Rick Warren, Female Pastors, and the Textbook Path to Heresy
June 3, 2023
GUEST: MIKE STONE, candidate for president, Southern Baptist Convention
Heresy is defined as “belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious doctrine.”
For two millennia of church history, it has been the orthodox belief of Christians and churches who esteem Scripture as the highest authority that men—not women—with character “above reproach” are qualified to serve as pastors or overseers in the church.
Scripture and church history are so clear on this that to propose that women should be pastors is to willfully reject God and His design for His church.
1 Timothy 3 is one Scriptural basis for male-only pastors. Notice the specificity of men as church overseers and the use of male pronouns:
It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. 2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. 4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity 5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), 6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. 7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:1-7).
The Bible is perhaps even more clear in the previous chapter:
I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13 For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. (1 Timothy 2:12-14).
Rick Warren is arguably the most well-known pastor in the world. He was the pastor at the mega-church Saddleback in Southern California for decades, is the author of numerous best-selling books, and speaks at major venues all over the world.
Rick Warren is also the current chief proponent for the heresy of female pastors being integrated into the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in America and the one his own church was disfellowshipped from due to Rick Warren ordaining multiple women to pastoral roles.
Rick Warren is not going silently into the night on this issue. The Southern Baptist Annual Meeting is coming up June 12-13 in New Orleans where the attendees (or “messengers” as they are known) will vote to confirm or rescind the disfellowshipping of Saddleback. In the lead-up to the meeting, Rick Warren is using his formidable position and influence to persuade the Southern Baptist Convention away from biblical and historical orthodoxy on the issue of female pastors to heresy (again, “belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious doctrine”).
This weekend on The Christian Worldview, Mike Stone, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Blackshear, GA and candidate for president of the Southern Baptist Convention will join us to discuss this issue and others within the SBC and what his vision is for the denomination going forward.
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Who Am I? by Martyn Iles
Who am I? This question holds great significance, and the answer is defining a generation and impacting eternity. Martyn Iles, the Executive CEO of Answers in Genesis, masterfully equips this generation with truth and hope providing a compelling biblical apologetic on this issue of identity in his book, Who Am I? The freedom to create or choose your own identity is being normalized by our culture. This self-created worldview leads to self-worship. According to Iles, this age of identity “is immunizing a generation against a sense of their sinfulness and desperate need before God. It is telling them to take that for which Christ had to die — their “true selves” — and to embrace it, live by it, and be proud of it. This is a message that ensures people will never get over the threshold of God’s kingdom because they will never be poor in spirit. It is condemning a generation to hell.” Pg 32 LOOK INSIDE“As you read this book, you’ll dive deep into Genesis and God’s design for mankind. Martyn pulls out eternal truths that the church has long taught and known and applies them anew for a lost and confused generation. And he does so in a way that points to Christ and His completed work for us on the Cross.” Ken Ham, Founding CEO of Answers in Genesis Read Who Am I? to anchor yourself and your family in the gospel. While the world chooses to indoctrinate even the youngest students to dismiss God’s law, this graphically engaging and easy to read, Christian resource will arm you with the pure wisdom of the incorruptible Word of God. Use Who Am I? in family devotions, Bible study groups, and evangelical events allowing the double-edged sword of the Bible to penetrate and remove the veil of deception covering our culture.
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You have likely heard about and may have seen The Chosen television series. Tens of millions of people all over the world are watching it. It’s been translated into dozen of languages. Most Christians love it and call it life-changing. Even many non-Christians say how it’s given them a new perspective on Jesus.The series, now in its third season, depicts the life of Jesus generally based on biblical accounts and particularly from the perspectives of those closest to Jesus. “Generally” being the important word because what Dallas Jenkins, lead creator, has done is added all kinds of “plausible” fiction to the gospel accounts. For example, Jesus is portrayed as doing speech prep before the Sermon on the Mount. The apostle Matthew is portrayed as autistic.Is this a problem? Don’t all films and books use “artistic license”? Isn’t the greater good that so many millions of people are seeing Jesus in a “fresh” and “relatable” way?This weekend on The Christian Worldview, we will examine The Chosen and ask the questions—is it honoring to God and His Word and therefore something you and your family should watch?
