Political Quote of the Day

From Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church:

Political correctness is verbal fascism, the oppressive enemy of all true freedom lovers. “The Truth sets you free”- Jesus

Amen, brother.

After 24 Years Saddleback Church Will Get a New Music Pastor

After 24 years of service to Saddleback Church, Pastor Rick Muchow will be stepping down.  Rick's a good friend and a guy who gave me a lot of opportunities to sing on that big stage in front of thousands of people, and I'll miss him.  Pastor Rick Warren offered this information about the change:

Then, this past year, in 2011, Pastor Rick Muchow began raising up a new generation of Pastors of Worship who could take our church into the future. With eight campuses, Saddleback now needed eight worship leaders, not just one. Thanks to Rick’s mentoring, we now have a team of outstanding worship pastors that he has been rotating at the Lake Forest services.

But now, as we launch 12 more Saddlebacks in international cities, our team of worship pastors will need to grow to at least 20! The era of a single worship pastor, just like the era of a single preaching pastor, is over.

For the past year, we’ve been talking about what kind of new organization, and what kind of new leadership skills, will be needed in our worship team which will bear such a huge responsibility in planting our PEACE outpost churches. We concluded that the reorganized and decentralized worship team would need a new team leader whose primary gifts are management and supervision rather than being gifted as a musician, artist, and songwriter. What is needed now is not a single outstanding on-stage worship leader and musician but someone gifted at behind–the-scenes coordination of 20 young worship leaders rotating through Saddleback. I asked Rick Muchow if he wanted this new role and he declined. Rick, as we all know, excels in leading services, funerals, and weddings. He’s a true pastor, with a pastor’s heart, but he would tell you he is not an administrator. So the search began.

My first preference was to look for a new team leader inside our existing staff instead of bringing in a stranger from the outside. I quickly thought of John Cassetto, who had 14 years of experience in administering a worship team in a purpose driven church near Boston before joining our PEACE staff. So I asked Rick Muchow if he thought John could take his role as the new Pastor of Worship and Team Leader. Rick told me “John is exactly the guy I would choose”.

Based on that confirmation, last year we quietly began the process of preparing for another major transition in our church from one generation to the next - the transition from Rick Muchow to John Cassetto, much in the same way we did with the transitions of Glen and Doug Fields.

I told Rick Muchow that I didn’t want to do 40 Days in the Word without my trusted friend and coworker helping me, so I didn’t want to make the leadership transition until after the campaign was completed. But now we are only three weeks away from the end of 40 Days in the Word. So, I’m writing to tell you that, as we’ve been planning since last year, Rick Muchow will be stepping down from his historic 24-year ministry at Saddleback, and John Cassetto will become the leader of a more decentralized, international, and more complex worship team that will support and administer all our worship leaders in 20 locations around the world.

Personally, this is the most bittersweet moment I’ve had in 32 years as your pastor.

I know it is the right thing to do, but it is at great personal grief to me. Rick Muchow is simply one of my closest and deepest friends. No one else has experienced with me as many Saddleback service high points. We have watched God do miracles before our eyes and the team of “Rick and Rick” has been inseparable for 24 years. So understand me, this organizational change is not what’s most comfortable for either Rick Muchow or me personally… but it is what our church needs next.

Saddleback owes an enormous debt to Rick Muchow.

Me too. That photo was taken some years ago following one of our Christmas concerts. From 1997-2000 I had the opportunity to sing in every Christmas Eve service we did during those four years (39 in all) plus a bunch of Christmas concerts, July 4th services, weekend specials, and a number of other events over the years since then.

The last Christmas performance I did with Rick was in 2010 when we did "A King is Born", a song which featured the dancing shepherds.  That's Rick in the brown on the left and me on the right:

We had some good times singing that song. Always a crowd favorite and I still get stopped on the street by people who want to know if I'm the guy with the low voice.

There nothing quite like walking out onto the Saddleback Church stage in front of 3,200 people plus however many more are watching the feed from other locations.  And Rick was the guy who made that all possible.

All the performance stuff is fun, but there is another thing for which I'll always be grateful to Rick - the kindness he showed me and my family when my father passed away.  Rick volunteered to lead worship at the graveside service.  I didn't know he was going to do that - he was just there at the grave with his guitar when we got there.  Unforgettable.

