“Saddleback Church, pastored by Rick Warren, announced on Instagram that it has ordained three female pastors. “Yesterday was a historic night for Saddleback Church in many ways! We ordained our first three women pastors, Liz Puffer, Cynthia Petty, and Katie Edwards” (May 7, 2021). Saddleback Church is the second largest in the Southern Baptist Convention. Called by Christianity Today “America’s most influential pastor,” Rick Warren’s influence is vast. It reaches into every sphere of Christianity, from Catholicism to Mormonism to liberal Protestantism to evangelicalism to fundamental Baptist. Bruce Ryskamp, president of Zondervan, said, “The Purpose Driven Life is more than a bestseller; it’s become a movement.” Warren has been called “America’s pastor,” and it is for good reason. He is so shallow in his teaching, so positive in his approach, so slighting of repentance, so neglecting of unpopular doctrines such as hell and judgment and separation, so tolerant of heresies, so enthusiastic of rock music, so soft-spoken on the subject of worldliness, that apostate America can’t help but love him.
(Friday Church News Notes, May 14, 2021, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)