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Life is all about JESUS What is life all about? Ahh...my life is all about JESUS. My life it to have intimate relationship with Him. To know His will for me and to live for Him. I long to have deeper walk with Him and i am not satisfied with the present situation and my walk with Him. I know great peace and joy come when we build up a personal strong relationship with him. To love Him and to worship truely from the bottom of our heart, from a sincere and pure heart. That's what i want to do. To live is JESUS. Not easy huh... But practice make progress. Practice till we final return to Him. I long to hear He said to me that 'well done, '. I am reading a book which title is 'The Purpose Driven Life'. The author of this book is Rick Warreb. This book helps me to find out the root of the problems that i encounter in my life. The book help me to find in what areas i am not doing good and weak. We always complain and grumbling when the things we did turn out to be in the way we are not expected.When the efforts we put-in in doing what is good and it seems go vain.We trend to feel angry, mad, distress, disappointed, vulnerable, grieve etc, until a stage that we felt like to give up and walk away and not to bother. Why we feel this way? It is because we draw our focus away from God for every good deeds we do. When we based on what we see, we often feel uneasy and awful when none seems to appreciate what we did. I have been through that stage and i am learning about what truth.I want to focus on GOD in everything I do. I know GOD will never ignore our every little effort in doing good and His will. He takes a record for it. He pay attention to the intention and the motive we do it.He will reward when He return. I find the strength and courage to what is right despite of the possible result and outcome. I find less grumbling and less angry when i am doing all these for GOD. He promises He see and He will reward. I am far from perfect. But to do everything and to live our everyday as it is for GOD brings great joy to GOD. God is with us even when we ignore His existance. He is right beside us even we cannot see.He hears our cries. He hears our grieve. When no one care, there is always GOD. He always care. He is always there with us. He know our anxieties. He know the deepest desire of our heart. He will satisfy the deepest belongings and desires of our heart when we invite Him for intimate friendship and fellowship with HIM. It is not an easy lesson. But it worth trying and it worth our life to learn these lesson. I am learning about this truth. GOD please help me up. Lord, I longs for the relationship that David, Jacob,Abraham and Paul had with You. I want to find the greatest joy in this life and the only way to have such joy can only find when i go deeper in my friendship and fellowship with You.It is not easy but keep me stay alert in this area. Nothing is important compare to You. Everything is all about You. I loves God because He unmeasurable love for me. I am so dear to Him that He send JESUS to die on my behalf. He is the reason i live. I want to learn and practice all my life. Help me! Help me to love You more. Help me in my walk with You. Hide me in You. I want to put a smile on Your face. To see You smile is a lot better than to see Your wrath. Who can stand for Your wrath. I loves JESUS. JESUS loves me. It is worthy to have HIS love, HIS presence, HIS friendship, His Fellowship, HIS accompanionship for this life to the life to come. I miss You, Lord. I am looking foward of Your coming. Your wills for me be done that's what i long for. hahaha... cool to have GOD!!!! 
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amen and thanks for sharing, cheers May the Lord bless you and keep you
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9/12/2006 8:01 am |
what a beautiful post 
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9/12/2006 8:06 am |
you should avoid the Purpose Driven life....go to Let Us Reason Ministries and you will see why. You can go to Light House trails research and you will find out why too. Rick Warren is into humanism and New Age practices. Bad News.The Purpose Driven Churches have been ruining fellowships all over the world. Deceived On Purpose by Warren Smith: A Book Review An online news service article written by Vicki Cessna of Religion News Service, describes Rick Warren's book, The Purpose-Driven® Life, with this headline: "THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN® LIFE AUTHOR RICK WARREN EMBARKS ON A CELEBRATION TOUR: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER HITS 18.9 MILLION MARK AT TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY." The reporter goes on to say: The Purpose-Driven Life is the bestselling hardback nonfiction book in history and has been a mainstay on numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today, Publishers Weekly and The New York Times, where it has remained for more than 87 consecutive weeks, hitting the No.1 spot over 20 times. It has been named Book of the Year twice, in both 2003 and 2004, by the Christian Booksellers Association. New Man magazine readers voted it Book of the Decade. Warren is well known as a spiritual and social entrepreneur. Peter Drucker has called him "the inventor of perpetual revival," and Forbes magazine has written, "If Warren's church was a business it would be compared with Dell, Google or Starbucks." These are glowing praises for probably the most successful author, pastor and teacher in Christian circles today. Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and is best know for his leadership in the Church Growth Movement today. His books, The Purpose-Driven® Church and the more popular The Purpose-Driven® Life, have been embraced by millions of readers and hundreds of thousands of churches as the most popular church growth plan currently available, especially within the evangelical ranks. With all of the praises of men being poured out upon Rick Warren and Purpose-Driven programs, and all of the seemingly good that has resulted, something about his teachings and the methods he uses raise some serious questions that many need to have answered. With at least 300,000 pastors already having taken the Purpose-Driven seminars, from many different countries, there are major concerns that need to be addressed regarding the future of millions of church-goers throughout the world. Not everyone who has experienced the Purpose-Driven® phenomenon thinks that Rick Warren's approach to church growth is Biblical in all that it purports. Warren Smith, author of The Light that was Dark and Reinventing Jesus Christ: The New Gospel, has written a new book, Deceived On Purpose, The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church. In it, he examines carefully the connections of Rick Warren and his Purpose-Driven programs to the New Age teachings of Robert Schuller, pastor and teacher of Crystal Cathedral of Garden Grove, California. He has successfully documented the trail linking Rick Warren and his Purpose-Driven programs to New Age practices such as The Course In Miracles and New Age leaders Dr. Bernie S. Seigel, Gerald G. Jampolsky and Neale Donald Walsh, through the mentoring relationship of Robert Schuller. As you read his book you will see the source behind the image, looking beyond the fruit and seeing the root of the tree; for if the root of the tree is rotten then so is the fruit. If you didn't have a clear understanding of the New Age or the "New Spirituality" that is quickly infecting the Church today, this book reveals the heart and mind of our adversary, Satan, whose plan is to ensnare and capture us in his web of deception. The way to do this is to convince us ever so slowly, without anyone noticing, that God rules everything and is everywhere and in everything, a clearly pantheistic view that God is everything and everything is God, including us. This is the basis of the "New Spirituality" given to us by the New Age gods. If Robert Schuller has been and is a proponent of this "New Spirituality" and he has mentored Rick Warren over many years, then is what we are seeing in the Purpose-Driven® Life actually an expression of this "New Spirituality?" Warren Smith has provided us with enough credible information to seriously consider this as a possibility. Is this really a "great move of God" or is there more to Rick Warren and his plan to impact churches worldwide, than meets the eye? There are the hundreds of thousands of pastors that have taken Rick Warren's courses, but are they prepared for the possibility that what they are experiencing is the "New Spirituality," which is really another Christ, another spirit, another gospel? Because of my former background in New Age Occultism, I was very interested to see how Warren Smith could tie all of this together, through his research and documentation, concerning Rick Warren and his connections to the New Age. When I sat down to begin reading this book, I had a difficult time accomplishing anything else only because I could not put it down, it so held my attention. Warren Smith has taken on a noble task and he is definitely fighting an uphill battle against overwhelming pressures to go along with the popular crowd. I am glad to see men like him take a Biblical stand against the popular teaching of the day, especially given the fact that we can see the underlying source of this Church Growth Movement. I highly recommend to anyone who is interested in discovering what is behind this "New Spirituality" and is concerned with discerning the truth, please read this book and see for yourself. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1
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9/12/2006 8:17 am |