Thanks, Buddy!  God bless you in the next stage of your music ministry.

Health Care Tweets of the Day

All three from Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren concerning the new HHS mandates:

I'd go to jail rather than cave in to a govement mandate that violates what God commands us to do. Would you? Acts 5:29

"We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name" The apostles replied "We must obey God rather than men!" Acts 5:29

I'm not a Catholic but I stand in 100% solidarity with my brothers & sisters to practice their belief against govt pressure

Plenty of other pastors are making similar statements. This is going to be a big deal.

Movie Review - Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked

I didn't see the movie but someone I know did - Pastor Rick Warren from Saddleback Church.  Here was his Twitter review of the movie:

Booze,gambling,sexy dancing, lying,stealing,back-talking all in the1st 10 min.of Chipmunk movie. DONT take little ones.

Sounds like "two thumbs down" to me.

Economic Tweet of the Day

From yesterday and the OC Register:

Saddleback Church pastor Rick Warren attracted criticism from some Democrats when he was selected to give the invocation at Barack Obama‘s inauguration. And he’s probably not winning them over with a tweet today that seems to favor the Republican side of the Washington debate over raising taxes on the wealthy.



“HALF of America pays NO taxes. Zero. So they’re happy for tax rates to be raised on the other half that DOES pay taxes,” the megachurch leader and best-selling author tweeted.


“The post has since been removed from Warren’s Twitter feed,” writes Politico, who brought the tweet to my attention, “and he acknowledged that the tweet ‘did sound mean’ in a subsequent tweet addressed to a blogger who had written a lengthy response.”

Some lefty got his knickers in a knot over Warren's tweet (which was completely accurate, by the way). Perhaps pastors shouldn't get involved in such stuff, but the fact is it's been a part of the Dem plan for years to have enough voters dependent on government largesse to keep voting them into power indefinitely. The tax brackets are all part of the plan.  Rick's only "sin", so to speak, was speaking the truth.

And let's not forget, selling 20+ million books means he's paid a heckuva lot of taxes.

Rick posted another tweet yesterday that didn't get as much attention, but it caught my eye:

@RickWarren A war on irresponsible nation-toppling debt will need more courageous leadership than a war on terror.Still waiting for it.

Me too.

What's Most Important in the Next President - Christianity or Competence?

This post might fulfill the motto at the top of the blog:  "Guaranteed to make you think, make you laugh or make you mad".  As it says above, I'm happy with any of the three.

I've been thinking about the whole issue of the Christianity and the presidency, especially in light of comments I've seen from friends on Facebook expressing their disappointment in the announcement from Mike Huckabee that he wouldn't be running.   It was pretty clear that some of them were supporting Huck mainly because he's a former Baptist preacher and still professes his Christianity.  Others bemoan the lack of a "good Christian" among the remaining people it the GOP field.

But should faith be the primary consideration in choosing a president?

No.

For some it seems that faith is the only determining factor, and that my friends, is dangerous.

Mike Huckabee concerned me.  Although he may be a Bible-believing Christian, his social policies as Governor of Arkansas were pure big government liberal.

Jimmy Carter taught Sunday School in a Baptist church throughout his presidency, and his early post-presidency was a model of Christian charity.  But he was a disastrous president and his later years have been filled with anti-American/anti-Israel activism.

I don't think anyone would doubt George W. Bush's faith, but again when it came to government he gave us growing deficits, two wars and a Medicare prescription entitlement plan that we won't be able to afford.  "Compassionate conservatism" is a euphemism for big government.

And let's not forget the current president who claims Christianity after attending for 22 years a black separatist church run by a racist anti-Semitic pastor.

There's more to the job of president than faith.  Rick Warren is a terrific Christian, but I wouldn't vote for him for president.  I want somebody who knows how to be president, not how to lead a megachurch.

There are elements of our faith that some seek to enshrine in our Constitution, and I don't want that.  I'm pro-life, but I don't want a pro-life amendment in the Constitution.  Federalizing abortion was the biggest mistake of Roe v. Wade.  Rather than try and change the rules our government operates by, let's get Roe overturned and return the authority over abortion to the states where it belongs according to the 10th Amendment.  You're then welcome to work within the political system of your state to change the abortion laws to your liking.

