“Methinks, speach is spelled speech?  Whatsay?

Pastor Warren was covered awhile back with those for his ministry and against posting.
I don’t wish to single him out but this is an alarming happening across all Christiandom. With many pastors and those in the limelight. Leaving out Jesus. But only when appropriate. As if one has a poor friend but when your friend that is wealthy greets you, your friend of lowly esteem receives no introduction. This past week I read a magazine article from last year. It was an article about a person in the entertainment industry who is known to be a Christian. This person talked about God a lot to the interviewer. Even said their children asked ‘God’ into their hearts at the ages of 3 1/2 and 4. This person only mentioned Jesus when asked their opinion about the Passion movie.

Is Christianity fast becoming the religion of inclusiveness? The early church would be repulsed.  Believing in Christ is what got many of them killed. Jesus is so reduced by the litany of ‘God is love.’ Yes He is-love.
But there is no way to apply the divine love without the provision of the son.

Sometimes I think that well meaning on the right road ministers want to bring them in, make the gospel palatable, be shrinks etc. to a hurting world- all with the first idea at some point making sure they know about Christ and accept him. But then the largeness of it all overwhelms. The rationalization sets in. After all aren’t they doing the work of Christ? Who’s to say that they aren’t doing the real work, for look at the lives to prove it.

My advice is that they leave out Christian as a name. IF the church just preaches God on the streets,(be in at the UN or the television audience) that they call it an organization but not a Christian church. Still keep the non-profit status, for helping people socially they are. But if you take Christ out of Chrisitan you have no Messiah. Your belief system is something else but it definitely not Christian.

Enjoying the conversation about saying God versus Jesus.  I think we are capitulating quite a bit.  When Paul or Peter or any of the first apostles had opportunity, they mentioned the name of Jesus and told the story of His death, burial and resurrection.  No fanfare, no pressure, but also no shrinking back.  When we share it plainly, let’s let the Lord do the work!  But if we don’t share it…
The more I hear about postmodernism and that form of reaching by creeping up on them, orthodoxy-wise, I believe we’ll miss the supernatural aspect of God’s moving.

Tom,

Are you talking about Rick Warren’t 15 seconds of fame, or your own?

It would have been nice to read the full text of his speech.  It wasn’t in the link.  We can’t make a judgement without seeing the full text.

Since it’s an interfaith event, you have to ask why he was there.  I’m sure the participants weren’t there to hear a gospel presentation.  Christians wouldn’t want to sit through some other religious presentation either.  So it looks like he was just there to give them a interfaith pep talk, and maybe make some headlines for himself?  Of all the places he could be, and all the work he could be doing, what was his motivation and reason for being there?  Maybe it was a mission trip, and the real work was 1-1 behind the scenes… let’s hope so…

...Bernie
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/247

I agree with the comment made that the whole text would need to be given in order to give a full and fair evaluation of these comments.  That aside me must never bow to the “god” of inclusivness that is sweeping the American church. This bland and tasteless form of religiousosity will turn away more people than it will ever attract.  We must also turn away from the popular thought that predominate characterisitic of God is love.  That is not Biblical.  God is Holy.  Read the entirety of scripture and you see this clearly.  There is no Biblical basis to say to a sinner - “God Loves You” The Bible is clear that God cannot participate in a loving realtionship with a sinful human being.  God does desire for people to enter into a loving relationship woth Himself through faith in Christ because of death and ressurection of Christ.  Our message is a message of reconcilliation.  That means we must tell people they seperated from God and they are not obejects of God’s love but of His wrath.  His love is available for all but can only be recieved by entering into a realtionship with God by faith in Christ - repenting and accepting Him as Savior of your life.

LB - What you said in your last comment clarified what I wanted to communicate.  The Bible is clear that God extends and offers His love to sinners, we love Him because He first loved us.  What I wanted to emphasize was that sometimes we are not clear in how we communiacte this.  If we over emphasize the love of God and do not keep it in balance with His holiness and judgement people will not see a need to repent and turn to God.  If all we communicate is God loves you people will assume that they are OK with God - “He loves me” surely I’ll go heaven. 

Thanks for clarifying what I said, you hit the nail on the head.

The only other comment I might make is be careful with how you interpret the OT prophets.  Hosea and Gomer’s realtionship was specifiaclly designed as a picture of God’s relationship with Israel.