The Salty Peanut Gallery

Looks like Peter’s Pentecost record is safe for now. This past Saturday Pastor Rick Warren came within 600 of his goal of adding 3,000 new members to Saddleback Church in one day. Here’s the invitation that was posted on Pastor Rick’s News & Views:

Dear Saddleback Family,

I’m not sleeping much. I’m too excited.

THIS SATURDAY, March 28, will be THE GREATEST DAY in Saddleback’s history.

OVER 2,000 people have already signed up to become members of our church family on a single day! They’re joining me for:

BREAKFAST, BAPTISM & CLASS 101 WITH PASTOR RICK THIS SATURDAY AT 8:30 AM TO NOON IN THE WORSHIP CENTER.

SIGN UP TODAY!

Two thousand years ago – the Day of Pentecost was the first day of the Christian Church. Acts 2:41 tells us, “About 3,000 people were baptized and joined the church that day.” If you’ll join us this weekend, history could be repeated at Saddleback! Want to make history?

Which of these requirements do you need to complete this Saturday?

1. Open your heart to Jesus Christ. Click here to learn more.

2. Attend Class 101: Discovering Your Church Family. Sign up.

3. Sign our membership covenant (explained in class).

4. Be baptized the way Jesus commanded and modeled for us.

(Many of us were baptized as kids on our parent’s faith. Jesus modeled believer’s baptism at age 30 when he was baptized in the Jordan River) It would be my privilege to baptize you after Class 101.

YOU CAN FINISH ALL 4 REQUIREMENTS IN ONE DAY – THIS SATURDAY!

EIGHT REASONS TO JOIN THIS SATURDAY & NOT PROCRASTINATE:

1. I’m personally teaching Class 101 for the first time in ten years.

2. I’m personally baptizing after Class and you’ll receive a photo & baptism certificate.

3. You’ll get a free one year subscription to Purpose Driven Connection magazine. (Never offered before)

4. You’ll get free copy of The Purpose Driven Church book.

5. Your name will be included in the historical list of Saddleback Pioneer Members who joined in our first 30 years. (This Easter is our 30th Easter and I want you included in this list.)

6. The class is 1 hour shorter than normal. You can watch session 3 here online now.

7. You’ll be a part of making Christian history! The largest membership class ever!

8. We love you & want you in our family. There is no good reason to procrastinate.

I was asked, “Rick, If you could wish for anything to celebrate your 30 years of service at Saddleback, what would you dream of?” I said, “To experience a repeat of Pentecost – and see 3,000 people affirm their faith and join our church family on a single day.” Will you be a part of making this a reality?

Just do 2 things:

1. Sign up for this Saturday by clicking here.

2. Watch the session 3 video!

This is going to be fun. You’re the greatest. See you Saturday!

Pastor Rick

Rick Warren
Saddleback Church
Purpose Driven Network
P.E.A.C.E. Coalition
Wednesday March 25 2009 12:00 AM
Posted by Pastor Rick Warren

Though Warren fell short of his goal, still he was able to welcome the largest membership class in Saddleback Church’s 30-year history, close to 800 of whom were baptized. Dorothy De Mare, 62, from Petaluma tells why she hopped a flight down to Lakeland in order to be baptized again:

“I heard Pastor Warren speak, and he invited everyone to be baptized,” she said. “I decided to come back down because it was a lovely invitation. My brother reminded me that Christians need to be re-baptized as adults.”

You know, there are just so many things that could be said about all this, one hardly knows where to begin. Can you imagine Peter on the day of Pentecost giving any of these eight reasons for joining the church? Fact is there were no slick marketing campaigns, no baptismal photos with the apostles, no magazine subscriptions, no book giveaways, no historical list of Pentecost Pioneer Members. On the other hand Acts chapter 2 does record how Peter “bore witness and continued to exhort” people in the following ways:

1. “Know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus.”

2. “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”

3. “You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

4. “The promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

5. “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

One other thing worth noting:

“And the LORD added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” –Acts 2:47

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not for nothing. In fact, I worked harder than all of them, though it was not really I, but the grace of God which was with me.” – 1 Corinthians 15:10

I’m continually amazed at how much emphases we place on credentials. We find them on the inside covers of New York Times Best Sellers or on the “Staff” pages of our church websites. We use them ad nauseum to introduce guest speakers at ministry conferences and church associational meetings. It’s how we lend credibility to whatever message is being presented. Here are a few examples of what I mean:

Joe Blow is the founding pastor of Bible Church. Bible Church is number 77 of the 100 Largest Churches in the U.S. with over 7,000 in weekly attendance and is ranked number 28 of the 100 Fastest Growing Churches in the U.S.

John Doe is a straightforward communicator who uniquely connects God’s unchanging truth with a diverse culture through compelling and creative teaching methods. John Doe Ministries airs a weekly television program throughout the U.S. and Europe, including USA, TBN, Daystar and CNBC Europe. John is a frequent conference speaker, and he provides resources for church leaders through DynamicPastors.com and the Dynamic Church Conferences.

In 2 Corinthians the Apostle Paul has the unenviable task of defending himself against false accusations that undermined his credibility. The church had engaged in a rebellion against Paul lead by false teachers who were undercutting his ministry. Paul had spoken openly to the church about their sin and the church as a whole had repented. They were demonstrating evidences that they were ready to be reconciled to Paul. However, there were still a few individuals who were resisting Paul and the truth. The last four chapters of 2 Corinthians are directed toward this hostile minority.

Here Paul is forced to show his superiority to the false teachers by comparing their credentials to his, yet repeatedly he speaks of how foolish it is to boast in this way. “It’s foolish to talk like this,” he says. “It’s insane!” Then in chapter 12 verse 11 he explains, “For I was not at all inferior to these most eminent super-apostles, even though I AM NOTHING.” Did you catch that? What was it that made Paul superior to these charlatans even though in his words he was nothing? Paul was superior to the false apostles by the grace of God. He knew it was foolishness to boast about his credentials because ultimately they were not his credentials. THEY WERE GOD’S.

So here’s the thing. If the Apostle Paul, who for my money was the greatest Christian that ever lived, thought of himself as NOTHING, because it was complete foolishness to take any credit whatsoever for what GOD has done, then who among us really has any credentials at all? Hmmm? And if everybody else is really NOTHING than whatever will we have to talk about… ‘cept maybe the great things HE has done.

Not to be outdone by my other blogging buddies, here’s Tim Hawkins demonstrating what would happen if big corporations were to try and capitalize on the success of popular worship songs.

Check out also Things You Don’t Say To Your Wife and I Don’t Drink Beer.