The NY Times has an interesting piece today comparing the late Rev. Jerry Falwell with Rev. Rick Warren.
The evangelical Christian movement, which has been pivotal in reshaping the country’s political landscape since the 1980s, has shifted in potentially momentous ways in recent years, broadening its agenda and exposing new fissures.
The death of the Rev. Jerry Falwell last week highlighted the fact that many of the movement’s fiery old guard who helped lead conservative Christians into the embrace of the Republican Party are aging and slowly receding from the scene. In their stead, a new generation of leaders who have mostly avoided the openly partisan and confrontational approach of their forebears have become increasingly influential….
Gabe Lyons, 32, is emblematic of the transformation among many younger evangelicals. He grew up in Lynchburg, Va., attending Mr. Falwell’s church. But he has shied away from politics. Instead, he heads the Fermi Project, a loose “collective†dedicated to teaching evangelicals to shape culture through other means, including media and the arts.
“I believe politics just isn’t as important to younger evangelicals as it has been for the older generations because we recognize from experience that politics does not shape the morality of a culture,†he said. “It simply reflects what the larger culture wants.â€
And here’s an interesting article I found by Rick Warren on his personal website…
The Church – the greatest force on Earth
The Church is everywhere in the world.
There are villages that have little else,
but they do have a church.
Rick Warren
The Church is the most magnificent concept ever created. It has survived persistent abuse, horrifying persecution, and widespread neglect. Yet despite its faults (due to our sinfulness), it is still God’s chosen instrument of blessing and has been for 2,000 years.
The Church will last for eternity, and because it is God’s instrument for ministry here on Earth, it is truly the greatest force on the face of the Earth. That’s why I believe tackling the world’s biggest problems – the giants of spiritual lostness, egocentric leadership, poverty, disease, and ignorance – can only be done through the Church.
The Church has eight distinct advantages over the efforts of business and government:
- 1. The Church provides for the largest participation.
- 2. The Church provides for the widest distribution.
- 3. The Church provides the longest continuation.
- 4. The Church provides the fastest expansion.
- 5. The Church provides the highest motivation.
- 6. The Church provides the strongest authorization
- 7. The Church provides the simplest administration.
- 8. The Church provides for God’s conclusion.
Read more
This article gets me fired up for ministry. It makes me want to get involved full-time. Yet shouldn’t I be doing that regardless? Whether I’m working at a church, para-church organization or the city dump?
