truth, who is a person as well as a concept. John 14:6 says it best!
Thanks- now get to reading and listening, so we can contend for the faith, once and all delivered to the saints. Be blessed,
Teresa
Further resource list: sliceoflaodicea.com and apprising ministries and cicministry.org and olivetreeviews.com and lighthosuetrailsresearch.com & Brandon Howse at worldviewmatters show found at christianworldviewnetwork.com which are all good solid sources.
August 5th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
frm pastor Greg :
“We could also fix the analogy to a true to life story. When the founders of McDonalds started they were told they would never make it.”
that analagy doesn’t work, that in fact ruins it. no, Warren and bell aren’t improving on the gospel they ate spitting on it, dripping it on the floor and then serving it up to people and telling them to take a big bite, it’s good. Warren has reinvented the church and bell has reinvented Christianity and both of their inventions lack Christ.
the only way your analagy would even come close is if mcdonalds said they were serving burgers and instead it was actually a cow pie on a bun and they were able to fool enough people to swear that they tasted great.
August 5th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Your “discernment” quickly turns to bitterness, judgment, and jealousy. How does Rob Bell leave out Christ? Have you ever listened to one of his sermons? He certainly doesn’t teach a “you’re in” and “you’re out” theology, but he also doesn’t argue for universalism. If you truly think that about him, you haven’t done your homework.
August 5th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Rob bell is a universalist. He just put out a video where he changed the gospel and now you are accusing us , or me, whoever of being bitter.
We have to judge false doctrine. When it comes to false teachers, read Matt 7 past the first 2 verses. You will find that it is by their fruitst that we will know they are false teachers.
Jealousy, really? of what. I am not jealous of a man who clearly has no clue what the gospel is, and preaches a false gospel of socialism, and of whom Paul has already said in Galatians, ‘let him be accursed(anathema)”
I have listened to his sermons, more than one. He does not know the Christ of the Bible, nor the Gospel of the Christ of the Bible.
But on a final note:
You have accused us/me of being bitter, judgemental and jealous…
how judgemental of you.
August 5th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Hey what’s new. birds of a feather flock together. Cheers !!
August 5th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
It is devilish to take delight in exposing the faults of fellow-Christians, and stirring up prejudice and bitter feelings against them (Rev. 12:10). God requires that our words should agree with love–as well as with truth. Since Christians are brethren, the last thing they should be guilty of is defaming one another!
Except where the glory of God plainly requires it, and the good of that person demands it–we must refrain from all evil speaking of others. If we are duly occupied with and humbled over our own many faults–we shall have neither time nor inclination to dwell upon or publish those of others! If we properly heed the exhortation of Philippians 4:8, we shall cultivate the habit of admiring the graces in our brethren–instead of being like filthy flies, settling on their sores!
Well may we pray, “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord! Keep watch over the door of my lips!” Psalm 141:3
~ Arthur Pink
August 5th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
‘It is devilish to take delight in exposing the faults of fellow-Christians, and stirring up prejudice and bitter feelings against them.’
Problem is they are not fellow Christians but false peachers!
August 5th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
‘It is devilish to take delight in exposing the faults of fellow-Christians, and stirring up prejudice and bitter feelings against them.’
Problem is they are not fellow Christians but false preachers!
August 6th, 2009 at 12:25 am
Anonymous,
There can be no unity where truth is thrown out. Love does not ignore teaching that can bring men’s souls to eternal damnation. Paul called out false teachers. JESUS called out false teachers. He called them a brood of vipers, even.
When you have come to experience the spiritual disaster in the lives of people you love who follow false teachers, you may reconsider what it means to be loving.
Blessings,
Caron
August 6th, 2009 at 2:07 am
You must have forgotten to read the other paragraph.
How often have you so confidently preached what you thought to be glorifying to God, only to find that what you had spoken was false? How often have you so quickly taken for granted the grace of God?
How is it so delightful to enjoy pointing out the ignorance of others, when you yourself are just as human, just as ignorant, and just as undeserving of God’s love and affection? Were you not they at one time in your own life? What makes you more deserving now? Your own adherence to God’s law? Perhaps then, I should label you a saint. How sad that we have promised God a different life that glorifies him, and yet we fail to deliver this promise day after day.
