So in this new article, Ken claims that Rick’s ego is much bigger than his. Maybe that makes Ken sleep better at night. Here’s the small article and the video
On occasion here at Apprising Ministries I have been accused on occasion of being prideful. But I am truly humbled the more I listen to Rick Warren because I have many, many, many miles to go before I would be in the neighborhood of this guy’s ego. Listening to Warren here in this You Tube clip I find myself wondering: Do we even need the Holy Spirit anymore when we have Rick?
The video used can be watched here
What!?! I cannot see Rick’s ego in this clip for the life of me!! The most that Rick says about himself is that he has met with several countries, and will work with anyone to cure aids. Is Ken running out of of material and resorting to blatantly empty name calling? It certainly seems that way these days. Or maybe Ken hopes that by writing this, others will not notice the fact that he puts himself at the same level as God. If anyone was trying to replace the Holy Spirit it would be the Most Holy Right Reverend Ken Silva. While Ken’s earlier blogs at least had a thread of some logic, his more recent threads seem to just be shots fired in the dark. This new trend at apprising / CRN is rediculous.
20 Comments(+Add)
Pastor Ken,
The little post on Rick Warren is so biased and the reason I cannot trust what you write without investigating it myself. Did you watch the video through the lens of Scripture or Personal Disdain? Is he not merely describing the work he has been doing to make a point about his view of the church? You may disagree with that but to suggest it is ego-driven is reckless. You don’t know his motives. Maybe you could write a series or articles about Warren, McManus, etc. and describe the things with which you agree with them. Do you see anything they do as biblical, God-glorifying, spiritually edifying, etc. or do you see your mission as printing things on the internet to support your disdain for them?
I post this on this site because it has accountability, allowing all commenters, such as yourself. I know it seems to be much about you, but after all, this site is a response to CRN, of which you provide the majority of posts. I think it is the perfect place for us to converse about your articles. In the spirit of the first paragraph, I think we would agree doctrinally on about 95% of things. I took that test online and scored 78% Fundamentalist. I do think you are a kind, caring Christian who tirelessly serves the church. My contention with you is that you are going after people with a bias that blinds you from the truth. The truth I speak of is the things you have no way of knowing, such as the motives of Rick Warren or the intentions of Erwin McManus. Perhaps you could limit yourself to not posting articles like the You Tube on Warren for 24 hours so that you can reflect and pray about whether it glorifies God to post it. Just a suggestion.
Darren
Why am I reminded of this parable from Luke 18:9-14?
9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10″Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about[a] himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13″But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14″I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Darren says: “I know it seems to be much about you, but after all, this site is a response to CRN, of which you provide the majority of posts. I think it is the perfect place for us to converse about your articles.”
I don’t have any problem with you folks having your “conversations.” It’s fine by me, conversate away, maybe you’ll learn something profitable.
Darren,
I understand what you are saying I do. Here is the problem. You can prove from scripture that it is ok to challenge someone’s view point as long as do it in love. Nathan by no way attacked Ken Silvia. He is simply pointing out the pride that fills this mans life. The bible speaks of a pridful man; should we not point them out. Our whole life should be about accountability. It is ok to hold someone accountable. Ken is out destroying people who are trying to make a difference for Christ in their world. He accuses everyone else of the very same thing he is guilty of. Do you not see this! Besides slamming other people in attempt to hold them accountable what is Ken doing to impact his world for the Lord? If he is doing anything you never hear about it. If Ken Silvia would die tommorow most people would remember him in these circles as the man who martyred other believers. Is that how you want other people to remember you? Why doesn’t Ken ever blog about his attempts to share the love of God with people? He does not have to come up with some Global peace plan but you never hear of him loving others, serving others, or sharing the good news with other. He is accusing Rick Warren, Rob Bell, McClearn about everything being me me me. The truth is that is the story of his life. I am not attacking him in any way. I am truly concerned about him. The bible says you will know you are my disciple by your love for one another. Please show me where Ken shows love any where. The bible speaks about encouraging one another. When was the last time Ken encouraged someone on her or praised them for a job well done? He hasn’t, everything he writes is in attempt to tear others down to build himself up. The men that write for this blog are simply trying to defend good men of faith.
These promote controversies rather than God’s work—which is by faith. 5The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. 7They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
This verse discribes Ken Silvia.
Evidently you can’t mention the “facts” about what you have done or where you have been without being prideful? If I say I have pastored 5 Churches over 30 years and I __________ (fill in the blank) I am being prideful? Nope, it is just the facts. And that is all that Warren is going.
The real sin here is envy. These little piss ant watch bloggers are jealous of the success that others have in God’s Kingdom. They toil away in obscurity, pastoring a small Church of a faithful few, and they envy the bigger light. How about being grateful for wherever God’s name is proclaimed? Tend your flock and let God take care of the rest.
Rick Warren has been given much and much will be required of him. I wouldn’t want Warren’s responsibility. I pastored country Churches most of my life, the largest being around 250 attenders. Believe me that was enough people to be accountable for.
I do not necessarily agree with Rick Warren on everything but I do respect his effort in God’s kingdom and I believe him to be a sincere and honest man.
I want to believe the same about Ken Silva but it is becoming harder and harder every time he types on his keyborad and posts it to CRN.
