Purpose Driven
Purpose Driven is essentially a man-invented paradigm of what the ‘Christian’ church is, and its role in the world. Rick Warren, who is called ‘America’s Pastor’ because of his high profile and influence amongst world leaders, is the originator and driver of this movement. His two books The Purpose Driven Church and The Purpose Driven Life set out his agenda.
Warren claims he is starting a new world-wide movement, a “second Reformation”:
“You know, 500 years ago, the first Reformation with Luther and then Calvin, was about beliefs. I think a new reformation is going to be about behavior. The first Reformation was about creeds; I think this one will be about deeds. I think the first one was about what the church believes; I think this one will be about what the church does. The first Reformation actually split Christianity into dozens and then hundreds of different segments. I think this one is actually going to bring them together.”
Rick Warren, Pew Forum on Religion
“I am praying for a second reformation of the church that will focus more on deeds than words. The first Reformation was about beliefs. This one needs to be about behavior. … We’ve had a Reformation; what we need now is a transformation.”
Rick Warren, July 2005 at the Baptist World Alliance with Tony Campolo and Jimmy Carter
“Warren said the deeds of a new reformation will require mobilizing Christians, multiplying churches, evangelizing the world and eradicating global problems.”
A World of Baptists By Greg Warner Associated Baptist Press
“I see absolutely zero reason in separating my fellowship from anybody,” he said. Noting he has theological differences with many of the diverse denominations that invite him to speak, Warren added, “That doesn’t stop me from fellowshipping with them.” When he heard of the Southern Baptists Convention’s withdrawal, he added, “I thought, ‘This is silly! Why would we separate ourselves from brothers and sisters in the world?'”
Warren: Global Baptists ‘are all in this together’ By Trennis Henderson
“I have two goals in my life. One is a reformation of the church in America and the other is a return of civility to society when people who disagree can still get along and like each other even if they disagree.”
Rick Warren on Larry King,12/2/05
Regarding a so-called “second Reformation”, Warren is dead wrong biblically and historically. The First Reformation revealed the absolute necessity for a personal conversion i.e. to be born again, for a person’s heart to be spiritually and supernaturally transformed. And what followed thereafter was a change in behaviour. Genuine repentance was revealed by the ‘fruit’ of repentance. This is what the Bible teaches and is proved historically. As the Reformation opened up into a great world-wide time of evangelisation whole societies that embraced the gospel message were transformed. For example, in England, Christians spear-headed extraordinary social reform in schools, prisons, orphanages, hospitals, care for the poor etc, that lifted England out of a very dark time. The Bible was regarded as the bed-rock of society, not a Pope or State religion, it was looked upon as the document that defined righteous law and all social relationships. In the Pacific Islands, missionaries saw whole communities converted; witchcraft and cannibalism were overthrown, with ensuing peace, social cohesion and stability. (Tragically, we are witnessing the reverse of this now as societies throughout the world progressively reject their Christian legal and social frameworks; regard the Bible as a bygone relic of falsehoods and myth; and, celebrate the reinstatement of the beliefs of the First Nations people.)
Warren wants to cross all barriers – religious, political and other – so that the world’s people will be unified to fight the giants of poverty, corruption, ignorance and sickness. He claims Jesus has directed him with the means to achieve his goal by seeking out from every village a man or woman of ‘peace’, who might not necessarily be Christian and could possibly be Muslim, and that person would help to implement a global “P.E.A.C.E.” plan in their part of the world.
“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.”
Rick Warren, May 2005, Pew Forum on Religion
Warren said he is “pressing for a ‘coalition of civility,’ where diverse groups can disagree without being disagreeable or denouncing one another, and seek unity without requiring uniformity in order to reach critical mass.” (International Aids Conference 2006).
Warren is presenting ecumenism not just of ‘Christian’ churches (i.e. Protestant and Catholic) but of all religions, and a ‘social gospel’ thereby setting aside the true gospel of Jesus Christ. In so doing, he promotes Catholics, New Agers, Mystics, Muslims etc, whoever agrees with him on his agenda. This is not God’s agenda and In his books he necessarily distorts the meaning of the scriptures. His agenda cannot succeed because unity can never be achieved on matters of behaviour alone, however noble the causes might appear. Behaviour has and always will be directed by beliefs. The religions of the world present totally different ideas on God (or gods), the nature of man, evil (or Satan), sin, the family and marriage, the cause of poverty and riches, the origin of the universe, the after-life, heaven and hell, and salvation (or achieving ‘Nirvana’ or the status of god). The religions of the world have never and will never be united. (cf. The Roman Empire ruled over diverse cultures and religions only with an iron rod. There was never a unity of people groups, only a harsh dictatorial regime with its own set of beliefs and behaviours.)
Unity can only be achieved through Christ and Christ alone:
Galatians 3:26-29
“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
We are commanded not to form associations with non-Christians. The true church has always stood apart from the world, and never partnered with the world. Because authentic Christians declare truth and reveal righteousness, and renounce and expose the falsehoods and sinful practices of unbelievers.
2 Corinthians 6:14-17
“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord…”
The gospel message of Jesus Christ demands repentance. Warren’ s agenda necessarily requires the acceptance of all faiths, thereby striking down Christian evangelism. He does not call a Muslim to repentance in order to convert that Muslim. Rather, he identifies Allah of the Koran as one and the same with the God of the Bible. This is a great evil, for nothing could be further from the truth!
Christ’s command is not to solve the world’s problems through a man invented program of interculture/interfaith unity and action. It is to proclaim the gospel, to call all people to repent of their wicked ways, to become a disciple of Jesus Christ – to stop being a disciple of Mohammed or Buddha or Krishna or any one else – and to obey His teaching, renouncing and forsaking the falsehoods of the religions of the world.
Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:16
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you….
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
See also Rick Warren Global Peace Plan