"There are some really good things and points that Rick Warren brings out. But they always seems to be mixed with so many confusing and theologically weak points that you go crazy trying to keep it all straight. You will read a great point and then he'll throw in a quote from Mother Theresa or Aldous Huxley and your mind reels. There's a push to paint God as a smiley face in the sky - but you have to ignore His justice and anger! Plus, when you are the only 'naysayers' in a group it gets old - especially when no one else seems to have anything but praise for the book." David, a visitor to our website. "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things...." 2 Timothy 4:1-5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our website began to receive requests for information about The Purpose Driven Life last year. So Andy and I bought the book, read it quickly and were troubled by some of its claims, promises and paraphrased "Bible" references. But we also found many true and encouraging pages. Since we didn't want to criticize Rick Warren or confuse those who apparently were helped by his book, we left it on the shelf. By this fall, Rick Warren's manual on the Christian life had become the topic of discussion in churches around the world. The letters from concerned visitors multiplied. After reading the book again, we could no longer ignore its subtle distortions, its half-truths, its conflicting messages or its pragmatic permissiveness: if it works (i.e. brings people into the church), it's okay! "God loves variety!"[2] Nor could we accept Pastor Warren's "rules for growth" which tells us to "never criticize what God is blessing."[3] Implying that church growth and changed lives prove God's delight in our human methods, it cancels His call to "be on guard" and to discern deception. Some may say, "don't touch God's anointed," but we don't believe any leader is so "anointed" that his teaching is beyond Biblical accountability. While only God can judge the heart of a person, we are called to help each other follow His guidelines, not be driven by today's new management systems. [see Driven or Led?] Praying that God would guide us, we began our response with the following background information. As most of you know, Rick Warren, the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California, has been leading the way and breaking new ground in today's Church Growth Movement. With over 50,000 names on his church roll, he models the success of the church management process he outlined in his earlier book, The Purpose-Driven Church. He also founded "a global Internet community that serves and mentors those in ministry worldwide." This website tells us that "over 60,000 pastors subscribe to Rick Warren's Ministry Toolbox, a free weekly email newsletter."[4] Then it summarizes his ministry: "Rick Warren is well known as the pioneer of The Purpose-Driven Church paradigm for church health. More than 250,000 pastors and church leaders from over 125 countries have attended Purpose-Driven Church seminars in 18 languages. Peter Drucker calls him 'the inventor of perpetual revival.' Rick's previous book, The Purpose-Driven Church, has sold over a million copies in 20 languages. Winner of the Gold Medallion Ministry Book of the Year, it is used as a textbook in most seminaries, and was selected as one of the 100 Christian Books That Changed the 20th Century."[4] Notice the reference to Peter Drucker. What this legendary management guru began teaching large corporations decades ago has now been applied to God's churches as well as to communities and governments around the world. Since the new methods seemed to "work" equally well for churches as for corporations -- and since the measured results offer statistical "proof" of "success" -- pastors from countless nations have embraced and implemented Drucker's marketing approach to "doing church." In a 2002 article in Business Week titled "Peter Drucker's Search for Community," Ken Witty describes the world view that drives Drucker's plans and purpose: "He brings a communitarian philosophy to his consulting.... He said that what he's all about is this search for community, the search for where people and organizations find community for noneconomic satisfaction.... "A lot of his ideas have become so accepted that it's hard for anyone to understand how original they were at the time he introduced them. It's sort of like Freud and psychoanalysis. Peter was the first, for example, to help managers understand that they had to define their businesses from a customer's perspective."[5] Focusing on the "customer's perspective" brings success. People feel satisfied. They come and they buy. When this process is applied to churches, it works! With polls and surveys, a church can easily uncover the "felt needs" of the unbelievers in the local community -- then target their services to their intended consumers. Pastor Warren learned that lesson early from Robert Schuller -- the "possibility thinker" who called Mikhail Gorbachev a Christian despite the protests of this unrepentant Communist. The people-pleasing methods that worked so well at the Crystal Cathedral would prove just as effective at Saddleback. You might still wonder why pastors would focus on the felt needs of unbelievers rather than the true needs of God's family. Doesn't this strategy turn God's principles upside down? Yes, but it also attracts the spiritual diversity needed for the dialectic process -- the heart of today's transformation in churches as well as in business, education, government and other organizations. Dr. Robert Klenck summarizes it in his report on "The 21st Century Church:" "...in this movement, it is imperative that unbelievers are brought into the church; otherwise, the process of continual change cannot begin. There must be an antithesis (unbelievers) present to oppose the thesis (believers), in order to move towards consensus.(compromise), and move the believers away from their moral absolutism (resistance to change). If all members of the church stand firm on the Word of God, and it’s final authority in all doctrine and tradition, then the church cannot and will not change. This is common faith. Soon, we will see why these “change agents” are pushing so hard for change to occur in the church." Pastor Warren's current tutor in this management process is CMS, a "full-service custom marketing and communications agency head-quartered in Covina, California." It's website shows its mission: "At CMS, we view it as our mission to help our clients grow their businesses. We do this by working with each client identifying opportunities and developing innovative, creative and profitable services which assist them in the execution of effective marketing, sales and communications program.... We are best able to serve clients when they allow us to act as partners.... CMS is made up of a team of talented individuals whose dedication and expertise have earned them a solid reputation for creating results."[6] Shouldn't we credit God, not clever marketing, with "creating results?" After all, the Bible tells us that the "wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." Man's "wise" ways may fit our human purpose, but they clash with God's purpose. [1 Cor 3:19-20; Prov. 3:5-7] While CMS' partners includes secular giants such as Quaker and Isuzu Motors America, it also serves clients such as the City of West Covina, "Purpose Driven Ministries," "Saddleback Valley Community Church," "Smalley Relationship Center" and "Walk Thru the Bible."[7] The latter was founded and led by Bruce Wilkinson, author of the well marketed bestseller, The Prayer of Jabez. Part of CMS' success lies in the surveys, polls and tracking that characterize the 21st Century management systems: "...collecting, organizing and managing data is essential to understanding, evaluating and planning of any successful promotion. That is why we developed our CMS Intelligent Redemption System. It is sophisticated proprietary software that allows us to program and initialize data.... Our purchasing standards and fulfillment procedures build-in tracking and accountability.... CMS Fulfillment Center specializes in direct mail projects, new product introductions, and promotion launches."[8] No wonder curious visitors are flocking to Purpose-Driven churches. Small wonder pastors around the world are watching, listening, ready to follow. This fall, "over 13,000 ministers and students" heard Pastor Warren explain the ways of a purpose-driven church at SuperConference 2003, held at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University. Speaking on 'Attracting a Crowd to Worship,' Warren shared some basic principles behind church growth. He aimed his words at those who were "stuck in the past:" "I believe that one of the major church issues [of the future] will be how we’re going to reach the next generation with our music,' he said, admitting, 'You can make more people mad with music than anything else in church.... "To insist that all good music came from Europe 200 years ago; there’s a name for that - racism.... Encourage members to re-arrange and rewrite. New songs say God is doing something awesome.”