The Journey of a Lifetime

Rick Warren's " 40 Days of Purpose" is not exactly what is advertised; it is much more than a 40-day deal.  Promotional materials would have you understand that the forty day program is a "movement of God" a means to fulfilling God's "agenda" in the world.  Even more than that, they tell you and me that the 40 days of purpose is the “journey of a lifetime.”

Warren's  40 Days of Purpose materials declares, "This campaign is all about the Kingdom of God, fulfilling his agenda in His world. Nothing brings more glory to God than having his churches, small groups, and his people fulfilling His Purposes. Because 40 Days of Purpose is about God's Kingdom, it is much bigger than any individual, church or denomination. We must work together "to serve God's purpose in our generation. (Acts. 13:36). I hope and pray that your church won't miss out on this movement of God. I invite you to join us. We're waiting to partner with you on the journey of a lifetime!"

Wow...is that interesting?  Nothing brings more glory to God than... what is being offered by this program ...  the program where God's churches, small groups and people, all learn to fulfill their purposes.  This is "the journey of a lifetime?"

Rick says that it's a "Movement of God,"  Wow, those are some strong words: "Movement of God"...Rick would have the person on the other end of the words here believing that this program was sent to them through him, direct from God.


It is true?  If it is a movement of God and I am not on board, won;t I kinda miss the boat? Kinda like Noah's Ark... he told the people to get aboard his program too.  With statment like this being presented, one cannot afford not to get with the program, such a thing could mean the difference between being healthy or unhealthy, or rather, life and death.  But are these statements true?

How does one know if the inspiration for the Purpose Driven EVERYTHING is direct from God to the the church and is now being delivered to everyone in every denomination all over the world though Rick, or not?  Is it possible that such terminology is simply promotional copy, Rick's way, or rather Zondervan's way of slickly marketing these books to the church hoping to make some money, intended to do what slick advertising does... sell books?  Determining the truth of these, and any other such unequivocal claims, seems only prudent.   It's hard to know sometimes.  What is a Christian to do?

Well, there is a couple things.. first of all, remember the words of the good shepherd...Jesus.  Obey the shepherd and do exactly what he says to do.  And remember, you cannot judge a book by it's cover, sometimes you have to take a look inside...kinda the way you cannot always be so sure that you are looking at a sheep, just because you see a little wool.  Jesus did warn his followers saying, "Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing,  but inwardly are ravenous wolves." (Matthew 7:15)

Is this movement of God congruent with what the Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd teaches?  And what does Rick say, what does Rick believe?

You should be able to believe someone who says he is a Christian pastor, one that has been teaching the Bible for 25 years.  Paul the Apostle  made note of the Bereans of his day, who "received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."  This too is what we as Christians should do, especially in regard to someone who wants to pastor them, to let them eat from their hands, who like Rick Warren,  says that their product and their teaching is  "a movement of God."  This is simply what one with readiness of mind to hear from the Lord, would want to do.

Rick Warren is not only labeled, "America's Pastor," he is the Pastor of Saddleback Church,and he has a lot of accomplishments that give him a lot of fame.  He seems like a person who know what he talks about and he also makes it a point to point to the bible, left and right....and he says that his 40 days of Purpose is the "journey of a lifetime," and that it is "a movement of God."   He is either right or wrong on the issue, so, as he is preaching and teaching we who are listening with readiness of mind, should consider what he says in light of scripture.  It is what Paul commended the Beareans for and it is what we who "follow Paul as he follows Jesus Christ," should want to do.

Rick says a lot of things to lot of people.  He has spoken at a lot of places like the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, the African Union and the Council on Human Relations and he gives a lot of  people things to think about.  He even has a plan, one he calls the PEACE Plan that he has unveiled to the world and he believes his PEACE plan will change the world. 

