Purpose Driven Church

Willow Creek Community Church

"The services which take place at Willow Creek church today are unlike all other church services on American soil. The well lighted and spacious auditorium with glass ceilings looks like a plush theater with theater seats and wide aisles. The luxurious furnishing attract those who are uncomfortable in traditional churches."

"As the people file into the auditorium for the weekend "seeker services," a band is playing subdued contemporary jazz or rock.

The worship service begins with the drawing of curtains across a huge stage

while the tempo of the lively upbeat music gradually engages the audience."

"The worship services gets underway. The band plays contemporary rock and jazz with religious lyrics flashed on a wide video screen accompanied by 16 vocalists and dancers. Actors stage dramatic skits. Congregational singing is minimal and simple."

"The performance has all the pizzazz of a professional stage show. A thunderous applause greets the conclusion of the entertainment phase. The people are told their applause is for God." (Note: the money is, too).

See How Lynn Anderson suggest you follow the same pattern to create religious ecstasy.

Their spokesman showed that the applause was really for the performers which is a way to insult Christ:

"Ulrich Eggers, a leading German evangelical who served as press spokesman at the Hamburg sessions, stresses that Willow Creek's "central message has nothing to do with drama or music,

but rather with the living portrayal of dedicated Christians."

"Yet Eggers is worried that liberals may only accept the methodology and forms of this program. He says nothing can change "unless content is changed; the gospel must become a matter of the heart." Christianity Today.

For more details Click Here to see that the Germans are fearful because it seems like one of their old para-military, "control the mind" movements.

Rubel Shelly, Woodmont Hills, in Faith Matters wrote:

"The Bible is not against women ministering, using their God-given talents, standing up and speaking, administering church programs, singing (congregationally, small groups, or solo), reading Scripture, sharing information about church projects, testifying, teaching sub-groups of the church's membership (whether female, male, or mixed), writing articles or poems that will be used by males, or otherwise participating fully in the life of local churches. Rubel Shelly, Faith Matters

If the "core" is seven facts about the Bible then you can directly contradict Paul who declared that "non-sedentary" women was against the Spirit revelation and violated the Laws of God. The "law" is defined by Paul because the Law defined only male clergy roles, because Eve cooperated with Satan in the fall, because of the insubbordinate example of Miriam and by the fact that unfaithful women were often associated with other "falls" such as "rising up to play" in musical idolatry at Mount Sinai.

In seeking their worship facilitation minister, Woodmont Hills stress that in developing or facilitating the seeker service he must:

"Work with the worship planning committee, the preaching minister and worship presentation groups (music, drama and technical) to facilitate group worship experiences which will help bring worshipers into the presence of God. (This may have been taken off)

The play is named after the chorus, that is, the song-and-dance ensemble who stand for the true followers of the god. That is, they are the mediators replacing the worshippers. See the clear claim here.

Saddleback Community Church

Rick Warren's:

"The strategy of Jesus is the antidote to both extremes: infiltration!" His words sound strangely like a quote from Dr. Harold Ockenga, the father of New Evangelicalism: "The New Evangelicalism has changed its strategy from one of separation to one of infiltration." Warren's thinking is thoroughly New Evangelical.

"Figure out what mood you want your service to project, and then create it. (p. 264); We start positive and end positive. (p. 271); We use humor in our services ... it is not a sin to help people feel good. (p. 272); Cultivate an informal, relaxed, and friendly atmosphere. (p. 272);

We made a strategic decision to stop singing hymns in our seeker services. (p. 285); We have attracted thousands more because of our music. (p. 285);

Saddleback now has a complete pop/rock orchestra. (p. 290); Use more performed music than congregational singing ... (p. 291) (emphasis on entertainment); The ground we have in common with unbelievers is not the Bible, but our common needs, hurts, and interests as human beings. You cannot start with a text ... (p. 295); Make your members feel special ... they need to feel special. (p. 320,323)

"But what could be more contrary to the principles found in Scripture? Consider what God told the prophet Ezekiel (Ezek. 3:4-11). Ezekiel was told that the people would not like his ministry or message, and yet he was to preach it anyway, regardless of the response. Quoted from.

Here is Act Two which began just off the Ark

"According to the system which Nimrod was the grand instrument in introducing, men were led to believe

that a real spiritual change of heart was unnecessary, and that so far as change was needful, they could be regenerated by mere external means.

"Looking at the subject in the light of the Bacchanalian orgies (Read Ephesus and Corinth), which, as the reader has seen, commemorated the history of Nimrod, it is evident that

he led mankind to seek their chief good in sensual enjoyment,

and showed them how they might enjoy the pleasures of sin, without any fear of the wrath of a holy God.

"In his various expeditions he was always accompanied by troops of women; and by music and song, and games (ritual drama) and revelries, and everything that could please the natural hearts,

he commended himself to the good graces of mankind." (Hislop, Alexander, The Two Babylons, p. 55, Loizeaux Brothers)

Act Two as Defined by Clement of Alexandria

"But when all these things were done, men turned again to impiety; and on this account a law was given by God to instruct them in the manner of living.

But in process of time, the worship of God and righteousness were corrupted by the unbelieving and the wicked, as we shall show more fully by and by.

Moreover, perverse and erratic religions were introduced, to which the greater part of men gave themselves up, by occasion of holidays and solemnities, instituting drinkings and banquets, following pipes, and flutes, and harps, and diverse kinds of musical instruments, and indulging themselves in all kinds of drunkenness and luxury.

Hence every kind of error took rise; hence they invented groves and altars, fillets and victims, and after drunkenness they were agitated as if with mad emotions.

By this means power was given to the demons to enter into minds of this sort, so that they seemed to lead insane dances and to rave like Bacchanalians; hence were invented the gnashing of teeth, and bellowing from the depth of their bowels; hence a terrible countenance and a fierce aspect in men, so that he whom drunkenness had subverted and a demon had instigated, was believed by the deceived and the erring to be filled with the Deity.

You probably see this in your pulpit:

Dr. Dennis Costella attended a "Building a Purpose Driven Church" seminar where Warren taught that the following must occur to transform a traditional church into a dramatic growing church (March-April 1998, Foundation magazine):

(1) A contemporary-styled, non-threatening "Seeker Service" must replace the traditional Sunday worship service;

(2) The dress must be casual;

(3) The music must be contemporary;

(4) The message must be only positive so that saved and unsaved alike can feel better about themselves after a message that often mixes psychology and an uplifting Scripture text;

(5) Church ministries must be geared to meeting needs, with support groups for depression, eating disorders, infertility, homosexuals, family/friends, post-abortion, and marital separation. Warren scoffed at the idea of passing out gospel tracts or going door-to-door since the typical "Saddleback Sam" is offended by such old-fashioned evangelism;

(6) Doctrinal instruction is not given to the church as a whole on Sundays, but is available in sub-groups apart from formal church services; and

(7) A spirit of pragmatic compromise must prevail. Warren was trained as a Southern Baptist (he frequently speaks at SBC events), but said, "It really doesn't matter your denomination, folks. We're all on the same team if you love Jesus." (Source: 6/98, Calvary Contender.)]

 

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