Rick Warren Placing A Purpose Driven Burden Upon People’s Backs

[Sing4Him]

RICK WARREN PLACING A PURPOSE DRIVEN BURDEN UPON PEOPLE’S BACKS

“They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.”
(Matthew 23:4, NASB)

In The Purpose Driven Church Rick Warren says:


It is my deep conviction that anybody can be won to Christ if you discover the key to his or her heart. That key to each person's heart is unique so it is sometimes difficult to discover. It may take some time to identify it. But the most likely place to start is with the person’s felt needs. (219)

First, “deep conviction” proves absolutely nothing; many people have all kinds of convictions about all kinds of things, and how one happens to feel about something has zero bearing upon truth.

And second, what a horrible burden Rick Warren has just placed on the backs of those who would preach his Purpose Driven version of Christ’s gospel. To win people to Christ we are to seek and search for the key to their heart, which he tells us is so unique it is sometimes difficult to discover. :rolleyes

So, this begs the question: Since Warren is taking credit that “anybody can be won to Christ” with enough effort, is he then going to take responsibility for those he comes into contact with who end up in Hell because he couldn’t discover the key to their heart?

What a terrible burden for these Purpose Driven new evangelicals; if they don’t work hard enough to discover each person’s “felt needs,” then they actually end up responsible for that person being lost to a place called Hell.:doh:doh:tsk

http://www.apprising.org/archives/2007/12/rick_warren_pla.html

[A Berean]

RICK WARREN PLACING A PURPOSE DRIVEN BURDEN UPON PEOPLE’S BACKS

“They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.”
(Matthew 23:4, NASB)

In The Purpose Driven Church Rick Warren says:


It is my deep conviction that anybody can be won to Christ if you discover the key to his or her heart. That key to each person's heart is unique so it is sometimes difficult to discover. It may take some time to identify it. But the most likely place to start is with the person’s felt needs. (219)

First, “deep conviction” proves absolutely nothing; many people have all kinds of convictions about all kinds of things, and how one happens to feel about something has zero bearing upon truth.

And second, what a horrible burden Rick Warren has just placed on the backs of those who would preach his Purpose Driven version of Christ’s gospel. To win people to Christ we are to seek and search for the key to their heart, which he tells us is so unique it is sometimes difficult to discover. :rolleyes

So, this begs the question: Since Warren is taking credit that “anybody can be won to Christ” with enough effort, is he then going to take responsibility for those he comes into contact with who end up in Hell because he couldn’t discover the key to their heart?

What a terrible burden for these Purpose Driven new evangelicals; if they don’t work hard enough to discover each person’s “felt needs,” then they actually end up responsible for that person being lost to a place called Hell.:doh:doh:tsk

http://www.apprising.org/archives/2007/12/rick_warren_pla.html

Where is the Holy Spirit in all of this ? :twitch:ohno This is all "man-centered" salvation :tsk?

[PrairieGal]

We need more messages like Peter preached on the day of Pentecost:

Acts 2:37-40 - "Now when they heard this [Peter expounding on prophecy and Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation."

I take "save yourselves" in this context to mean, TAKE THAT STEP to repent and be saved.

[Cameron]

People are not "won" to Christ. Jesus finds them and they then must accept or reject Him. Rick Warren nor anyone else can cause someone to get saved. The person must be called by the spirit.

[Sing4Him]

Man's Methods NEVER bring salvation. It is the Holy Spirit/ Sword of the Spirit, God's Word.


It's the days of the Tower of Babel in another form.:tsk

[RefinedbyFire]

Yep, only Jesus can open the eyes of the blind, and set the captive free, and only the Holy Spirit convicts a person of righteousness, of sin, of judgement. We are just branches of the Vine, and without Him, we can do nothing. He is the "Author of Salvation" in every way -- including giving His body and blood.

In Matthew 24, it shows that because of the increase of lawlessness/iniquity at the end of the age, that the love of most will grow cold. So, in the Body, we have to make sure to stand on the truth, yet correct and rebuke in love...

[Mitsy]

Absolutely SING he is a modern day Pharisee! Opposite to Jesus he said:-

MT 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

[jc513]

"To win people to Christ we are to seek and search for the key to their heart, which he tells us is so unique it is sometimes difficult to discover."

Man seeks to find religion, spirituality, himself. But God seeks us.

[Sing4Him]

Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart Eph. 4:18

[The Lord Is There]

It is my deep conviction that anybody can be won to Christ if you discover the key to his or her heart. That key to each person's heart is unique so it is sometimes difficult to discover. It may take some time to identify it. But the most likely place to start is with the person’s felt needs. Interesting. I would think this theology might lead one to depression and anger at oneself; likewise, the flip side of this theology might lead one to depression and anger towards God if you see no forward progress with God moving in the heart of an unbelieving relative. Where is the responsibility of the individual in all of this? Does Rick instruct his believers to ask God first instead of stumbling around to try and figure somebody's heart out? :thinking