Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren was unable to attend the Hillsong Conference in Australia in person this year. Among those expected to appear are Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter’s House, Joel and Victoria Osteen of Lakewood Church, Craig Groeschel of Lifechurch.tv and Judah Smith of The City Church. Warren shared via Skype with Pastor Brian Houston his advice for young leaders when it comes to handling criticism. Houston asked Warren how he deals with “haters” and “critics.” The Christian Post reported:
He noted that once upon a time in America, critics didn’t have much of a voice. Warren suggested that perhaps a critic could write a letter of complaint that might end up in the Sunday paper, or instead lining the litter box.
“Today, because of the Internet, all criticism is permanent, global and searchable,” stated Warren.
He cautioned against leaders living in fear of criticism, saying, “If you build your life on fear of man, God can’t use you.” . . .
Noting that people in his position require a “tender heart and a tough skin,” Warren reminded young leaders that they cannot let criticism bother them — “keep your eyes on Jesus (and) live for an audience of one,” he admonished. “You cannot follow God’s voice while you’re listening to the voice of others.” (source)
Advising young leaders to listen and learn from criticism if it is true would be well and good if seeker-driven and purpose driven leaders demonstrated a regard for sound biblical teaching which they have not. Advising young leaders to keep their eyes on Jesus and live for an audience of one would be biblical counsel if the church growth movement were preaching Jesus, and not another.
The Apostle Paul told Titus that a bishop of a church must “be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” (Titus 1:9). 2 Timothy 4:3 says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers.”
But Rick Warren and others within seeker-driven and purpose driven crowds have no tolerance for dissidents. Any boundaries such as resisters, “haters,” and critics must either be converted or removed from the church. See Steven Furtick’s no tolerance for critics and “haters” below.
Those who resist leaders and teachers within the postmodern church must “change or die.”Rick Warren told pastors and church leaders:
If your church has been plateaued for six months, it might take six months to get it going again. If it’s been plateaued a year, it might take a year. If it’s been plateaued for 20 years, you’ve got to set in for the duration! I’m saying some people are going to have to die or leave.
Moses had to wander around the desert for 40 years while God killed off a million people before he let them go into the Promised Land. That may be brutally blunt, but it’s true. There may be people in your church who love God sincerely, but who will never, ever change (source)
Furthermore, Leonard Sweet said in his book Soul Tsunami:
It is time for a Postmodern Reformation. . . . Postmodern culture is a change-or-be-changed world. The word is out: Reinvent yourself for the 21st century or die. Some would rather die than change. (Leonard Sweet, Soul Tsunami: Sink or Swim in New Millennium Culture (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1998), 17,75)
The fundamentalist Christian that is reluctant to change with the collective will or that challenges unaccountable leaders with the Word if God is is constantly being demonized as the Pharisee, the “other,” or the traitor. When leaders have no tolerance for criticism, they are unaccountable to the congregation and the Word of God.
Those within postmodern congregations who desire the meat of the Word of God are branded as Pharisees, “religious” and jack-asses. Below is an example clip from seeker-driven pastor Perry Noble: