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Christianity Today, October, 2008 |

After the Aloha Shirts

Retooling Saddleback's international work and hosting a presidential forum serve a common purpose, says Rick Warren.

Interview by Timothy C. Morgan | posted 10/01/2008 07:28AM

Tossing out his iconic collection of aloha shirts isn't the only big change Saddleback Church's Rick Warren is making these days. His 2005 signature strategy for global missions, the PEACE Plan, is now ...

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T. Delaney

Posted: October 07, 2008 3:36 PM


Go Rick...forget what Rich says.

B. Alan

Posted: October 02, 2008 8:05 PM


I was very disturbed when I saw Rick Warrens face on Tony Blairs Interfaith Foundation Website http://tonyblairfaithfoundation.org/ ... i dont believe Tony Blair has anything RIGHTEOUS or GOOD in mind with his foundation. It also disturbs me how with this new PEACE 2.0, Tony Blairs mission and Rick Warrens mission are ALMOST IDENTICAL now.

Rich C.

Posted: October 02, 2008 6:28 PM

D.A. Carson recently wrote an article in Themelios which I think would be very helpful to those wrestling with, as he puts it,"the precise place that "deeds of mercy" ought to have in Christian witness". The lack of the Gospel in the Pastor Warren interview is worrisome to me. If I'm not mistaken the Gospel was really only refered to once when Pastor Warren said "the church believes in the common good, not just the Good News". In regard to the conclusion of the interview, wouldn't going back to the first century really mean going out to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ boldly empowered by the Holy Spirit, seeing people regenerated, seeing some sadly reject the message, caring for the poor, and being badly persecuted or even martyred nearly everywhere the message is proclaimed? I think both "deeds of mercy" and evangelism are important and connected to one another. We would be well served to avoid making again the mistakes of the past in seperating these two commands.

Kim	Posted: October 02, 2008 12:33 PM

This is a comment to Jessica: You need to understand how the political process works. President Bush could only do so much. The congress has to introduce the bills and it has to go through the house and senate before the President can sign or veto the bill. President Bush has been blocked so many times by congress who's only agenda was to hate him and stop anything he wanted to do. He had to work very hard to get the two justices he go on the Supreme Court. He was fought on them. Even though the republicans were in the Majority until 2006, it was still not of enough of a majority to do anything and still some of those republican did not help President Bush out. Before you make comments you need to read the Constitution to see how our government works.

MP	Posted: October 01, 2008 10:32 PM

Here we go again with CT serving Warren's self promotional agenda. Do we care what kind of shirts he wears? His "civic forum" was about him, not the election. As for his "Peace" Plan; its what he now wants to use the church for, just as he used it for the "Purpose Driven" program. Its the same old pragmatic, utlitarian approach. Why cant Rick just let the church be the church? Or, does Rick know what it means for the church to be the church? We are not a civic organization. I would love for him to show us how what he is doing "goes back to the first century."

Bob	Posted: October 01, 2008 6:38 PM

In Response to Jessica's questions. 1) The Bush Administrations first order of business in 2001 was to defund any family planning program worldwide that used any funds for abortions. 2) If it was not for the Bush Administration the ban of partial birth abortions would have never happened. Remember it was President Clinton that votoed this bill 3 times. 3) The Bush Administration and the justice department fought all the way to the Supreme Court and won the challenge to ban partial birth abortion and without wavering. 4) President Bush stood up to those that demanded unfettered use of embryonic stem cell research. He has been consistent and uwavering in the face of heavy and angry criticism. 5) He appointed both Chief Justice Roberts and Judge Allitto to the Supreme Court, two of the most fair constitutional savy judges who think Roe v Wade was a miscarriage of justice. The Bush Administration has done more to fight the culture of death since Roe v Wade, that's all!

The G

Posted: October 01, 2008 6:36 PM


We don't need another social gospel which is no gospel at all movement.

Richard Foley

Posted: October 01, 2008 5:10 PM


Anne, I believe Ric is talking about engaging you and other Catholics personally, not just a Catholic organization. The Great Commission from Jesus is for all of us.

Anne Fado

Posted: October 01, 2008 4:05 PM


It will likely come as a surprise to the 1 billion Catholics that they need Rick Warren to "mobilize" them. Organizations such as Catholic Relief Services have been mobile for quite some time providing help to 80 million people across the world.

Don	Posted: October 01, 2008 3:56 PM

Jessica: President Bush has appointed two "originalitist" judges in Alito and Roberts. These judges have a desire to bring the abortion issue back to the states. This will by no means end the abortion debate but it will bring it to the local level so we can have more accountability in regards to our local leaders. He also was instrumental in passing the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003. These are small steps, but important none the less.

Brent Vermillion

Posted: October 01, 2008 3:56 PM

As a 15 year veteran missionary church planter in Spain I do applaud efforts like this peace plan. However, I do not think that Rick Warren gets it at all when people criticise this plan in saying that it is similar to short-term missions and their lack of real fruit. It is not about institutions against innovators. It is about inexperienced american, celebrity pastors thinking that they know more than experienced missionaries and church planters. Rick Warren would do well to listen to these experienced people who may have some good and constructive criticism. Having said that I really do applaud Rick for going for it. He is indeed a great leader in our generation and I have learned tons from him even though it doesn't all translate into the spanish culture.

Rick Blumenberg

Posted: October 01, 2008 3:52 PM

I thought this was a fantastic interview! Thank you Tim Morgan for doing such a great job and thank you Rick Warren for being such a godly man. (I'm sure Tim is one too.:) As for Jessica acusing President Bush of doing nothing about abortion-- what about the Supreme Court Justices he appointed? That was more important for the abortion issue than anything else. The next president will also appoint a Supreme Court Justice. We know both of the candidates and where they stand and this is a major issue. As for Debra's comments and prrayer. I totally agree! Thank you for that beautiful and powerful prayer. If only every Christian would do that and pray that way! What a powerful impact we would have on the world.

Debra Spink

Posted: October 01, 2008 2:51 PM


Rather than criticize, I for one will pray for this PEACE PLAN, that God will direct it and guide it, that God will open up the hearts and the minds of His people to receive it and engage it. That God will protect those involved in it. That institutions will not oppose it but search for how to support it. That God will take the scales off of our eyes and show us what He wants each of us to do.

Jessica

Posted: October 01, 2008 12:45 PM

President Bush "used" the evangelical base for re-election in 2004 and "we fell for it".. Abortion being "the issue" of whether we vote for or against a presidential candidate. My question to you Rick is, "what did president Bush do about the abortion issue, when he was first elected or when we helped him to be re-elected? My second question is what does any politician actually do on the abortion issue, once they have declared "Pro-life" publicly only to gain the evangelical vote, what do they actually do regarding this abortion issue, besides ignore it, just like Bush did "after they get in office"? My third question is, are we going to "fall for this again"? Sincerely, Jessica

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