This online apologetics and discernment work Apprising Ministries has been among those who’ve been reporting on an ill-advised decision by Dr. John Piper to bring Purpose Driven Pope Rick Warren into the Desiring God Conference 2010 as the keynote speaker. Unfortunately, it got even worse when Dr. Piper defended his decision; and so, Warrengate is still slowly simmering:

At root I think [Rick Warren] is theological and doctrinal and sound. 
(as cited Online source)

Now apparently Steve Camp does as well as he tweeted:

 
(Online source)

But Rick Warren is not at all in line with biblical Christianity, nor with Reformation theology, concerning the Roman Catholic Church, which should be a major concern to those in the Reformed camp ala Steve Camp and Dr. Piper. In fact, fellow DG 2010 speaker Dr. R.C. Sproul is on record as saying the Church of Rome placed its anathema upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ itself; and is, therefore, apostate. [2] The Protestant Reformers e.g. Martin Luther and John Calvin also recognized this and denounced the Roman Catholic Church as being led by one in the chair of the Antichrist.

I personally would have preferred they had said an antichrist; but even so, as I showed you in Desiring God 2010, John Piper, And Warrengate, Rick Warren has still said: “I see absolutely zero reason in separating my fellowship from anybody.” [1] And, specifically concerning apostate Roman Catholicism, Warren has stated:

“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.” (Online source, emphasis mine)

And remember Warren’s statement about there being “zero reason” for him “separating my fellowship from anybody”; consider below just how sweeping his statement appears to have been:

Warren is part of the ultra-conservative Southern Baptist Convention, and all his senior staff sign on to the SBC’s doctrines, such as the literal and infallible Bible and exclusion of women as senior pastors. Yet Warren’s pastor-training programs welcome Catholics, Methodists, Mormons, Jews and ordained women.
(Online source, emphasis mine)

There have been those who’ve attempted to refute the above statement saying the reporter erred; but Christian apologist Chris Rosebrough has documented that, the very week this USA article in question was released, it was even advertised on Warren’s Pastors.com website. [2] On the Purpose Driven Church website in 2006 CHA recipients honored at Saddleback during Purpose Driven Church conference we’re told about “the 2006 Purpose Driven Church conference” where “Pastor Rick Warren met with the 2006 Church Health Award recipients” followed by “a presentation of plaques to the CHA winners.”

And one of those plaques that went to “the CHA winners” along with “an opportunity for a photograph with Pastor Rick” was presented to Family of God Church of Tacloban, Philippines; its “denomination” we’re told is “Roman Catholic.” In Filipino church targets unchurched Catholics in community we’re then informed that Family of God Church “is a church transitioning toward becoming purpose driven.” 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… (Online source)

One of Warren’s Purpose Driven Denominations, until sometime in 2008, was Purpose Driven Catholics. Scroll down the page and you’ll see Purpose Driven Catholics Helpful Links. The first one brings you to Saint Theresa of Avila Parish – The Mother Roman Catholic Church of Southeast Washington. This Roman Catholic Church was named after the so-called “Christian” mystic and Carmelite nun Teresa of Avila a queen of corrupt Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism. We’re told at its website that “Father” Ray 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.” [3] 

So we see that Rick Warren was actually providing, as a helpful link to Purpose Driven Catholics, one to the church for the 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. (Online source, emphasis mine)

Here Warren was 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 another link takes us to Catholic Courier of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, NY; and another one was 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. (Online source)

Again, this page has since vanished into the vapors of the blogoshere; but as far as I’ve 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 Christianity. And yet out of one side of his mouth Rick Warren says he believes “the five solas of the reformation”, [4] and out of the other side of his mouth 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 Christianity.”

Well, 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.” [5] One can hardly call Sheler, who also authored the book Prophet of Purpose: The Life of Rick Warren, an ODM. In Rick Warren: ‘What on earth is he here for?’, which is his interview with Church Executive last month, 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… (Online source, emphasis mine)

Those “calculated efforts” would appear to be in line with something Dr. Michael Horton, who in no way, shape, or form, could be considered an ODM, said recently 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?… (Michael Horton on Rick Warren, Modern Reformation, and Desiring God)

And then there’s pastor Bob DeWaay, author of Redefining Christianity: Understanding the Purpose Driven Life Movement, the best refutation of Rick Warren’s synergistic people-pleasing pragmatism I’ve seen. In addition to Twin City Fellowship DeWaay heads the excellent Critical Issues Commentary work; he is also not a “discernment ministry” [6], and he has personally met with Rick Warren. On a recent Crosstalk program, hosted by Ingrid Schlueter, DeWaay spoke about what he calls the “file cabinet orthodoxy” of Rick Warren. 

DeWaay explains:

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. [7]

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 another gospel; and if he truly was a “faithful pastor,” then Rick Warren would repent of his sin of being double-minded 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)

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Endnotes:  

[1] http://tinyurl.com/y5dfo7u, accessed 6/10/10.
[2] http://www.alittleleaven.com/2007/05/rick_warren_wor.html, accessed 6/10/10.
[3] http://www.stachurch.org/staff.html, accessed 6/10/10.
[4] http://tinyurl.com/y6ovrpd, accessed 6/10/10.
[5] http://tinyurl.com/2azson7, accessed 5/5/10.
[6] For the detractors of online apologetics and discernment ministry it’s important for them to include the quotation marks; because those of us in the “ODM world,” quite obviously, could never be as “erudite” and “astute” as they are.
[7] http://tinyurl.com/25pxusm, accessed 6/10/10.

See also:

IS THIS DOCTRINAL AND SOUND DR. JOHN PIPER?

RICK WARREN AND PURPOSE DRIVEN ROMAN CATHOLICS

DR. MICHAEL HORTON ON THE CHAMELEON-LIKE RICK WARREN

THE INADEQUATE GOSPEL OF RICK WARREN

REFUTING RICK WARREN

DR. ROD ROSENBLADT CALLS RICK WARREN’S MAN-CENTERED THEOLOGY “ROMAN CATHOLIC”

WARRENGATE, RICK WARREN AND THE SYNAGOGUE 3000 LEADERSHIP NETWORK