May 27, 2023
For listeners near the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area, there is still opportunity for you to attend The Christian Worldview Speaker Series event on Saturday, May 20 from 9:00 am - 10:30 am at Fourth Baptist Church in Plymouth, MN.International journalist Alex Newman, who specializes in global trends, will be our featured speaker on “Being Informed and Prepared for the Great Reset.” There will be an interview and audience Q and A following Alex’s presentation.A pre-event breakfast is from 8:00 - 9:00 am in the foyer of the church. If you want to come to the breakfast, please register, but you don’t need to register if you’re coming just for the speaking part of the event at 9:00 am.In the opening segment of the radio program this weekend, Alex will give a brief preview of his message, explaining how we are entering the “fourth industrial revolution”.The rest of the program will be devoted to a deeper understanding of the World Economic Forum’s globalist goals to control every aspect of life—from business to finance to ethics to food to “upgrading the human body” with nanotechnologies.It doesn’t take much of an imagination to see that this is all headed toward what the Bible describes in Revelation as global, authoritarian governance before Christ returns to defeat His enemies and rule over the earth.The purpose of the event and program is not to make Christians fearful but to prepare and strengthen us for what lies ahead, so we can be shining lights for Christ in a darkening world.
May 20, 2023
GUEST: DAVID De BRUYN, pastor, New Covenant Baptist Church (Johannesburg, South Africa)Bible-preaching churches are always under relentless attack by Satan and heretical teachers, who strive to destroy, or at least compromise, the accurate proclamation of Scripture and the saving gospel to a lost world.Many of the epistles (i.e. letters) of the New Testament are filled with exhortations and reproofs for churches and pastors to “contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 3). For example, the apostle Paul wrote to the younger pastor Timothy:“Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you” (2 Timothy 1:13-14).Over the past two weeks, we have examined how the Evangelical church has been heavily influenced by Pentecostal or Charismatic practices and beliefs. Attend a prominent Evangelical church today and you will likely encounter the trademark methodology of a Charismatic worship service—driving music and environment that is crafted to bring worshippers to an ecstatic experience. This stands in contrast to the historic Evangelical worship service being a rational, volitional, and then emotional response to what God has revealed.Additionally, Pentecostal expectations that the miraculous sign gifts of the first century are in operation by men and women today have also seeped into Evangelicalism as well.There has been much listener feedback to these two programs and so we decided to devote a third program exclusively to answering listener questions and comments. David de Bruyn, pastor of New Covenant Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa will again join us. We encourage you to read his column series on “The Pentecostalization of Christian Worship”, which was the genesis for these programs.RELATED PROGRAMS:Part 1 – Pentecostalization of Christian WorshipPart 2 – Pentecostalization of Christian WorshipRELATED ARTICLES:“Strange Lyre: The Pentecostalization of Christian Worship” – Part 1Early Beginnings of Pentecostal Worship – Part 2Pentecostal “Praise and Worship”: A Radical Departure from Historic Worship – Part 3The Idols of Intensity and Extemporaneity – Part 4Strange Lyre: Nothing But Feelings – Part 5Cessmaticism: The Strange Hybrid of Contemporary Christian Worship – Part 6Strange Lyre: Conclusion – Part 7
May 13, 2023
GUEST: DAVID de BRUYN, pastor, New Covenant Baptist Church (Johannesburg, South Africa)Think back 50 years or more to how a Bible-preaching church service was depicted. There would be a father and mother standing with children at their side in a well-lit sanctuary, wearing their “Sunday best”, holding hymnbooks and singing hymns of the faith.Now think about how professing Bible-preaching Evangelical churches depict themselves today. The ubiquitous photo you’ll see is silhouetted individuals, arms raised high in the air inside a dark room accented by stage lighting with a band performing in the background. The unspoken caption to the photo might as well read: “Peak worship”.Setting aside for a moment which one is better, let’s ask a more basic question: “Why has there been such a major change in the first place?”Last week in part 1 on The Pentecostalization of Christian Worship, David de Bruyn, pastor of New Covenant Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa, explained how the Pentecostal or Charismatic movement—the largest and fastest-growing branch of Christianity in the world—has taken over Evangelical church services, not just with contemporary music styles but also with the objective of worship itself.He writes, “Pentecostal authors have written that praise is a kind of ‘path’ into the presence of God. That is, worship is not a series of gracious revelations from God’s Word with faith-responses from His people. Worship becomes a series of steps or stages, growing in intimacy and intensity. Charismatic worship writers speak of the importance of “flow”: a technique of uninterrupted, continual music, designed to emotionally transport the worshippers into the climactic experience of “worship”, which they deem to be more intense and focused than “praise”.This week in part 2, David de Bruyn will join us again to explain how music has been the primary entry point for Pentecostalism’s influence on Evangelicalism and what effect this is having not just in music but in Evangelical beliefs and practices as well.