[9] Emphasis added Do they? Or might the new songs reflect man's desire to please the crowds? It's all too easy to justify our attempts to meet "felt needs" and demonstrate success. We simply reinvent God's character and will, claiming that our purpose is His purpose. Assuming that He loves the same things we love, we assign Him an image more like our own. But in Psalm 50:21, God warns us against such shortsighted assumptions about God's nature. "You thought that I was altogether like you," He told His people, "but I will rebuke you...." Pastor Warren again claimed divine approval during a "Building a Purpose-Driven Church" seminar held at Saddleback Community Church in January, 1998. Basing church growth strategies on personal wants, not on the guidelines of God's Word, he said, "Now, at Saddleback Church, we are unapologetically contemporary... I passed out a three-by-five card to everybody in the church, and I said, 'You write down the call letters of the radio station you listen to.' I wasn't even asking unbelievers. I was asking the people in the church, 'What kind of music do you listen to?' When I got it back, I didn't have one person who said, 'I listen to organ music.' Not one.... So, we made a strategic decision that we are unapologetically a contemporary music church. And right after we made that decision and stopped trying to please everybody, Saddleback exploded with growth.... "I'll be honest with you, we are loud. We are really, really loud on a weekend service.... I say, 'We're not gonna turn it down.' Now the reason why is baby boomers want to feel the music, not just hear it.... God loves variety!"[2] Does God really love today's cultural "variety?" I doubt that God is pleased when we feed our cravings and strengthen our "need" for emotional stimuli. When ancient Israel became bored with God's Word and embraced a wide variety of cultural and spiritual thrills, God disciplined them severely. He even compared his wayward people with a "wild donkey... that sniffs at the wind in her desire." Jeremiah 2:24 When church leaders use energizing music, emotional stimuli and short, light messages to satisfy the flesh with its "felt needs," they tend to obscure our deeper spiritual needs. Fed a diet of simplified sermons designed to please everyone, both seekers and believers may lose their appetite for the solid Biblical teaching which -- by His Spirit -- produces conviction of sin, genuine repentance, actual regeneration, true spiritual renewal and the continual joy of walking with Jesus. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Widening the gate to the Kingdom The phenomenal success of Rick Warren's books and marketing skills has both popularized and accelerated the Church Growth Movement (CGM). Around the world, seekers and believers are reading The Purpose Driven Life and discussing its 40 chapters. Following its guidelines, they share their thoughts, express their feelings and "bounce ideas off each other." [1, page 11] They sign contracts and hold each other accountable to the social and spiritual ideals of the 21st Century Church community. And, says Pastor Warren, their lives are being transformed. [see note: transformation] I am sure many are. Pastor Warren has written some encouraging pages about God, His glory, our walk with Him and our fellowship with one another. I especially appreciate the sections that show the delight of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. But I was a little concerned when he invited all his readers to "quietly whisper the prayer that will change your eternity: 'Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you.'"[1, page 58] You might ask, what could possibly be wrong with that short prayer? Why question his promise that it would open the gate to God's Kingdom and "change... eternity" for all who prayed? Don't we want to bring as many as possible into God's eternity? Yes, of course we do! And God could surely use those nine words to draw His chosen ones to Himself. But the promises and assumptions that accompany the prayer could also produce serious problems in the church. For many will pray the prayer with little or no awareness of the holy nature of God, of the unholy power of sin, or of the deep chasm between the two. In our times of easy believism and Biblical illiteracy, anyone can personalize and claim God's promises without any prompting by the Spirit, genuine conversion (spiritual rebirth) or lasting inner change. Where people learn to tolerate evil and flow with the crowd, true repentance is rare and faith often becomes presumption. Still unregenerate, many happily accept the group's consensus: You prayed the prayer, therefore you must be a Christian. Pastor Warren agrees. "If you sincerely meant that prayer, congratulations!" he tells the reader. "Welcome to the family of God! You are now ready to discover and start living God's purpose for your life! [1, page 59] Thousands of small groups using Saddleback's study guide and Teaching Video for the 40 Days of Purpose are led in a slightly longer prayer. They hear Pastor Warren speak these words: "Do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ? If you aren't sure of this, I'd like the privilege of leading you in a prayer to settle the issue. Let's bow our heads. I'm going to pray a prayer and you can follow it silently in your mind: 'Dear God, I want to know Your purpose for my life. I don't want to waste the rest of my life on the wrong things. Today I want to take the first step in preparing for eternity by getting to know You. Jesus Christ, I don't understand it all, but as much as I know how, I want to open my life to You. I ask you to come into my life and make yourself real to me. Use this series to help me know what You made me for. Thank you. Amen.' "If you just prayed that prayer for the very first time, I congratulate you. You've just become a part of the family of God." Is this a response to the gospel? Where is repentance, acknowledgement of need, or confession of personal sin? Where is the cross? The Bible tells us that saving "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." [Romans 10:17-18] But none of the Scriptures that show the gospel are mentioned in this first lesson. Biblically illiterate friends and neighbors who join the group would pray this prayer without any real knowledge of the cross, of the Savior, or of God's view of sin. In fact, the meaning of salvation isn't included in the first lesson. And if it had been there, the context of the lesson would suggest that we are merely saved from a purposeless life -- not from bondage to sin. For the first lesson deals with "the consequences of not knowing your purpose" -- not with Jesus Christ. It warns the group that "without knowing your purpose, life will seem TIRESOME... UNFULFILLING... UNCONTROLLABLE." And it repeats the positive (but not particularly Biblical) promise that "knowing the purpose of your life will - "give your life FOCUS." "SIMPLIFY your life." "increase MOTIVATION in your life." "PREPARE YOU FOR ETERNITY." Even so, all who pray the prayer will be affirmed and celebrated as new members of the family of God. But are they? We don't know. Yet, statistics suggest that most people who call themselves Christians have little understanding of the gospel. It's not surprising. Today's "positive" gospel emphasizes love, minimizes doctrine and ignores divine justice. The essential Biblical truths that prepare hearts for genuine conversion no longer fit. A postmodern "believer" may be full of self-confidence but woefully short on spiritual awareness. A recent study by pollster George Barna bears this out: "...relatively few people have a biblical worldview - even among devoutly religious people. The survey discovered that only 9% of born again Christians have such a perspective on life. The numbers were even lower among other religious classifications.... "For the purposes of the research, a biblical worldview was defined as believing that absolute moral truths exist; that such truth is defined by the Bible; and firm belief in six specific religious views. Those views were that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life; God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe and He stills rules it today; salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned; Satan is real; a Christian has a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with other people; and the Bible is accurate in all of its teachings...... "Upon comparing the perspectives of those who have a biblical worldview with those who do not, the former group were 31 times less likely to accept cohabitation; 18 times less likely to endorse drunkenness; 15 times less likely to condone gay sex; 12 times less likely to accept profanity; and 11 times less likely to describe adultery as morally acceptable. In addition, less than one-half of one percent of those with a biblical worldview said voluntary exposure to pornography was morally acceptable (compared to 39% of other adults), and a similarly miniscule proportion endorsed abortion (compared to 46% of adults who lack a biblical worldview).[10] "At least Christians are not the only ones addled by their culture into holding contradictory beliefs," writes Gene Edward Veith. "Atheists are just as confused about their theology. ... They believe that accepting Christ can bring eternal life, even though they don't believe in Jesus Christ. Just like 'nonevangelical born-agains.'"[11] But they're all coming together under the worldwide ecumenical umbrella of the Church Growth Movement. As I wrote in Re-Inventing the Church, the 21st century vision of global oneness is drawing diverse churches and people into vast "Christian" networks that provide trained leadership and management consultants. Rick Warren's communitarian management guru, Peter Drucker, described it well. Quoting him in a 1994 report, the "Leadership Network" wrote, "The Spirit is moving.... there is a substantial critical mass of people and churches that are already moving.' ... While acknowledging that there are still many unhealthy churches [those that don't conform to the new, inclusive pattern], there is a justified 'change in basic premises, basic attitudes, basic mindset... on the whole, we are on the march...."