Purpose Driven or Scripture Driven? - Way of Life Literature
Purpose Driven or Scripture Driven? - Way of Life Literature Purpose Driven or Scripture Driven? - Way of Life Literature
giants,” accepted his methods. Furthermore, this was a subtlehint to his audience that if even W. A. Criswell felt he neededto learn from Warren on how to minister and grow asuperchurch, then certainly each of the 3,500 church leadersattending the seminar also needed to take careful notes. RickWarren made it expressly known that if one wants growth,dynamic growth, then he must do it this “Saddleback” way,but if that person decides to stay in the conservative,traditional mode, his ministry and church will wither on thevine.The church growth/church marketing strategy has had agreat impact upon the churches of this land and around theworld, and it will be even much more pervasive in the daysahead. What church does not want to grow -- dramaticallyand dynamically!? In this article, we are not trying toquestion the motives of those who design and those whoadopt dynamic church growth methods. It is the methodsthemselves that we condemn. Warren candidly said,The unchurched culture determines our style. We’re laidback Southern California. We’re just a few miles from thebeach, so we have a laid back Southern California style. ...Regardless of the style you choose, you’re going to becriticized. Okay? So, the key question is, “Who are youtrying to impress?” The unchurched populations determineour goals.Are we to seek to impress the world? Is the world todetermine the strategy of the church? Christ warned that theworld would hate the church, not admire it (Jn. 15:18). TheWord, not the world, is to determine the strategy of thechurch.Even though Warren would probably protest thisobservation, the fact remains the same--the message, not just112
the methods, dramatically changes when one employs thepurpose-driven church strategy. The Bible commands that the“whole counsel of God” be preached in the church; thatnecessarily includes preaching the negative as well as thepositive and having a pulpit ministry that obeys God’s call toequip the saints to go out into the world and to be“ambassadors for Christ” in reaching the lost in thecommunity. A “feel-good message” appealing to saint andseeker alike does not fulfill God’s command to “contend forthe faith,” “reprove, rebuke and exhort with all longsufferingand doctrine” and “warn of the wolves in sheep’sclothing.” Where in the Bible does it say the church’sministry is to meeting the psychological, emotional andinterpersonal relationship needs of the unsaved? Such aphilosophy cannot be found in God’s Word.The traditional church service has tried to equip the saintfor service and witness and to foster a spirit of reverence inthe worship and adoration of the Lord. We believe there isBiblical justification for this design, or “style,” of worship.Warren says that if one wants dynamic growth, he mustchoose between the traditional or the inventive,contemporary, user-friendly church like that of SaddlebackCommunity. Our concern is that thousands are indeed optingfor the latter, and we believe the Bible gives us some reasonswhy that choice is wrong.A quote from John Moffat’s book All Truth God’s Truth?seems to be particularly fitting for the Saddleback strategy ofdesigning the church’s service after the contemporaryworldly context:I can imagine Nadab and Abihu talking before the earlyworship service in the wilderness. One says to the other,“All fire is God’s fire. God made all fire; therefore it isall of Him.” Or while Moses was up on Mount Sinai, the113
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the methods, dramatically changes when one employs thepurpose-driven church strategy. The Bible commands that the“whole counsel <strong>of</strong> God” be preached in the church; thatnecessarily includes preaching the negative as well as thepositive and having a pulpit ministry that obeys God’s call toequip the saints to go out into the w<strong>or</strong>ld and to be“ambassad<strong>or</strong>s f<strong>or</strong> Christ” in reaching the lost in thecommunity. A “feel-good message” appealing to saint andseeker alike does not fulfill God’s command to “contend f<strong>or</strong>the faith,” “reprove, rebuke and exh<strong>or</strong>t with all longsufferingand doctrine” and “warn <strong>of</strong> the wolves in sheep’sclothing.” Where in the Bible does it say the church’sministry is to meeting the psychological, emotional andinterpersonal relationship needs <strong>of</strong> the unsaved? Such aphilosophy cannot be found in God’s W<strong>or</strong>d.The traditional church service has tried to equip the saintf<strong>or</strong> service and witness and to foster a spirit <strong>of</strong> reverence inthe w<strong>or</strong>ship and ad<strong>or</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> the L<strong>or</strong>d. We believe there isBiblical justification f<strong>or</strong> this design, <strong>or</strong> “style,” <strong>of</strong> w<strong>or</strong>ship.Warren says that if one wants dynamic growth, he mustchoose between the traditional <strong>or</strong> the inventive,contemp<strong>or</strong>ary, user-friendly church like that <strong>of</strong> SaddlebackCommunity. Our concern is that thousands are indeed optingf<strong>or</strong> the latter, and we believe the Bible gives us some reasonswhy that choice is wrong.A quote from John M<strong>of</strong>fat’s book All Truth God’s Truth?seems to be particularly fitting f<strong>or</strong> the Saddleback strategy <strong>of</strong>designing the church’s service after the contemp<strong>or</strong>aryw<strong>or</strong>ldly context:I can imagine Nadab and Abihu talking bef<strong>or</strong>e the earlyw<strong>or</strong>ship service in the wilderness. One says to the other,“All fire is God’s fire. God made all fire; theref<strong>or</strong>e it isall <strong>of</strong> Him.” Or while Moses was up on Mount Sinai, the113
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