-----------------------RELATED ARTICLE SERIES:“Strange Lyre: The Pentecostalization of Christian Worship” – Part 1Early Beginnings of Pentecostal Worship – Part 2Pentecostal “Praise and Worship”: A Radical Departure from Historic Worship – Part 3The Idols of Intensity and Extemporaneity – Part 4Strange Lyre: Nothing But Feelings – Part 5Cessmaticism: The Strange Hybrid of Contemporary Christian Worship – Part 6Strange Lyre: Conclusion – Part 7FURTHER READING:Religious News Service: “There’s a reason every hit worship song sounds the same”
May 6, 2023
GUEST: DAVID de BRUYN, pastor, New Covenant Baptist Church (Johannesburg, South Africa)There are many paradigm-changing issues and events taking place nationally and internationally right now. The move to a cashless society with digital currency. The insertion of computing technology into the human body. The rapid expansion of the Marxist-based woke religion, promoted by all institutions. War in Europe, Africa, and potentially the Far East. The promotion of cross-dressing, physical mutilation of gender confused children, and even adult-child sexual relationships.So why discuss “The Pentecostalization of Christian Worship”? And by “worship” I mean not just music but the worship service itself being “pentecostalized” in its purpose and doctrine.Bible-believing, gospel-preaching churches—mostly Evangelical churches—used to be the greatest point of influence in our society. As these churches have weakened and preaching has softened in the attempt to attract “seekers” (rather than strengthening believers), broader society and its institutions have corrupted without the sanctifying influence these churches once had.As if that weren’t tragic enough, Evangelical churches today are becoming unrecognizable, as Pentecostal or Charismatic beliefs and methodologies are subsuming them, particularly through worship music. Case in point: a recent study showed that almost all music in Evangelical churches comes from four megachurches…all of which are charismatic.David de Bruyn is the pastor of New Covenant Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa and is our guest this week and next on The Christian Worldview. He recently wrote a seven-part column series called “The Pentecostalization of Christian Worship” which shows how the burgeoning charismatic movement has been welcomed into Evangelical churches (and schools, radio stations, and ministries)…and changed everything.---------------------------ANNOUNCEMENT:Upcoming FREE Speaker Series with Alex Newman May 20, 2023 held at Fourth Baptist Church in Plymouth, MNRELATED ARTICLE SERIES:“Strange Lyre: The Pentecostalization of Christian Worship” – Part 1Early Beginnings of Pentecostal Worship – Part 2Pentecostal “Praise and Worship”: A Radical Departure from Historic Worship – Part 3The Idols of Intensity and Extemporaneity – Part 4Strange Lyre: Nothing But Feelings – Part 5Cessmaticism: The Strange Hybrid of Contemporary Christian Worship – Part 6Strange Lyre: Conclusion – Part 7FURTHER READING:Religious News Service: “There’s a reason every hit worship song
April 29, 2023
GUEST: TOM ASCOL, Senior Pastor, Grace Baptist Church (Cape Coral, FL)In 1 Timothy 2, the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote to the younger pastor Timothy regarding the authority structure God established for the church:“A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:11-14).This passage of Scripture and others, like the following chapter in 1 Timothy 3 establishes that pastors/elders in the church must be men of exemplary character, are under assault today as an all-out-battering-ram-like push is being made from many directions to integrate women as pastors in professed Bible-believing churches.Take the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) for example, which is the largest Protestant denomination in America with 47,000 member churches. The SBC recently “disfellowshipped” its most prominent church—Saddleback in southern California—because its former pastor Rick Warren appointed three female pastors and then a husband and wife co-pastor team to replace him.This may sound like the SBC holding the line on clear biblical teaching…but not so fast. Rick Warren has vowed to appeal the decision at the upcoming SBC Annual Meeting on June 11-12 in New Orleans where many expect the “messengers” (i.e. attendees) to vote on the matter.Frankly, there is nothing to vote on when God’s word makes it abundantly clear, both in doctrine and historic practice, that pastors are to be men, while there are many other complementary and important roles for women in the church.To be very clear, the issue of female pastors is not about capability but about trust in and obedience to God’s design for the authority structure he has established in the church and home.Tom Ascol, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, FL and president of Founders Ministries, an organization “committed to encouraging the recovery of the gospel and the biblical reformation of local churches” is our guest this weekend on The Christian Worldview. Tom finished second in last year’s SBC presidential vote and has been a voice of fidelity to God’s word and the gospel.
