Former megachurch pastor blasted for suggesting Jesus was 'in the middle' politically: 'Egregious mishandling of Scripture'



A former megachurch pastor attempted to conflate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ with being a centrist politically in 2025. However, the controversial analogy was widely panned on the internet by some declaring that there is "no middle ground between evil and righteousness."

Rick Warren — a self-described "global influencer" — is the former pastor of Saddleback Church.

'This is possibly the worst Biblical interpretation I’ve ever seen.'

On Tuesday, Warren shared a post on the X social media platform to his 2.2 million followers. The post featured an image of Jesus on the cross between the impenitent thief and the penitent thief.

In the social media post, Warren first cited a paraphrase of John 19:18: "They crucified Jesus with two others — one on each side and Jesus in the middle."

Then Warren wrote: "The guys on both sides were thieves. If you’re looking for the real Jesus, not a caricature disfigured by partisan motivations, you’ll find him in the middle, not on either side."

The idea that Jesus Christ was "in the middle" immediately stirred intense backlash online from faith leaders and conservatives. Warren was lampooned for his "egregious mishandling of Scripture."

BlazeTV's "Relatable" podcast host Allie Beth Stuckey: "This is possibly the worst Biblical interpretation I’ve ever seen, and that’s really saying something. Jesus is not 'in the middle' on the murder of children, gender deception, the definition of marriage, or anything else, for that matter. In fact, I seem to remember Him having a particular disdain for the lukewarm."

Pastor Ryan Visconti: "How would one be 'in the middle' on abortion, mutilating kid’s genitals, homosexuality, open borders, DEI, CRT, etc? There’s no middle ground between evil and righteousness. You’re wrong, Pastor Rick. Your approach made sense in 1990, but not today."

Conservative lawyer Jenna Ellis: "This is an example of proof texting scripture so badly that you should be embarrassed to call yourself a pastor. Jesus is not a moderate or 'in the middle' when it comes to truth. To characterize him as such simply because of the placement of his cross is perverting a historical fact into a symbolic meaning to serve your own ideological agenda."

Christian singer Sean Feucht: "I refuse to be found 'in the middle' or even worse — disengaged — on the gleeful slaughter of the unborn, the mutilation of kids or trafficking of 300k children across the open border. While this theological approach to politics may have worked in the 90's, it fails to account for how openly demonic the Left is today."

Pastor Kyle McMullen: "Honestly, I think this is one of the worst hijackings of Scripture I have ever encountered. To turn a verse describing the crucifixion of the Son of God into a virtue signal toward the modern Left, which is EXACTLY what this nonsense about the 'middle' is, is egregious mishandling of Scripture. And it’s not as if you can claim ignorance, either. You have had one of the largest platforms in the history of the Church, you have written best-selling books, you have had the ear of presidents and global leaders. You know better. People need to be warned to stop listening to you."

Conservative policy leader Jim Pfaff: "You are clearly unaware of both the logical fallacy of this post and thus the great error in this statement. Nowhere is such an analogy ever promoted anywhere else in God's Word. There's a reason for that. This is a false and erroneous (and therefore evil) analogy."

Evangelist Justin Peters: "This is, sadly, typical of Rick Warren's approach to scripture. This would have been laughed out of biblical hermeneutics on day 1. Basic hermeneutics dictates that you strive for authorial intent, and this is definitively NOT the point the author was making. This is not only embarrassing, it is inexcusable."

Author Kira Davis: "I hold my tongue publicly on Rick a lot for reasons but this made me sad. I never thought I’d see the day when Rick Warren looked at the Gospel and took away from it some vague, lukewarm message about political beliefs. Jesus is not 'the middle' Rick. What are you even doing?"

Conservative commentator David Limbaugh: "Meaningless mush, with all due respect."

Babylon Bee editor Joel Berry: "If you’re going to misuse the story this bad, you should also point out that the thief on the Right is the one that went to heaven lol."

Conservative activist Robby Starbuck: "You’re a pastor essentially saying that Jesus was lukewarm. Insane. He was no such thing."

The Federalist co-founder Sean Davis: "Friends, if you have a pastor peddling this kind of nonsense, you need to leave and find a church that preaches the actual Gospel."

Conservative radio host Eric Metaxas: "This is misleading posturing. What does it even mean? Shall we be 'in the middle' when it comes to standing against killing babies or mutilating kids or corruption in our own govt? There is a time to be bold as lions against evil! That's not 'partisan'. It's the Lord's will."

Author Megan Basham: "It’s so bad my jaw is on the floor."

