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
etrays its weakened hold on the objective truth andreality of Christianity by its neglect or even renunciationof its distinctive objective character. ... Men ... reallywish to have a creedless Christianity. “Creeds,” theyshout, “are divisive things; away with them!” ... Wheredoes this leave us? An undogmatic Christianity is noChristianity at all. (Moody Press, 1996, pp. 58, 66, 67)What does the Bible say about the purpose of the churchworship service and what the faithful pastor must preach tothe “crowd” (as Warren describes it) that assembles eachSunday? No doubt, Saddleback Church leaders would bequick to point out that the four Christian education classesavailable to the congregation do deal with doctrine.However, the Bible is clear that doctrine is to be faithfullyproclaimed on the Lord’s Day through the pulpit ministry ofthe pastors/elders. Providing optional training, apart from theinstruction given from the pulpit, cannot side-step what Godintends the public church service to be.The Saddleback seminar said that only positive Bible textsshould be used from the pulpit, but God’s Word sayssomething quite different. The apostle Paul had verystraightforward directives for the elders of the Ephesianchurch regarding their ministry, and the same is essentialtoday. Acts 20:20-31 says:... I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, buthave shewed you, and have taught you publickly, andfrom house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, andalso to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faithtoward our Lord Jesus Christ.... For I have not shunnedto declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heedtherefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over thewhich the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feedthe church of God, which he hath purchased with hisown blood. For I know this, that after my departing shallgrievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing theflock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking118
perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space ofthree years I ceased not to warn every one night and daywith tears.Was the apostle’s instruction negative? Yes, but certainlyalso necessary! Many of the duties that the Lord requires offaithful pastors and teachers are found in texts that were“overlooked” by the Saddleback workbook. Whatever textcame across as negative was obviously passed over. Anothersuch text is Titus 1:3-11:[God] hath in due times manifested his word throughpreaching, which is committed unto me according to thecommandment of God our Saviour.... For this cause left Ithee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the thingsthat are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I hadappointed thee: ... [Hold] fast the faithful word as he hathbeen taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine bothto exhort and to convince the gainsayers [those whocontradict or speak against the truth of God]. For thereare many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, speciallythey of the circumcision: Whose mouths must bestopped....Second Timothy 3:16-4:5 gives further instructionregarding the purpose for the church; this text was alsoignored by Saddleback’s dynamic growth strategy:All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and isprofitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, forinstruction in righteousness: That the man of God maybe perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. Icharge thee therefore before God, and the Lord JesusChrist, who shall judge the quick and the dead at hisappearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instantin season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with alllongsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come whenthey will not endure sound doctrine; but after their ownlusts shall they heap to themselves teachers [those whowill not practice the above], having itching ears; Andthey shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall119
- Page 68 and 69: clamour for a confederacy which wou
- Page 70 and 71: American Baptist ChurchesThe Baptis
- Page 72 and 73: Dr. Frederick Anderson, secretary o
- Page 74 and 75: “Then the third day came. A stone
- Page 76 and 77: eferred to as God in the Scriptures
- Page 78 and 79: 100 “lesbian, bi-sexual, and tran
- Page 80 and 81: “Through visualization and dreami
- Page 82 and 83: Bono complains that the churches ha
- Page 84 and 85: salvation is by grace, for instance
- Page 86 and 87: Warren’s and the Ladies HomeJourn
- Page 88 and 89: Is that not what “unconditionally
- Page 90 and 91: Furthermore, if God doesn’t expec
- Page 92 and 93: article; but to a Muslim, that’s
- Page 94 and 95: Warren Doesn’t Mention JesusIn Ju
- Page 96 and 97: Warren Predict’s A “NewReformat
- Page 98 and 99: An Analysis of the “Purpose Drive
- Page 100 and 101: Saddleback model? From our understa
- Page 102 and 103: on Sunday to all the church body, a
- Page 104 and 105: church growth. While the contempora
- Page 106 and 107: program) then the resultant growth
- Page 108 and 109: away from the larger issue at hand-
- Page 110 and 111: unreconcilable dichotomy between fl
- Page 112 and 113: giants,” accepted his methods. Fu
- Page 114 and 115: children of Israel could have said
- Page 116 and 117: that the local New Testament church
- Page 120 and 121: e turned unto fables. But watch tho
- Page 122 and 123: Paul had no target group! All neede
- Page 124 and 125: Judge Not?The following is from our
- Page 126 and 127: ingeth forth good fruit; but a corr
- Page 128 and 129: must welcome and neither judge nor
- Page 130 and 131: the law, but a judge. There is one
- Page 132 and 133: About Way of Life’s eBooksSince J
- Page 134 and 135: ecumenical; it is charismatic; it i
- Page 136 and 137: Transformational Power of CCM. V. S
- Page 138 and 139: variety of situations, including ho
- Page 140: “The encyclopedia is excellent. T
perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.Theref<strong>or</strong>e watch, and remember, that by the space <strong>of</strong>three years I ceased not to warn every one night and daywith tears.Was the apostle’s instruction negative? Yes, but certainlyalso necessary! Many <strong>of</strong> the duties that the L<strong>or</strong>d requires <strong>of</strong>faithful past<strong>or</strong>s and teachers are found in texts that were“overlooked” by the Saddleback w<strong>or</strong>kbook. Whatever textcame across as negative was obviously passed over. Anothersuch text is Titus 1:3-11:[God] hath in due times manifested his w<strong>or</strong>d throughpreaching, which is committed unto me acc<strong>or</strong>ding to thecommandment <strong>of</strong> God our Saviour.... F<strong>or</strong> this cause left Ithee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in <strong>or</strong>der the thingsthat are wanting, and <strong>or</strong>dain elders in every city, as I hadappointed thee: ... [Hold] fast the faithful w<strong>or</strong>d as he hathbeen taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine bothto exh<strong>or</strong>t and to convince the gainsayers [those whocontradict <strong>or</strong> speak against the truth <strong>of</strong> God]. F<strong>or</strong> thereare many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, speciallythey <strong>of</strong> the circumcision: Whose mouths must bestopped....Second Timothy 3:16-4:5 gives further instructionregarding the purpose f<strong>or</strong> the church; this text was alsoign<strong>or</strong>ed by Saddleback’s dynamic growth strategy:All scripture is given by inspiration <strong>of</strong> God, and ispr<strong>of</strong>itable f<strong>or</strong> doctrine, f<strong>or</strong> repro<strong>of</strong>, f<strong>or</strong> c<strong>or</strong>rection, f<strong>or</strong>instruction in righteousness: That the man <strong>of</strong> God maybe perfect, throughly furnished unto all good w<strong>or</strong>ks. Icharge thee theref<strong>or</strong>e bef<strong>or</strong>e God, and the L<strong>or</strong>d JesusChrist, who shall judge the quick and the dead at hisappearing and his kingdom; Preach the w<strong>or</strong>d; be instantin season, out <strong>of</strong> season; reprove, rebuke, exh<strong>or</strong>t with alllongsuffering and doctrine. F<strong>or</strong> the time will come whenthey will not endure sound doctrine; but after their ownlusts shall they heap to themselves teachers [those whowill not practice the above], having itching ears; Andthey shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall119
Change language