April 22, 2023
GUEST: TOM ASCOL, Senior Pastor, Grace Baptist Church (Cape Coral, FL)In 1 Timothy 2, the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote to the younger pastor Timothy regarding the authority structure God established for the church:“A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:11-14).This passage of Scripture and others, like the following chapter in 1 Timothy 3 establishes that pastors/elders in the church must be men of exemplary character, are under assault today as an all-out-battering-ram-like push is being made from many directions to integrate women as pastors in professed Bible-believing churches.Take the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) for example, which is the largest Protestant denomination in America with 47,000 member churches. The SBC recently “disfellowshipped” its most prominent church—Saddleback in southern California—because its former pastor Rick Warren appointed three female pastors and then a husband and wife co-pastor team to replace him.This may sound like the SBC holding the line on clear biblical teaching…but not so fast. Rick Warren has vowed to appeal the decision at the upcoming SBC Annual Meeting on June 11-12 in New Orleans where many expect the “messengers” (i.e. attendees) to vote on the matter.Frankly, there is nothing to vote on when God’s word makes it abundantly clear, both in doctrine and historic practice, that pastors are to be men, while there are many other complementary and important roles for women in the church.To be very clear, the issue of female pastors is not about capability but about trust in and obedience to God’s design for the authority structure he has established in the church and home.Tom Ascol, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, FL and president of Founders Ministries, an organization “committed to encouraging the recovery of the gospel and the biblical reformation of local churches” is our guest this weekend on The Christian Worldview. Tom finished second in last year’s SBC presidential vote and has been a voice of fidelity to God’s word and the gospel.
April 21, 2023
GUEST: RAY COMFORT, author, So Many Lions, So Few DanielsBefore being martyred in Rome, the apostle Paul wrote to the younger pastor Timothy with this final exhortation:“…be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5).The message is the same for all Christians today. We are living in a day where wickedness abounds and is flaunted openly. We are living in a day where ear-tickling teachers are rampant within the professing church, who lead listeners away from sound doctrine and saving faith.In the midst of this, man’s most desperate need is still the same for every person, everywhere—to be saved, born again, justified by God.The alternative (someone, anyone dying without trusting in Christ) should gnaw at our souls. Hebrews 10:31 says, “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”Ray Comfort, the author of a new book we are featuring titled, So Many Lions, So Few Daniels, and president of Living Waters, a ministry committed to evangelizing the lost and training believers to reach them, is our guest this weekend on The Christian Worldview. He will explain how every Christian is called to “do the work of an evangelist” and how to turn everyday conversations into gospel conversations.Ray will also answer some of the tough questions, such as:What if someone doesn’t believe the Bible is true?Is repentance a part of saving faith or an added work?How does God’s sovereignty and man’s will dovetail in salvation?And finally, we will hear about Living Waters’ huge evangelistic drive being undertaken during this summer’s coronation of King Charles in England.----------------------NEW FEATURED RESOURCE:So Many Lions, So Few Daniels by Ray ComfortLike Daniel in Babylon, Christians today are exiles in a hostile culture. Every day, we face the lions–the easier road of moral compromise, the lure of earthly wealth and influence, the temptation to give in to our fears or our apathy. Yet we are called to obey God rather than man, and we need courage to do it.Available for a donation of any amount! https://store.thechristianworldview.org/products/newoffer
April 15, 2023
The prophets foretold Him. The gospels reveal Him. The epistles explain Him. All of Scripture exalts Him.“Him” being Jesus Christ, the God-man who lived among us, was crucified by those He created, miraculously rose from the grave, and then ascended alive into heaven.This is way beyond the “greatest story ever told”. Rather, Jesus Christ is the greatest One who ever lived. His crucifixion, burial, resurrection is the greatest, most significant event in human history.Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).Scripture also says, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time” (1 Timothy 2:5).This Easter weekend, we’re going to talk about “the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all”. We’ll examine the most detailed Old Testament prophecy about Him in Isaiah 53 and see how it was precisely fulfilled. We’ll also hear some of the most profound hymns about Christ’s sacrificial death for man.We hope your Easter is made more meaningful as you listen to this special edition of The Christian Worldview.
