Rick Warren addressing at the Hillsong Conference last night, reported on Sydney Morning Herald:
“I don’t think it is a sin to be rich, it’s a sin to die rich,” he (Rick Warren) told the Herald earlier. “I want people to make as much money as they can as long as they give it away as much as they can.”
(emphasis mine)
Sorry I have never read any of his “Purpose Driven” books, and not sure whether he is only making such a remark in front of 16,000 Hillsong crowds. However, it sounds like the actual driving purpose in life is still “making as much money as you can“, provided you don’t retain any to make you filthy rich by giving them away to the poor. Not a bad suggestion to those who are already rich, as we do need to exercise our generosity. However at the same time it can also be quoted to serve the sinful heart of man, who now has a “righteous excuse” to serve the money god, instead of LORD Almighty.
An email forwarded to me titled An Interview with Rick Warren…when i was reading this email..it seems to me there is nothing wrong about his Book…
I’ve summarised in the following:
> We were made by God and for God, and until you
> figure that out, life isn’t going to make sense.
>
> Life is a series of problems: Either you are in
> one now, you’re just coming out of one, or you’re
> getting ready to go into another one.
> The reason for this is that God is more
> interested in your character than your comfort.
>
> God is more interested in making your life holy
> than He is in making your life happy.
>
> We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but
> that’s not the goal of life.
>
> The goal is to grow in character, in Christ
> likeness.
………….
> First, in spite of all the money coming in, we
> would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no
> major purchases.
>
> Second, about midway through last year, I
> stopped taking a salary from the church.
>
> Third, we set up foundations to fund an
> initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches,
> equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick,
> and educate the next generation.
>
> Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid
> me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I
> gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to
> serve God for free.
>
> We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for
> possessions?
>
> Popularity? Am I going to be driven by
> pressures? Guilt? Bitterness?
>
> Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God’s
> purposes (for my life)?
>
> When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side
> of my bed and say, God, if I don’t get anything else
> done today, I want to know You more and love You
> better ..
I don’t have much to say one way or the other about Rick Warren’s books. I don’t think he is saying anything particularly new, and I generally avoid formula-driven ‘solutions’ to living as a Christian. BUT… I think you are close to the truth Scott, when you hint at Hillsong’s obsession with money and material wealth.
I think he is wrong. “I don’t think it is a sin to be rich, it’s a sin to die rich”. It is not a sin to either be or die rich. It is the same problem people have with the passage “The love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim 6:10) – It is not the money that is the problem. That is too simple. Poor people can love money just as much or more than the rich.
I agree, “where your treasure is, there your heart is also” but I am working hard to provide for my family. By most of the world’s standard we are rich. But at this point I am sure that I will not have enough saved for retirement. What am I to do?
Warren’s message (if he was quoted correctly) is a message of guilt. I don’t care how much money a person has — what are they doing with the talents God has given them? That is the question.
→ Amanda — I am not criticising Rick Warren nor his books, as I have stated that I have never read them (and same with Neil that I don’t like to think life/church building can be formulated that way).
What I had trouble with is his message addressing the Hillsong crowds. Yes — it might be because of the audiences he is giving the message to that he felt “compelled” to word this way. Indeed, that some in Hillsong might have treat Prosperity, instead of Jesus, as the Christ and salvation to all mankind.
It could also be the media, as it is reported by the Sydney Morning Herald. Media is good at taking messages out of context, and I still have not worked out where SMH stands in terms of evangelical conservative, liberal or charismatic. For example they also have an article by Roger Herft, Anglican Archbishop of Perth, on SMH yesterday calling “love and generosity” to unify Anglicanism. Yeah, media can be biased.
However, at the end as Gary and Neil have pointed out — there’s something wrong with the statement Rick Warren made. I think Gary is right — dying rich or poor does not make you right or wrong with God, and even a generous giver can still be an enemy of God on the day of Judgement if he does not accept Jesus Christ as his personal saviour.
My other problem is, if the audiences accept these words from Warren and take them as guidance, they can use this as excuses to work harder, seek more prosperity, make more money (at the expense of their relationship with God), because they can argue their ultimate goal is to give them away…
True… it may be pandering to the audience… but I can also refute it (somewhat) with scripture:
Proverbs 13:22
“A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.”
This is just off the top of my head… but I’m sure others might could come up with other examples. GaryP is right… it’s about priorities and about the heart.
Hey Guys,
The thing to consider is that people might take this too literally. I think what he was trying to do was just make a neat little statement. He isn’t saying go work hard, make money, and justify it with giving. I think he is trying to say that it is wrong to be greedy. And I agree, a generous person will still go the hell without Christ. He also made no comments about making money as dominant part of Christianity, or about priortiies of the heart, or about talents, that could only be one’s own interpretation. I think you may have to taken his words a bit out of context and should post his whole sermon.
Sorry, not you but the herald.
I had been critical of Warren and his megachurch until his Australian conference at Hillsong. I listened to his whole presentation and was amazed at the impact it had upon me to focus on my relationship with Jesus Christ and begin to examine myself whether I was using my talents and gifts God has given me to the fullest. His message was not about money, it was about using whatever God has given you as a good steward and using it for His glory and not your own. Rick repeatedly said that he was nothing and God deserves all the glory for anything he’s been a part of.
There seems to be alot of finger pointing in the Christian church. I don’t think we should condemn any one group of people, instead we should teach and enlighten our brothers and sisters in Christ for his name sake.
The word says, “But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you”
Matt 6:33
If we put God first he will provide for us. I don’t think there is anything wrong with the prosperity message as long your loving God and keeping him first(that means following his commadments). We all have a purpose like Rick Warren says, but that purpose may require finances or other resources in order to achieve that. We should not condemn one another for having or not having as long as we are doing the will of God.
Rick Warren is ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He’s using pretty words to describe a needed relationship with Christ. What he doesn’t tell you is that it is our sin that has taken us away from Jesus. It is our falling away from him that leads us to death.
We need to live by the spirit of God and put away the childish things of this world. This world, according to your bible, belongs to Satan. And yes, MONEY is his best weapon.
Stop reading books about the bible and start reading the bible. It’s not always easy, but if we ask God for wisdom and understanding before we read, he is faithful and he will answer that prayer.
Reading these books that promise you understanding is very much like a candy bar. It’s quick and very good, but it has no lasting benefit. The bible is an entire meal waiting to be eaten. However, it takes work to prepare a meal while grabbing a candy bar takes seconds…. Read for yourself and you will see that Rick Warren is simply leading people away from the simple truth of the gospel.