Social Gospel is 'Marxism in Christian Clothing,' Says Warren

lmartuneac »

Wed Dec 17, 2008 5:49 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 1

Well, my comments won't post properly.

See-
http://indefenseofthegospel.blogspot.com/2008/11/salve-for-itching-ears-rick-warren.html

Social Gospel is 'Marxism in Christian Clothing,' Says Warren

lmartuneac »

Wed Dec 17, 2008 5:45 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

While I can appreciate Warren’s concern over the “social gospel,” his calls for unity with that movement is irresponsible and unscriptural.

The Bible says, “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers,” (Titus 1:9).

When you encounter the philosophy of and/or apologists for the Church Growth, Seeker and Emerging Church movements such as Willow Creek & Saddleback, remember that these are ministries lead by men who have compromised and run roughshod over the Scriptural mandates that forbid cooperation and fellowship with unbelievers, apostates and disobedient Christians to build and keep their following. Don’t listen to the voices or printed words of compromise and betrayal.

These following points reveal what Rick Warren, Saddleback and organizations of that ilk really stand for.


The roots of Saddleback sink deeply into the ministry philosophy of ultra liberal Robert Schuller: “During his last year in seminary, he (Rick Warren) and Kay (his wife) drove west to visit Robert Schuller’s Institute for Church Growth. ‘We had a very stony ride out to the conference,’ she says, because such nontraditional ministry scared her to death. Schuller, though, won them over. ‘He had a profound influence on Rick,’ Kay says. ‘We were captivated by his positive appeal to nonbelievers. I never looked back.’ ” (Christianity Today, Nov 18, 2002). Warren spoke for Schuller in subsequent conferences.

1. Warren embraces deliberate pragmatism of the worst kind. He believes that anyone one can be reached based on “finding the key to that person’s heart.” Therefore, the unbelieving community sets the agenda for his church: Warren says, “We let the unchurched needs determine our programs; the unchurched hangups determine our strategy; the unchurched culture determine our style; the unchurched population determine our goals.” (Purpose Driven website)

2. Warren routinely misuses Scripture. The Bible is a tool that Warren manipulates to cover his own ideas with a veneer of divine authority. For example, in the Purpose Driven Life he quotes from 15 Bible versions and paraphrases, picking and choosing the one that fits his pragmatic need. This process often wrenches texts out of context.

Part 2 below with #3 of 8.

Social Gospel is 'Marxism in Christian Clothing,' Says Warren

lmartuneac »

Wed Dec 17, 2008 5:43 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 2

3. Warren is guilty of serious theological reductionism. He discounts the value of a well-rounded system of doctrine and even considers doctrine an obstacle to unity. On his Purpose Driven website he lists his doctrinal statement that any Bible college graduate would find completely inadequate:

His doctrine of theology proper is the following: “God is bigger and better and closer than we can imagine.” That's it for the doctrine of God. It is so insufficient one could say that it falls short of an adequate understanding of the Christian concept of God the Father.

4. Warren promotes extreme ecumenism. He has forged ties with the Roman Catholic Church, the Baptist World Alliance and the United Nations.
In April, 2005, the PD organization officially forged ties with the Roman Catholic Church by providing a training conference at Holy Family Catholic Church in Inverness, Illinois. “We are excited by this because we are seeing God unify his churches” -- Pastor Brett Schrock, Purpose Driven’s Director of Strategic Relationships.

5. Warren justifies cultural capitulation by embracing anti-God cultural norms. A notable example of this occurred when Warren sang the Jimi Hendrix song, “Purple Haze,” during the 25th anniversary celebration service of Saddleback Church.

6. Warren redefines ministry in terms of social activism. Alan Wolfe of the Wall Street Journal says, “Historians are likely to pinpoint Mr. Warren’s trip to Rwanda as the moment when conservative evangelical Protestantism made questions of social justice central to its concerns.” Warren’s Global Peace Plan for “Purpose Driven Nations” includes involving himself with the UN, Council on Foreign Relations, etc. in order to rid the world of “poverty, disease, and illiteracy” by forming entangling alliances between churches, secular businesses, and governments. This is an agenda completely foreign to the Great Commission and the NT church as laid out in Acts and the Pauline Epistles.

7. Warren accepts easy-believism approach to evangelism. “Wherever you are reading this, I invite you to bow your head and quietly whisper the prayer that will change your eternity: ‘Jesus, I believe in you and receive you.’ If you sincerely meant that prayer, congratulations! Welcome to the family of God!” (PDL, p. 74).

8. Warren relies heavily on pop psychology. Popular themes in secular psychology appear regularly in Warren’s writings, shaping everything from outreach strategy to discipleship curricula.


LM

Social Gospel is 'Marxism in Christian Clothing,' Says Warren

lmartuneac »

Wed Dec 17, 2008 5:42 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

While I can appreciate Warren’s concern over the “social gospel,” his calls for unity with that movement is irresponsible and unscriptural.

The Bible says, “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers,” (Titus 1:9).

When you encounter the philosophy of and/or apologists for the Church Growth, Seeker and Emerging Church movements such as Willow Creek & Saddleback, remember that these are ministries lead by men who have compromised and run roughshod over the Scriptural mandates that forbid cooperation and fellowship with unbelievers, apostates and disobedient Christians to build and keep their following. Don’t listen to the voices or printed words of compromise and betrayal.

These following points reveal what Rick Warren, Saddleback and organizations of that ilk really stand for.


The roots of Saddleback sink deeply into the ministry philosophy of ultra liberal Robert Schuller: “During his last year in seminary, he (Rick Warren) and Kay (his wife) drove west to visit Robert Schuller’s Institute for Church Growth. ‘We had a very stony ride out to the conference,’ she says, because such nontraditional ministry scared her to death. Schuller, though, won them over. ‘He had a profound influence on Rick,’ Kay says. ‘We were captivated by his positive appeal to nonbelievers. I never looked back.’ ” (Christianity Today, Nov 18, 2002). Warren spoke for Schuller in subsequent conferences.

1. Warren embraces deliberate pragmatism of the worst kind. He believes that anyone one can be reached based on “finding the key to that person’s heart.” Therefore, the unbelieving community sets the agenda for his church: Warren says, “We let the unchurched needs determine our programs; the unchurched hangups determine our strategy; the unchurched culture determine our style; the unchurched population determine our goals.” (Purpose Driven website)

2. Warren routinely misuses Scripture. The Bible is a tool that Warren manipulates to cover his own ideas with a veneer of divine authority. For example, in the Purpose Driven Life he quotes from 15 Bible versions and paraphrases, picking and choosing the one that fits his pragmatic need. This process often wrenches texts out of context... continued in next

Learn to Laugh

lmartuneac »

Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:54 am Agree: 5   Disagree: 0

Warren routinely misuses Scripture. The Bible is a tool that Warren manipulates to cover his own ideas with a veneer of divine authority. For example, in the Purpose Driven Life he quotes from 15 Bible versions and paraphrases, picking and choosing the one that fits his pragmatic need. This process often wrenches texts out of context as is the case here.

I have read the review of this story at Extreme Theology. It is well done, and I recommend it's redaing to all.

Shameless plug: I have done some work in several of the abuses of Rick Warren. Not just with his misuse of the Bible, but his extreme ecumenism and his redefining ministry in terms of social activism. Go to http://indefenseofthegospel.blogspot.com/search/label/Rick%20Warren
for these articles.


LM