Apprising Ministries has pointed out in SBC Pastor’s Conference 2014 with Rick Warren, Francis Chan. and James MacDonald and Rick Warren Keynote Speaker for SBC’s Pastors Conference that, along with Chan and MacDonald, Purpose Driven Pope Rick Warren is to be a featured speaker for the SBC Pastor’s Conference 2014—Show Us Your Glory (PC14) coming up June 8-9 2014 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore. MD.

This despite the fact that last year, as you’ll witness below, Warren told Piers Morgan that he was “nothing but impressed…by this new pope” of the Church of Rome whom he said was doing house cleaning “in the church” clearly giving that audience the impression he meant the Christian church:

And then a few weeks ago on EWTN, a very influential Roman Catholic network, Rick Warren referred the head of the apostate Roman Catholic Church “our new pope,” told us what a “perfect example” he is, and said that Pope Francis “is doing everything right.” See for yourself below:

[mejsvideo src=”https://www.apprising.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/WarrenOurPope.m4v” width=640 height=360]

Not only that, but we have also seen Rick Warren Endorsing Catholics Come Home, which is all about luring people away from the historic orthodox Christian faith and into the Roman Catholic Church. However, as you’ll also see again, Warren’s defecating upon the blood of the Protestant Reformers is nothing new. Well, apparently the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention—milquetoast as they are hiding behind their Idol of Autonomy—thinks it’s a great idea for Rick Warren to have the prime spot of PC14 to teach its pastors.

So, I thought it’d be a good idea to display for you some of the Wisdom of Warren he could be sharing with your SBC pastor at PC14. First of all, in opposition to Protestant Reformers, Rick Warren has said: “I see absolutely zero reason in separating my fellowship from anybody.” ((http://www.baptiststandard.com/resources/archives/45-2005-archives/3871-warren-calls-sbc-withdrawal-from-bwa-a-silly-mistake, accessed 6/2/14.)) Now consider the following from a USA Today piece from July of 2003:

(source)

There have been those who’ve attempted to refute the above statement re. Mormons by accusing the USA Today reporter of getting it wrong; but Christian apologist Chris Rosebrough has documented that, the very week this USA Today article in question was released, it was even advertised on Warren’s Pastors.com website. ((http://www.alittleleaven.com/2007/05/rick_warren_wor.html, accessed 6/2/14.)) In other words, at the time Rick Warren had no problem with the article. And, as Rosebrough also brought out:

Wait a minute! Mormons and Jews are NOT Christians. How on Earth can a “Christian Pastor” ‘work with’ them and help them ‘strengthen’ and grow their congregations?

Here is Rick Warren’s explanation for training Mormons and Jews. Said Warren:

“I’m not going to get into a debate over the non-essentials. I won’t try to change other denominations. Why be divisive?”

Since when is helping to strengthen and grow a non-Christian church a “non-essential”? (source)

For the sake of argument though, let’s leave out “Warren’s pastor-training programs” with “Methodists, Mormons, Jews”; the problem still doesn’t go away. For you see, we’re still told that he is/was training Roman Catholic churches, which according to Reformation theology—that Warren says he believes—are preaching another gospel. ((Interesting to note here that in Galatians 1:6-9 the Apostle Paul advocates breaking fellowship with people such as this; and not training them how to potentially make more converts to their false gospel.)) Now, Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church is notorious for website pages involving themselves and Warren suddenly disappearing, and links mysteriously vanishing, when brought to light.

So much of what I’ll show you below has already been archived as hard copies here at AM for safe-keeping. In 2006 CHA recipients honored at Saddleback during Purpose Driven Church conference we were told about “the 2006 Purpose Driven Church conference” where:

Pastor Rick Warren met with the 2006 Church Health Award recipients, along with winners from previous years and regional Purpose Driven leaders, at a reception on May 15 at Saddleback Church. Pastors were given the opportunity to share their stories of integrating the Purpose Driven ® model into their churches with Pastor Rick and each other. Many of them expressed their gratitude for how the five biblical purposes helped shape their congregations into healthy churches.