Ignorance is ignorance to be sure, and God has never said that we cannot admonish and love one another in guidance and discipline. But I balance the following words before allowing myself the self-gratifying task of uncovering the faults of others:
“I am not worthy of the least of all Your mercies and unfailing love, which You have shown to me, Your servant” (Genesis 32:10). This is the confession made by all who are the recipients of the saving grace of God. Whenever a miracle of saving grace is wrought in the heart–pride is subdued, self is effaced, and a sense of ill-desert takes possession of the heart.
One of the elements of great faith–is deep humility. “For I am the least of the Apostles, that am not worthy to be called an Apostle” (1 Cor. 15:9). “I am less than the least of all saints” (Eph. 3:8). What complete self-abasement! The most eminent Christians–are always the most lowly ones; those most honored in Christ’s service–are deeply conscious of their unprofitableness. –Arthur Pink
Marcus, where is your own struggle? Tell me what day you did not sin? You are so public to point out people’s faults, yet you are strangely quiet when talking of your own failings and false teachings. Page after page of flaunting your man-made ability to identify false preachers, yet I find so little of your self-deprecation. Have you perfected your rhetoric so acutely that I may now consider your words as the very words of God?
August 6th, 2009 at 10:50 am
So ‘Anonymous’ – as we are all imperfect we should never point out when somebody is defaming the name of Christ or leading people astray?
ooooooooookaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.
You take that road. I’ll take the road of constantly “examining” and testing my personal faith but also holding accountable my brothers “searching the scriptures daily to see if what X said is true”.
I will tell “certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work – which is by faith.”
Remember “false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
I will not “believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
My brothers who are following false teaching I will “rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.”
August 6th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Both Rob Bell and Rick Warren are not satisfied with who God is and what it truely means to be a Christian. They are both reinventing and reshaping both the image of God as well as Christianity to be what is, in their opinion, more appealing to the world. If you read their writings that don’t believe that the world would find church, God’s Word, and Christianity appealing unless it is changed to meet the expectations and desires of the world. Many people have been led misled by their teaching and what is equally as bad many people have been thrown out of their churchs for resisting change away from Biblical Christianity to Purpose Drive, Target Market Driven, worldly circuses. My wife and I and our four children were thrown out of a church we were very active in ministry in (Seven between the two of us) for raising concerns about the focus on money, fancy sound systems, a 14 million dollar addition to the church, and disabled and older people being left out of ministry because they didn’t meet the “target market” and might turn unbelievers off. Everything they did to transition from a Bible preaching Evangelical church to a Purpose/Program Driven church was taken out of Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Church Book. They did it so well that they were given Rick Warrens Purpose Driven Church Health Award which is qualified for by increasing membership and revenue by 25% or more in one year (what an accomplishment in honoring God). We were villified, sent a letter removing our membership, and the victims of emails and letters sent out filled with lies to diminish us. They now have a recommended reading list filled with emergent authors including Rob Bell with books such as Velvet Elvis. Needless to say neither Rick Warren or Rob Bell promote Biblical Christianity.
August 6th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wSAEezBc3s&feature=player_embedded
August 6th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Anonymous, I understand what you’re saying. Most (all?) of us have, at some time, made some serious doctrinal errors. The difference between people comes at the point of correction. How do we react to correction and to those applying it? I’m not as concerned with Rick Warren’s initial errors as I am with his hostility/apathy towards those who would correct him per scripture and with his subsequent persistence in these errors. This is where the problem lies. A brother in error is a brother in error. A brother in error must be corrected so as not to lead his flock astray. Someone in error who persists in error despite being shown his error becomes a heretic and is to be marked as such and avoided. Marcus is helping to warn the flock… those who have ears to hear will heed the warning.
August 6th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
I must add that nowhere in scripture is perfect rhetoric required in order to point out blatant heresy.
August 6th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Stephen,
Have you understood a word I said? I am neither a Rick Warren nor Rob Bell fan, and I have never said that we should not hold our brothers accountable. As I am not nearly a perfect man, I hope that those close to God may admonish or even rebuke me when I go astray.
John Calvin said, “The Scriptural church must ever be Reformed and ever-reforming.”
