The latest attack on Warren is really a good laugh. CRN and Watcher’s Lamp actually suggest that Rick Warren is suffering from Oppositional Defiant Disorder mixed with a brainwashing strategy called dialectic process. I am no psychologist, but from my own studies in psychology, I can assure you that this is far from the truth. They are really stretching for a story now.

Here’s the funny thing. They link to a psych website that describes the disorder (which doesn’t describe Warren at all). They then put their own spin on it. For example:

Psych website description:

A pattern of negativistic, hostile, and defiant behavior lasting at least 6 months, during which four (or more) of the following are present:

• often loses temper
• often argues with adults
• often actively defies or refuses to comply with adults’ requests or rules
• often deliberately annoys people
• often blames others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior
• is often touchy or easily annoyed by others
• is often angry and resentful
• is often spiteful or vindictive

Watcher’s Lamp description:

This dynamic is put into motion when a very public and influential person paints a select group of people in a negative light, (dialectic) giving the impression this group is the antagonist (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) and the potential cause for failure in achieving a desired outcome for the community.

10 out of the 11 sources were from other watch doggie sites and no scriptures was used (the famous accusation of us evil emerging blogs). That means over 90% of their reporting sources were from within the house! Every single supposed quote was not linked back to a primary source (that would be healthy research). The links were also back to watch doggie sites.

Look, I am not a huge Rick Warren or Purpose Driven fan myself. I just think this guy, his church and his ministry are getting and incredibly unfair amount of criticism from incredibly unintelligent sources and even more unprofessional researchers and writers. Its one thing to voice your opinion, but it’s another thing to write over 20 articles in a matter of days to slaughter a fellow brother. Seriously, check out CRN and tell me if someone isn’t a bit paranoid about the Purpose Driven ministries with all the posts they have made. Ether lay off the articles or find something substantial to attack the man with!

The senseless attacks on Rick Warren continue from Christian Research Network and their gang of watch doggies. The lastest was from our good friend Chris Rosebrough at Extreme Theology. What are they up in arms about now? Five words: Worship, Evangelism, Discipleship, Ministry and fellowship.

Yep! How dare Rick Warren say that true churches hold to those five elements! In Rosebrough’s words, “Maybe it’s me, but this sure does sound like a dogmatic and judgmental statement on Rick Warren’s part.”

Chris adds Mark Kelly’s quote (Purpose Driven Staff)

“…you don’t have to be part of any particular denomination to implement PD principles. There are Purpose Driven congregations in more than 200 different denominations and associations. Our desire is to work with denominations to strengthen their churches. Each church can maintain its own heritage and doctrinal convictions while cooperating with others on accomplishing the five purposes…”

Chris Responds

This seems really odd to me. On the one hand these folks say that any church that isn’t fulfilling the 5 purposes ‘is not really a church”. But on the other hand ANY church REGARDLESS OF DOCTRINAL CONVICTIONS can be Purpose Driven.

Exactly Chris! Reformed Theologians, Arminian theologians, Methodists, Baptists, and even Presbyterians can include Worship, Evangelism, Discipleship, Ministry and fellowship in their churches. It’s pretty simple. If you can tell me which one of these five purposes can be removed, and the church can still function as the scriptures command, go right ahead. You failed to do that in your blog.

Chris Continues

So with these PD folks, the truth of a church’s doctrinal statement doesn’t determine whether or not it is ‘really a church’. But, the thing that matters is whether or not they are fulfilling the 5 purposes.

First off, no one said or implied that. They said that the five purposes work within existing doctrinal statements. The five purposes are found in scripture. They are prescribed by God, not Rick Warren (I hope that we can all agree on that). And, when they are fulfilling the five purposes from a scriptural basis, their doctrinal statements will come. You see, most people live their lives based on a doctrinal statement and find scripture to back up their theology. What Rick is suggesting is that we start with scriptural purposes and allow our theology to be formed from the word, not a doctrinal creed.

So Chris, which of these purposes are optional in a church:

• Evangelism
• Fellowship
• Worship
• Ministry
• Discipleship

UPDATED

If you doubted that Ken was not a sore loser with the Porno story, let his last few article titles speak for themselves:

• RICK WARREN: CHAMPIONING THE CAUSE OF RELEVANCE FOR THE PURPOSE DRIVEN NEW EVANGELICAL EMERGING CHURCH
• RICK WARREN: A PORNOGRAPHIC PURPOSE DRIVEN RESPONSE TO JOSEPH FARAH, CHRIS ROSEBROUGH AND KEN SILVA
• RICK WARREN: SADDLEBACK’S PURPOSE DRIVEN CENSORS DIDN’T SPIN FAST ENOUGH
• PURPOSE DRIVEN MEGA-CHURCH PASTOR RICK WARREN UNDER FIRE OVER MEDIA MOGUL PARISHIONER’S PORN CHANNELS
• RICK WARREN: SADDLEBACK RESPONSE TO MURDOCH/PORN ISSUE SUDDENLY VANISHES!

looks like someone picked up his ball, went home and threw a Purpose-Driven Tantrum