Rick Warren's confident appeal

Rick Warren obviously has confidence in the Saddleback Community Church congregation to whom he appealed, with sound expectation of success, for $900,000 to make up for a Christmas shortfall.

LBGT community mockery and progressive critiques both overlook the collective strength evident in the letter's frank appeal, with its notable lack of histrionics.

Warren is addressing a well-educated audience which, hard times and all, has members with wherewithal.

As he and they both know. The Orange County Register reports:

Members of Saddleback Church say they expect the congregation to respond with a big "Amen" and cash to Pastor Rick Warren's appeal for $900,000 by New Year's Eve.

"This is a great opportunity for God to express himself," said Jim Walls, from Trabuco Canyon, who received the news after coming home from a ski trip. "It's a great opportunity for the church to honor God. It's a great opportunity to raise the points of faith that our shepherd Rick Warren lives."

Warren's willingness to make a frank, public appeal into the face of what he knew would be a firestorm from his critics simply underlines his confidence in his parishioners. And the lack of push-back from the Saddleback pews demonstrates theirs in him.