Same with gay marriage.  The Constitution was made very difficult to amend because the Founding Fathers didn't want future generations to be able to bend it to the whims of the day.  The concept of a "living Constitution" is an abomination if "living" is defined as "meeting the politically correct standards in place that day".

Bottom line:  I want to see a president who understands that the Constitution was designed to put limits on federal government, not allow it unfettered power to run rampant over the lives of Americans.  I want a president who's honest, believes in American exceptionalism, understands the importance of peace through strength, and is not afraid to get in the faces of the rest of the world when they're working against our best interests.  I want a President of the United States, not a President of the World.

And if he or she happens to be a Christian, all the better.  But with this nation teetering on the brink of some very bad times, I'd take an atheist who would lead the country according to the bottom line mentioned above before I'd want a Christian who wouldn't or couldn't do it.  Any president who truly supported the Constitution as written would be operating under Christian principles whether they wanted to or not because the founding documents of this country were based on Christian ideals.

We need a return to competence in the White House.  A president, not a national preacher.

The 102-Year Old Grammy Winner

A 102-year old gospel singer from Canada did something last night that teeny-bopper phenom Justin Bieber didn't do - he won a Grammy:

A 102-year-old Canadian gospel singer took home a Grammy in Los Angeles on Saturday night.

George Beverly Shea, known for his rich baritone voice, won a lifetime achievement award.

Shea was recognized alongside Julie Andrews, Roy Haynes, the Juilliard String Quartet, the Kingston Trio, Dolly Parton and the Ramones at the ceremony, held at the Wilshire Ebell Theater.

Though he's been nominated 10 times over his career, Shea last won a Grammy in 1966 for best gospel or other religious recording, an honour he shared with Anita Kerr.

"It's been a long time since I won a Grammy. They found me somewhere and then this happened," he joked on Saturday.

Shea received a standing ovation when he claimed his award, and while on stage sang a couple bars from Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho.

Born in the eastern Ontario community of Winchester, Shea met the evangelical Christian Reverend Billy Graham in the 1940s and soon found himself singing before the crowds that attended Graham's sermons.

Shea has released more than 70 albums. He lives in Montreat, N.C.

Bev, as he's known to his friends, is best known for his work with Billy Graham. I saw him with the Billy Graham Crusade in Anaheim Stadium in 1969 and 1985. He introduced the song "How Great Thou Art" to the gospel world (and even changed a couple of the lyrics from the original version given him by the author), and would usually sing right before Graham's message.

Pastor Rick Warren posted this picture with Bev that was taken last week:

According to the Guinness Book of Records, Bev holds the record for singing in person to the most people ever - estimated 220 million.

A well deserved honor from the Grammy people.

South County's Large Nativity Returns

For those of us who travel the I-5 through San Juan Capistrano this time of year we've gotten used to seeing a huge Nativity scene on the hillside above the freeway. That scene has been missing for a few years after being damaged by high winds, but the new owner of the property, Saddleback Church, has restored the scene and reinstalled it for this Christmas season (from the Capistrano Dispatch):

The larger-than-life manger scene has returned to Capistrano.

Rick Warren, Senior Pastor of Saddleback Church, announced the church will resurrect the tradition of lighting the famous nativity scene at Saddleback Church’s Rancho Capistrano campus at the north end of town.

Visible from the San Diego Freeway, the manger scene has been a part of the community for generations, however, it has been absent from Christmas festivities in recent years due to damage by the Santa Ana winds. These damaged pieces were discovered a few months back when Saddleback Church began restoring the property six months ago.

“We are thrilled that we can bring back this loved manger scene, which has become a Christmas tradition for many families in our area,” Warren said in a statement. “I thank God for the leadership and the commitment of so many individuals who faithfully volunteered to restore this local icon. We hope that it can once again remind everyone the true meaning of Christmas is not found in shopping or decorating, but in the Christ child’s birth.”

Saddleback Church took over the property from the bankrupt Crystal Cathedral.  You can read further in the article to find out about the volunteers who took on the project of completely rebuilding the scene so we could all enjoy it. Thanks!

George Bush a Big Hit at Saddleback Civil Forum

I have some friends that attended this event and I wish I could have gone:

LAKE FOREST In a jovial banter, former President George W. Bush and pastor Rick Warren talked about leadership principles and how those led to some of the pivotal decisions Bush made during his presidency.

