Hi John,

I would like to weigh in with an opinion about Saddleback Church, in Lake Forest, CA. I am sorry that "Mecha" had a bad experience there. My wife and I attend the services, and I often play piano for them. I have much experience working with churches and ministry organizations through the years -- and I am very happy to say that many of the negatives which I have seen at other places do NOT exist, in my experience, at Saddleback. Paying for baptism? Paying to take a class? No way! Anyone who knows anything about Rick Warren would know he would never permit such a thing. I went there for several months before they even took an offering in the services I was playing for. Currently, offerings are taken at the end of the service, but no special emphasis is placed upon them, and the congregation is encouraged to do their giving by mail or online, to avoid pressuring anyone.

In reality, Saddleback does what they do very, very well, which is: being a light for Christ in the midst of a very secular, "me"-oriented, materialistic culture. This church has been greatly used of God to bring a LOT of Southern Californians out of darkness and into the Light -- and also helping them to grow up in the Lord after being saved.

Interesting fact: during their current 40-day program, one of the things the church is determined to do: feed EVERY homeless person in Orange County.

"You will know them by their fruits". Let's just be fruit inspectors.
 
 

JERRY CLEVELAND
jerclevmusic@earthlink.net