This was followed by a presentation of plaques to the CHA winners and an opportunity for a photograph with Pastor Rick. Pastor Rick asked those gathered to continue to help him teach God’s purposes to churches around the world. (source)

And one of those plaques that went to “the CHA winners” along with “an opportunity for a photograph with Pastor Rick” was presented to The Family of God’s Little Children-Foundational Center, Inc. (FGLC-FCI) of Tacloban, Leyte of the Philippines; its “denomination” we’re told is Roman Catholic:

(source)

In Filipino church targets unchurched Catholics in community at the now defunct PurposeDrivenChurch.com website we were then informed that FGLC-FCI “is a church transitioning toward becoming purpose driven.” You’ll see below that it certainly moved well into that direction. We also find out:

In the nearly 30 years of its existence, The Family of God’s Little Children-Foundational Center, Inc. (FGLC-FCI), a Roman Catholic Charismatic Covenant church, has been implementing its Total Human Development Program consisting of spiritual and moral orientation; community organization; education and capability building; health education and services; cooperatives and enterprise development; socialized housing; and ecology and environmental protection. ((Unfortunately, these links no longer exist. However, when I first covered this in Rick Warren Awards Purpose Driven Catholics back in 2010 they were all still online.))

FGLC-FCI is “registered with the Philippine SEC as a non-stock, non-profit civil society (NGO), and also is canonically recognized by the Archdiocese of Palo, Leyte, Philippines, as a Private Association of Christ’s Faithful.” Apparently Roman Catholic priest Bart Pastor “presented the Purpose Driven concepts first to the leaders of the church and then to all the more than 450 members in a series of lectures and spiritual retreats” after “reading The Purpose Driven Church in 2003.″

It seems that FGLC-FCI then used Purpose Driven principles to develop what they call the “Life Development Process” and:

The covenant of the Life Development Process is one that is not taken lightly. Upon coming into the covenant community, people immediately begin the 40 Days of Purpose campaign and the 40 Days of Community campaign. Following this is the Seekers Class, Pastor said, in which “covenant members follow lessons explaining that: We are Catholics, we are charismatic, we are covenanted, and we are a community”…

Pastor describes the community FGLC-FCI has targeted for evangelism as nominal “unchurched” Catholics in the city of Tacloban. Many of these are friends, co-workers, co-students, and relatives of the committed members of the FGLC-FCI. ((Again, the links to this piece and within the story are no longer online.))

The key question here is: How can a Roman Catholic parish that does not preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ even be considered a church in the first place; let alone a healthy one? Also, in his 2010 post Piper & Warren: Pride, Priests & Purpose Jim Luppachino of Watcher’s Lamp would write:

In 2005, Warren’s Southeast Asia PD node reported on the roll out of PD to Roman Catholic churches in the Philippines…

(click to enlarge)

The screen capture above tells us even more about the aforementioned “Fr. Bart Pastor of the Family of God’s Little Children – Foundational Center, Inc.” and how on “Oct. 26 – 29, 2005 , Fr. Bart [would be] making a presentation on how to conduct 40 [Days of Purpose] based on his experience to the Federation of 30 Catholic Charismatic Communities as far as Zamboanga.” Luppachino then continued:

Also in 2005, Catholic Online.com featured this press release: Purpose Driven Church “Goes Catholic”

The Purpose Driven Church will—for the first time ever—be bringing their evangelical message of living out God’s five purposes to a Catholic Church: Holy Family Parish in Inverness, Illinois. …Each day’s session begins at 9 a.m., and will be delivered by Pastor Bret Schrock of the Purpose Driven Ministries. (Online source)

So, as we can above, here’s Purpose Driven Ministries, “a global ministry of Saddleback Church,” ((http://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/purpose-driven-ministries/, accessed 6/2/14.)) actually leading people away from the Gospel of Jesus Christ by helping to advance Roman Catholic parishes. Along this same apostate line walked by Rick Warren, you may recall that the other day I reminded you about a section of that PurposeDrivenChurch.com website that was devoted to Purpose Driven Catholics (PDC):

(source, click to enlarge)

Notice this section extends from Purpose Driven Denominations and the menu bar to the left contains a number of options for Roman Catholics such as Mentor Churches and the Helpful Links below:

(source, click to enlarge)

Keep in mind here that the “helpful links” above were for people in the Purpose Driven “Christian” denomination called Purpose Driven Catholics. As I get set to wrap this up, for now, I’ll tell you that the first helpful link brings us to Saint Theresa of Avila Parish – The Mother Roman Catholic Church of Southeast Washington. This Roman Catholic parish was named after the emotionally troubled “Christian” mystic, and Carmelite nun, Teresa of Avila a queen of corrupt Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism.

We’re told at its website that “Father” Rev. Msgr. Raymond Gerard East is the “grandson of Baptist missionaries to South Africa,” and further, he’s also “served in six Washington parishes before being named director of the Office of Black Catholics and Vicar for Evangelization.” ((http://web.archive.org/web/20090504145709/http://www.stachurch.org/staff.html, accessed)) So we see that Rick Warren was actually providing, as a helpful link to Purpose Driven Catholics, one to the church for the, now former, Vicar for Evangelization in the Office of Black [Roman] Catholics.