But no doubt you agree that anything done well through corrupt reasoning is no good thing done at all. How useless is it to rebuke when it is not for the glory of God or with the guidance of the Lord? How easy and self-indulgent is it to take delight in finding the faults of other men when you are so quick to forget your own? Marcus, you always talk of Law before Grace. Is it not the same that we should examine and rebuke ourselves before others? Which do you think is more easily neglected? Which do you more easily neglect? Which do you think is more attractive to any man of sin? Which are you and I doing far more every day?
Arthur Pink States, “Grace is favor shown to the undeserving and ill-deserving. When Divine grace bestows salvation upon the ill-deserving, it makes them conscious of the infinite favor that has been shown them. Fallen man is naturally proud, self-complacent, and self-righteous.
But wherever the miracle of regenerating grace is wrought–all this is reversed. Its subject is stripped of his peacock feathers, made poor in spirit, and humbled into the dust before God. He is made painfully aware of the loathsome plague of his heart, given a sight of his vileness in the light of God’s holiness, and brought to realize that he is a spiritual pauper, dependent upon Divine charity. He now readily acknowledges that he is a Hell-deserving sinner.”
Have you examined yourself once? Twice? Do my actions show that I am aware of my own infinite faults? It is easy for me to say “I am always examining my own heart,” but do my actions – do my works reflect this? Or am I much more often taking the easier path – to examine the heart of others and label it for “God’s glory”?
Charles Spurgeon states, “A prayerless soul is a Christless soul. Prayer is the lisping of the believing infant, the shout of the fighting believer, the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in Jesus. It is the breath, the watchword, the comfort, the strength, the honour of a Christian. If thou be a child of God, thou wilt seek thy Father’s face, and live in thy Father’s love. Pray that this year thou mayst be holy, humble, zealous, and patient; have closer communion with Christ, and enter oftener into the banqueting-house of his love. Pray that thou mayst be an example and a blessing unto others, and that thou mayst live more to the glory of thy Master. Our resolution this year must be: continue in prayer.”
And J.I. Packer says, “What were we made for? To know God. What aim should we set ourselves in life? To know God. What is the ‘eternal life’ that Jesus gives? Knowledge of God. What is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, delight, and contentment, than anything else? Knowledge of God. What, of all the states God ever sees man in, gives Him most pleasure? Knowledge of Himself.”
This is what I should do first. And not only should I do it before I look upon others, I should ALWAYS be self-examining and being thankful for the grace which I enjoy but do not deserve.
How often do we forget this?
August 6th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Anonymous It is actually you who are not understanding what others are saying. Adding the quotes of famous Christians does nothing for your cause. If there is a false teacher claiming to represent Jesus Christ then we need to expose him and call him out. You quote Charles Spurgeon but seem to know nothing of his history of exposing false teachers. Rob Bell is selling his teachings to youth groups around the world. Warren has been granted an enormous platform as a representative of evangelical Christianity. The world is more than happy to continue to grant these platforms as long as the truth is not spoken. I have personally seen Rick Warren fail to answer the simple question…”How does a person get to heaven?” Pretty simple. HE failed…on purpose.
August 7th, 2009 at 1:26 am
Man goes to a new fast food restaurant, here is his side of the story:
“I will take a big mac, fries, and a diet coke, and also a hot apple pie.”
(Here are his thoughts)
Hey this doesn’t taste right……
Someone replaced my burger with a cow pie!!!
Hmmm….should i say something, should i warn other people that this guy serves cow pies as burgers?
Nahh, in the spirit of fast food unity, i won’t say anything, I mean the guy has got alot of customers, and so that must mean something. After all, he knows more about the fast food business than me. He is just a revolutionary, and he is changing the face of this new fast food type of product…this emerging fast food.
He is making a difference, he is feeding people, that is more than what i am doing.
This type of food isn’t right for me, but what can it hurt, I mean if that is what they want. It is obvious that the other restaurants and food critics are just jealous of him. He does such good business. They are just bitter and upset that they didn’t think of it first.
(man goes home with his “burger”)
Meanwhile….thousands of people enjoy the product, they get sick and then die.
It’s too bad nobody said anything.