Bruce
Erica,
I am not sure where you read in my post that I support what Ken does. My whole point was to disagree with him. Maybe you think my wording was not strong enough. I like to write as if I was sitting next to the person on a long car trip. Things stay civil that way. So for the record, I agree with Nathan’s post that Ken is firing shots in the dark.
Press On, Darren
It’s funny how Silva in the below missive talks about how he respects Lee Strobel. Strobel has been a teaching pastor at Willow Creek and Saddleback. Does anyone besides me see this as hypocrisy? I think Strobel became a Christian through Willowcreek as well.
http://www.apprising.org/archives/2007/03/emergent_church_33.html
Hey Bruce, This is a pissant watchblog also.
LOL
Warren is seriously decieved.
The only cure for AIDS is death. The church is not here to reform society, cure disease, stop wars, or whatever. The church is here to be the “new creation” something totally apart from the rest of the world. The world is dead. The first Adam is dead. We are watching, in what is called “time”, the manifestation of that death. The Body of Christ, which is His literal living Body, is where life is found. There will not be a new heavens or a new earth, until the head returns to the Body.
Warren is banging his head against the proverbial wall.
The Lord never asked us for our “good ideas”, that is Ishmael. He may even bless us OUR sincere efforts for a time; but He only accepts Isaac as true worship, that is that which only He is able to do and cause to be born in our lives.
It’s about life out of death, not “we are the world” It’s about the new creation, not “fixing” the old.
God help those here who do not see that they are as guilty, and even more so of what they accuse Ken of.
Chris P. :
The only cure for AIDS is death.
Just thought that should stand on its own.
Word of the day: Compassion.
If I comment on your response right now Chris, I may cross some serious biblical boundaries. Your comment says all too much about your arrogance, hard heart, and deceit. I will comment more in an hour or two when I cool down.
“The only cure for AIDS is death. The church is not here to reform society, cure disease, stop wars, or whatever. The church is here to be the “new creation†something totally apart from the rest of the world.”
WRONG. WRONG. WRONG.
Jesus’ purpose in coming to Earth was to reform society, cure diseases and encourage us to stop wars. Whenever you read the gospel accounts solely through the lens of substitutionary atonement, you tend to miss that.
The mere fact that you condemn all those who have aids – which includes innocent women and children in Africa – you bring condemnation on your own head. That is the most hateful, unChristlike thing you have ever posted.
May God have mercy on you, for you know not what you do.
“The only cure for leprosy is death.” -Chris P’s Jesus
Oops, Sorry Darren, I missed the subject line that you were writting to Ken. I thought you were writting that to Nathan. I am so sorry! I agree with what you wrote to Ken.
Chris P.
maybe a little church history will give you perspective on your hard hearted view on AIDS.
The largest church growth program happened at the times plagues occurred.
You see when a plague hit the large cities, most would move out for a time, often leaving the sick and dying alone to die… that seems to be your solution…
Yet, Christians did not fear death, in fact they walked in defiance of it! So they stayed and ministered and often lead many back to health… in that also many died.
This is the history of why many hospitals are around today also.
Here is the thing… the person who was sick, saw the compassion you mocked, and then came to know Jesus through it. In that they also told their family (who left them to die) as to how they survived… thus, Rome became a Christian empire and was conquered by compassion of loving Christians who cared for the sick and dying.
You might look both in the OT and NT and notice that it teaches that even if your enemies donkey falls into a pit, one was supposed to stop and help, Jesus pointed out that this even superseded the Sabbath itself…
So, as you mock compassion, remember that Jesus took compassion on you and instead of letting the wrath of God fall on you a sinner, indwelt with sin… and corrupt completely, took you sin upon Himself at the Cross and DIED bleeding REAL Blood and feeling real PAIN… suffering so you will not…
Think about that as you judge others… because without that compassionate blood covering you, you too would have been mocked… as Satan would be glad to stand with you and mock compassion… and Jesus… and those who might be Jesus walking here right now…
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ ”
But you will just write that all off as that heretical “social gospel” won’t you?
I hope not.
Blessings,
iggy
Wow Iggy,
That was amazing! I was touched by what you wrote. Right on brother!
Iggy is so right. (as usual)
Don’t all of us want to seen as human beings? Isn’t the ministry of the Church (that’s us) all about people?
Instead, we view people as a commodity. What can they do for me, for our Church? Since people with AIDS offer nothing of value to the Church we abandon them. Let them die, right? Most of us would be well served to spend some time with dying people, especially those dying from AIDS. It is a transforming experience.
The social gospel should not be a dirty word. The gospel is filled with social implications and to ignore those implications is to preach a truncated gospel.
Chris P is promoting a gospel that gets us to heaven but doesn’t do anything for the here and now. That is not the gospel of Scripture. The Scripture proclaims a holistic gospel that affects every aspect of man. It affects ALL of creation.
Of course my words here will be condemned by a few as the words of a liberal, of one who promotes a social gospel. Let me save you the trouble………I plead guilty.
Bruce
It is about balance:
wow Chris P…so we’re just sposed to let people born with AIDS just die right along with all those heathen homosexuals who are just waiting in the shadows, ready to leap out and infect you?
Here are some videos that Silva is freaking out about:
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=3bb12d203f45a912eeaf&page=1&viewtype=&category=tr