Rick Warren on “Trends in the Church” (Part 3)
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Tue, July 12, 2005
- Viewed 188
- (3) comments so far
TREND #3: Spiritual Awakening in America
The third trend I think you need to be aware of is the signs of the possible spiritual awakening in America. You know we've had two Great Awakenings in the history of America and we're a hundred years overdue for the next one. If there is a second Reformation in the Church and a third spiritual awakening in the world or in America, it will come through two words ? small groups.
The small group structure is the structure of renewal in every facet of Christianity ? including Catholicism. And really "mainline" is sideline now. They're not mainline anymore, they're sideline denominations. The mainline is evangelicalism. The sidelines are the ones that used to be the mainline. And so, it's kind of like when we talked about the mainstream media. What is the mainstream media? There's old media and there's new media, okay, but what's the "mainstream"? It depends on what stream you're in. I think it was pointed out earlier that America is a pretty big place and there are lots of streams. And I could take you around America and show you forty different streams. And so it just depends on who you're listening to. But I do believe what David Brooks wrote in an article right after the election, what he called the two conversations going on in America. And I think that was a pretty seminal article; there are not just two conversations going on, but there are even more than that.
You can read the whole transcript here.
FOR DISCUSSION: Do you see signs of spiritual awakening in America? Where?
This is Part 3 of a series taken from a transcript of Rick Warren talking to a small group of journalists recently at the Pew Forum’s "Faith Angle" conference on religion, politics, and public life. Rick mentions a few of the trends he sees in the church. So far, we’ve looked at the Evangelical Church and it’s return to it’s 19th century roots; and The Forty Days of Purpose. Today… Signs of a Spiritual Awakening in America. Rick Warren says…
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Pete King on Thu, July 14, 2005
First off I want to say that I throughly enjoyed reading the transcript of Rick Warren’s press conference. I felt that his views regarding winning the lost, His salvation testimony, and methodology regarding enpowering people for church ministry was great. However, he lost me when he mentioned this regarding the fundamentalist movenment:
“Anyway, the fundamentalist and evangelical movement said they were just going to care about personal salvation when they split from the mainline churches.”
The problem with this statement doesn’t add up to say people like my father who claims to be a fundamentalist. This passage set him off. After contemplating this issue I realize that we have a real problem with Church lingo and unfortunately there isn’t a dictionary that clearly spells out what we mean by fundamentalist and even the term evangelical is a constant. For my father and myself included we are both fundamental and evangelical. But in the context Rick is defining the school of thought a more of a selfish nature rather than the teaching and evangelizing of sinners. To be honest, I’m not so sure that he isn’t defining this movement from an entirely different point of view as it was intended. Or perhaps his definition is something that reflects a more modern meaning to this movement. Either way you look at it, our church jargon is confusing not only ourselves, but the news media, and of course everyone unsaved as well. Even if we could hand out a dictionary to the media for the proper use of these terms that would not stop the millions of viewers who do not have access to this book. What I might suggest here is starting another movement called, “Do what the Bible says movement”. I mean it’s getting to the point where if being a fundamentalist means “selfish, Turn or Burn, God’s out to kill ya, Glad I’m not a sinner” then I don’t want to be associated with these terms. I totally agree with my choir director when he said that we use to many big words these days to say what we really mean. Which by the way, makes me wonder what is Rick Warren’s definition of fundamentalist. He didn’t even spell that one out. However, as far as this Spiritual Awakening he speaks about I totally agree with him in regards to the notion that there is one coming. However, I think it’s not exactly like he is expecting. I think the idea of surrender and understanding one’s purpose is only part of it. I think, from that thought will come repentance and a sense of accountability for men and women who have not been doing what God has planned for them. And with that comes a sense of urgency to accomplish the task and will God has for our lives. I hope I wasn’t too aggressive here however, we need clarity when speaking about defining who we are and what we believe. Especially when it comes to the sinners who are looking at us. Just a thought.
pmn on Thu, July 14, 2005
Is Rick Warren saying that spiritual awakenings can be produced by man? Do any of you believe that’s possible? If so, then wouldn’t saving ourselves also be possible? Since no man comes unto God except he draws him (revives him, since we are spiritually dead) Wouldn’t it also be only possible to God to bring a spiritual awakening?
Thoughts??
Patty on Tue, March 07, 2006
I’m not a Pastor or anything like that I just would like to know where I can go to ask Mr. Warren about a program our church is doing call The Encounter With God. What is his thoughts on this program.Thank you for your time,Patty
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