Next is the link to Living with purpose, a Chicago Tribune article by Patrick Kampert. Under the subheading A broad reach we find out that:

The enthusiasm for “The Purpose-Driven Life” can be found in mainline denominations and evangelical churches, in cities and suburbs. It also reaches across ethnic and cultural barriers. In the Chicago area, more than 200 churches are participating in “40 Days of Purpose” (some used it as a Lenten series).

Among them is St. Walter’s Catholic Church in Roselle, which had hoped 100 people would sign up for small home groups for the “40 Days of Purpose” program studying Warren’s book. Instead, 700 got involved… The parishioners meet and talk about serving others and establishing a sense of community in their [Roman Catholic] church. (source, emphasis mine)

Here Warren was assisting dead liberal churches and also helping people trapped within an organization that has anathematized the Gospel of Jesus Christ to establish “a sense of community in their [Roman Catholic] church.” Since the point is more than made I’ll simply point out that one of these helpful link takes us to Catholic Courier of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, NY, while another one over to The Georgia Bulletin, which we find out is:

the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, strives to inform, form, inspire, educate, and strengthen the religious identity of the members of the Catholic community of North Georgia by providing significant local Catholic news, information, columns, commentaries, and photographs, as well as national and international news related to the Church. (source)

Again, this page has since vanished into the vapors of the blogoshere; but as far as I’ve ever seen, there was no explanation as to why. It’s simply beyond question that Rick Warren embraces, in contradistinction to Reformation theology, the Roman Catholic Church as a legitimate expression of the Christian faith. As I get set to close this out, for now, Richard Abanes, a former longtime Saddleback member and sort of apologist for Rick Warren, told us that:

In July 2005, while speaking in front of the Baptist World Alliance, Rick Warren declared: “I am praying for a second reformation of the church that will focus more on deeds than words. The first Reformation was about beliefs. This one needs to be about behavior.” (source)

Since Abanes knew Warren personally, and spoke with him directly, we’ll let him fill us in concerning what Warren meant by the above statement:

Warren is directly talking about a NEW Reformation that must occur as a follow up to the old reformation, and this new reformation is about deeds, not creeds (established through the First Reformation)… Warren’s intentions might best be put in an basic Q&A format for us to consider:

QUESTION: Why would a Second Reformation be about deeds, but not about creeds?

ANSWER: Because the First Reformation, begun by Martin Luther, was about the creeds (doctrine). Our doctrines were established by the First Reformation. Our deeds must be established by a Second Reformation…

Warren is not saying we should replace or abandon the First Reformation. (source)

Ok, so Rick Warren apparently believes the doctrines of the Protestant Reformation to be just fine as they are. As such then, out of one side of his mouth Warren says he believes “the five solas of the reformation.” ((http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/03/31/rick-warren-monergist/, accessed 6/2/14.)) But then, out of the other side of his mouth, Warren says that Protestantism is but one wing of Christianity with the Roman Catholic Church being the other; and further, Roman Catholicism is a facet of the Christian faith:

“I am talking about the fact that about a hundred years ago, Christianity split into two wings… The small group structure is the structure of renewal in every facet of Christianity — including Catholicism.” (source, emphasis mine)

Well then, let’s consider the following from Jeffery L. Sheler, who “spent 24 years reporting for U.S. News & World Report, including 15 years as the religion editor.” ((http://churchexecutive.com/archives/rick-warren-what-on-earth-is-he-here-for, accessed 6/2/14.)) One can hardly call Sheler, who also authored the book Prophet of Purpose: The Life of Rick Warren, a mere angry blogger. In Rick Warren: ‘What on earth is he here for?’, which was his interview with Church Executive a few years ago, Sheler gives us cause for real concern about the methodology of Rick Warren when he speaks of Warren’s:

calculated efforts to expand his circle of influence. That was new to me, and I learned about it only by talking with some of Warren’s former associates. He himself characterizes it entirely as “a God thing” that simply fell into his lap… (source, emphasis mine)

Those “calculated efforts” would appear to be right in line with something Dr. Michael Horton said a few years back, as Dr. John Piper prepared to bring Warren to his Desiring God conference, about the chameleon-like appearance Rick Warren so often exhibits:

Pastor Warren tailors his appeals to his audience.  To Calvinists, he stresses his support for the “solas” of the Reformation.  Yet he tells prosperity evangelist David Yonggi Cho, “I’ve read your books on Vision and Dreams – speak to pastors about how you hear the voice of the Holy Spirit?…What advice would you give to a brand new minister?…Do you think American churches should be more open to the prayer for miracles?” (“Breakfast With David Yonggi Cho And Rick Warren,” Pastors.com).

