An unprecedented, eye-brow raising Christian conference will be held at the famed Crystal Cathedral next week, bringing together an eclectic group of speakers ranging from former President George H.W. Bush and Rupert Murdoch to the Rev. Dr. Robert H. Schuller and Kay Warren.
More than 30 leading figures in and outside of Christianity will converge on one stage Jan. 17 to 19 for the Rethink Conference, co-hosted by Crystal Cathedral’s Schuller and emerging church leader Erwin McManus of Mosaic Church in Los Angeles.
Thousands of people are expected to be onsite at the Cathedral and thousands more will participate via satellite simulcast technology.
“We are bringing in leaders from different industries and it’s important for us to know what is happening in technology, the trends in media, entertainment and business,” explained Rethink’s executive director Bill Dallas to The Christian Post.
Dallas said having Christian leaders speak at the conference is “great” because it helps encourage believers to grow in their faith. But he also contends that the conference needs to be put in the context of what is happening in the culture.
“The message always remains the same in Christianity, but the methods change,” Dallas, also founder of the Church Communication Network (CCN) emphasized.
One of the main goals of the conference is to give Christian leaders a fresh perspective on the changing world and how to communicate their message more effectively in the shifting culture.
When questioned why powerful, secular leaders would want to participate in the church conference, Dallas explained that they get to speak about their areas of expertise and to a large audience.
“We find that experts have no problem sharing in any environment they are in – Christian or non-Christian, business people, non-business people – they just want to get their message out about the technology or the trends they are seeing,” he said.
The Rethink creator also noted that the scale of the conference is another attraction to secular speakers.
“I think the magnitude of the people there is very intriguing and interesting for them,” Dallas said. “It is also going to be simulcast so they won’t just be in Garden Grove, California, in Crystal Cathedral speaking but to regional sites across the country.
“So I think that is also intriguing because they get leverage on their message. But I still think it is the magnitude of who’s there.”
Dallas has worked with Christian leaders such as Lee Strobel, Chuck Colson, George Barna, Dr. Henry Cloud, and Dr. John Townsend on events but he said this is the first time he has brought them all together at one time for one event.
Next Thursday’s event will be the first Rethink Conference with future conferences to follow if the response is positive.
The Crystal Cathedral is known for being a leader in using cutting edge ideas to communicate the Gospel message. The Cathedral was one of the first in the country to hold large Christian leader conferences 25-30 years ago and is among the pioneers in Christian television.
Other speakers confirmed include George Foreman, Larry King, John Ortberg, Jay Sekulow, Ben Stein and Bishop Charles E. Blake.
RSS
The complete thought:
About "Stretching Christian Imagination":
The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, CASTING DOWN IMAGINATIONS AND EVERY HIGH THING THAT EXALTS ITSELF AGAINST THE KNOWEDGE OF GOD, and bringing into captivity EVERY THOUGHT to the obedience of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
About "Stretching Christian Imagination":
The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, CASTING DOWN IMAGINATIONS AND EVERY HIGH THING THAT EXALTS ITSELF AGAINST THE KNOWEDGE OF GOD
ProfessorX, do you have proof they're "all masons and eastern stars"???
In fact all of them are masons and eastern stars. The masons are the ones behind the race toward a one world Government - Ecomony - and Religion
Proof the Masons are a Luciferian cult from their own writings at this link below.
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-869614609770971945
WHAT THE CHURCH REALLY NEEDS TO DO IS GET BACK TO PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM AND LIVING HOLY AS UNTO THE LORD. IT IS TIME TO STOP PLAY GAMES IN YOUR POWERLESS CONDITION BY ADOPTING SECULAR HUMANISM INTO THE CHURCH. PERSONALLY I AM NOT SURPRISED TO SEE ROBERT SCHULLAR BEHIND THIS. AFTER ALL ROBERT SCHULLER IS A 33 DEGREE MASON ALONG WITH RICK WARREN HIS PROTEGE' AND ARE BOTH EAGER TO BRING ALL THE RELIGIONS TOGETHER AS ONE.
