This document is from 2006. An apology issued by "Christian" leaders (including Rick Warren and Brennan Manning) to Muslim leaders. Disturbingly, they ask Allah to forgive Christians! They deceptively use an Islamic name for God (The All-Merciful One) and ask him for forgiveness. In using this Islamic name for God they are also saying that the Allah of the Qur'an and the God of the Bible are one and the same.
When Rick Warren was questioned on this very controversial document he claimed that he didn't necessarily agree with all of it! He said, "I didn't sign it sentence-by-sentence". So he signs a document and stands by it until it becomes controversial. Then he claims he didn't agree with all of it - while not stating specifically which parts he disagreed with or why.
So what are we to believe about him? What do you believe about a man who puts his signature on the line - indicating he does agree with a document, and then claims he doesn't agree with it when it becomes a controversy. What do you call that?
The early Church in Jerusalem were Jews who followed Jesus, who took the words of Christ to say that he would return soon.
But they did not understand... and took that to mean within their lifetimes. That 'no one knows either the hour nor the day' was irrelevant. So, they sold all, and did not withhold any reserve to prepare against His arrival at a later time....
The churches which prepared against an unknown future were those 'house' churches of the Gentiles, who accepted the gift of salvation, but used wisdom to understand that they were not given to know when Christ would return, and so while the Church in Jerusalem languished, the growth of Christianity was through the small house churches of the Gentiles, and Christ's message spread. It spread the most quickly among those who had nothing, or who had, but lost all. ... more