Accepting and loving what?

A strange thing or two I saw one day this week whilst browsing the web...

It was just above the Henri Nouwen quote, on RW's tool box ministry site for pastors:

“Plants need the right climate to grow and so do churches. The right climate for church growth is an atmosphere of acceptance and love.” - Rick Warren

-Saddleback Sayings, pastors.com

Hmmm...I'm not sure what exactly is meant by that.

At first glance, it seems like a typical North American, Laodicean warm and cozy thing to say. It's all about acceptance and love. But what about the persecuted church in communist and Muslim countries where the church is growing faster than it is here. Or the New Testament church that spread to the ends of the earth with persecution. Maybe RW means love and acceptance found in fellowship among believers, and welcoming new believer into the fold. This is part of church growth, but what about a love and hunger for the truth, and acceptance of the Word of God and its power to convict and change lives? In that case, the right atmosphere for a church plant to really grow is often the opposite of what RW said, and most people in North America are not hungry for God's Word, nor would they die for it, and as history seems to show us, the best climate for a church plant to grow in appears to be in the midst trials and persecution. (Check out Acts 6, or Voice of the Martyrs, for starters.) Not that I wish this on our nation, but it may be the only thing that will grow the true church.

But there is another kind of loving and accepting going on in Christianity today.

For example, take a look at the sort of thing that RW brings in to grow his church. It's been noted all around the blogosphere that on RESURRECTION SUNDAY, this group is coming to the Saddleback church to perform for Easter Service...

Jonas Brothers to Perform at 30th Anniversary Service
watcherslamp.blogspot.com

This will surely draw quite a crowd, and that may all seem fine and dandy, accepting, loving and church growthy. Especially to the fans who say their lyrics are Christian (see Jonas Brothers' Christian lyrics [with verses] youtube). But really now...I'm sorry if you are Jonas Brothers fans... but do you really think these are Christian lyrics? Or just phrases that could be Christian-ish tidbits generically stuck into songs that will be popular by the culture's standards? There is a big difference. Sure, these may be nice enough boys, who say...

"We look at our performance as worship and our praise to the Lord...even if it's not your typical worship song..."
(@ 2 minutes here:
-Jonas Brothers Christian Interview - they talk about their faith and their church
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSBUd9NWjZ0

But wait a minute...does this include their hot song Burnin' Up? (Here are the lyrics and see the official music video here:
Jonas Brothers - Burnin' Up - Official Music Video (youtube.com)

What was that they were saying about worship and praise? Sure, they may be a step up from much of today's pop music, and especially heavy metal lyrics, but here's the thing. As Jacob Prasch says, "if the lyrics are not biblical, it is not worship in the eyes of God" (see Worship: Satan's First Target). Do you see anything biblical and worshipful there?

So now we see that Saddleback, the model for all things Purpose Driven, will be 'celebrating' the Lord's resurrection day in a combined seeker friendly church anniversary celebration with Christian pop stars.

This is how they worship the resurrection of the sacrifice Lamb who saved us from our sins? Isn't this kind of Crystal Cathedralish?

I guess this is what the post-modern church calls church growth. Acceptance and love of the popular culture of the world is in full bloom - and has replaced true worship with what will attract the culture. It's a sign of the times, as worship becomes man centered instead of about God. But wait. Before you decide that this might not effect you, think again. It does give us all a good deal to think about, as we are all guilty of sliding down the culture slope in one way or another. So while we point at the obvious compromisers out there in seeker friendly land, perhaps we should all take a look at ourselves and see if we are accepting and loving the things of the world more than we should.

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"Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called"
Ephesians 4:1

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:15

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Related food for thought:

How Did We Make Such an Evangelical Mess?
www.gty.org/Blog