Proof the Masons are a Luciferian cult from their own writings at this link below.
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-869614609770971945
The Church needs to get back to preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom ... otherwise there is no hope for America.
The Gospel of the Kingdom === >>
http://evolutionfacts.blogspot.com/#the_message_that_we_were_born_to_hear
maranatha7593, you are correct; we are not suppose to compromise the word of God as the Pharisees did.
1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they did not realy belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
Sorry, I did not realize how it was going to change the Hebrew characters!
khanson--Following Christ is indeed our greatest challenge. We fall too far short. That is where grace enters in as God calls us to relationship in spite of our shortcomings, simply out of love. I would wish you would hitch your wagon to the train of living as Jesus taught and understanding grace and forgiveness from the inside out.
Maranatha--
"3 Travel is a commonplace event, but strangers travel apart from one another. People would not be seen travelling jointly (יחדו) unless they had met (יעד, niphal), as anyone in Amos’ audience would readily acknowledge." -- Stuart, Douglas: Word Biblical Commentary : Hosea-Jonah. electronic ed. Dallas : Word, Incorporated, 1998 (Logos Library System; Word Biblical Commentary 31), S. 324
"Apparently what is meant is that when two people are seen walking along a road together (the result) one can assume that this is so because of a prior decision to travel together (the cause)." -- Limburg, James: Hosea--Micah. Atlanta : John Knox Press, 1988 (Interpretation, a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching), S. 96
"The first clause, “Do two men walk together, without having agreed as to their meeting?” (nō’ad, to betake one’s self to a place, to meet together at an appointed place or an appointed time; compare Job 2:11, Josh. 11:5, Neh. 6:2; not merely to agree together), contains something more than the trivial truth, that two persons do not take a walk together without a previous arrangement." -- Keil, Carl Friedrich ; Delitzsch, Franz: Commentary on the Old Testament. Peabody, MA : Hendrickson, 2002, S. 10:175
The context of the quote is limited to agreement to journey together, not agreement on all issues of life. Yes, we should agree to follow God wholeheartedly Amos' overall objective, but we don't have to agree with one another on everything in order to cooperate on a project, journey, or other task.
If Christians follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, no one be better than them in this world. But Christians from Serbia ignored Jesus teachings and killed thousands of Muslims. Seventy percent American Christians are good people, 30% need training to be good Christians. These 30% are evangelical conservative Christians who consider all Muslims unbearable. In fact such Christians are ANTI-ISLAMISTS>
theotrek, if you read Amos, you'll see that was not his assertion at all. The Lord was telling him to tell His people to walk in obedience to Him, not to compromise His word, and that those who did not agree to do that could not walk together.
Maranatha--Amos is simply concerned that we agree to stay together on the journey, not that we believe all things the same. We can walk together if we agree to do so, not lag behind, change course, or run ahead.
Just my 2 cents worth, but is it possible that the unwillingness of believers to work out scripture under the headship of Yeshua with the Holy Spirit as our guide has become such a deception that the true body of Christ is overshadowed? or even hidden? Just a question for thought. Denominations should not be and with the animosity they each have for each other, how can any truly be effective for our Lord?
What gets me is we, excuse me, they invite these guys in to "rethink" as in "reposition yourself" to lead better and the so called church today is fractured on just scripture. It strikes me as odd that pastors will stand in front of congregations accross this country and state, "we are the body of Christ" knowing they don't like to even cooperate with the church accross town due to differences of opinion concerning scriptual doctrine or belief. I know there are many believers in churches today, but I believe many are awakening to see how denominations manipulate the Word and are coming out of them. Baptist believe Methodist aren't on the right track, Methodist believe Pentecostals aren't on the right track, Pentecostals believe all are on the wrong track...Yeshua does not and will not have a fractured body. Nor will it have spots.
