I'm a little frustrated, to say the least, with the prevalent attitudes expressed by those who either heard or watched John Piper's rationale for inviting Rick Warren to the pulpit of the Desiring God National Conference, October 1-3, 2010, in Minneapolis, MN.
Appalling is the word, I believe. I'm as appalled at the comments of Christians as they are at Piper inviting Warren to preach. You would think Piper would have invited Marcion to come and preach on the deity of Jesus Christ.
The call here is for the kind of biblical unity Jesus is praying for now. If there's one thing reformed Christians struggle with, it's being congnizant of the truth that they (and all of us as Christians) must submit ourselves to both fight for and become the answer to the prayer Jesus is now praying. Contrary to the present thoughts of many in the reformed camp, the unity Jesus prays for isn't a doctrinally, cubby-holed, and ultra-labeled version of Christianity.
Nor is it a unity that fences brothers with whom we may disagree over significant issues like methodology and philosophy.
Listen well to Piper's vision at the end of his video (in the longer version). He explains well enough why he's not going to practice silly, second-degree separationism...thereby setting the vision for why we shouldn't either.
A dear friend, a champion for the biblical gospel, and advocate of true unity - Adrian Warnock - has written some thoughts that I believe are well worth reading on this issue.
Read.
Pray.
Be hopeful, not fearful.
Appalling is the word, I believe. I'm as appalled at the comments of Christians as they are at Piper inviting Warren to preach. You would think Piper would have invited Marcion to come and preach on the deity of Jesus Christ.The call here is for the kind of biblical unity Jesus is praying for now. If there's one thing reformed Christians struggle with, it's being congnizant of the truth that they (and all of us as Christians) must submit ourselves to both fight for and become the answer to the prayer Jesus is now praying. Contrary to the present thoughts of many in the reformed camp, the unity Jesus prays for isn't a doctrinally, cubby-holed, and ultra-labeled version of Christianity.
Nor is it a unity that fences brothers with whom we may disagree over significant issues like methodology and philosophy.
Listen well to Piper's vision at the end of his video (in the longer version). He explains well enough why he's not going to practice silly, second-degree separationism...thereby setting the vision for why we shouldn't either.
A dear friend, a champion for the biblical gospel, and advocate of true unity - Adrian Warnock - has written some thoughts that I believe are well worth reading on this issue.
Read.
Pray.
Be hopeful, not fearful.