Conservative commentator Jesse Kelly: "Absolutely right. Jesus was neither hot nor cold. He was lukewarm. Pretty sure it’s in the Bible."

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Wheaton’s Cowardice In The Face Of Russ Vought Attacks Is Emblematic Of Its Leftward Lurch

It should not be controversial for Wheaton College to request prayer for alum Russ Vought as he takes a position in the Trump administration.

'God's blessed us very much': Eagles' Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts put their faith front and center in emotional interviews



Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts put their faith first when asked what motivated them to win Super Bowl LIX.

After a stunning 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs — and a Gatorade shower from his players — Sirianni was the first to be interviewed on the broadcast by reporter Tom Rinaldi.

"Nick, Super Bowl champions. What does the moment mean?" Rinaldi asked.

In what would become a theme with the Eagles, Sirianni immediately thanked God.

"God's blessed us very much. He gave us all the talents to be able to get here. So first and foremost, thanks to him," Sirianni said.

The 43-year-old then spoke highly of his players and emphasized greatness while maintaining a passion to win.

"We didn't really ever care what anyone thought about how we won or their opinions. All we want to do is win," he continued. "But thank God. Thank you, Jesus."

'He's greater than all the highs and the lows.'

After revealing that he's an "emotional guy," Sirianni was soon joined by his wife and children who were more than happy to join him to shed some tears.

Hurts was interviewed next by seasoned sideline reporter Erin Andrews but was immediately interrupted by Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham who told Hurts to tell the media to "get off [his] back."

Andrews humorously remarked, "Well, that's exactly what I was gonna ask."

Before any football commentary though, Hurts also pointed directly to God.

"God is good. He's greater than all the highs and the lows, and I think, personally myself, I've just been able to use every experience and learn from it."

He went on, "The good, the bad, all of it using it as fuel to pursue my own greatness, and I think I couldn't do any of these things without the guys around me."

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Hurts made his faith the focal point in multiple interviews he gave throughout the night, even after accepting the Lombardi Trophy when he told host and former player Terry Bradshaw, "God is good."

Later, during an interview with seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, Hurts said he gives "all glory to God," stating once again that he feels God is "greater than all the highs and the lows."

The recurring theme for Sirianni and Hurts showed that the continued sentiment in professional sports is an increasing acceptance of Christianity, which at times has been shunned and avoided by broadcasters. In sports moments like these, players and coaches immediately bringing their faith to the forefront has made it impossible for the world to ignore.

Along with the win, Hurts took home MVP honors after throwing for 221 yards with two touchdowns and one interception and running for 72 yards and one touchdown.

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Progressive church boots woke pastor after parishioners complained they were lectured on 'whiteness,' LGBT causes, immigrants



A progressive pastor in North Carolina was recently removed from his very liberal church after parishioners complained that they were being lectured about "whiteness," LGBT causes, and illegal immigrants.

Ben Boswell had been a pastor at Myers Park Baptist Church, a progressive church in Charlotte. The church is located in the affluent neighborhood of Myers Park, which has a median household income of $193,672, and where nearly 91% of the population is white.

'I am tired of being indicted because I am white.'

The Myers Park Baptist Church is "opposed to all forms of injustice and oppression, and we are unafraid to plainly say who and what we are."

The church's website states that it has a mission to "welcome and affirm all persons without regard to race, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or attraction, biological sex, age, economic status, physical or mental capacity."

The Sunday after Donald Trump won the 2024 election, Boswell delivered a sermon warning of the doom and gloom of Trump being elected.

According to NPR, Boswell likened the election of Trump to a "gathering dark of Hitler's rule."He claimed that Trump being president would lead to the "crucifixion" of immigrant families as well as transgender and nonbinary people.

"But our faith also teaches us … that every crucifixion needs a witness," Boswell told the congregation. "The fight is not over; it's just beginning."

However, Boswell was booted from the progressive church a few weeks later. The board of the Myers Park Baptist Church voted 17-3 to ask Boswell to resign.

During the board meeting, then-Deacon Allen Davis warned that removing Boswell would make it difficult to portray a progressive agenda.

"What will come out is that we've snatched the keys from the … minister who had been pushing us to confront whiteness, to challenge racial justice in our community," Davis said.

Davis and two other deacons resigned in protest of Boswell's removal.

Marcy McClanahan — then head of the church's board — said the main reason why Boswell needed to be removed was plunging attendance. Myers Park Baptist Church went from an average weekly attendance of around 350 when Boswell arrived in 2016 to about 150 last year.

McClanahan said, "Ben has been given every chance to change his words and actions to appeal to a broader audience but has not been successful in doing so."

