If you’ve ever taken a journalism class in college, you were probably told that the media has a very powerful influence. You may have been told that the media can even start and stop wars. Well in the world of evangelicalism, the same seems to be true. A number of Christian media sources have taken Rick Warren and helped to turn him into a superstar, tracking his every move, reporting on his every deed. The articles are usually biased, sounding more like political campaign ads than news stories.
As an example of this off-balanced journalism, take a look at the BP (Baptist Press) News. The BP News (a Southern Baptist Convention news arm) has not been shy about its admiration and promotion of Rick Warren. Articles about Warren are published on the average about three weeks out of any given four week period. Most of the articles are glowing reports – few have any hint of criticism.
An article written on Thursday, September 7th is a perfect example of this. The BP article, titled “ WSJ Raises Criticisms About “Purpose-Driven’ Model,” listed as a “news” item, was BP News’ response to the recent Wall Street Journal article about Purpose Driven resisters. While the article spoke in highly favorable terms of Warren, it neglected to mention some of the more significant facts of the Wall Street Journal article, such as tactics that have been used by Purpose Driven leadership to stop resisters (like making sure opponents never get to serve in leadership in any church in the community again).
While BP News promotes and exalts Warren, Christianity Today does also. Warren is featured or/and mentioned in hundreds of articles.
The Christian Post, a newspaper that says it “does not promote or demote any denomination and/or Christian congregations” publishes dozens of glowing stories about Warren each year as well as articles written by him. In August alone, there were about 17 instances. That’s more than four a week.
And then there is Fox News, which focused particularly on Warren last month. Fox News is owned by the same corporation that owns Warren’s publisher.
Few would deny that Rick Warren has become a superstar, but it hasn’t been done without a little help from his friends. Do the countless readers and viewers of these “friends” realize that this superstar is promoting a New Age spirituality (contemplative), the emerging church movement and a global unity that will further delude a blind world? And do Christian readers and viewers realize that such delusion will steer the lost away from the gosple message of Jesus Christ rather than to it?
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils…” I Timothy 4:1
For more on Rick Warren’s promotion of contemplative, read A Time of Departing.
Also read: Baptist Press Responds to Wall Street Journal article on Warren
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