Rick Warren on Politics and the Spread of Christianity

Posted on November 18, 2009
Viewed 684 times
(10) comments

USA Today featured an article yesterday about Rick Warren called "Purpose-Driven Politics". Interesting read...

Here are some quotes from Rick in the article:

"Last Sunday there were more Christians who went to church in China than all of Europe combined."

"If I thought politicians could change people's hearts, I would go into government. "If I thought laws could change people's hearts, I would go into government. But I don't, so I'm not."

About the estimated 143 million orphans around the world: "whoever gets to those people first are going to get to their hearts and minds – either madrassas or radicals or fundamentalists, or whatever. That is anarchy waiting to happen."

"The actual number of secularists outside Europe and Manhattan is quite small. You need to get a life and get around the world because most people have some kind of faith."

"I could take you to 10 million villages in the world where there is nothing but a church. The church has more locations than all the WalMarts and Starbucks and everything else combined. It has more volunteers. The church was global 200 years before anyone started talking about globalization. And you add in Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus (and) you basically have got most of the world."

Any thoughts on these new quotes from Warren? You can read more here...

Todd

Comments

if you want a Globally Recognized Avatar (the images next to your profile) get them here. Once you sign up, your picture will displayed on any website that supports gravitars.

Leonard on Wed, November 18, 2009

Before all the Warren bashers chime in, I really liked some of his thoughts.
Gary Humble on Wed, November 18, 2009

More Christians, more pastors and more churches need to see the importance of being involved in the global political arena. If you study world history as well as US history, politics do not exist without religion. Governments have been formed on the foundations of religion.

I don’t get Christians who say that “politics doesn’t concern me”, “who cares”, “God will have His way in the end anyway”, “we should not mix politics and religion.”

May I submit that the problems we face today as a society have come about because of the complacency of people like this.
CS on Wed, November 18, 2009

There didn’t seem to be anything new in this article. It sounded like a repeat of statistics, a brief background on Warren, and a few points about how he’s involved in politics but doesn’t want to work in government. Did I miss anything here?

—
CS
Peter Hamm on Wed, November 18, 2009

“The actual number of secularists outside Europe and Manhattan is quite small. You need to get a life and get around the world because most people have some kind of faith.”

great quote!
Brandon Cox on Wed, November 18, 2009

I liked his thoughts… Go Rick! Nice gotee.
Discount Door Handles on Wed, November 18, 2009

i agree, some his thoughts were different and acceptable!
Steven Crutchfield on Wed, November 18, 2009

“If I thought politicians could change people’s hearts, I would go into government. “If I thought laws could change people’s hearts, I would go into government. But I don’t, so I’m not.”

Great thoughts from a Great Leader….should directly effect all our ministries….
Steve Long on Mon, November 23, 2009

Jesus’ second temptation gave Him a shot at controlling the whole political thing of all the Kingdoms of the world. Politics is the devil’s business….so Jesus would have to bow to Satan (do business His way to have the world on Satan’s terms. The political realm exists to manage all of the people who do not want to be managed by God. Christians do not need a political realm because we are from another Kingdom…one not from here. Jesus said to Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world because if it was his followers would fight (like zealous partisans) to rescue Him. Rick makes excellent points. We either aim at changing Laws and Governments…for a time (and then the political tide changes and washes away our efforts), or changing people for eternity. I think sometimes political activity is just the way we avoid doing the real mission (The Great Commission) and convince ourselves that we are doing something that is pleasing to God. It reminds me of Saul telling Samuel why he brought booty back and spared people from the God commanded total destruction of the Amalekites. We don’t get to pick the mission, God does.
Shawn Wilson on Tue, December 29, 2009

Steve Long,
Politics is Satan’s business? What about the government set up by God in the Old Testament? Which by the way is where America’s Founders largely took from when forming our own government. The only business satan has is to steal, kill, and destroy. Everything else is God working thru His people to save the lost and restore humanity to right relationship with Him, as well as restoring this broken planet.
I find it unbelievable when Christians don’t get involved in life!! Including politics. We don’t say that work is the devils business and that we should “just win souls.” WHY DO WE DO THAT WITH POLITICS??!!??!!
We would NOT be where we are as a nation if Christians were ACTUALLY involved in the political realm of America like they used to be.

Christians not involved in politics is not cool or spiritual, it’s lazy and sin!!

Shout out to Gary Humble for his word on the matter…....it was a very Humble word!! Sorry I just couldn’t resist!!
Steve Long on Tue, December 29, 2009

Shane,

If you recall Israel started out as a theocracy and it was to function as a lamp of God to the nations but the folks didn’t like that and they wanted a King. This gave Samuel a frowny face but God reminded Samuel that the national desire for a King was not an offence against Samuel but against the theocratic Head of State, God Himself. (I Samuel 8:7). Name me one nation of the world where God is the Head of State ...excepting the Vatican….just kiddin’. There are none. The only nation that has God as the Head of State is the Church and as Jesus said, and I just quoted Him in my prior post, “My kingdom is not of this world”. You know that no man can have two masters..something else Jesus said..and that is because if a worldly Government is your master, any world government, there will eventually be some conflict between the Heavenly kingdom of which you are a citizen (right?) and the world government. Every government on this planet will be brought down someday and the Kingdom of God will remain.
Read closely the third temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4. ” 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9"All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”
Jesus did not say to Satan what you are trying to convince me is true, That the nations belong to God. Jesus did not say, Wrongo Mr. Satan Guy, these kingdoms already belong to God, because they do NOT belong to God. God has given them over to Satan because they are only temporary. They were never meant to be eternal. God does not need the kingdoms of this world because they are full of the citizens of the Kingdom of Darkness as well as Citizens of the Kingdom of light. God has placed all of His Cookies in the cookie jar called the Church and this Kindom was forged in Heaven to crush all other kingdoms…with the Gospel111..not legislation.