August 7th, 2009 at 1:45 am
Pray for these guys, good thing Rick Warren & Rob Bell are not my neighbors, be hard to “love” those guys as myself, once again points me to my own need of God’s grace on my life, and be grateful for what I received.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:44 am
Athanasius,
Quotes do “nothing” for my cause? My cause? Are you referring to the suggestion that we all examine ourselves first and first trust in God that only the words that glorify him leave our mouths? Or perhaps do you refer to the idea that man is far hastier to preserve his own pride than trust in Christ when rebuking others?
Did I ever say that it is unjust for truly humble, trusting, God-fearing men to expose false teachers?
And while using quotes is indeed an easier, more glamorous, and more self-satisfying tactic to make a supported argument, are those quotes not also true?
Perhaps Arthur Pink is wrong when he states that we are all ill-deserving or dependent upon God’s charity. Does God’s charity not cause you always to re-examine your own self-righteousness? Humility may not soften the blow of your rebuke, but does it not first change the understanding of your service to Christ? Perhaps I misquoted Spurgeon when he stated, “Pray that this year thou mayst be holy, humble, zealous, and patient…” Humble, holy and patient only to fellow Christians perhaps? Maybe he meant be brash, haughty, and disrespectful to all others and only insist that your own understanding of God’s Law and Grace is perfect, infallible, and complete. Maybe I just don’t understand.
You are completely correct about Spurgeon. I know far less about him than I would like, so perhaps you could add or correct what little I know: That he was a man full of humility who always tried to remind himself of his own human imperfection, vileness and ineptitude. That he relied not on his own meaningless strength but trusted ONLY in the infinite strength of God who opened wide eyes and ears so that so many may truly know Him. That by first always struggling to know Christ more intimately, he was a powerful service to guide those who were misled as well as misleading. That while distasteful scolding and arguing could only make uselessness out of uselessness, a man willing to be the lowest of God’s servants can glorify Him even on earth.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:24 am
I made you my guest blogger for today. Wonderful article! It broke my heart when Rick Warren betrayed Christianity.
August 8th, 2009 at 1:38 am
Hi Teresa…Sounds like you follow the same sites I refer too!!! What a great watchman (woman) you are…Please contact me, Joseph…mysaviour@verizon.net…Ken Silva from Apprising Ministires says shortly he might have to shutdown his sight do to lack of funds…Maybe there is something we can do to archive his articles for future reference…Hopefully Crosstalk or Slice will be able to link to his articles…What a sad day it will be if he has to shutdown, God may have another agenda for Ken…What a valuable source of information on the Emergent Church, and deception in our churches…Joseph
August 9th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Amen…they are wolves looking to devour the sheep
August 11th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I commend you for confronting Rick Warren. But must tell you that the depth of his false teaching and programs that destroy the brethren in churches is much more vast.
I have written two books on RIck Warren. Here is my recent letter to Rick Warren, which also contains the link and video of John MacArthur:
http://healtheland.wordpress.com/2008/06/04/rick-...
And here is John MacArthur 3:14 min. video on Rick Warren and his PDL book (link broken):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI9EzMWZoag
On our website you can read my article: Rick Warren Blesses Obama Immaculate Deception
Kindest regards in Christ,
James Sundquist
Director Rock Salt Publishing
August 12th, 2009 at 6:17 am
Rick Warren has never met Rob Bell or ever talked with him. But he always defends anyone against unChristlike meanspirited personal attacks from those who've decided to disobey Matthew 18, even when he completely disagrees with the person being maligned in an unloving way. Jesus treated even the worst sinners with dignity because he died for everyone -even people who are doctrinally imperfect like you. I am certain pastor warren does not agree with Rob Bell. You would have known this if you'd emailed or tweeted Warren instead of shooting from the hip first. Your language reveals far more than simply a desire for correct doctrine which is a great thing. It shows an unChristlike heart.
August 12th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Mark.
I would have done it according to Matthew 18, but I forgot Ricks number…
I find it stunning that you would rebuke me by revoking Matthew 18, yet not abiding to Matthew 18 yourself. Why would you not go to me in person first? Was it because my offense was public and therefore required public rebuke. If so then you are correct.
Just as Paul rebuked people publicly who committed public offenses so must we.
