Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Is Rick Warren, the next Billy Graham?

I'm guessing we are hearing about the "next pastor to the nation and to the presidents." Rick Warren has all the right stuff! He's ecumenically moderate, just like Billy Graham. He is highly marketable and draws a large crowd, just like Billy Graham. He is well spoken and writes books that draw purchases, just like Billy Graham. His messages and his service style is "user-friendly" and raises little controversy, really . . . just like Billy Graham and just exactly unlike the prophets of Scripture and apostles of Messiah. I'm sure Rick Warren makes a number of people feel good and find hope in the midst of a mess. I remember attending a Billy Graham "crusade" in the 60's. It was highly emotional and felt "good." I remember, in the 90's, attending behind the scenes for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and it was highly orchestrated and embarrassing. Granted, Billy was no longer personally leading the cause, but supposedly his organization still sanctioned the event.
I guess, all I can say is this. If Rick Warren plans to spend the next fifty years the way Billy spent the last fifty years, I'm not sure America's society will survive another fifty years of an ecumenical gospel. From the looks of things, it's been pretty powerless, so far. As to Rick Warren being the next Billy Graham, I think the most significant trait the two have in common would be this: they both have preached an emotional "gospel" of goodness without the need to repent!
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations . . . the Gospel according to Luke

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