[12] [emphasis added] As you saw earlier, this diversity is essential to the mind-changing dialectic process that Drucker has helped establish in organizations everywhere. (We will take a closer look at it in Part 7 of this series) Remember Robert Klenck's words: "...in this movement, it is imperative that unbelievers are brought into the church; otherwise, the process of continual change cannot begin. There must be an antithesis (unbelievers) present to oppose the thesis (believers), in order to move towards consensus. (compromise), and move the believers away from their moral absolutism (resistance to change)." If the church member continues to resist change, they may be asked to leave. Many concerned and uncompromising Christians can testify to the pain of being expelled under the banner of "church discipline." Unlike some church leaders today, Pastor Warren does try to define sin. Before introducing his salvation prayer, he wrote, "All sin, at its root, is failing to give God glory. It is loving anything else more than God. Refusing to bring glory to God is prideful rebellion, and it is the sin that caused Satan's fall--and ours, too. In different ways we all lived for our own glory, not God's. The Bible says, 'All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." [1, page 55] That's true. But this general sin which applies to all of humanity will hardly cause postmodern unbelievers to sense any genuine guilt or a personal need for the cross. Unlike former generations of Americans, few have been taught the basic truths about our Biblical God and His moral standards.[14] Many simply dismiss the notion of "sin" as old-fashioned legalism and shut their eyes to its corrupting power in their own lives. When faced with today's non-offensive teaching on sin, many translate it into a more comfortable half truth: "Sin is a normal part of life, and I'm just as good as everyone else -- maybe a little better. Besides, God understands and loves me as I am."[15] In other words, there's no sense of guilt, fear or brokenness before our eternal Judge! Like ancient Israel, "They were not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush." Jeremiah 6:13-15 In contrast to this postmodern norm, Jesus shows us a heartfelt response that pleases Him. While dining at the home of the self-satisfied Simon, He explains the blessing of a truly repentant heart: "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Luke 7:37-47 This precious woman was familiar with God's moral law -- what the Bible describes as "our tutor to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith." [Gal 3:25] While that uncompromising law [14] exposed her guilt and depravity, it also caused her to treasure God's wonderful forgiving grace with all her heart. Unlike those who ignore God's standard and their own sinful inclinations, she was overwhelmed with gratitude to the One who forgave her sin and set her free from the weight of the law and from bondage to her "flesh" (sinful human nature). God had prepared her heart and she humbly gave herself to her beloved Lord -- heart, mind and soul. Jesus, in turn, held her up as an example to others. Her response to God's loving mercy illustrates the fourth category in Jesus' parable of the sower. Remember, the sower (God) scatters the seed (the "word of the kingdom") which fall into four types of soil (or heart conditions): Type 1. By the wayside: The person "hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart." Type 2. On stony ground: "he hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles." Type 3. Among thorns: "he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful." The gospel of Luke adds "the desires for other things." Type 4. On good ground: "he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” Matthew 13:20-23 All four hear the life-giving word of truth, but only two receive it. Both the second and the fourth appear to have entered into the Kingdom, but only the fourth proves faithful and wins the prize: God's gracious sufficiency and His abundant fruitfulness. Only the last group "understands" God's Word, demonstrates His enduring strength and knows the hope of eternal life with Christ. Those gifts are only given to those who are truly "born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:13 This saving faith will be tested. New believers will face struggles, temptation, suffering and persecution -- all normal for those who are called to share in the suffering of Christ. They will fall, fail, grieve and repent, but they will always return to the One whose Word and Spirit have transformed their hearts. In contrast, others will leave this narrow way when life gets tough or the world too tempting -- not because God has revoked His saving grace, but because they were not truly changed in the first place. Look at the next Scripture: "And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight– if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast...." Col 1:21-23 Pastor Warren seems to minimize the sobering reality behind God's warnings and inflate God's promises. To back his assertion that all who pray his prayer are automatically transformed by the Holy Spirit, he quotes a phrase from a "Scripture" from The Message, a paraphrased Bible translation by Eugene Peterson that promises, "Whoever accepts and trust the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever!" [John 3:36a] The chart below shows the whole verse in the three standard translations (the second half is italicized): KJV NKJV NIV Message "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36 "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” John 3:36 "Whoever accepts and trust the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever!" [John 3:36a] [1, page 58] Do you wonder what the open-ended phrase, "gets in on everything," means? Written in "present tense," it could mean just about anything someone might imagine. To contemporary seekers who think they know God, it could imply an exciting and irresistible heavenly life here on earth -- a blissful offer that few would reject. But when you compare that version of John 3:36 with any standard translation, you find that Mr. Peterson had added that alluring phrase in spite of God's repeated command not to add to -- or delete from -- His unchanging, Spirit-breathed Word. [16] The result is another misleading half-truth that obscures the fact that walking with Jesus means sharing His suffering. We forget that some of God's most faithful servants have faced poverty, hardships and torture that defy our comfort-centered Western comprehension, yet they endured the pain for the greater joy of serving their beloved King now and forever. Pastor Warren starts the next chapter (  in his book with this feel-good assurance for all who prayed the prayer: "The moment you were born into the world, God was there as an unseen witness, smiling at your birth.... You are a child of God and you bring pleasure to God like nothing else he has ever created." [1, page 63] This "positive" gospel will surely meet man's "felt need" for affirmation, identity and a sense of belonging. The masses are more than willing to believe in this new tolerant, non-judging God who fits their postmodern culture. But God doesn't promise to make us comfortable and pamper our feelings. While He does promise the resources needed to meet each day's challenges, some of those spiritual resources have little to do with today's "felt needs." Instead His path for us may be lonely and rough, full of steep climbs and "impossible" challenges. Yet, as we persevere in faith, we will hear His sweet voice whispering, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness." [2 Cor 12:9] Did you hear that? God will use our weakness, not our strengths! No need for management consultants and surveys that measure our natural abilities in order to discover our spiritual gifts [1, page 57] and God's purpose for us! The Shepherd will lead us along His chosen ways, narrow and winding paths that may differ radically from our human plans and purposes! But those who have not yet been "crucified with Christ" and filled with the Holy Spirit will neither hear the Shepherd nor "comprehend the Scriptures."[17]. That's one of the reasons why today's spiritual diversity demands simplified Bibles that have been paraphrased, reinterpreted and made appealing to the natural mind. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Softening God's Word Unregenerate "believers" who love the ways of the world will want a church that fits that world. To make them feel at home -- and to satisfy curious seekers -- the church must now re-invent itself. Since no one can really understand God's truth unless the Holy Spirit reveals it to their hearts [see 1 Cor 2:9-16], God's Word must be simplified so that everyone -- Christian or not -- can relate to it. It's not surprising that Pastor Warren quotes passages from The Message (a paraphrased "version" of the Bible by Eugene Peterson) over ninety times. Many of those simplified passages alter both the words and the meaning of the Scriptures. But they fit the points Pastor Warren is trying to make. So do other paraphrased Bibles that he uses. Please compare Today's English Version's interpretation of Isaiah 26:3 with the corresponding passages in three generally accepted Bible translations: the King James Version (KJV), the New King James Version (NKJV) and the New International Version (NIV). While I don't personally use the NIV, the three translations illustrate the gap between standard translations and modern paraphrases. Today's English Version's (TEV) seems to fit Pastor Warren's need here -- perhaps because it uses the word "purpose:" KJV NKJV NIV TEV "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Is 26:3 "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." Is 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." Is 26:3 "You, LORD, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you." Is 26:3 (page 32) "Knowing your purpose focuses your life," he assures us. "It concentrates your effort and energy on what's important. You become effective by being selective."