Fellow DeaconRobert Dulin added, "We have got to put more butts in the seats, butts in the seats."

Some parishioners at the church complained that Boswell was always lecturing them about racial justice, transgender issues, and other progressive causes.

Dulin paraphrased what he had heard from those who quit the parish: "I am tired of being indicted because I am white. I am tired of being banged over the head every week about immigrants and LGBTQ, and I just want to come to church and be encouraged."

Church members compared Boswell's sermons to a "guilt trip."

Boswell admits that he pushed his congregation to confront its "whiteness." During an anti-racism seminar, the pastor called for a "whiteness audit" to "decolonize" the church's interior space. Boswell said the congregants demanded that he take down the Black Lives Matter signs at the church, but he refused.

One parishioner felt "betrayed" by the church over Boswell's dismissal. Bob Thomason, a former chairman of the board of deacons, noted that most, if not all, of the congregation supports social justice.

"But for some people, being able to focus on social justice … would be a welcome luxury because they have alcoholic spouses," Thomason said."They have children that are addicted. They have cancer. They have these personal needs."

NPR reported, "Boswell says the conflict at Myers Park is part of a much bigger national trend to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion programs."

Boswell proclaimed, "My feeling is that as a progressive congregation, as a progressive pastor, our job right now is not to back away, but to double down."

When asked if the church will continue to advance racial and social justice, McClanahan asserted, "One person's leaving does not change that path at all."

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Trump takes powerful stand for Christians — something Biden refused to do



Hours after vowing Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast to "protect Christians in our schools and our military, and our government, in our workplaces, hospitals, and in our public squares," and to bring the country "back together as one nation under God with liberty and justice for all," President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to "eradicate anti-Christian bias" in the federal government.

Leftists and other radicals apparently keen to ignore the past four years of abuse rushed to condemn the order, suggesting that Christians — 380 million of whom suffer high levels of persecution worldwide — have not been subjected to any form of bias in America.

After noting that the Constitution guarantees the right to religious liberty and that federal laws both prohibit religious discrimination and government interference with Americans' right to exercise their faiths, Trump noted that the Biden administration "engaged in an egregious pattern of targeting peaceful Christians, while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses."

Trump provided as an example the Biden administration's weaponization of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act against peaceful pro-life protesters, dozens of whom the 47th president pardoned after taking office.

'My Administration will not tolerate anti-Christian weaponization of government or unlawful conduct targeting Christians.'

The FACE Act was used almost exclusively against pro-life activists during the Biden administration, even when the nation saw a massive uptick in attacks by abortion radicals on churches and pro-life pregnancy centers following the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision.

The president noted further in his order that the Biden DOJ "largely ignored" multitudes of attacks against Christian churches, charities, and pro-life centers.

According to the Family Research Council's 2024 Hostility Against Churches report, there were 915 acts of hostility against American churches, such as vandalism, arson, gun-related incidents, and bomb threats, between 2018 and 2023. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) noted during a hearing in December that the Biden administration did not appear particularly concerned about such anti-Christian attacks.

Extra to the Biden administration's imbalanced application of the law, Trump highlighted in his order:

  • the Biden FBI's characterization of conservative Catholics as potential domestic terrorists and proposal to infiltrate Catholic churches as "threat mitigation";
  • the Biden Department of Education's efforts to rescind religious-liberty protections for religious student groups;
  • the Biden Equal Employment Opportunity Commission attempt to force Christians to pay for employees' sex-change mutilations;
  • the Biden Department of Health and Human Servicesattempt to effectively bar Christian providers who hold biblical and scientifically grounded views about sex and marriage from the foster-care system; and
  • the Biden administration's official proclamation honoring a "Transgender Day of Visibility" on Easter Sunday.

"My Administration will not tolerate anti-Christian weaponization of government or unlawful conduct targeting Christians," wrote Trump. "The law protects the freedom of Americans and groups of Americans to practice their faith in peace, and my Administration will enforce the law and protect these freedoms. My Administration will ensure that any unlawful and improper conduct, policies, or practices that target Christians are identified, terminated, and rectified."

Trump has tasked Attorney General Bondi with forming and chairing the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, which will engage in a systematic review of the activities of all executive departments and agencies and "identify any unlawful anti-Christian policies, practices, or conduct by an agency contrary to the purpose and policy of this order."

The president's order calls for the revocation or termination of all violative policies or practices, as well as for the task force to "identify deficiencies in existing laws and enforcement and regulatory practices that have contributed to unlawful anti-Christian governmental or private conduct."