But what is this PEACE Plan?  It is Warren's idea that will to bring all the segments of society – like a stool with three legs... government, business and church together to solve the problems of the world, (like HIV/AIDS) he says, “Both a one-legged and a two-legged stool will fall over, but a three-legged stool will stand,” and when he combines the efforts of the church with buisness and govenment to change the world in his plan, he is not just talking about Christian churches, but the entire "faith sector" aka, every religious entity and creed, what he identifies as "churches and houses of worship."  This not only includes Christians denominations of every kind, but every religion on the planet, working together, hand in hand, like a three legged foot stool working together to uphold the same values, to tackle the five evil giants in the land.  This is all a part of Warren's PEACE Plan.

He has been quoted saying, "A three legged stool will have stability.  So I am going from country to country teaching buisness its role, teaching the church it's role and teaching government leaders their role-- you've got to work together!  You cannot solve the problem in your country, or in the world if we won't work together." (http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net)

The day Rick Warren unveiled his P.E.A.C.E. Plan to his congregation in 2003, he preached a special message to his congregation, saying this, “You’ve heard me say many times that the greatest thing you can do with your life is tell somebody about Jesus … if you help somebody secure their eternal destiny, that they spend the rest of their life in Heaven not Hell …your life counts, your life matters because nothing matters more than helping get a person and their eternal destiny settled. They will be forever eternally grateful….And I’ve always said that that was the greatest thing you can do with your life. I was wrong. There is one thing you can do greater than share Jesus Christ with somebody, and it is help start a church.” 

(Seriously Rick... You "were wrong?"For twenty five years, you were wrong about leading other people to believe in Jesus Christ so that they could be saved from hell?  Seriously? )

Is that in the bible?

And Rick, could you elaborate also on what you believe is to be the foundation of the church?  In other words, "What exactly is the cornerstone you are building upon when you are "starting," or  building, or growing... a church, if it is not this concept of securing one's "eternal destiny" the "foundational belief," that it takes faith, faith  in the saving work and personal knowledge of Jesus Christ one's Savior to be a part of the church of God?

Rick says, "Healthy churches are built on purpose!"

Is that in the Bible?

My bible tells me  how and upon what the true church is built and it says nothing of it being built upon five purposes... but it does have pillars.  The bible tells me Jesus told to Peter upon what this church is built... "And I say to thee. thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18)


My  Bible says nothing about the church being "built on Purpose," and it tells who exactly will be doing the building when it is built... Jesus, aka God.    


I read in my Bible, that Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of God, and that he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. I am reminded also of his servant, David, who did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, " 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." 
  
It appears that this is exactly what the Lord is doing.  

God is the potter and we are the clay... " God has a purpose for your life," it is true.  But Mr. Rick fails to tell you, is that the potter has power over his clay, of the same lump he has the power to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour.  Every vessel has a purpose.  

What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known , endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, but then they refuse his gift, or his children simply do not listen or obey?   (Romans 9:21-23 or so...) What if without thinking, those vessels, because they are disobedient, hear someone telling them something and think it sounds pretty good?  What if, instead of listening to the voice of dear old dad, they listen to one who is but "a hireling," and, what is this hirelings intent in walking off with someone elses vessels anyhow?  

But wait, there is more...


What if this stranger then invites those vessels to climb aboard his peace train, promising them that they will, (if they listen to him,)  be filled with purpose, and have the  "journey of a lifetime," (this instead of being filled with the Holy Spirit, who will lead them and guide them, because they put their hope and faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.) The next thing you know those vessels start looking and acting a little unusual, and they do not even read their bibles like they used to anymore.


It's a little like the fairy tale story of Pinocchio  don't you agree?

 Someone once said, "You cannot believe everything you hear."  No you can't, which by the way, is why you must be like those Bereans; If you are to be a nobleman, then you have to know which half of what you hear you can believe.  Pinocchio, if you remember, learned the importance of obedience and the power of his father Gepetto's love.

Ultimately we who are Christian, set apart for his choice of use, have to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts and lean not on our own understanding.  We rest in his promises and believe Him, take him at his word.  In all our ways we are to acknowledge him, knowing that he will lead us, guide us....like a good shepherd... (not drive us,) but gentle and truthfully direct, our paths.