[1, page 32] But the early Hebrew documents promised God's "perfect peace" to those "whose minds were stayed on" Him, not to those who merely "kept their purpose firm." In fact, the main message of Isaiah 26:3 is not an exhortation to "keep their purpose firm." Instead, it tells us to stay continually focused on God Himself. Though He calls us throughout the Bible to trust Him, He only offers His wonderful gift of "perfect peace" to those who will keep Him at the forefront of their minds -- those who "abide" in the Vine and let nothing cling so close to Him that [see note] "One thing I have desired of the Lord," sang David (God's beloved shepherd-king)," that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple." Psalm 27:4 Think about it: Wouldn't God (as He has revealed Himself through His Living Word) be a more reliable focus for our lives? Doesn't His Word suggest we be led by our wonderful Shepherd, not driven by standardized purposes which are now being used around the world to define and assess our spiritual gifts, our spiritual growth, our spiritual devotion, our spiritual fruit and our group fellowship? Pastor Warren encourages us to memorize and meditate on God's Word. But he also suggests that we select Bible verses out of his book which begins and ends with quotes from The Message. On page 325, he explains why: "...we often miss the full impact of familiar Bible verses, not because of poor translating, but simply because they have become so familiar! We think we know what a verse says because we have read it or heard it so many times. Then when we find it quoted in a book, we skim over it and miss the full meaning. Therefore I have deliberately used paraphrases in order to help you see God's truth in new, fresh ways.... [emphasis in the original] "Also, since the verse divisions and number were not included in the Bible until 1560 A.D., I haven't always quoted the entire verse, but rather focused on the phrase that was appropriate. My model for this is Jesus and how he and the apostles quoted the Old Testament. They often just quoted a phrase to make a point." [1, page 325] His first argument doesn't match reality. Those who are truly "born again" treasure God's Word as it is written. The more familiar it becomes, the more precious it is! He brings the words we have "hidden in our heart" to our awareness day and night as we need it for comfort, strength and joy in Him. "Your words were found, and I ate them," said Jeremiah, "and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O Lord..." Jeremiah 15:16 Second, are we free to attribute the authority of the actual Scriptures to short sound bytes of paraphrased passages in order to validate our own points? Yes, Jesus, who was Himself the Living Word, had the absolute authority to speak His own message as He willed. But we are not God! That's why He warns us repeatedly not to alter or add to His holy Word in any way. "If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book," He tells us in the Book of Revelation ( 22:18-19), "and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life...." Those are strong words. That's why many postmodern leaders consider them intolerant and exclude them from their teaching. But God considers the accuracy of His Word so vital to our walk with Him that He repeated this warning several times throughout the Bible. "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it," He told us through Moses in Deuteronomy 4:1-2. And in Proverbs 30:5-6, He warned: "Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar." Yet, man's incessant quest for "new, fresh ways" has always made us vulnerable to temptation. From the beginning, Satan has offered both pleasure and wisdom to those who would rephrase or revise God's timeless Word -- blending lies with truth that hide the deception. Back in the garden, it led to Eve's disobedience and the alienation of humanity. Through the Middle Ages, it led to horrendous heresies and cruel persecution of those who took their stand on God's unchanging Word. In our times, the rise of pragmatism and postmodernity has led to another round of revisions. And with the postmodern rejection of unchanging absolutes, there is no end in sight. See how The Message has altered the meaning of God's Word in the following passages. Though the first two references are not mentioned in the Purpose Driven Life, their precious familiarity helps us discern the contrast and realize how human additions and deletions distort His truths. The third reference is the last "Bible" verse Pastor Warren quotes in his book. Notice its new tone and attitude: KJV NKJV NIV Message "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." Matt. 6:9 "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name." Matt. 6:9 "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." Matt. 6:9 "Our Father in heaven, reveal who you are." Matt. 6:9 "my Father is greater than I." John 14:28 "My Father is greater than I." John 14:28 “... the Father is greater than I." John 14:28 "The Father is the goal and purpose of my life." John 14:28 "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power...." Rev 4:11 “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power....” Rev 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power...." Rev 4:11 "Worthy, Oh Master! Yes, our God! Take the glory! the honor! the power!..." [1, page 319] "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6 "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6 "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:6 "Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life." [1, page 18] Ponder the last section. To be "carnally minded" means far more than "obsession with self." It involves the spiritual blindness and death of a person who lives and thinks according to his own capricious human nature -- separated from God's grace and Spirit. He may claim to be a Christian, but his finite mind cannot grasp God's truths, heart or will. A simpler, modified Bible, stripped of its deeper and harder truths, doesn't help. God never intended that the Bible should be understood apart from His supernatural work in the hearts of His chosen people. [Matt 13:13; Luke 8:10; Jer 5:21; Acts 26:18] The other parallel follows. To be "spiritually minded" means that, through the Holy Spirit, the believer's mind has been opened to understand Scriptures. God's life-changing Truth has renewed his heart and enabled him to know and love God. It has given him the joy and endurance needed to follow the Shepherd -- not along that spacious highway that draws the crowds -- but on the narrow unpopular way which draws us ever closer to Him. Matt 7:13-14 Since the Bible is the foundation of our faith, we had better follow its clear and timeless guidelines. They alone enable us to maintain the purity and accuracy of His Word even as we translate it into all the world's different languages. In its totality, the Bible reveals the nature of God, the nature of man -- both in Christ and apart from Him. Made alive by His Spirit, it reveals His guidelines for our lives, His promises of each day's challenges, His hope for eternity. It is the foundation of our faith and the standard for our lives. But Pastor Warren sees a slightly different foundation. As in The Purpose-Driven Church, his format shows us five purposes: 1. Worship: You were made for God's pleasure. 2. Connect (fellowship): You were formed for God's family. 3. Grow (discipleship): You were created to become like Christ. 4. Serve (ministry): You were shaped for serving God. 5. Share (evangelism): You were made for a mission. [1, contents] Those statements are all true, but they are incomplete as guidelines for all of life's challenges. Later he tells us: "Knowing your purpose simplifies your life. It defines what you do and what you don't do. Your purpose becomes the standard you use to evaluate which activities are essential and which aren't. You simply ask, 'Does this activity help me fulfill one of God's purposes for my life?' "Without a clear purpose, you have no foundation on which you base decisions, allocate your time, and use your resources."[1, page 31] What does Pastor Warren mean by "a clear purpose?" A blend of his five stated purposes? Neither the five purposes, nor any other single purpose, can replace Jesus Christ, the Living Word, as the "foundation on which you base decision, allocate your time and use resources." Christ's Life in us -- speaking through His Word revealed to us -- is our supreme, unrivaled foundation and guide. The Living Word remains "a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" no matter where His chosen purposes or unseen paths might take you and me for the duration of our lives on earth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Spirit of Worship In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren wisely points to the importance of worship and surrender. "Worship must be based on the truth of Scripture, not our opinions about God," he writes.[1, page 101] That's so true! Yet, his book offers both opinions and illustrations that undermine that truth -- including some misleading assumptions about God and what He loves. "Worship must be both accurate and authentic," he writes on page 102. "God-pleasing worship is both deeply emotional and deeply doctrinal.... The best style of worship is the one that most authentically represent your love for God, based on the background and personality God gave you." He then gives the following illustration: "My friend Gary Thomas noticed that many Christians seem stuck in a worship rut -- an unsatisfying routine -- instead of having a vibrant friendship with 'God, because they force themselves to use devotional methods or worship styles that don't fit the way God uniquely shaped them.' "Gary wondered, If God intentionally made us all different, why should everyone be expected to love God in the same way?... In his book Sacred Pathways, Gary identifies nine of the ways people draw near to God: Naturalists are most inspired to love God out-of-doors, in natural settings. Sensates love God with their senses and appreciate beautiful worship services that involve their sight, taste, smell and touch, not just their ears...... Ascetics prefer to love God in solitude and simplicity. [Later in the book, Warren tells us that only those who participate in today's organized church can grow spiritually.]