Rachel Laser, the CEO of the left-leaning advocacy group Americans United for Separation of Church and State, condemned Trump's initiative to stop anti-Christian bias, stating, "This task force will misuse religious freedom to justify bigotry, discrimination, and the subversion of our civil rights laws. We've seen Christian Nationalists do this already, turning the sacred concept of religious freedom on its head and into a license to harm others."

'All Americans should be free to exercise their faith without government intrusion.'

Laser suggested further that the effort to protect Christians, who make up an estimated 68% of the American population, is "part of the Christian Nationalist crusade to remake our country."

USA Today columnist Chris Brennan suggested that Trump's suggestion that Biden and the Democratic Party harbored an anti-Christian bias was a lie, stating he was trying to frame "the faithful [as] faithless oppressors of religion."

Unsurprisingly, the Freedom from Religion Foundation similarly expressed outrage, stating, "Christianity is not under attack in this country — if anything, it enjoys overwhelming privilege. We stand ready to fight back against this attack on our secular democracy and the rights of non-Christians."

Whereas various groups that reflexively antagonize Christians condemned the order, conservatives and Christian organizations alternatively expressed their delight.

National Religious Broadcasters, an association of evangelical communicators, thanked Trump for his "leadership on this issue."

Kelly Shackelford, the CEO of the First Liberty Institute, said in a statement, "We are thrilled that President Trump recognizes that religious liberty is foundational to all of our Constitutional freedoms and plans to do all he can do to protect our first freedom."

"All Americans should be free to exercise their faith without government intrusion in school, in the military, in the workplace, and in the public square," continued Shackelford. "We are ready to stand with President Trump to ensure that the religious liberty of every American is safe and secure."

At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump also announced the creation of a commission on religious liberty, noting, "If we don't have religious liberty, then we don't have a free country."

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EXCLUSIVE: White House Lays Out Policy Priorities For New Faith Office

'People of faith will have a seat at the table'

Without a Prayer: Dem Rep Leads Protest Against 'MAGA' Over Bipartisan Prayer Breakfast

Democratic congressman Jared Huffman (Calif.) on Thursday protested the National Prayer Breakfast, accusing President Donald Trump and "MAGA Republicans" of violating the First Amendment to advance a "dystopic, authoritarian agenda." The breakfast, an annual bipartisan event since 1953, is chaired by former senator Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), a Democrat.

The post Without a Prayer: Dem Rep Leads Protest Against 'MAGA' Over Bipartisan Prayer Breakfast appeared first on .

Dem Claims ‘Christian Prayer’ Should Not Be Allowed In Capitol, Protests National Prayer Breakfast

'Creepy dystopic theocracy'

Trump remarks on the importance of faith: 'Let's bring God back into our lives'



President Donald Trump delivered hopeful remarks during his Thursday speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, a decades-long bipartisan tradition, with Washington's most prominent politicos in attendance.

During the speech, Trump spoke about reigniting religion in America, reminding attendees of the Christian foundation our country was built upon.

'People of religion are going to be happy again. And I really believe you can't be happy without religion, without that belief.'

"America is, and will always be, one nation under God," Trump said. "At every stage of the American story, our country has drawn hope and courage and inspiration from our trust in the Almighty," Trump added. "Deep in the soul of every patriot is the knowledge that God has a special plan and a glorious mission for America."

"It's His hand that guides us every single step of the way," Trump continued.

"And the things we have to do is to see the defining role that faith and prayer played in the life of our nation."

Trump reassured Christians nationwide during his speech that he will work to reinvigorate religion in America. In the first weeks of his presidency, Trump has already signed executive orders ending the weaponization of government against American Christians and has pardoned pro-life protesters who were targeted by President Joe Biden's administration.

"People of religion are going to be happy again," Trump said. "And I really believe you can't be happy without religion, without that belief. I really believe that. I just don't see how you can be."

"So, let's bring religion back," Trump continued. "Let's bring God back into our lives."

Since Trump has taken office, faith has become a focal point in many of his speeches. During his inaugural address, Trump notably attributed his historic re-election to divine intervention.

"Those who wish to stop our cause have tried to take my freedom and, indeed, to take my life," Trump said during the speech. "Just a few months ago, in a beautiful Pennsylvania field, an assassin's bullet ripped through my ear, but I felt then, and believe even more so now, that my life was saved for a reason."

"I was saved by God to make America great again," Trump said.

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Why It’s Absolutely Christian To Swiftly Deport All Illegal Migrants

To be un-Christian, deportation would have to be unjust, unmerciful, or both — and none of those are the case.