From the scandal with Ted Haggard, to the restructuring of Saddleback Church, this year is starting off with a bang. I echo what a colleague of mine said when he exclaimed, "This is a great time to be alive in ministry". He's right. There are changes afoot that sounds like no one anticipated. But there are probably a few out there saying, "I told everyone that this was going to happen." Still, as I read the Q & A section in Christianity Today, (February 2007, pg.21) I'm impressed with the humility of Rick Warren to announce that the greatest transition that Saddleback would face this year is getting out of the limelight and focusing on the church at home instead of the church abroad. Here's the quote as it appeared in CT:
How would you describe your most challenging setback in this past year?
The most challenging setback was the transitioning of the Purpose Driven [organization] back into Saddleback Church. God had to hit us with a hammer on that one and say, "I don't want you becoming an organization. I want this to be about my kingdom not about another parachurch organization." And he made that clear as he often does, through finances and through direction. (emphasize mine)
Yes, God has made it clear that what Pastor Warren has been preaching for years is true. And while he mentions that this is a challenging transition, I believe that Saddleback will make it through it just fine…and maybe another book will come from it. I've ate up those words over the years, "The church is an organism, not an organization". And now that Pastor Warren is in the midst of this change, he will be able to guide those who have become an organization back to the roots of why the church exists…back to it's purpose. J
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