Rick Warren is Wrong

Rick Warren is Wrong

MADISON, Wisc., July 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- Steve McConkey submits the following and is available for comment:

Rick Warren spoke to 8000 Muslim listeners at the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) at the Washington Convention Center on July 4th. He said, "Muslims and Christians can work together for the common good without compromising my convictions or your convictions. I am not interested in interfaith dialogue but interfaith projects."

Earlier, a Canada Free Press article said ISNA is an organization with ties to Hamas and other terrorist groups. According to the article, the organization's website has quotations like the following, "The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. 'O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him.'"

Rick Warren is putting works first and faith second. According to the Bible in James 2:14-26, works should follow a person's faith. Warren has reversed this and has put works first and faith second.

According to the book of James, true faith is believing the exclusive claims of Christ and not putting faith behind works. Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven according to the Bible. As we share this truth with the world, we should then do good works.

Speaking at interfaith meetings should not be done if a person does not tell the listeners that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven - period. By not doing this, a person is saying that all ways lead to God by works. Sincere Christian faith is never afraid to tell others that Jesus Christ in the only way to heaven.

By Warren's silence on the exclusive claims of Christ, he led his Muslim audience into believing that works will save a person. As Christians, we know that works follow our faith, not the other way around. As Paul preached in Athens, he concluded his message by telling them about the resurrection of Christ with a few coming to the Lord.

UndergroundNews.us is an apologetics and news site for Christians, including athletes. Steve McConkey is the president of 4 WINDS. He grew up in the North Country of Wisconsin. He has extensively studied apologetics and graduated with honors from Minnesota State University-Mankato (BS-Public Health) and Western Kentucky University (Masters of Public Health). Also, Steve and his wife have been in track and field ministries since 1981.