Likewise we have to remember that Matthew 18 is for Christians to work out issues. Not false teachers promoting universalism and ecumenism. Rob Bell is no Christian and Rick Warren has no clue what the Gospel is. Both of them, until they repent are not showing fruits of the Gospel. Therefore they need to be treated as enemies of the Gospel, ones who pervert truth to manipulate others for their own selfish gain. Read Galatians, Read Jude and just about every other New Testament book to see how false teachers should be addressed.
August 18th, 2009 at 6:17 am
For some pre-Halloween shocks, Google "Famous Rapture Watchers – Addendum" and "Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty" (the latter is in colorful version on the "Powered by Christ Ministries" site). Pete
August 25th, 2009 at 4:57 am
It seems Paul's first mandate was to preach the gospel but clearly when you read Galatians 1, 1Timothy 4, 2Corinthians 11, Jude 3-4, Revelation 1-4 and others, the Bible certainly has a second mandate (ours too), to protect the Church of God from another Gospel and evil men. Acts 20:28 "Take head therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse thing, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears." Paul knew that if he did not warn of grievous wolves or false teachers that they would not continue to follow the true Christ. He did not fold his hands and walk away. The Bible even names names (Alexander, Hymeneaus, Philetus, Diotrephes, etc.)
August 25th, 2009 at 5:01 am
Continued: It may be labelled as negative to warn a fellow believer of thieves and wolves who deny Christ but it is our duty because the apostles are not here today but the false teachers certainly are. Concerning Alexander, the sad part is in 2Tim. 4:16 Paul said, “no man stood with me, but all men forsook me” but the good part is in verse 17 “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be full known, and that all the Gentiles might hear.” If you were there would you be standing beside Paul or pointing your finger at him accusing him of naming names of false teachers? There is no middle ground, we must pick.
September 25th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
sad sad sad! Jorge and the rest are so divisive. Spending so much effort and time tearing down Rick and Rob for following the Lord, knowing they would get a lot of flak from the religious ones.(sounds familiar) could Satan be behind this
October 13th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
preacherbill,
having not gone to seminary or with no real understanding of the greek language with which the gospel of Matthew was written in, I would like to humbly submit an argument. Jesus was talking about something other than moral purity when he spoke of false teachers. If you take the message as a whole of Jesus, discipleship is to be COMPLETELY enveloped in love. Not just in word, but in truth/action (in the heart).
-Read Matthew 25, where Christ says you saw me in the least (the drug addict, the girl at the abortion clinic, the man in jail for molestation). "You loved me in them."
-in John, Jesus says that you "should love OTHERS as I have loved you." as if he's saying that we show our appreciation to God in how we love our neighbors.
-1 Chorinthians 8:3 "knowledge (about the bible) puffs up, but love builds up."
-1 Chorinthians 13 : "if I have not love, I am NOTHING!"
My friend, I humbly submit that a false prophet/teacher is one who knows all of the right things, but has no love in his heart for his/her fellow man/woman. Now, may you and I both repent of this, return to the God that has unfailing love for us, and maybe, just maybe, God might be known more fully by our loving expressions of faith than by our mere words.
October 27th, 2009 at 7:52 am
"Taking a message that was obviously ment to be personal and broacasting it on your little hate website!" Just the thing Jesus would do, … hm. Don't you guys have a life? You are the type that makes me so sick of this whole religious club stuff. Grow up!
December 13th, 2009 at 5:24 am
Here's a thought for all us Christians. Instead of complaining and calling people heretics, why don't we live the way Jesus lived. If you have a problem with Rob Bell or Rick Warren attempt to go to them directly instead of speaking about them negatively. For one Rob Bell does not in fact believe in open theism. Just saw him speak & he spoke a lot about Jesus death & resurrection & the importance of that. I also saw that someone commented on here & had the audacity to state that both Rob Bell & Rick W aren't Christians. Um wow, that is not our place. Instead of looking at the speck in their eyes why not look at the log in your own. Ugh! What's funny is the basis of both RW & RB ministries is living your life with purpose with GODS PURPOSE. They both talk so much about living more like Christ. I hate to break it to you all but the evangelist movement has been highly unsuccessful b/c knocking on peoples' doors & yelling at them on the street & telling people they are going to hell w/o Jesus is not effective or efficient. In Jesus' ministry on earth, He rarely talked about salvation. What did He spend a large majority of His time preaching about SERVING PEOPLE. Absolutely we need to tell people about Jesus but I think if we stop forcing the Gospel down people's throats & actually live like Christ that will show people what Jesus is all about. If we actually live like we love everyone, even our enemies (um RB & RW for some of you) then we wouldn't have to do much evangelizing b/c people would want to know what makes us different. People would come to us. What would Jesus do? He certainly wouldn't be pointing out someones' "flaws" via the internet.