The real issue isn't that Larry King and Rupert Murdoch is coming to the Crystal Cathedral, it's that Lee Strobel, Jay Sekulow, Charles Colson and their friends are. The real controversy about this conference is that Robert Schuller's teachings that a lack of self-esteem is the definition of sin placed him in the heretical camp years ago (See Self-Esteen: The New Reformation, Word Books, 1982). Further Dr. Schuller right now features a book on the Crystal Cathedral website written by Jerry Jampolsky, the world famous teacher of the occult Course in Miracles. The book is forwarded by New Age author, Neale Donald Walsch. The title is Forgiveness. Why would Schuller say that sin is lack of self-esteem? Why would he feature occult teacher Jampolsky on his Hour of Power in 2004 and call his teachings, "Marvelous"? Bill Dallas, the co-sponsor of ReThink Conference was on my radio show last week and had no answers. It's time some of these questions were answered, particularly by Christian leaders who are lending credibility to Schuller who long ago left the true Gospel behind.
kpercy07:
With all due respect, do you think any of the secular speakers at this conference bemoan the lack of prayer in schools?
The Bible warns of receiving counsel from unbelievers, and a goodly number of OT kings and others caused great havoc in their own and other lives because of doing so. I recognize the scripture to which you alluded, but I cannot see one scripture in either the Old or New Testament which even suggests we should consult the world for answers / solutions to any problems we might face. I Corinthians 1 and 2, in particular, refutes that idea very clearly.
akonda: "now we are asking unbelievers to teach us how to lead the church. incredible. what we need is a conviction of the Spirit brought about by the preaching of the word of God."
AMEN.
This reminds me a little of a finance seminar held a few months back, which featured Paula White, Donald Trump, and New Ager Tony Robbins. I couldn't help but wonder, from which viewpoint was the teaching going to be given? If each one taught from his/her viewpoint, obviously there was going to be real contradiction.
How can two [or more (my addition)] walk together, except they be agreed? Amos
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another - John 13:35.
This is the only method that Jesus said would demonstrate our identity to the world. We need to get back to preaching the biblical gospel and leave this social gospel alone.
Scripture is repleat with warnings that in the last days there will be great deception. Deception begins with error.
1John 4:5-6 They are from the world;therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God istens to us;he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Brothers and Sisters....feed on God's Word.
the problem here is that the gospel of the Crystal Cathedral is not the Gospel of Christ. There is no repentance of sin and receiving of Christ. It is all about living a better life rather than a life lived for Christ.
There is nothing wrong with looking at ideas about leading, but the problem is that titles such as "Rethink" are code words from new age theology. What we need to "rethink" is less marketing to grow churches and more "speaking the truth in love". God does not measure our accumulation but our heart, and the heart here almost always is about amassing something in this world, yet our treasure is in heaven.
This is just another attempt for Mr. Schuller to laud praises on himself rather than glorifying God.
akonda: You are not wrong. However, it is a fact that "the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light." Having the world show us some leadership methods might seem offensive at first blush, but I ask you: Is the Church of Jesus Christ especially well led? Are we, for instance, better led now than we were when we let prayer be taken out of the schools? I think not. A little strategy and know-how never hurt anybody.
akonda: No, not even close. In America alone we've gone from Puritan/Quaker to Unitarian/Trinitarian to Transcendalist/Evangelical to the Social Gospel/Fundamentalism, and that's just Protestants. Read Head and Heart: American Christianities by Garry Wills.
'The message always remains the same in Christianity, but the methods change' - the message should remain the same but has it?
“We find that experts have no problem sharing in any environment they are in – Christian or non-Christian, business people, non-business people – they just want to get their message out about the technology or the trends they are seeing,” - in other words, they see an opportunity to make money and this 'Christian' conference allows them to advertise themselves.
now we are asking unbelievers to teach us how to lead the church. incredible. what we need is a conviction of the Spirit brought about by the preaching of the word of God. it doesnt matter how many millions of $$ one pours in or how far ones imagination is stretched at the end of the day what matters is that the person has repented of his sins and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.