April 8, 2023
GUEST: ALEX NEWMAN, Journalist and CEO, Liberty Sentinel MediaUnregenerate mankind is always trying to get “back to Babel”. Babel was the failed city chronicled in Genesis 11 where man attempted to build his own utopia apart from God.With the same proud and rebellious spirit, unregenerate men and women today believe there must be “fundamental transformation” of everything—nation states, energy, finance, leadership, social structures, and more—to achieve a “Great Reset” where a globalized world can live together in peace and equity.The biggest impediment to this is the United States of America. Our founding values that recognize God as the highest authority, the giver of individual liberties, and determiner of morality, combined with our great power and prosperity, is what must be demolished for a new world order.This explains why every stabilizing pillar of our society is being undermined:National defense (e.g. military, immigration)Energy (e.g. food, fuel, water)Financial (e.g. debt, currency, taxation, inflation, trade)Political (e.g. leadership)Legal (e.g. justice, lawfulness)Social (e.g. family, marriage, morality, education, health care, liberties)Spiritual (e.g. beliefs, church)Revelation, the final book of the Bible, describes a coming globalized, God-rejecting world with an authoritarian leader called the antichrist and a religious emissary called the false prophet. God allows this to take place before His Son Jesus Christ returns to earth to judge and reign.Last week in part 1, Alex Newman, award-winning journalist and CEO of Liberty Sentinel Media, joined us to discuss how the first three pillars are being undermined. This week Alex will again join us to discuss how the next four pillars are being dismantled as well and what Christians must do to be prepared and at peace.----------------------FOR A DONATION OF ANY AMOUNT: We are offering a DVD of Alex Newman’s 2022 presentation on “The Great Reset” including slides and video documenting the planned “Reset” accompany Alex’s presentation.82 mins. Retail is $10 +shipping.>> Order DVD>> Stream Online
April 1, 2023
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Who Am I? by Martyn Iles
Who am I? This question holds great significance, and the answer is defining a generation and impacting eternity. Martyn Iles, the Executive CEO of Answers in Genesis, masterfully equips this generation with truth and hope providing a compelling biblical apologetic on this issue of identity in his book, Who Am I? The freedom to create or choose your own identity is being normalized by our culture. This self-created worldview leads to self-worship. According to Iles, this age of identity “is immunizing a generation against a sense of their sinfulness and desperate need before God. It is telling them to take that for which Christ had to die — their “true selves” — and to embrace it, live by it, and be proud of it. This is a message that ensures people will never get over the threshold of God’s kingdom because they will never be poor in spirit. It is condemning a generation to hell.” Pg 32 LOOK INSIDE“As you read this book, you’ll dive deep into Genesis and God’s design for mankind. Martyn pulls out eternal truths that the church has long taught and known and applies them anew for a lost and confused generation. And he does so in a way that points to Christ and His completed work for us on the Cross.” Ken Ham, Founding CEO of Answers in Genesis Read Who Am I? to anchor yourself and your family in the gospel. While the world chooses to indoctrinate even the youngest students to dismiss God’s law, this graphically engaging and easy to read, Christian resource will arm you with the pure wisdom of the incorruptible Word of God. Use Who Am I? in family devotions, Bible study groups, and evangelical events allowing the double-edged sword of the Bible to penetrate and remove the veil of deception covering our culture.