... Activists love God through confronting evil, battling injustice, and working to make the world a better place.... "[1, page 103] Emphasis added Does Pastor Warren equate "activists" with the social and political activists that push churches and nations toward a global welfare system based on UN standards for social solidarity? Liberal churches and the World Council of Churches are major forces in this accelerating movement of "faith-based partnerships" that -- under the banner of love and tolerance -- serves the needy while silencing the gospel.[18] But Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world." John 18:36 "There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to worship and friendship with God," continues Pastor Warren. "God wants you to be yourself." That's true. Then he validates his point with a quote from The Message: "That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship.'" Compare the three standard Bible translations below with Eugene Peterson's paraphrased Message. Notice the clash of words and meaning: KJV: "...the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him." John 4:23 NKJV: "...the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him." John 4:23 NIV: "...a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." John 4:23 Message: "That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship." (page 103) Emphasis added While God demands absolute honesty from His people, the word "truth" here implies far more than being "simply and honestly themselves." The central truth tells us about our wonderful Lord. Worship is our response to what His Word and Spirit have revealed to us about His glory and goodness. And Pastor Warren knows that very well. In spite of his pragmatic promotion of cultural compromise under the banner of church growth, he also includes some beautiful descriptions: "Where is the glory of God? Just look around. Everything created by God reflects his glory in some way. We see it everywhere, from the smallest microscopic form of life to the vast Milky Way, from sunsets and stars to storms and seasons.... The Bible says. 'The heavens declare the glory of God....' [1, page 54] "We cannot add anything to this glory, just as it would be impossible for us to make the sun shine brighter. But we are commanded to recognize his glory, honor his glory, declare his glory, praise his glory, reflect his glory and live for his glory. Why? Because God deserves it! We owe him every honor we can possibly give."[1, page 56] So true! But while Warren reminds us that "Worship is a lifestyle," he bases his description of God on his own personal presumptions, not on Biblical revelation: "Worship has nothing to do with the style or volume or speed of a song. God loves all kinds of music because he invented it all -- fast and slow, loud and soft, old and new. You probably don't like it all, but God does!" [1, page 65] He does? Including the throbbing beat of hard rock? [See Popular Music with Pagan Roots] Or the pulsating sensuality of other forms of rock and hip hop? Or the hypnotic tones of New Age music? While all parts of the universe were created by our sovereign Lord, he lets us use His raw materials according to our own inclinations -- whether they honor or profane his name. But when we become part of His family and Kingdom, He holds us accountable to His high and holy standards -- and to what He has revealed about Himself in His Word. Again Pastor Warren seems to agree. He says, "I must choose to value what God values. This is what friends do -- they care about what is important to the other person. The more you become God's friend, the more you will care about the things he cares about, grieve over the things he grieves over, and rejoice over the things that bring pleasure to him." That's a great summary. Warren goes on to say that "Paul is the best example of this. God's agenda was his agenda and God's passion was his." Then he backs his statement with another quote from The Message, one that leaves out a key point: that God is a "jealous God." His holy jealousy is expressed through Paul in his concern for the church. To show you the context, we included the next verse as well: KJV: "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted...." 2 Cor 11:2-4 NKJV: "For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted..." 2 Cor 11:2-4 NIV: "I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him . 3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray...." 2 Cor 11:2-4 Message: "The thing that has me so upset is that I care about you so much--this is the passion of God burning inside me!" 2 Cor 11:2 (page 97) Emphasis added Probing God's "passion," Warren asks: "What does God care about most? The redemption of his people. He wants all his lost children found! That's the whole reason Jesus came to earth. The dearest thing to the heart of God is the death of his Son. The second dearest thing is when his children share that news with others. To be a friend of God, you must care about all the people around you that God cares about." Yes, that sounds right. But it's only a half-truth. Pastor Warren apparently quoted the above words from The Message to validate his point about "passion."[19] But the standard Bible translations based on early Greek sources actually refer to a different issue: God's zeal for purity and holiness in the Church. Paul was warning the Corinthians against corruption in His Body -- a major concern in both the Old and New Testament. The apostle highlights this purpose again in his letter to the church in Philippi: "...that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain." Philippians 2:15-16 In other words, God calls us to be different from the corrupt world around us. He has made us a holy people -- set us apart for Himself. “They are not of the world," said Jesus, "just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." John 17:15-18 Pastor Warren's emphasis on passion hides this point. The issue of purity is replaced with the more contemporary issue of personal relationships. Thus feel-good relational guidelines become more important than the spiritual need for repentance and holiness in Christ. Please don't think I would diminish the all important command to "love one another" as Christ loves us. But when corruption and worldliness seep into the church, God's agapao love -- an expression of the Holy Spirit in us -- is quenched. We may replace it with more human love such as phileo (friendship, affection, brotherhood) love, but it no longer fulfills the above command. (In spite of Pastor Warren's frequent reference to our "friendship with God," the Bible never uses the word phileo in any of the commands that we love God. It always uses the word agapao, God's supernatural love flowing through His faithful people.) In the context of Peter Drucker's management and marketing philosophy, Pastor Warren's emphasis makes perfect sense. The new relational guidelines are designed to build group loyalty, teach "respect" for all opinions, and block unpopular truths that expose error and corruption. The latter are simply too divisive. "Fellowship" between spiritually diverse people is all important, even if it clashes with God's Word [2 Cor 6:14-18] and forces believers to compromise. That's why many committed but heartbroken Christians are leaving the "seeker-friendly" churches they have faithfully served. They simply cannot agree to discard "offensive" Biblical guidelines in order to pursue the new vision of unity and community. God's people must heed their Spirit-taught conscience. If we claim His name and promises, we had better follow His ways rather than our feelings or popular marketing schemes. If our worship is an expression of our human nature rather than His truth and Spirit, it is worthless. It's all too easy to "quench the Spirit" and become blind to His light. Trying to make Christianity more acceptable to the world, we may forget Jesus' sobering warnings to His disciples: "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you...." John 15:19-21 "Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:19-24 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music-driven evangelism "The style of music you choose to use in your services will be one of the most critical (and controversial!) decisions you make in the life of your church," wrote Rick Warren in an article titled "Selecting Worship Music". "You must match your music to the kind of people God wants your church to reach.... The music you use 'positions' your church in your community. It defines who you are.... It will determine the kind of people you attract, the kind of people you keep, and the kind of people you lose."