Once again, the meeting occurs this week. Rick Warren appears to be poised to force the issue of female pastors.
Check this out: (HT: Fred)
During a recent podcast with Christianity Today Editor-in-Chief Russell Moore, he warned, “We [Saddleback churches] don’t need the Southern Baptist Convention. They need the 6,000 purpose-driven churches that are in the Southern Baptist Convention in our fellowship, but we don’t need the Convention. It would be for the benefit of others, not for us.” In other words, if he doesn’t get his way on liberalizing the doctrine of the SBC, he’ll take his churches and go home.
And note how he characterizes those who adhere to biblical instruction:
Warren has been all over Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube this past week, viciously attacking his opponents (while calling for love and reconciliation). He’s become increasingly combative, calling his opponents “angry fundamentalists,” “angry fighters,” and “legalist showmen.”
If Warren is issuing a veiled threat that the churches within his “orbit” will bail out over the matter of female pastors, that is tantamount to extortion. The convention needs much prayer.
The priority of banding together for missions was what held together the Southern Baptist Convention. But if bad theology is being forced upon the convention, many churches will doubtless find other ways to do missions.
Warren should take his like-minded churches and join the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. This battle was fought several decades ago.
Why is there always a bomb thrower ?
It has been the case since the fall of man when Adam ate that fruit. Warren’s actions are so egregious, but I don’t know whether there will be enough to stop him.