In a June 2006 article in JewishJournal.com, editor-in-chief Rob Eshman reported on a speech that Warren gave for Synagogue 3000, after Rabbi Ron Wolfson became involved in the Purpose-Driven pastoral training seminars. “Warren managed to speak for the entire evening without once mentioning Jesus — a testament to his savvy message-tailoring.”

When USA Today asked him why Mormon and Jewish leaders are involved in his pastoral training programs, Rick Warren reportedly said, “I’m not going to get into a debate over the non-essentials.  I won’t try to change other denominations.  Why be divisive?” (USA Today, July 21, 2003).  Rick Warren endorses a host of books, from New Age authors to Emergent writers to conservative evangelicals.  So why not include Calvinists?… (source)

And finally, there’s Christian apologist Bob DeWaay, author of Redefining Christianity: Understanding the Purpose Driven Life Movement, the best refutation of Warren’s synergistic people-pleasing pragmatism that I’ve seen. In addition, DeWaay has personally met with Rick Warren. Afterward, DeWaay spoke about what he calls the “file cabinet orthodoxy” of Warren:

You stick it in a file cabinet, and someone questions you about it, you pull it and show [it to] them. Then you put it back in there; but it really doesn’t influence what you do, how you write, how you preach, how you speak. And it’s not very useful orthodoxy. ((The comment was made on a radio program called Crosstalk hosted by Ingrid Schlueter: http://web.archive.org/web/20100415063545/http://www.crosstalkamerica.com/shows/2010/04/john_piper_invites_rick_warren.php, accessed))

I don’t know about you, but I’m hearing sinful ecumenicism in Rick Warren considering the apostate Roman Catholic Church, whose own anathema remains upon the very Gospel of Jesus Christ itself, a Christian denomination. The Church of Rome clearly preaches a different gospel; and if he truly was a “faithful pastor,” then Rick Warren would repent of his sin of being double-minded ((cf. James 1:8)) in accepting Rome’s non-gospel as valid:

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-9)

Yet in spite of all of this, not only has the SBC said nothing about this apostasy on the part of its most public multi-site prophet-pastor, this year it’s actually rewarding Rick Warren with a high profile speaking engagement; no wonder the SBC is dying. In this regard, today Dr. Al Mohler wrote an op ed piece called There Is No ‘Third Way’ — Southern Baptists Face a Moment of Decision (and so will you). In it he says:

Southern Baptists will be heading for Baltimore in just a few days, and the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention is to be held in a city that has not hosted the convention since 1940. This time, Baptists attending the meeting will face an issue that would not have been imaginable just a few years ago, much less in 1940 — a congregation that affirms same-sex relationships.

Just days before the convention, news broke that a congregation in suburban Los Angeles has decided to affirm same-sex sexuality and relationships. (source)

Yes Al, I know; I exposed this story in Pastor Danny Cortez and his SBC Gay-Affirming New Heart Community Church. Mohler concludes:

Now, the Southern Baptist Convention also faces a moment of unavoidable decision. A church related to the Convention has officially adopted a gay-affirming position. The Baptist Faith & Message, the denomination’s confession of faith, states that homosexuality is immoral and that marriage is “the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.”

Furthermore, the Convention’s constitution states explicitly that any congregation that endorses homosexual behavior is “not in cooperation with the Convention,” and thus excluded from its membership. (source)

Hmm, what about the decision concerning Rick Warren, an SBC pastor in the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, who has been actively involved for years in helping the apostate Church of Rome to gain more members? Is that “not in cooperation with Convention” as well, Al? Shouldn’t such a one also be excluded from membership? Or instead, should we witness Al Mohler and SBTS Executive Team Visit Rick Warren again?

The little excursion by Mohler and the boys ((http://5ptsalt.com/2013/08/08/brothers-in-arms-al-mohler-rick-warren/, accessed 6/2/14.)) happened last year; and yet a couple of weeks ago we saw Warren on EWTN praising a Roman Catholic antichrist pontiff as a shining example of Jesus. So, how’s that Rick Warren using your visit to bring himself more credibility within Reformed circles working out for you, there Al?

Further reading

• RICK WARREN AND NAR’S SAMUEL RODRIGUEZ HEADLINE ERLC AT THE SBC
• RICK WARREN AND HIS BROTHER, “HIS EMINENCE” TIMOTHY CARDINAL DOLAN ARCHBISHOP OF NEW YORK
• RICK WARREN FEARS GOD’S DISAPPROVAL YET ADDRESSES “MY ISLAMIC BROTHER”