Purpose Driven Connection

On Saturday I spent a good portion of the afternoon at Borders bookstore. I love to browse and wander and spend time skimming magazines and books rather than or before buying them. It was wonderful.

I picked up Rick Warren's new magazine, Purpose Driven Connection. It was on an end rack which is SO COOL - a Christian highlighted at Borders.

Now I know that there is a segment of the church that doesn't think Rick Warren teaches deep enough, and does not emphasize the cross enough. That's a good discussion...for another day. Stick with me here.

The magazine is $9.95. Not cheap. But inside is a DVD with a 6 part small group study! And a study guide. Quite intriguing. This is just a PART of this thick glossy publication - a first rate quality magazine.

This morning I am listening to the DVD series, session one. It is a joint effort of Rick Warren and Chuck Colson on "Framing Your Worldview."

It is superb.

I'm not an easy sell. I love love love the Word of God, and am quick to defend it. And so does Rick, and so does Chuck. I have listened to the first two segments of session one and there is not ONE word I take issue with. Not one.

One summary statement is: (from the study guide) Worldviews contradict each other and can't all be true; only the biblical worldview gives us a complete and true picture of the world as it really is.

They discuss compartmentalization - putting our religion in one compartment, our work in another, how we treat our body in another, how we handle money in another...all kinds of categories. But the goal is INTEGRITY which is based on the word INTEGER which means one and wholeness. I am ONE person. I can only live according to ONE world view, and when I accept everything (syncretism) I negate everything because different world views are in conflict with one another. I become fragmented, and that is not a firm foundation.

Chuck especially speaks to how the church needs to THINK more rather than rely on feelings. A quote from Chuck: "The most important thing we can do is ground ourselves in this.[holding up a Bible]"

WOO HOO. Push the Word. AMEN. Do it with technical excellence in a format that will appeal to the younger generation. AMEN. And then sell it through a secular venue...right there next to O Magazine and Newsweek. FABULOUS.

Christians, we need to FULLY SUPPORT the Bible being taught in the mainstream media. The church's worst enemy is the church - we shoot each other down ALL THE TIME. Before you criticize Rick Warren for being...Rick Warren...and thereby disqualify the new magazine, please read it. Let's USE OUR MINDS as Chuck Colson so challenges us, and let's OPEN UP to the Holy Spirit using new media and fresh faces and new ways to engage this POST CHRISTIAN world in which we live.

I would LOVE and WELCOME your comments as to what you disagree with in this magazine. My brain is in full gear. It is written by humans, so likely there will be some errors in judgment. But it points to the WORD. A respectful discussion is always a good thing - one where we don't label people, but rather use quotations as discussion starters. No person is perfect, and there are no writings on which to hang our hats except those authored by God. But God uses people, flawed though we are, to communicate to the world. Is it not obvious that Rick Warren is being used? He cannot be an instrument of anti Christ AND accuratey quoting Scripture and pointing people to it...that is NOT possible. He doesn't manipulate the Word, he urges people to study it for themselves.

I'm challenging you all: Get the magazine. Just try it. Watch the DVD series even if you don't have to agree with every emphasis. Of course we MUST stand up to heresy...but we shouldn't be assuming it, should we?

I am really conservative. But I'm growing to understand that God uses new ways to reach new generations, and that the biggest opposition to His work, historically, has been the established church. I so don't want to become dogmatic about form. It's ALL ABOUT the BIBLE, and pointing people to it.

Amen? Amen!