A Response to Todd Friel's criticism of Rick Warren

I am writing to respond to Todd Friel's article critical of Rick Warren, author of the Purpose Driven Life
(hereafter PDL).

Friel says, "For 57 pages, Pastor Warren does not describe sin, righteousness, judgment, God's holiness, hell, repentance, the shedding of blood, atonement or resurrection." This seems a trivial criticism in light of the fact that Warren does deal with these things in the remainder of the Book. Nonetheless, Friel is wrong. Warren does discuss sin (PDL, pp. 28, 42, 54-55), righteousness ( PDL, pp. 20, 38, 50, 56), Judgment (PDL, pp. 34, 37), God's Holiness (PDL, p. 53,) Hell (PDL, p. 37), and Repentance (PDL, p.18) in the first 57 pages. The remaining items are discussed after Friel's arbitrary cut-off point at page 57. But this should not be surprising in a book of 334 pages.

Friel criticizes Warren's salvation invitation through a sinner's prayer on page 58 of PDL and asks, "If you believe that prayer will make someone a member of the family of God, you may stop reading now." Friel obviously doesn't think the prayer will save. However, the context gives a better understanding of the prayer that Warren's readers are contemplating.

"Real life begins by committing yourself completely to Jesus Christ. . . Believe God has chosen you to have a relationship with Jesus, who died on the cross for you. . .Receive Jesus into your life as your Lord and Savior. Receive his forgiveness for your sins. . . I invite you to bow your head and quietly whisper the prayer that will change you for eternity: 'Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you.'"(PDL, p. 58).

Yes, I do believe that folks who sincerely pray such a prayer can be saved, absolutely. My guess is that the majority of those who read the Minnesota Christian Chronicle think so as well.

Friel states that "salvation is one message we must have complete accuracy and agreement on. Paul warned that any other gospel is no gospel at all."

Obviously, Friel thinks Warren is promoting a false gospel. He later says, "That is a false gospel. That is a damning gospel." He concludes his article with, "Your sheep are being fed another gospel."

These are most serious charges to level, and Friel fails to prove them. Furthermore, while Friel speaks of the importance of accurately defining the saving gospel, he himself does not do so. He asks a good question, "So, what is the message that Paul preached?" Friel's answer, "Repent and trust is the message of the gospel not believe and receive."

One wonders why these ideas are thought to be incompatible with each other (or with the gospel). Don't all who get saved repent and trust by turning from themselves to trust in Christ? Don't all who get saved believe in Christ, and receive Him (and his forgiveness) into their lives?

If one wants the answer to Friel's question regarding Paul's gospel message, they need only to turn to 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 where Paul defines the saving gospel in terms of trusting in Christ and his atoning death and resurrection.

Friel noted Warren's "use of a dozen liberal translations." I am wondering what these liberal translations are. In appendix three of The Purpose Driven Life, Warren lists 15 Bible versions he used. They are as follows: The Amplified Bible, Contemporary English Version, God's Word Translation, King James Version, Living Bible, The Message, New American Bible, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation, New Revised Standard Version, New Testament In Modern English, Today's English Version.

The texts (Bible's) Warren used are top-selling reputable Bible versions. Aside from the two Roman Catholic translations, these are Bibles widely used by conservative evangelical scholars and laymen alike. Warren has been particularly criticized for using the Bible version known as the Message, even though it is endorsed and used by scholars such as Charles Stanley, Warren Wiersbe, Charles Swindoll, J.I. Packer, Billy Graham, and local pastor Leith Anderson of Wooddale Church in Eden Prarie.

Friel accuses Warren of having a "man-centered theology.' One need only read the beginning of the book to see the shallowness of the charge: "It's not about you. . . If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose" (PDL, p. 17).

While Friel deserves much credit for his talent as a radio host, and especially for his zeal in winning the lost to Jesus Christ, he is misguided in his attack on the message of Rick Warren in the Purpose Driven Life.

Steve Lagoon
Director, Christian Apologetics Ministries