Did Anybody Else Watch This?

It is the custom in our home that on Christmas morning I get up early, build a rip-roaring fire, make the coffee, and get ready for the family Christmas (which I celebrate with my wife and two sons).

While I was enjoying the fire and waiting for the sleepy-heads to get up (we were all zonked from our Christmas Eve service and a late night at my mother-in-laws', and my sons just finished up their finals, so they were pretty fried), I made the mistake of turning on the TV.  I had heard about recent terrorist threats, so I wanted to check the news.  I turned on Fox news only to see Rick Warren at Saddleback.

Did anyone else see this?  It was absolutely awful.  Apparently, I've misunderstood the meaning of Christmas.  I thought it had something to do with the Incarnation and with Jesus coming to save me from my sins.  No, Jesus came to give me purpose and to give Rick Warren slogans.  Warren did not preach from a text.  He repeatedly turned gospel into law.  He spoke in clichés and referred to his "peace" plan over and over.  It was the worst bunch of self-promotion in a pulpit I have ever seen.  Don't even start me on the "worship service," or whatever that abomination was . . . 

And no, my objections are not that of the typical cranky Reformed guy looking down his nose on evangelicals.  There was no "evangel" at all.  Even the liberal Episcopalians doing "Lessons and Carols" (which I watched before I went to bed on Christmas Eve) came closer to the gospel and the true meaning of Christmas than did Warren, the "Bible-believing" evangelical pastor.  It was awful . . . 

I hope Fox news sticks with the news and doesn't ever do this again.  I reluctantly turned on CNN and then gave thanks that terrorists did not attack.

After I turned off the TV in disgust, we enjoyed our family Christmas!  No thanks to Rick Warren and Fox news.

Comments

[Robin]

On December 8th a memo went out from Saddleback: "May I help You & Your Church this Christsmas Season?" from Rick.

This promo piece, aimed at recruiting other churches to cooperate with RW's event on Fox, promised to redirect inquiries resulting from the broadcast, to those churches interested in PD. The letter encouraged registration at the Saddleback "Church Finder." The tactic is to increase more subscriptions to the PD system via the media event.

[HB]

Yes, we were also very disgusted as we turned to CNN occasional to check on the "news!" I plan on sending FOX a note to let them know of our disgust and request that some of their anchors remain on duty next year! This may have been a Murdock ploy for ratings but it was a real stinkeroo. (Think OJ.
I didn't watch any of it as I have heard you proclaim the senselessness of Warren often enough to realize that I wanted no part of it.
I did watch Newt's hour and thought it interesting.

[Robin]

Here is the Saddleback "Church Finder:"

http://www.thepeaceplan.com/search.aspx?zip=92835&range=20&page=0

Enter a zip code and learn which churches in your area are infected.

Meanwhile, FWIW, the page I searched, has a church listed (I know from experience) has true cultic/heretical aberrations.

To think that a Christian pastor, with the technical prowess to communicate globally -- irresponsibly recommends dangerous "churches", just because they bought into his curriculum, should terrify us all.

Thanks be to God that the true Gospel is more powerful than Warrenism.

[David Wyatt]

I am almost ashamed to admit that I am Southern Baptist, as is Rick Warren, supposedly. Of course, SBC is now so ecumenical & broad, almost anyone could be a "good" SBC'er now. I am most definitely in the minority with my beliefs along with my wife & a handful (not even a full handful!) of like-minded believers. I did not see the program mentioned in this thread thankfully, but it does not surprise me at all. Actually I would have ben far more shocked if he HAD preached the genuine Gospel! God Bless & thanks for this blog & the opportunity to participate.

[Pete Nelson]

Sorry we have a rule in our house that on Christmas Day we don't watch heretics. It ruins our celebration of the incarnation of Christ.

[Jon]

Sorry, I missed it.....Had something to do with that twitch I get when I start watching FoxNews.

[Jim Basinger]

I saw it as well. Of course "it's not about me." If that were true, we might not know about his salary giveback - which I think everyone who has ever heard him knows! Enough Rick! I'd like you to try and live on the salary the average minister makes!

[plw]

We saw that it was on, but didn't tune in because we didn't want to ruin our Christmas......and if we'd of tuned in, we surely would of ruined it from what we hear you saw Kim.

[Carson]

He probably knows more about it than Kim. After all, he told Joseph Farah he probably knows more about the Middle East than Farah, who is an Arab and a newspaper man of about 25 years (including duty as a correspondent from that area) experience, since he (Warren) is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Oxford Analytica.

