Rick Warren explains why Saddleback extends help to other churches.
Last Friday, regular readers of CT's Liveblog know I posted about Rick Warren's offer of assistance to Anglicans who are about to lose their church buildings in hostile litigation or who were starting a new congregation through new Anglican structures. (In early December after the Civil Forum in Washington, Rick and I discussed the Anglicans story.)
First, a 'mea culpa' from me that this offer was done on a private basis and I misread this message as part of a public gesture. (I wrote a cover story Purpose Driven in Rwanda and an update interview with Rick was published in CT recently.) So CT staff agreed to take the posting off the CT site. But, of course, it lives on via RSS feeds and elsewhere.
This story has taken on quite a life of its own. So since Liveblog has been silent on this subject for days, I asked Rick for a brief clarification. He's given permission to release these comments:
"In our first 13 years as a congregation, Saddleback was forced to use 79 different meeting places, so we understand the difficulty of finding space. So, as standard procedure, anytime an evangelical congregation loses its place to meet, we offer them space, out of gratitude, to the churches that helped us before we got our own building.It's just one of many quiet ways we support the Body of Christ behind the scenes. Without any press, we've helped 5 other denominations plant new churches in the Saddleback Valley. We never view other congregations as competition, but as team members in the Great Commission. Helping other congregations is consistent with my calling, and 30 year track record, of serving, encouraging, and championing other pastors.
It is what the Purpose Driven Network is all about.
When I read in the paper that another local congregation has lost its place to meet, I send a private email to the leadership offering space. It certainly wasn't a reaction to anyone or any group. I cc'd Tim Morgan because he's a personal friend who has traveled with me to Africa twice and he knew the folks I wrote to. The letter wasn't intended to be a public statement, just an offered kindness. Those who contacted me learned this. Those who didn't attributed a inaccurate motivation and misread the timing."
Rick Warren
Saddleback Church
Global PEACE Coalition
Purpose Driven Network
I'll add in. There's no mystery, no malice, or hidden agenda here. Gratitude still works, Thanks be to God.
Posted by Tim Morgan on January 14, 2009 11:19AM
Comments
But Rick Warren wrote this earlier? Which is it -- friendly gesture or slap at The Episcopal Church?
... [The Episcopal Church has] already considered me an adversary
after partnering on projects with Kolini, Orumbi, and Nzimbi, and
writing the TIME bio on Akinola.
But since last summer... I've been on Gene Robinson and other's attack
list for my position on gay marriage. ....[Our] brothers and sisters
here at St. James in Newport Beach lost their California State Supreme
Court case to keep their property.
We stand in solidarity with them, and with all orthodox, evangelical
Anglicans. I offer the campus of Saddleback Church to any Anglican
congregation who need a place to meet, or if you want to plant a new
congregation in south Orange County.
The St. James parish is not giving up its court case and has plans to
seek other legal remedy. In the meantime, other conservative Episcopal
congregations or Anglican church planters might be eager to take
pastor Rick up on his offer. "
Posted by: Ann at January 14, 2009
Pastor Rick is a man with no guile. HE reaches out to anyone and has a pastor's heart. He has been a blessing to churches everywhere and it is for the sake of the Gospel, for the sake of blessing the orphaned into God's family. His motivation is Godly. Those who are throwing stones at him these days simply don't know the man.
Posted by: Rev Duncan Clark at January 15, 2009
Let's not be so hasty in nominating Warren for sainthood. What he has done, offering space to a congregation, is done every week by thousands of churches across the United States. It is not extraordinary at all; but what is different about Warren is that when he does something akin to what everyone else does, he needs to toot his horn and call attention to himself. If he were so guileless, I suspect we would never hear mention of this. You know, its sort of like something Jesus said of life in the kingodm, about not letting the right hand know what the left is doing. Perhaps that was left out of the "Purpose Driven Life."
Posted by: MP at January 16, 2009
It amazes me how critical people can be of Rick Warren. I've met him and I have a couple of his books. I have yet to see any heresy in his books and I have yet to witness any ulterior motives in his action. Rick stands up for and beside pastors, and provides abundant help and encouragement. Because of his "celebrity" when he does something people do find out about it. If you're going to be critical of a brother you might want to determine if it's true convictions or jealousy that prompts the critical view.
Posted by: Potters Clay at January 23, 2009
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