We knew we would drive near the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, so we stopped there for a tour. The photo of Nixon and Elvis was a life-sized cardboard cutout near the main entrance. We bought a book about Pat Nixon, written by their daughter Julie Nixon Eisenhower.
Nixon's birthplace is preserved on that site, in its original location. The tiny house was built by his father from a kit. Sears used to sell house kits, but no one knew who manufactured this one. The original had water in the kitchen but no toilet.
My wife and I grew up in the Nixon era, remembering his VP days, his first presidential race--when Nixon shook my hand in Moline--and the later dramas. Nixon was a disappointment to conservatives, but he was a remarkable man, far more able than our recent presidents. We talked outside to a couple about presidential libraries we had seen (Hoover, Eisenhower) and the proximity of the Reagan Library. I said, "Reagan was a great president. We need another Reagan." Dead silence. Conversation over. I could hear ants moving in the grass beneath our feet. That is Los Angeles, where I-10 is besmirched by Leftist billboards and that hideous Valley of the Wind Machines - countless propellers inefficiently generating a little electricity. LA - where cigarettes are evil, unless they are made of marijuana, which is good to suck into lungs.
We stayed at the Off Ramp Inn, Mission Viejo, about 20 minutes from the ocean. We followed the directions to the ocean and found Saddleback Church only a few blocks away - on Saddleback Parkway, with Purpose Drive nearby. I wanted to tag an "n" on the end of the Purpose Drive sign, but time did not allow for a little joke.
Rick Warren was having a conference on addiction for 3500 people, many of them staying at the Off Ramp. We pulled into the back parking lot, walked up to the main building, and stepped in. The usher wanted to block us, because "this a paid-for conference." Mrs. Ichabod talked us in because I am a minister.
Rick did not look over at me and say, "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, he walks into mine." I am not on his radar.
He was clowning around on the stage. We left after he solemnly declared, "Take yourself lightly but God seriously." His Dephic pronouncement was greeted with applause, and I thought of Latte Lutheran Church. They take their coffee seriously, but Christian symbols, including the cross, are just marketing tools.
Rick is another crypto-Babtist, like Andy Stanley. Neither Babtist can endure having Baptist in the church title. Saddleback has a baptismal pool outside, where an abundance of water allegedly makes up for its lack of efficacy.
I noticed a list of "venues," various modes of worship delivery. That is common among CG congregations. I find the theatrical term annoying, but Church Growth has always modeled itself as an entertainment medium.
The spookiest approximation of LCMS/WELS/ELS Church Growth came from one insurance session. A Life Coach spoke to us for an hour. He is a graduate of Tony Robbins' coaching academy. I realized that The CORE tweets and blogs are echoes of modern coaching techniques, including the constant offer of a "takeaway." Andy Stanley is the product of this coaching, and his Babtist staff coaches Bishop Katie.
American Life Coaches approximate the Hindu gurus, who take over their pupils lives and order them around. A Hindu guru can be rude, obnoxious, and dictatorial,yet the student owes obedience and gratitude. Carlos Whittaker appears to be the Life Coach for Bishop Katie at The CORE. Carlos is on the staff at Northpoint Babtist Community Church.
The wife of one of the Patterson Network pastors is a life coach. Parlow's Willow Creek WELS church has a life coach. Fees are discussed here. Naturally, Church and Change promotes the concept at their confabs.
A coach will help me "take it to a new level." They talk in platitudes, not knowing they have already been spoofed by Geico commercials. Being coached is a first step in becoming a coach, much like psychiatric counseling. In fact, coaches are very much like shrinks. "I have a Life Coach" is the new version of "my shrink just phoned."
Two coaches showed up at the insurance social gathering, to offer their services to everyone "with issues." The speaker flew back from Phoenix just to attend, and he brought his friend, who sells coaching on the Home Shopping Network. No kidding. I don't need to write satire when simply reporting the facts is hilarious. I could drop in some quotes, but enough has been said.
We may end up being on a reality show called "LA Houswives" on Bravo. They were taping one session and also came to the party. We had to sign releases, so we may have signed away our residuals. Most were spooked by the camera and boom mike, but I said, "I have church services on the Internet every week."
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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Nixon Library and Saddleback Church":
Truth is stranger than fiction. Sanctimonious pop psychology has totally infiltrated the non-confessional churches. It manifests itself in the form of life coaches and other types of do it yourself programs. This past week I ran into some guys who were all worked up about the Boundaries series of "Bible studies". I immediately thought of Rick Warren. The claim was made that this Boundaries thing works no matter what the situation is. The same was said about the Purpose Driven drivel. All of this reminds me of Six Sigma and other types of agendas in industry. More often than not, it is embraced by those who are obsessed with process and lack problem solving skills.
With Warren's offerings and the other snake oil salesman out there, it is no wonder that laity are so lacking in discernment.
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GJ - A WELS pastor phoned me today and we discussed this. His point was that the Changer congregations suffer from methodism (small m). They know they are plagiarizing - nothing wrong with that, they think. They copy because they believe the method will work.
When the CLC (sic) Committee To Silence Greg Jackson was meeting, one old codger sneered at me specifically on the point of methods.
The Greek root for the word method can be found here:
KJV Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive [KJV free translation of the phrase using methodeia;]
And here:
KJV Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles [methodeias - methods] of the devil.
The ministers who believe in methods do not believe in the Word. They continue for a time as quasi-believers and say the right words from time to time, but the path to apostasy is steep and inevitable unless the cancer of false doctrine is removed.
