Subject: purpose driven? |
Bible Note: Hello, again, brother Tim... I'm sorry about the one link. The "for" one is actually one done by the publishers of the book. I saw the document you mentioned. It looks to me like Warren uses broad terminology without defining it... or, worse, he lets the world define it. I also understand there is no cogent definition of salvation. How do you grow the church without clearly explaining salvation? Here is some excerpts that I've dug out of a couple of web pages: "God won’t ask about your religious background or doctrinal views. The only thing that will matter is, did you accept what Jesus did for you and did you learn to love and trust him?" What we believe is as important as how we live. Christ is called the Truth not the Opinion. "The Bible says, ‘Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self’" This based on Matthew 16:25 -- which is an out of context interpretation of that passage. "We limit God when we think of addition instead of multiplication...God wants us to think in exponential terms." He does??? Where is this in scripture? "The only barrier to exponential growth is our unbelief (Mark 6:52)." Another out of context scripture -- a scripture that doesn't have a thing to do with church growth. "Exponential thinking keeps you from making the mistake of setting up a system that won't get bigger. [The church] is stuck in a shoe that isn't able to get any bigger. This is due to our faulty thinking." Who adds to the church? God or our thinking? "Our pre-conversion experience is Jesus saying, 'Behold I stand at the door and bomb!' The moment you open yourself to Christ, God gets a ‘beachhead’ in your life." Presumably he is basing this on Revelation 3:20... but that verse is not about salvation. "You yield your rights, expectations, dreams, plans, and ambitions to him." Rights? What rights do we have before God? "This is the essence of witnessing—simply sharing your personal experiences regarding the Lord." No, witnessing is sharing the gospel message with the unregenerate. "You may not be a Bible scholar, but you are the authority on your life, and it’s hard to argue with personal experience." What about the authority of the scripture? What Warren is stating here is called subjectivism. "That is why on six different occasions Paul used his testimony to share the gospel instead of quoting Scripture." In these instances, Paul was on trial for sharing the gospel, these narratives are not about how to evangelize. "In the entire universe, only two of God’s creations fail to bring glory to him: fallen angels (demons) and us (people). All sin, at its root, is failing to give God glory." So God made a mistake? On the contrary, all things will bring Him glory, although we may not see how that is so today. " God has a purpose behind every problem. He uses circumstances to develop our character. In fact he depends more on circumstances to make us like Jesus than he depends on our reading the Bible." ???? "Only in heaven is everything done perfectly the way God intends." This denies the doctrine of the sovereignty of God as taught by scripture. --------------- I answer your question again: Worship is important, but worship must be defined, as God is never pleased if we approach Him on any other terms than what He has specified. This is called the regulative principle. Fellowhip is important, but not where truth is compromised. (Warren says at his church they all sign a contract when you join to not debate, so as to promote unity.) Discipleship is a good thing when it is being a disciple of the Lord and Savior as He truly is... not as something He is not. If we have a faulty concept of God, then we are worshipping an idol. Who wants to be a disciple of an idol? Ministry is about promoting the Word of God -- the teaching of Christ and apostles. Evangelism is about promoting the gospel. Leave out the true teachings of Christ and the apostles, and a washed down version of the gospel, and neither ministry nor evangelism has any significance in eternity I'll look more closely at the web site if you would like me to give a personal critique of its theology. But I think it wouldn't do me much good, and I don't think it would change your mind. :-) In Him, Doc PS I find it ironic that we are having this discussion... Warren is an SBC pastor... I think I'd just as soon give him to you to keep, if it is all the same, brother Tim. :-) |