[20] Emphasis added Pastor Warren's choice in music flows with today's major currents of change -- in culture and business as well as churches. Our world is becoming increasingly uniform even as our choices multiply. While we have countless options in food, books, religions and music, the vast networks of corporate management systems around the world follow the same marketing strategies. Their key to "measurable success" is monitoring and manipulating the "felt needs" of the masses -- a shrewd strategy that requires continual polls, surveys, assessments and digital data systems. Together, as parts of a holistic system, they not only expose the wants and vulnerabilities of "consumers" everywhere but also nurture and manipulate those "needs" and cravings. And it works! That's why governments, schools, medical systems and large churches are all reinventing themselves in order to follow the established tracks of corporate America. They may call their particular version of this system Total Quality Management, Outcome Based Education or Purpose Driven Churches; it doesn't matter. All follow the same pragmatic blueprint, aim for "measurable results," call for teams, dialogue, facilitators, "lifelong learning," contracts and continual assessments of "progress" toward the planned outcome. All must conform or leave the system. In Part 1, you saw that Pastor Warren polled his congregation to discover the most popular contemporary music.[2] Now he uses more sophisticated surveys and tracking software. As you saw in Part 1, one of his management consultants is CMS, a "full-service custom marketing and communications agency" that helps its "clients grow their businesses."[6] It explains that "...collecting, organizing and managing data is essential to understanding, evaluating and planning of any successful promotion."[8] So when Pastor Warren offered the music most people wanted, they flocked to the church. But "measurable success" doesn't prove that God ordained or inspired this particular plan. In fact, God warns us not "to seek to please men" [Galatians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:4]. Popularity in the world has never been a sign of God's approval. More often -- throughout the Bible as well as history -- popularity proves the opposite. "If you were of the world, the world would love its own," said Jesus. "Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19 When Pastor Warren tells us that "God loves all kinds of music" and that "God loves variety,"[2] do you wonder where he would he draw the line? Would that vital dividing line bend with our changing culture? Or with the growing tolerance for all kinds of spiritual and Scriptural variations? These are crucial questions, for music has become a driving force in the Church Growth Movement. As Pastor Warren says, "Music is an integral part of our lives. We eat with it, drive with it, shop with it, relax with it, and some non-Baptists even dance to it! The great American pastime is not baseball - it is music and sharing our opinions about it!" "...when I read about biblical worship in the Psalms, I see that they used drums, clashing cymbals, loud trumpets, tambourines and stringed instruments. That sounds a lot like contemporary music to me!" "Saddleback is unapologetically a contemporary music church. We’ve often been referred to in the press as 'The flock that likes to rock.' We use the style of music the majority of people in our church listen to on the radio."[20] These statements beg at least two responses. First, Pastor Warren wrote: "...in the Psalms, I see that they used drums...."[20] None of the standard Bible translations mention drums, but they do mention timbrels which are sometimes translated tabrets or tambourines. Apparently, these were small, round wooden rings or frames covered with animal skin and usually carried by women or "maidens" in dance, praise or "merriment." Some Bible commentaries describe them as small hand drums, "examples of which have been found in Egyptian and Mesopotamian excavations." Obviously, they were not like today's large, throbbing percussion instruments which the Bible neither forbids nor approves. Nor were they listed in 1 Chronicles along with other instruments prescribed for temple worship.[21] Second, our Father Himself prepares the hearts of His chosen ones to respond to the saving truth of the gospel and the demonstration of His love. He doesn't need our clever business schemes. “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him," said Jesus. [John 6:44] But can't God use contemporary music to draw us to Himself? Of course He can! He can use anything He chooses! Again and again, He brings blessings out of our human choices, be they wise or foolish or in between. But His wonderful grace and mercy never justify our disobedience. He repeatedly warns His people to guard against the seductive forces of the world system [Rom. 12:2, 1 John 2:15; Psalm 1:1-3], and "Christian" music now rests squarely in the hands of the world's corrupt entertainment establishment. Two of the most popular Christian musicians are Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant. Both are under contract to Word Music Company which is owned by Word Entertainment, the Christian Music division of Warner Music Group, a Time Warner company. This may explain why some of the popular pied pipers of the church cross over to the other side, drawing millions of fans with them. When that happens, the emotional highs that had been linked to God are transferred to the new themes that exclude God and exalt lust.[22] Steven Curtis Chapman may be the most famous artist with Sparrow Records, a part of the Sparrow Label Group owned by the British EMI Music Publishing, the world's largest secular music publisher. Having introduced America to the Beatles back in the sixties, it now owns labels such as Capitol, Angel, Blue Note, Priority and Virgin. Featuring approximately 1,500 artists, it markets every kind of popular music: rock, , jazz, Christian, country...[23] According to Music Publishing, "EMI [owns the] rights to more than one million musical compositions and has offices in 30 countries.... Composers and writers represented by EMI include David Bowie, Janet Jackson, Carole King, Queen, ... Savage Garden, Sting, ... Aerosmith.... "A&R, the art of identifying the next great writer, the next great song, is the single most important function EMI performs."[24] EMI's website features a page on Social Responsibility which tells us, "At EMI we believe business should be both profitable and beneficial to society. ... We are committed to equal opportunity for all employees regardless of gender, ethnic or national origin, religion, disability, age, marital status or sexual orientation.... We support and uphold the principles contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights...."[25] If you read our article, "Trading US Rules for UN Rules," you will find that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is hostile -- not helpful -- to Christians and others who question the UN philosophy and its blueprint for global solidarity. In April, 2003, both EMI and Time-Warner executives participated in a conference dealing with topics such as "Things you need to know to get noticed" and "The spiritual future of Christian music." The goal of the first "roundtable," moderated by the Senior Director of A&R, Warner Brothers Records, Christian Division, was to "share what they are currently looking for in a signed artist today."[26] Do you wonder if the panelists -- including the General Manager of Simple Records, a Senior Director at Sparrow Label Group, and the Director of Gospel A&R and Warner Brothers Records -- would allow lyrics that expressed some of the more "offensive" truths of the Bible? Would they even consider God's will for Christian music and worship? Probably not. Their concern is marketing music in cultures around the world. It's up to us to know such as 2 Corinthians 6:14-17, which warns us, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? ... Come out from among them and be separate...." "Why do you think music is used
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9/12/2006 8:23 am |
Short Excerpt from Warren’s interview With Larry King (below) Find me anywhere in the Scriptures where the church gathers as Christians for the purpose of watering down the Gospel message and getting people to come into their church congregation. The church gathered for training and edification of believers, then they went out with the message of sin and salvation so people could get right with God before they could even begin to think about whatever purpose God had for their lives. First things first. That is the consistent model in every single time in the book of Acts where the Gospel is preached. In all 14 times the Gospel is preached where we have detail of what they said, there is not a single occasion where anyone was invited to have a relationship with God. There is not a single occasion where anyone is told that if they become Christians their life will get better, they will have more purpose, and everything will fall together. There is not a single occasion where the Apostles said that God loves them. The word love appears nowhere in the book of Acts. Now, is the love of God manifest there? Sure. But it is not the central message. It isn’t what leads to salvation. It is not what the Gospel is all about. The love of God is manifest in the efforts that He took to rescue a fallen human race. That’s the measure of His love. But the message is about fallen human beings, about sin and righteousness and judgment, and that Jesus came to restore man to their Savior against whom they have persistently rebelled. That’s the message that saves. (Greg Koukl. What’s Wrong with Being Seeker-Centered? Emphasis Added) Seeker Friendly Rick Warren says .. "It is my deep conviction that anybody anybody can be won to Christ if you discover the felt needs to his or her heart. That key to each person's heart is unique so it is sometimes difficult to discover. It may take some time to identify it. But the most likely place to start is with the person's felt needs. As I pointed out earlier, this was the approach Jesus used." (The Purpose Driven Church, pg. 219) And Today “preaching to felt needs” is scorned and criticized in some circles as a cheapening of the gospel and a sell-out to consumerism. I want to state this in the clearest way possible: Beginning a message with people’s felt needs is not some modern approach invented by 20th century marketing! It’s the way Jesus always preached. It’s based on the theological fact that God chooses to reveal himself to man according to our needs! Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with many examples of this." (Rick Warren, "Learning to Preach Like Jesus") So let's examine the New Testament to see if this is the "way Jesus always preached" In Luke 4:25-29 Jesus came to Nazareth (where he had been brought up) and taught in the synagogue. "But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong,". (Emphasis Added) Apparently the people did not consider what He said a very 'friendly' or sensitive' message considering that they were "filled with wrath" and all too ready to throw Him down a hill .. In Luke 14:25-28 "great multitudes" are said to be following Jesus. According to Seeker Sensitive churches this is a crucial time to be sensitive and preach sermons that will not drive seekers away: So what did Jesus say to them and how did he address their felt needs? "And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it? " In Mark chapter 10 we have the perfect example of how Jesus talked to an honest seeker... The rich young ruler. "And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Mark 10:17. Jesus’ reply to this man’s honest question does not even faintly resemble what the seeker sensitive gurus teach: "Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me," Mark 10:21. Take a closer look at what Jesus actually said.. While Jesus loved the rich young man, He was not easy on him. Jesus made it clear that being one of his followers is not easy (take up the cross, and follow me). He pointed out the one thing that the young man lacked which was that his treasure was in earthly possessions, thereby zeroing in on one sin. He confronted the ruler’s covetousness by telling him to give away all he had. And then... The rich young ruler left sad, and Jesus let him go. In fact, throughout the New Testament, the hard sayings of the gospel are emphasized as much, if not more, than anything else. In Matthew 3 The message of John the Baptist didn't seem particularly friendly.. Scripture records him as taking one look at the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism and calling them "offspring of vipers".. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism and he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance: Mat 3: 7, 8. In Mark 6:12 When Jesus first sent out his disciples, what did they do? Did they gather the people to the local amphitheater and play the popular songs of the day? No, scripture says that, "And they went out, and preached that men should repent," . Can you believe that? They actually told men that they needed to repent--how offensive could they be? That is no way to attract the unchurched, is it? In Acts 2:37- 41.. On the day of Pentecost Peter rises up to speak to this vast crowd of unbelievers. What did Peter say to them? "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." ... Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit... Act 2:40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this crooked generation." And the reaction of this vast crowd to this preaching? "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?... Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls," (How is a sinner going know that they need a savior unless you point this out to them with scripture?) In Acts 3 After Peter had healed a lame man at the temple gate called Beautiful a big crowd of people gathered around them at Solomon's Porch. Here is part of what Peter said to the crowd... Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord... And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people," Acts 3:13-13, 19, 23. Paul too was also quick to point out the punishment unbelievers will face (2 Thessalonians 1  -10), arguing that the unsaved are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1-2) under God's wrath (Ephesians 2:3), and subject to the control of sin and Satan (2 Timothy 2:26; Romans 6:16-17). Additionally Jesus commanded those who would follow Him to ... deny themselves (Luke 9:23-24), be willing to die for His sake as they chose to hate this world because of their love for Him (Matthew 10:37-39). He also preached some very inflexible messages saying that ... those who do iniquity would spend eternity in the fiery furnace (Matthew 13: 37-42) where the worm never dies (Mark 9:4 .Church-Growth Rick Warren has also been quoted as saying... "I've read it over and over, studying it with 'church-growth eyes,' searching for principles, patterns, and procedures. The New Testament is the greatest church-growth book ever written. For the things that really matter, you can't improve on it. It's the owner's manual for the church...The secret of effective evangelism is to not only share Christ's message but to follow his methodology. I believe Jesus gave us not only what to say but also how to share it. He gave us a strategy. He modeled timeless principles of evangelism that still work today if we'll apply them." (The Purpose Driven Church: Pages 18 and 186). In John 6:53-66, In the beginning of his ministry Jesus had a lot of people following Him, What kind of message did Jesus preach to this big group? Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live for ever." He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no-one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" No felt needs sermon. No polls to determine what to preach? Did he keep it light? No watered down message to avoid offending unchurched Harry and Mary? Apparently Jesus was not "hip" to the pragmatic methods of modern preachers. Perhaps He had not yet read the Purpose Driven Church, because it certainly appears that at times He went out of his way to offend people and not build a mega following. Paul didn't do any better... He failed to build a big following at the council of the Areopagus: Acts 17:33-34 At that, Paul left the Council. A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others. Since only a "few" became followers, Paul's method apparently was not working. Conclusion None of the declarations quoted above can possible be labeled seeker-friendly. Neither Christ, nor His apostles, watered-down the message for the sake of cultural relevancy or for fear of offending anyone. There is simply NO evidence that Jesus had any kind of strategy other than telling people the pure unvarnished truth. There is no evidence that He ever eased anyone into the Gospel nor that He was particularly concerned with numbers. In fact, at times, Jesus literally repulsed large crowds of seekers by being as blunt as any man as has ever been. So what Bible Warren was reading when he stated that "The New Testament is the greatest church-growth book ever written" is intriguing to say the least. Perhaps the key lies in his statement "I've read it over and over, studying it with 'church-growth eyes,' searching for principles, patterns, and procedures". It seems a classic case of someone going to the Scripture with an agenda.. looking for anything that can be twisted to prove what they have already decided to believe. Successful Revivals In Scripture and The Methods Used Revival 1. Ninevah The greatest revival in recorded history was Jonah preaching to Nineveh, since the entire city repented... So what did Jonah preach in order to get such amazing results. Did he gather everybody and put on a play, or see what music the Ninevites liked and incorporate that into his sermon? Perhaps he spoke to their felt needs? Was Jonah sensitive to the unchurched's hang-ups and not mention sin and destruction? Did Jonah gather together the experts from Nineveh and get their advice on how to better reach the young people? The answer in a resounding NO! This is what Jonah preached, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them," (Jonah 3:4-5). Jonah did not even want them to repent, he wanted them destroyed because Nineveh was a wicked and cruel nation. That underscores my point further, if you preach the Word, God will honor it. It is not in man's wisdom, power, or might, (Zechariah 4:6). God adds to the church (Acts 2:47). Revival 2. Israel in The Days of Ezra Another great revival can be found in the book of Nehemiah in chapters 8 and 9. What was done by the leaders that brought this great revival to fruition? Did they ask the unchurched for their opinion on how a church service should be? Did they take a poll of the unchurched and ask them why they were not attending worship services? Let's see what caused this tremendous revival: "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshathac , and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law," Nehemiah 8:8-9. The leaders preached the word and it caused the people to weep! No entertainment, gimmicks, dramas, worldly music, etc. They simply taught God's Holy Word which has been found effectual in the eternal salvation of millions and millions of people. Revival 3. Peter on Pentecost On the day of Pentecost Peter rises up to speak to this vast crowd of unbelievers. What did Peter say to them? "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." ... Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit... Act 2:40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this crooked generation." And the reaction of this vast crowd to this preaching? "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?... Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls,"
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