["lee n. field"]

"Here is the Saddleback 'Church Finder:'"

Intersting link. Our church isn't on it yet (though lately I have been somewhat disquietet by some things that have happened), but one or two other local EFCA churches are.

Anybody ever heard of the "Association of Related Churches" ? It's something that one of the local non-denominational mutt evangelical churches lists on it's affiliations page (along w/ porpoise driven and willow creek).

[Robin]

I struggle with comprehending Christian humility and the awesome responsibility of pastors.

Here is a bit of transcript from an interview with Rick Warren and msNBC on Dec. 24th. How can a Christian truly be humble and brag like this?

DR. WARREN: And the first question the author—the editor—the reporter asked was, “What’s your salary?” Which I thought, OK, here’s another fat cat megachurch pastor fleecing the flock. And I said, “Well, honestly, I’ve now served my church for free for 25 years.” Her face went white and I thought, it was worth every penny just to say that. You know, I had to repent of my pride, but I really felt good for about a minute. You know, and then I got real humble again. But I did that. Then we set up some charities, one’s called Acts of Mercy, which helps those with AIDS. And another on training leaders and another on this Global Peace Plan.

The source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16202841/page/6/

[Robin]

I hope it's not off topic...but read the entire transcript of Warren's interview:
"Can religion unite the country for the greater good? And what role will God and values play in the 2008 presidential election?"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16202841/page/6/

Then contrast it with Saddleback's declaration about politics:

What is Saddleback’s position on Political and Foreign Policies?
Answer: We have many different opinions at Saddleback. Because these issues are not in the Bible, they are not preached on. We do talk about moral issues.

(exasperated)

[School of the Solitary Place]

I watched bits and pieces of the "Purpose of Christmas." It was tedious watching it and trying to be on guard against mis-directions, blatant errors and giving reserved approval when Warren actually got a point right.

What really stood out to me was that Rick Warren was once again playing "Bible version roulette" with the texts to which he made reference, just like he did in "Purpose Driven Life." Yesterday, he used the NIV, NLT, TEV, Message and possibly other versions. Perhaps it is "theological snootiness" on my part, but it drives me crazy when Warren uses a gamut of versions in a single context (i.e sermon, book, etc). Some of these versions are paraphrases and not even a real translation. How can one even claim to exegete Scripture when they are using a paraphrase?

Unfortunately, I'm painfully aware that the consistent use of a real translation (such as NIV) would not allow Rick W. to make his points. My Hermeneutics professor would have flunked any exegetical paper I would have written while in seminary using the "Warren multiple version approach." May God please spare us from this style of "sermon"becoming the norm in our nation's churches.

[Wayne Rohde]

So which is scarier? A Vatican Christmas Eve? Or a Purpose Driven Christmas?

Yikes!

[Frank]

I am a soverein grace (amil) foreign missionary. When in the states I don't recognize the music or the preaching. The screens in church make it look like a theatre. The services are so carnal that I don't feel like I have been to church. Also, I was shocked to be the only one in a particular church that was wearing a suit (which I was publicly criticized for from the pulpit). The pastor was wearing a flannel shirt, blue jeans and some type of necklace. The only thought I now have is where do I go for spiritual nourishment and fellowship. God help us and guide us in these in these troubled spiritual times.

[The Misadventures of Captain Headknowledge]

I thought about watching it for half a second, then I changed the channel. Dodged a bullet!

[Scott]

I saw part of this too. It was one of the most man-centered programs I have ever seen.

We also caught the Willow Creek "Imagine Christmas" production aired on our local CBS affiliate on Sunday night (we live about 15 minutes from Willow). It was a recording of the week long program that thousands of Chicagoans attended. It was worse than Saddleback! To be honest it was downright weird and had worse than no evangel.

I wish some good reformed church would broadcast a service. It sure would bless those of us who stay up late Christmas Eve to finish the wrapping. :)

[timinator]

I saw on Christmas Eve the Pope having some soft of Christmas Service I guess? So no I am glad I did not ruin my Christmas Day by turning on Rick Warren So Called pastor who does not preace from the Bible. Of course his favorite translation in the message Bible if you can believe that!

I was greatful that CRC had an awesome Christmas Eve Service which included several Christmas Hymns and several readings from God's Word. It was the first one I could attend as I work retail so 24th is usually perty busy for us.

[R.J. Stevens]

The whole thing was a marketing ploy. Rupert Murdoch owns Fox and he also owns Mr. Warren's "Christian" publishing company, Zondervan. I caught the end of the big ol' Christmas show and then watched most of a puff piece that followed called "Purpose Driven Life: Can Rick Warren Change the World?" It was all a very powerful delusion.

[walt]

Sick. Why can't he just go away?