Warren-Driven or Bible-Obedient?
by Sandy Simpson, 11/2/05


Is your church Warren-Driven or Bible-Obedient?
Use this comparison chart to see which direction your church is going?


Warren-Driven
Bible-Obedient
Has your church been studying "Purpose-Driven Life" for months? Has your church been studying the Bible, verse by verse, on a continuing basis?
Is your church participating in Rick Warren's "P.E.A.C.E. Plan" to "solve" the world problems of "Spiritual Lostness, Lack of Godly Leaders, Poverty,  Disease, and Lack of
Education." 
Does your church recognize that "The poor you will always have with you" (Matt. 6:11) and that making boasts (James 3:5) like Warren makes proves that he does not understand what the Bible teaches on these things?
Does your church believe that, through Rick Warren's "P.E.A.C.E. Plan" your church will be "part of the beginning of a Spiritual Awakening, a Global Movement, a New Reformation." Does your church believe that our biblical mandate is to preach the Gospel (Mark 13:10) and disciple all nations (Matt. 28:19) and not be involved in New Age/Dominionist plans for "Awakening", "Globalization" and any "New Reformation" that involves extra-biblical revelation?
Does your church believe, with Warren, that "Today, most local churches are sidelined and uninvolved when it comes to missions. The message from most mission and parachurch organizations to the local church is essentially  "Pray, pay, and get out of the way."  Has your church continued to do its own mission work in its local area and support mission groups and efforts in other areas of the world?  Does your church believe that most bible-believeing Christ-centered churches are NOT "sidelined" and "uninvolved" in mission work?
Does your church teach, as Warren did, that Mother Teresa is a good example of "investing your life for God"?  Does your church recognize that, though Mother Teresa did good works, she was a heretic of the Faith because she said that “I love all religions. ... If people become better Hindus, better Muslims, better Buddhists by our acts of love, then there is something else growing there”? She upheld that there are many ways to God': “All is God--Buddists, Hindus, Christians, etc., all have access to the same God.” (12/4/89 Time, pp. 11, 13) While we can agree to love all religions and people there is a vast difference between loving people and accepting false religions as valid. Mother Teresa told everyone no matter what their religion: “If in coming face to face with God we accept Him in our lives, then we are converting. We become a better Hindu, a better Muslim, a better Catholic, a better whatever we are. ... What God is in your mind you must accept” (from Mother Teresa: Her People and Her Work, by Desmond Doig, (Harper & Row, 1976), p.156)) 
Does your church use the same "church growth" methodologies of Rick Warren to build your church as Warren has also helped Catholics, Mormons and Jews to build their religions? Does your church recognize that it is Jesus Christ, the Rock, who builds His Church (Matt. 16:18) and He is not in the business of building up false religions?
Does your church teach, as Warren does that "every person, although endowed with the image of God, inherited a disobedient heart (or an attitude of disobedience) from Adam"? Does your church teach that every person inherited a sin nature from Adam (Rom. 8:3, 1 Cor. 15:12), not just a "disobedient heart"?
Does your church agree with Warren that "seekers don't want to be scolded in church"? Does your church preach the unvarnished Gospel and let the chips fall where they may in terms of people making a profession of faith?  Does your church recognize that it is not men who seek God (Ps. 53:2, Rom. 3:11) but God who seeks men (Luke 19:10)?
Does your church "Statement of Faith", like that of Saddleback, simply state regarding the Trinity that "God is bigger and better and closer than we can imagine"?  (Note: Saddleback has since added another doctrinal statement to their site stating an orthodox view of the Trinity.  This does not negate the fact that the above "dumb-downed" statement about God is basically useless, and in fact could be very misleading to people who already have a false concept of God.) Does your church doctrinal statement contain the concept that God is One God eternally existing in Three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
Does your church, along with Rick Warren, promote mystical eastern religious teachings and practices like yoga, contemplative prayer, labyrinth, martial arts, and New Age teachers like Brennan Manning and Ken Blanchard? Does your church recognize that practices used in false religions should not be sycretized into Christianity, and can never be fully sanitized for use by Christians?  Will your church never willingly promote New Agers and their teachings?
Did your church do a survey of people in your community to see what their "felt needs" were so that they would feel better about attending your church activities? Does your church realize that the Church is the Body of Christ, made up of born again believers (Acts 2:42-47) and that the "felt needs" of people are not a good criteria upon which pattern churches (Gen. 6:5, Jer. 16:9)?
Do you believe, along with Rick Warrren, that you need to "Learn How To Love Yourself" by "accepting yourself", "loving yourself", "being true to yourself", "forgiving yourself", and "believing in yourself"? (http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/learntoloveyourself.html) Does your church teach that we need to learn to love Jesus Christ (Luke 10:27) and to do that we need to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord (Acts 16:31, Rom. 10:9)? Does your church also teach that we are to deny ourselves (Eph. 4:20-24) take up our cross daily to follow Him (Luke 9:23), prove our love for Jesus by obeying Him (John 14:15, 23-24), be true to the Gospel (Mark 16:15, 2 Cor. 11:4) and sound doctrine (Titus 2:1) by repenting of our sins (Acts 3:19) and believing (Rom. 10:9) and accepting the forgiveness Christ (Eph. 1:7) purchased for us on the cross (Rom. 6:23), and continuing to believe and not wander away from the Faith (1 Tim. 4:1, James 5:19-20)?

For reference on Rick Warren quotes, go to this article:
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/warrenquotes.html