Rick Warren:
Are you being deceived on Purpose?-Another Different Gospel
Rick Warren is the author of "The Purpose Driven Life" (Over 30 million
copies), and has been labeled as "America's Pastor" and "The Purpose Driven Pope". He is attempting
to re-define all of Christianity worldwide. Ten percent of American churches have participated in his "40 Days of Purpose".
His book is steeped in new age philosophy , quoting the likes of
"Dr. Bernie Siegel", a bestselling author and New Age leader; "Aldous Huxley", New Age author who wrote books on the
subject of psychedelics and visionary experiences; and "Madame Guyon", a Roman-Catholic mystic who lived during the 17th and
18th centuries, who's ideas are reported to survive today in the New Age and other non-Christian religions.
Both Bill Hybles (Willow Creek Assoc. locally-Cedar Creek) and Rick Warren consider
Robert Schuller (Crystal Cathedral) to have had the most influence on their "seeker sensitive ministries".
2 Timothy 4:3
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their
own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;"
Robert Schuller sought to discover what people wanted and make them comfortable
to come to church. He went from door to door asking them what type of church they would like to attend. His mission was to
change his church to a place where non-Christians would feel comfortable enough to come in and then eventually "accept Jesus."
This would be accomplished by preaching only positive messages! Anything on the sinfulness of man and his fallen condition
was eliminated- hence a different gospel.
Schuller's gospel is one of "positiveness and success". It has been embraced
by numerous unbelievers and quite a number of Christian leaders as well. Schuller has stated, thousands of pastors and hundreds
of rabbis and over a million Muslims a week watch his Hour of Power.
The Apostle Paul said, "If anyone preaches any other gospel to you than
what you have received let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For
if I still pleased men I would not be a bondservant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10)
Robert Schuller's mentor was Norman Vincent Peal (33 degree Mason). Peal was famous
for his book "The Power of Positive Thinking". Peale promoted a number of different religions and methods from other
religions such as Transendental Meditation and witchcraft, and he consistently criticized traditional Christianity.
According to a news story
in the January 8th edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Rick Warren says Christian fundamentalism will be an enemy
of the 21st century.
What does Rick Warren define Christian Fundamentalism to be?
In a May 2005 interview between Rick Warren and the Pew Forum on Religion,
Warren stated:
"Today there really aren't that
many Fundamentalists left; I don't know if you know that or not, but they are such a minority; there aren't that many Fundamentalists
left in America ... Now 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." Quote by Rick Warren,
May 2005
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The Five Fundamentals of Faith
1. The Deity of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
2. The Virgin Birth.
3. The Blood Atonement.
4. The Bodily Resurrection.
5. The
inerrancy of the scriptures.
People who believe in these are a minority? These are legalistic
and narrow?
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Warren has also deveoped a "Global P.E.A.C.E. Plan" and has even
started the first "Purpose Driven Country" in Rwanda.Warren is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
(Semi-secret, anti-christian organization).
On the global peace plan, ecumenism and interspirituality
- "Who's the man of peace in any village - or it might be a woman of peace - who has the most respect, they're
open and they're influential? They don't have to be a Christian. In fact, they could be a Muslim, but they're open and they're
influential and you work with them to attack the five giants. And that's going to bring the second Reformation." (Not
a Christian Reformation-A Different Gospel)
- "Last week I spoke to 4,000 pastors at my church who came from over 100 denominations in
over 50 countries. Now, that's wide spread. We had Catholic priests, we had Pentecostal ministers, we had Lutheran bishops,
we had Anglican bishops, we had Baptist preachers." (Uniting in the name of the true gospel or a different
gospel?)
- "Well, I'm actually speaking at the University of Judaism this next month, where I've been asked to come
in and teach the rabbis my preaching seminar. So I'm speaking for Jews." (I don't think they invited him
to preach the true gospel.)
The apostle Paul declared, "And I brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence
of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except
Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and
my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith
should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."
(1 Corinthians 2:1-5)
In Matthew 24:11 the Bible warns that prior to Christ's return, "...many
false prophets will arise, and will mislead many."
