Posts Tagged ‘Purpose Driven Movement’

By DEEPA BHARATH and ERIKA I. RITCHIE
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Saddleback Church is in talks with the Crystal Cathedral to buy a 20-acre property where the cathedral has operated a retreat for more than 25 years.

Saddleback Church, headed by Pastor Rick Warren, has been one of several parties interested in purchasing the Rancho Capistrano property nestled in the hills adjacent to the 5 Freeway in San Juan Capistrano, said John Charles, spokesman for the Crystal Cathedral.

“They have shown interest in it ever since that property went up for sale, which was two years ago,” Charles said. “But I don’t know if they have put in an offer or have even toured the property.”

Saddleback Church officials say they have been in discussions for 18 months. However, there is no news to report, said spokesman David Chrzan.

“No agreement has been reached or finalized,” he said.

Crystal Cathedral administrators announced earlier this month that they have started shutting down all operations at their 20-acre campus in Rancho Capistrano, closing a church, preschool, retreat area, soccer fields, camping grounds and a conference and wedding center. The megachurch’s continuing financial woes have led to the sale of various properties, employee layoffs and suspension of its “Glory of Easter” pageant this year.  Click here to continue reading.

Comments on the Rick Warren
LETTER/VIDEO STATEMENT TO UGANDAN CHURCH LEADERS
By Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, Calif.,
Regarding the Pending Anti-Homosexuality Bill Before the Ugandan Parliament

by Sandy Simpson
Deception in the Church Ministries

In a letter and video statement to the government and church leaders in Uganda, Rick Warren laid out his reaction to the anti-homosexuality bill that is pending with the Ugandan Government. Warren opposes it.

Now there are some provisions in the bill that any Christian should oppose such as imprisonment and possible death penalty for homosexuals (apparently just for being a homosexual), forcing pastors to report private counseling with gays, etc. However statements by Warren such as “While we can never deny or water down what God’s Word clearly teaches about sexuality, at the same time the church must stand to protect the dignity of all individuals – as Jesus did and commanded all of us to do.” does not address at all what the Bible teaches on sex outside of marriage which is defined as between a man and a woman including homosexuality. All sex outside of marriage is a sin before God and must be repented of. This also means that repentance will be followed by a turning away from practicing sin to practicing righteousness (1 Jn. 2:29; 3:4, 8, 10). When Warren states: “ALL life, no matter how humble or broken, whether unborn or dying, is precious to God” this is true but the Gospel is left out of this equation, thus presenting only part of the picture, thus presenting error alongside of truth. God wants all men to be saved and does not want anyone to perish (2 Pet. 3:9), but that is why He sent His only Son to die to purchase us salvation and forgiveness from our sins if we believe in Him and repent. Homosexuality is a sin and those who practice sin are destined for damnation (1 Cor. 6:9-10). Practicing homosexuals are living lifestyle sin, thus God does not love their sin and will punish them if they do not respond to the conviction of their sin by the Holy Spirit.

Though some of the provisions of the anti-homosexuality bill are unjust and should be removed we have to understand that HIV/AIDS is a huge problem there and is being propagated and spread by homosexual behaviors as well as other methods. Uganda is trying to find ways to protect their society against this deadly sexual disease. Warren states that we all have “the freedom to make moral choices and our right to free expression are gifts endowed by God.”. This statement comes from his erroneous teaching on “gifts”. He has taught repeatedly on this subject in his “Purpose” series and often confuses natural gifts with spiritual ones. Do we have the right to make choices that cause others to die of AIDS? If the “free expression” of homosexuality is a “gift endowed by God” then why does God prohibit it in Scripture? We are not just free to do anything we want as people created by God. There are laws against murder, and infecting others with HIV/AIDS should be prosecuted just as any other act of murder is. If you knowingly give someone poison and they die will you not be tried for that crime? Please click here to continue reading this article.

LTRP Note: According to an Associated Press article (see link below), The Purpose Driven Connection magazine, (the business venture of Readers Digest and Rick Warren) “has collapsed less than a year after it was announced with great fanfare.” As Lighthouse Trails reported in December of 2008, just prior to the first issue of the magazine, the magazine would feature a number of leading Christian figures, many of whom are contemplative proponents. In February of 2009, Lighthouse Trails reported that the magazine was promoting the new global spirituality.

Below, the New York Times on the story:

“Magazine by a Best-Selling Minister Closes”

By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA
New York Times

Less than a year after starting a hybrid magazine and paid membership organization, the Rev. Rick Warren and the Reader’s Digest Association said Wednesday that they were pulling the plug.

Their plan was to capitalize on Mr. Warren’s best-selling books, like “The Purpose Driven Life,” to create a group patterned on his calls to Christian evangelism and charitable works.

They sold $29 annual memberships to Purpose Driven Connection, built around local chapters and online social networking tools. Members received a quarterly magazine of the same name — edited by Mr. Warren — DVDs and study guides. The magazine were also sold through retailers.

But their timing could not have been worse; the project began near the worst of the financial crisis, in the depths of the recession. “The numbers for the membership were quite disappointing,” said William K. Adler, a spokesman for the Reader’s Digest Association. The partners declined to release sales figures for the memberships or the magazine. Click here to read this entire article.

Related Information:
Rick Warren, Reader’s Digest part ways on project – Associated Press

Rick Warren’s New Magazine Promotes the New Global Spirituality

Rick Warren, Reader’s Digest Join Forces for New Purpose Driven Publication