The conversation with the nation's 43rd president took place in front of thousands in the capacity-filled sanctuary at Saddleback Church as part of the church's 7th Civil Forum. Bush and Warren used the forum to expound on some of the details Bush's recently released book, "Decision Points."

Warren asked Bush questions about freedom, the value of religion, the role of faith-based programs helping social causes, AIDS, his parents and about the effect his mother's miscarriage had on his belief of life. The goal of the church's forum is to give people an opportunity to hear from leaders who have positively affected humanity.

"The tendency is that when you have power, people will walk in and say you're looking pretty, even when you're not," Bush quipped. "In order to achieve results, you have to align authority and responsibility. Organizations often fail when leaders become the center of organization. In my case, it wasn't serving George W. Bush or the Republican Party, it was serving the American people."

Warren asked Bush about attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. "You were running on a platform of the educational president," Warren said. "When 9/11 hit, what did you feel?"

"In a crisis, a leader can't overreact," Bush said. "I made a decision just to wait until I left the classroom. Then I hustled to make a statement. I felt an unspeakable sadness when I watched the TV broadcasts on Air Force One. I just couldn't help people. I was warned not to go to Washington because of the uncertainty of the moment, but I damn sure wasn't going to speak from a bunker in Omaha, Nebraska."

Bush called freedom a gift from the almighty and brought the audience to its feet in applause.

"The ultimate way to protect ourselves is to spread freedom and marginalize the haters," Bush said. "You shouldn't be surprised what people will risk for freedom. Freedom will prevail if the United States of America will stand on its principles."

Three times, Bush was interrupted by women who screamed at him from the audience. Each time, they were escorted outside. Bush used the opportunity to throw more humor into the conversation, saying that sometimes you've just got to laugh, and the audience responded in a roaring laughter drowning out the screams.

I love the fact the audience laughed in the face of the idiot protesters. That's absolutely the best way to handle them.

George Bush is Obama's worst nightmare - not because he supposedly left him a mess to clean up, but because by comparison Bush is diminishing Obama daily without even trying.

President Bush and Rick Warren Together Tonight

The former president will be visiting Saddleback Church this evening:

Saddleback church officials have confirmed that former President George W. Bush will chat with Pastor Rick Warren at 7 p.m. Monday during the church's 7th Civil forum.

The free event, which is sold out, will be held in the main auditorium of the church. Those who can't get into the church for the forum can watch it at saddlebackcivilforum.com/leadership/.

The forum will focus on Bush's leadership and is expected to include discussion of excerpts from the former president's book, "Decision Points," Warren's chief of staff David Chrzan said.
The book, released on Nov. 9, chronicles what Bush considers to be pivotal moments in his eight-year presidency and is aimed at defining his role as a world leader. Bush details a range of decisions from quitting drinking to deploying American troops after Sept. 11.

"The forum will include a personal conversation between Pastor Rick and President Bush," Chrzan said. "The goal is to create a forum where the community around Saddleback Church can hear from speakers who are great leaders and those who have positively impacted humanity."

That's gotta be more interesting than when Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama were there.

Religious Video of the Day

I have to admit I found this pretty funny  There's some truth in there somewhere:

Ouch

Pastor Rick Warren had a run-in with a particularly nasty plant:

Saddleback Church's Rick Warren tweeted Thursday that he recently suffered a severe eye injury:

"My eyes were severely burned by a toxic poison.Hospitalized Mon.Excruciating pain.Now home.Pray my sight loss is restored"

Warren was working in his garden Monday when he accidentally wiped the sap of a firestick plant into his eyes. He was hospitalized for those severe burns.

Larry Ross, Rick Warren's spokesman, said that Warren's doctors "expect 100% recovery," and Warren later tweeted that he is "not blind."

The famous preacher and author of "The Purpose Driven Life" seems to have already found meaning in his torment, tweeting:
"May God use this pain for His Glory. Rom.8:28," quoting the passage in the Bible that says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

That's gotta hurt. Get well, Rick! One thing's for sure, he's never been lacking in the vision department.

