By SWR Ministries.
How Can You Tell?
In the past ten years a large percentage of churches in America, and in other countries,have changed from a traditional New Testament church model to a contemporary Purpose Driven model, many with sorrowful results. Contrary to Purpose Driven Church proponents, millions have been leaving their churches after the change occurred. It is important that every church member know if their church is targeted for a Purpose Driven Church takeover. Initially, a small clique of church staff, possibly including the pastor or a new pastor,
plans the change without telling the rest of the church membership. Church Transitions, an associate of Saddleback Church in California, trains the clique initiating the change in eight published steps. The church membership is not to be informed of the transition until
the fourth step. After the sixth step in the process of change, if there are some in the church who voice concerns, the following is suggested:1. Identify those who are resisting the changes;
2. Assess the effectiveness of their opposition;
3. Befriend those who are undecided about the changes;
4. Marginalize more persistent resisters;
5. Vilify those who stay and fight;
6. Establish new rules that will silence all resistance.
This means the church membership is not told until it is too late to make a difference.
In other words the members either accept the changes, or leave the church, which
they may have served and given to build. Dr. Rick Warren, author of The Purpose
Driven Church and The Purpose Driven Life has stated: “When you reveal the vision to the church, the old pillars are going to leave. But let them leave . . . they only hold things up.”Dr. Warren is right in one way. It is the senior members of the church who do indeed hold a church up and keep it from falling into apostasy. While some PDC initiators may not implement the full PDC format, generally these are the signs indicating that your church may be targeted for a Purpose Driven Church format:
1. Change in music to a contemporary rock style.
2. Removal of hymn books; eliminating the choir.
3. Replacement of organ and piano with heavy metal instruments.
4. Repetitive singing of praise lyrics.
5. Dressing down to casual attire.
6. Eliminating of business meetings, church committees, council of elders, board of deacons, etc.
7. The pastor, or a new leader with a few assistants, usually four, takes charge
of all church business.
8. A repetitive 40–day Purpose Driven Church study program stressing psychological
relationships with each other, the community, or the world, begins.
9. Funded budgeted programs are abandoned, or ignored, with ambiguous financial
reports made.
10. Sunday morning, evening, and/ or Wednesday prayer meetings are changed to other times; some may even be eliminated.
11. Sunday School teachers are moved to different classes, or replaced by new
teachers more sympathetic with the changes being implemented.
12. The name “Sunday school” is dropped and classes are given new names.
13. Crosses and other traditional Christian symbols may be moved from both the inside and outside of the church building. The pulpit may also be removed.
14. In accordance with Dr. Warren’s instructions, new version Bibles are used; or only verses flashed on a screen are referenced during regular services.
15. Purpose Driven Church films, purchased from Saddleback, precede or
are used during regular services.
16. The décor, including the carpets, may be changed to eliminate any resemblance
to the former church.
17. The word “church” is often taken from the name of the church, and the church may be called a “campus.” Denominational names may also be removed.
18. An emphasis on more fun and party sessions for the youth.
19. Elimination of altar calls or salvation invitations at the close of the services.
20. The elimination of such words as “unsaved,” “lost,” “sin,” “Hell,” “Heaven,”
and other gospel verities from the pastor’s messages.
21. The reclassification of the saved and lost to the “churched” and “unchurched.”
22. The marginalizing, or ostracizing, of all who are not avid promoters of the
new Purpose Driven program.
23. Closed meetings between the pastor or chosen staff members without any
reports made to the general membership.
24. Open hostility to members who do not openly embrace the new program, or who may have left for another church.
What You Can Do
If your church is in the initial stages of change (music or the first 40–day program), your church could be saved by talking to other church members, and with activist intervention by 10–20 percent of the membership. If nothing is done at this early stage, then by the time the program advances to step four, there is little that can be done except look for another church. Your church has become a Purpose Driven entity in association with Saddleback Church of Orange County or Willow Creek of Chicago. You must educate yourself, and others, so that you can mobilize the membership to effectively resist. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7).
Dr. Warren in his world peace plan has stated intentions of sending one billion
Christians into the world to eliminate human problems. The number one characteristic of a cult is a messianic, charismatic Leader.
Purpose Driven Church books are published by Zondervan, one of Rupert Murdoch’s many properties, including 175 newspapers and international television and satellite communications, including in China. Various reports indicate he is building his third wife, Windi Deng, a 22,000–foot mansion in the Forbidden City in Beijing.
Dr. Warren stated on May 23, 2005, at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: “The word ‘fundamentalist’ actually comes from a document in the 1920s called the Five Fundamentals of the Faith. And it is a very legalistic, narrow view of Christianity.”
The five fundamentals of the faith to which Dr. Warren objected are:
1. The inerrancy and full authority of the
Bible
2. The virgin birth and full Deity of Jesus
Christ
3. The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead
4. Christ’s atoning, vicarious death for the sins of the world
5. The literal second coming of Jesus Christ
Are we to believe that Christians who hold to these basic foundational doctrines
of the Christian faith are narrow and legalistic? According to the New
Testament definition, those who believe otherwise are not Christians.