February 7th, 2010 at 1:38 am
First, I am not a Rob Bell apologist. Second, I don't think that Rob Bell gets it "all" right, but that doesn't mean the vast and broad core of what he preaches is correct and that his intentions are good.
I just want to know where this environment started where Christians feel they can call each other out? (And please find something better than feeling that it's your righteous duty to rebuke others, It's just not working.)
It's mind-numbingly disappointing to watch people invest their energies out is such a negative fashion. Go out and stand-up for what you think is right and what you believe in rather than to spend time tearing other people down.
Sometimes I consider that if the Romans were still in power they wouldn't need lions to feed Christians to. They just throw Christians to other Christians and let the blood flow.
February 15th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
i love the leaps you make about Bell. – he has never identified himself as an open theist (having an open thiest preach at your church doesnt make you one – especially one as biblically sound as greg boyd.)
he is not a universalist at all – you would have to ignore countless sermons and his statement of belief – and then take some things out of context to arrive at that.
fist shaking at God – is bell's way of describing the fact that God can handle our doubts and questions (READ YOUR PSALMS)
and lastly – "a feminist view of God" – now you are attributing the fact that because bells hebrew MIGHT a little iffy in the SHE nooma depending on your interpretation – you can pretend that God doesnt have fem characteristics as well as male (man and woman were made in the image of God)
please stop being destructive – READ more NT WRIGHT if you want to understand his theology – Read more dallas willard, read more of the early church fathers – and more importantly –
Stop misleading people. please. get your facts straight.
February 16th, 2010 at 4:17 pm
John MacArthur & Pretrib Rapture
Who knows, maybe John (Reformedispy) MacArthur is right and the greatest Greek scholars (Google "Famous Rapture Watchers"), who uniformly said that Rev. 3:10 means PRESERVATION THROUGH, were wrong. But John has a conflict. On the one hand, since he knows that all Christian theology and organized churches before 1830 believed the church would be on earth during the tribulation, he would like to be seen as one who stands with the great Reformers. On the other hand, if John has a warehouse of unsold pretrib rapture material, and if he wants to have "security" for his retirement years and hopes that the big California quake won't louse up his plans, he has a decided conflict of interest. Maybe the Lord will have to help strip off the layers of his seared conscience which have grown for years in order to please his parents and his supporters – who knows? One thing is for sure: pretrib is truly a house of cards and is so fragile that if a person removes just one card from the TOP of the pile, the whole thing can collapse. Which is why pretrib teachers don't dare to even suggest they could be wrong on even one little subpoint! Don't you feel sorry for the straitjacket they are in? While you're mulling all this over, Google "Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty" for a rare behind-the-scenes look at the same 180-year-old fantasy.
July 13th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
I have never read the Purpose Driven Life, but I am very concerned about believers who would bash on another person, believer or not. I appreciate looking into matters, but using scripture to seemingly "correct" another person in a misplaced use of it. If God intended us to use scripture in that way, then he would've reinstated the Torah as a means of doing so. What happened to the Ne Testament being a book of Life? All I hear is criticism from those who are as human as Rob and Rick. Will this really get us anywhere?
July 13th, 2010 at 10:06 pm
Jesus said in the last days that His people would be deceived. Could it be that the ones who "truly know the faith" that will be the ones deceived? Sounds like maybe some of you could be Pharisees in disguise. Read how Jesus viewed them and see how you all come out, individually. Could be an eye-opener and the reason that some feel no life in them, despite their religious doctrines.
July 18th, 2010 at 12:23 am
The Apostle Paul had an aggressive approach to false teachers. He laid the truth on their followers. We, in the fear of God and the love of Christ should stand firm in sound doctrine. This is not criticism, it is correction.