No Thanks, We Got It Right the First Time

One of the reasons we scheduled our "slide night" for tonight (see previous post) instead of heading to Saddleback Church for the 4:30 service as is our usual Saturday night schedule is because of the church's plans for tonight's service.  The sermon subject will be holding marriage together in a recession, which I'm sure is something a lot of people can use right now, but they also plan to do something different at the end.  Rick and Kay Warren just celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary and they're going to "renew their vows" in front of the whole church and invite other couples to join in.

No thanks.

No offense to any of you who have done these "vow renewal" ceremonies at some point in your marriage.  If that's something that was meaningful to you, great!  However, my wife and I have always had the attitude that #1 we're not aware of any expiration date on our vows, and #2 we got it right the first time.  If we did attend tonight we would not participate in the vow renewal, and that would make for an awkward time.  Many couples will undoubtedly feel they are being pressured by the situation to participate, or will feel the need to leave the service.    It's just not worth the emotional energy.

I hope it's meaningful for those that attend, but I think we'll just join the family for some entertainment at our own expense - photos from the 60's and 70's.

Saddleback Church Takes Over Crystal Cathedral Retreat Center

UPDATE 10/18/10: Crystal Cathedral files for bankruptcy.

Looks like the various retreats and meetings conducted by Saddleback Church will have a new place to go:

LAKE FOREST – Saddleback Church – headed by Pastor Rick Warren – on Tuesday announced a deal to lease and take full responsibility for the 170-acre Crystal Cathedral retreat property in San Juan Capistrano.

The property has been purchased by Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. of Oklahoma City, officials said.

The Rancho Capistrano property – nestled in the hills adjacent to the 5 Freeway – will become an overnight retreat for personal renewal, group fellowship and life planning.

"We are grateful to Dr. Robert Schuller and the Crystal Cathedral Ministries for their stewardship of this unique ministry facility and to Hobby Lobby for allowing us to continue the longstanding legacy of Donna and John Crean and their family to change lives by providing hope and spiritual renewal," Warren said.

The Lake Forest-based mega church, which celebrated its 30th anniversary on Easter and has more than 22,000 members, has been in negotiations with the financially-strapped Crystal Cathedral for 18 months for the property.

Sheila Schuller Coleman, daughter of cathedral founder Robert H. Schuller, issued a statement Tuesday saying the sale of Rancho Capistrano will reduce the megachurch's debt by 30 percent. However, church spokesman John Charles declined to release the amount for which the property was sold.

This may cost Calvary Chapel some money because a lot of the Saddleback retreats used to go to their retreat facililty in Murrieta. I attended a Men's Retreat there many moons ago.

Saddleback Church Adds 2nd Angel Stadium Event

I posted previously on Saddleback Church's plan to hold their Easter Service and 30th Anniversary Celebration at Angel Stadium on April 4th (which just happens to be Easter Sunday and their anniversary). Today I see the Easter at Angel Stadium logo on the church website has changed and I saw this Tweet:

Saturday night Easter service added at Angel Stadium. Special Music artist yet to be announced...

They have the Jonas Brothers coming for Sunday morning, but I thought I'd let them know The Crimson River Quartet can be available for Saturday night if needed. Just trying to help. My anniversary happens to be April 4th too, so Saturday night would work out fine for us.

And a little four-part harmony wouldn't hurt 'em at all.

Wanna See the Jonas Brothers For Free?

For all you bubblegum rock fans, or parents of bubblegum rock fans, here's your chance to see the Jonas Brothers for free.


Rick Warren announced tonight that The Jonas Brothers will be the special musical guest for Saddleback Church's 30th Anniversary Celebration at Angel Stadium on April 4. The Jonas Brothers will be singing and sharing their Christian testimony, something they haven't been very vocal about up until now. Click on the picture above for more information about the event.

This will be the second stadium event for Saddleback Church and Angel Stadium is about the only place the church can go where all the members can be in the same service. I attended the 25th Anniversary Event in 2005, but won't be attending this one because it coincides with my 23rd wedding anniversary and I can think of better things to do that day than sit in a stadium surrounded by screaming teens. However, I'm sure they'll fill the place without my help.

Of course, if they ask me to sing for the event I could be persuaded to go, but that's about as likely as them asking me to preach.

Get there early. Gates open at 8:30 am.