To start a Purpose Driven Church or change to one with the full knowledge and consent of the membership is one thing, but to practically steal a church from Christians who have given and served to build it without their knowledge or consent is quite another.Don’t be fooled by the Saddleback website.
You don’t catch many fish unless you have a look-alike bait!Additional copies may be obtained from:
Southwest Radio Ministries,
Box 100, Bethany, OK 73008
1-800-652-1144
http://www.swrc.com
25 for $10 – 100 for $20
For more in-depth information:
The Dark Side
of the Purpose Driven
Church
by N. W. Hutchings
1 copy for your gift of $15
this seems to be a very narrowminded approach to what rick warren had to say in his book and the approach he thinks is most effective in reaching those around us in our communities.
Hi Tyler,
Thanks for your comments.
Here is Rom 12:2 (Philips Translation)
“Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.”
The command from Lord Jesus is to change the world not to let ourselves be fashioned according to it’s style & demands.The methods adopted by the Mega Church Pastors/Preachers like Rick Warren is to change the church to match the systems of this world.It is totally against the teachings of the Word.
“These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.” Acts 17:6
Instead of turning the world upside down we are approving & adopting their standards & ways for the Church.
“Others you must try to save by fear, snatching them as it were out of the fire while hating the very garments their deeds have befouled.” Jude 1:23
“20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not {come to} know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” 1 Cor 1:20,21.
Also it is not that my mind is narrow , the Truth is that the way is Narrow . Jesus said in Mathew 7:13,14
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
So let us speak the Truth to the World as peter did 2000 years ago.
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Regards.
EChristian
So where do you draw the line? We could dress like mormons so everyone knows we are coming from a mile away or we could dress like Jesus did, that way we wouldn’t change from the way the Bible dressed. We could do church with no speakers so only a few can hear the message. None of these seems adequate. We aren’t to have the world change our relationship with God, but every apostle changed his message was presented when they went to a new place. Paul wouldn’t have had to same things at Corinthians as he did in Athens. It was a completely different group. The word fundamentalist means “to not listen.” This is exactly what Rick Warren said on the Stephen Colbert Show. He reached an entirely different audience than those who go to his church by going on that show. We detract from our faith by not listening and that is exactly what you are doing by denouncing a great Christian leader. People need to hear the good news and see it in action in us. We can’t do this from our church bubble.
Hi Tyler,
I quote below Pastor Spurgeon & Dr.Harry Ironside which describes clearly the characteristics of the Emerging Church Movement & the methods adopted by Rick Warren & others.
C.H. Spurgeon:
‘This age of novelties would seem to have discovered spiritual power in brass bands and tambourines….The tendency of the time is towards bigness, parade, and show of power….Jesus said ‘Preach the gospel to every creature.’ But men are getting tired of the divine plan; they are going to be saved by the priest…by the music…by theatricals….Well, they may try these things…but nothing can ever come of the whole thing but utter disappointment and confusion. God dishonoured, the gospel travestied, hypocrites manufactured by the thousands, and the church dragged down to the level of the world.’
H.A. Ironside:
The Church of God has gone into the entertainment business! People must be amused, and as the church needs the people’s money, the church must supply the demand and meet the craving! How else are godless hypocrites to be held together? So the picture show and entertainment… take the place of the gospel address and the solemn worship of God. And, thus, Christ less souls are lulled to sleep and made to feel ‘religious’ while gratifying every carnal desire under the sanction of the sham called the church! And the end? What an awakening [in eternity]!
We have seen the result of building the Tower of Babel in Genesis.
Regards.
eChristian.
you’re telling me that you don’t think rick warren or the emerging church preach the gospel?
i don’t know anyone who would agree with you and i hope God shows you the many ways that He can reach people while using us.
ps. rick warren is not an emerging church guy.
Hi Tyler,
I have posted a new post titled “Calvary Church & Purpose Driven” which throws more light on the errors of Pastor Rick Warren. Based on the feed back ,I believe you have a real burden to reach the world for Jesus.I praise God for that.
Regards.
eChristian.
Dear eChristian,
thank you for this article. My family & I have just left a local baptist church that is fast becoming PD. We personally identify with the steps you list above & confirm that indeed many churches here in Australia are also trusting in man driven programs.
Our blessing through this experience is that my wife & I are actually reading the Bible & are beginning to see again more clearly the magnificence of our Lord Jesus. Praise Him.
regards,
Victor
Dear Victor,
Thanks for sharing your experience with PD here .
You can find lots of good materials in the following web site.
http://ebcwa.110mb.com/
Regards.
Amen. This is so true. How on earth can you call yourself a follower of Christ if you don’t believe He was born of a virgin and rose from the dead and died for our sins? What ‘christ’ is left to follow and have faith in?
Preach it!
Glad to know that you allow discussion and divergent views.
People, read about Rick Warren’s church before you jump on that bandwagon.
http://www.saddleback.com/aboutsaddleback/whatwebelieve/index.html
I would like to know what you disagree with on this page?