UPDATE: A second service, Saturday night April 3rd at 6pm, has been added. The Jonas Brothers will not be in that service.

Political Quote of the Day

From Cicero in 55BC (from Rick Warren's twitter feed):

"The budget must be balanced, treasury refilled, public debt reduced & arrogance of officials tempered lest Rome be bankrupt"

Still works today.

Saddleback Church Responds to The Crisis in Haiti

From the OC Register:

Saddleback Church members are preparing to help the displaced and suffering victims of the Haiti earthquake.

Church officials are developing a plan to help the victims find relief from suffering by helping some of the local churches in Haiti. The situation is being assessed and church officials are developing a specific focus and plan of action, said David Chrzan, Pastor Rick Warren's chief-of-staff.

Meanwhile the church's pastor of PEACE relief Steven Rutenbar has sent out messages rallying 1,800 members who have previous experience in relief help.

In an email he wrote: "In prisons and refugee camps, in bombed out buildings and burned out homes. You have held babies, cried with grandmothers, comforting the hopeless and sheltering the homeless. You've weathered typhoons and hurricanes, firestorms and tribal clashes, floods and cyclones. You have travelled from New Orleans to the Congo, from the Philippines to Santiago Canyon, from Beslan to Burma. All to help suffering people. ALL IN THE NAME OF JESUS."

Rutenbar said in the email that the relief efforts will be headed up by Don Herr, a retired fire chief, who has worked in Galveston, New Orleans, Mississippi and Indonesia.

On Saturday at 9 a.m. the church will hold a special prayer and briefing on how the Haiti efforts will proceed.

This same thing is happening in churches all over the country. When bad things happen it isn't just the government that comes to the rescue. There are millions of members of various faith communities who are quick to help.

Ask For $900,000 and Ye Shall Receive $2.4 Million

That sounds like a winning formula:

In what Pastor Rick Warren called radical giving, Saddleback Church members not only heeded his call to quickly raise $900,000 but exceeded it by at least $1.5 million.

A packed church erupted today in applause and cheers when Warren made the announcement at the 4:30 p.m. service. By New Year’s Eve, church members brought $2.4 million to the church, a tally that does not include mailed donations, Warren said.

“This is pretty amazing,’ Warren exulted. “That’s a record. I don’t think any church has gotten a cash offering like that off a letter.”

"We're starting the new decade with a surplus,” he said. “It came from thousands of thousands of ordinary people. There was not one big fat cat.”

The outpouring started Wednesday after Warren posted a message on the church’s Web site appealing for donations to overcome a $900,000 shortage in collections.

Men, women and children flocked to the church, stuffing donation boxes so rapidly that security guards emptied them every 30 minutes.

On Friday night, Warren issued an update on the church’s Web site, calling the outpouring “history-making” and urging his flock not to miss the weekend services.

“I can't wait to share with you what happened this week,” Warren wrote. “It speaks volumes about you, the depth of commitment in this fellowship, and where God is taking us in 2010 – our 30th Anniversary year. I'm simply calling this week's message ‘The Miracle.’”

The money will go toward the church’s ministries, including feeding more than 2,000 families, helping orphans and supporting bible studies and small group ministries.

I had a feeling the church folks were going to come through in a big way, but they really put a hurt on that $900,000 goal. Good for them.

Recession Hits Megachurch

Even the one of the largest megachurches around can't escape the Obama economy:

Evangelical pastor Rick Warren is begging parishioners at his Southern California megachurch to cough up $900,000 before Jan. 1 to keep the parish out of the red.

In an urgent letter posted on the Saddleback Church Web site on Wednesday, Warren says expenses are up because parishioners are out of work and "the bottom dropped out" when year-end donations dropped dramatically.

He asks parishioners to donate before the new year to keep the Orange County church out of debt.

A spokeswoman for Warren said the church does not release financial details, so it's difficult to put the $900,000 shortfall in context.

Warren delivered the invocation at the inauguration of President Barack Obama and is the author of numerous books, including the best-selling "The Purpose Driven Life."

Giving normally picks up at year-end as people try to get their dollars on record before the end of the tax year. This year, there weren't any dollars.

UPDATE: Church members are responding. I fully expect the need will be met.

UPDATE2: Shortfall not a management issue, says Rick Warren. More of a timing issue, which I can certainly understand.