A Purpose Driven Plan

A PURPOSE DRIVEN PLAN
Commentary by Roger Oakland

http://www.understandthetimes.org/

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Have you noticed that Christianity is undergoing a major transition? “Purpose Driven” pastors are producing “Purpose Driven” churches that are filled with “Purpose Driven” believers.

Further, the gospel message that reminds man their need for a Savior has been replaced by the idea that the kingdom of God can be established on earth by human effort. Why is this?

Christianity has always undergone times when new ideas, trends or fads are promoted in the name of Jesus Christ. While proponents of these ideas claim they have discovered a new formula or plan that will produce a new and better brand of believer, we must always test these ideas authored by man with the Scriptures.

In the past, many genuine believers have been led astray, believing that the “new enlightenment” was the ultimate answer to the world’s problems that had previously been hidden in the Bible until recently uncovered or rediscovered.

However, the Bible commands that faith in God must be based on the Word of God. When man’s word does not line up with God’s Word, we should always stick with God’s Word.

History reveals this has not always been the case for many sincere professing Christians. Numerous are the examples of spiritually shipwrecked churches and families who followed spiritual leaders who led unsuspecting believers away from the Scriptures.

The latest plan by a man that is sweeping the world has already attracted thousands of pastors who are influencing millions of Christians. With the advent of modern technology, this is the first time in history that a single man has the means to market that plan on a global scale in a short period of time.

Of course by now, you know that I am referring to the Purpose Driven P.E.A.C.E. Plan. I also know that when I express my concerns about this plan I will be bombarded with countless number of critics who will not agree with what I am saying.
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http://www.understandthetimes.org/commentary/c56.shtml

Can Contemplative Spirituality Be Dangerous?

Called emerging, emergent church movement, and emerging church spirituality, this post-modern way of doing church is causing people to question the validity of its teachings. Simply put, many emerging church teachings are rooted in Contemplative Spirituality, which comes from the East.

But just what is Contemplative Spirituality and can Contemplative Spirituality be dangerous? This we seek to examine, not in a spirit of contention, but grace, humility and love. (1 Thess.5:21; Phil.1:8-11)

We recommend the following research sites for a closer look at emerging, emergent church movement, and emerging church spirituality.

At these sites you can also find info about contemplative spirituality, spiritual formation movement, contemplative teachers and teachings, contemplative movements, etc.

Emerging Church - Discernment Research Archives
Apprising Ministries Archive
Critical Issues Commentary Archive
Deception In The Church Archive
Herescope
Kjos Ministries Archive
Let Us Reason Archive
Lighthouse Trails Archive
Lighthouse Trails Topical
One Truth Ministries
Understand The Times Archive

Resources
Books, DVD's, Glossary, etc.
Revival or Return To Darkness DVD
Books and Authors: Buyer Be-a-ware!!!
Critical Issues Commentary - Bob DeWaay
Discernment Tool Kit at Deception In The Church
Discernment POWER Search

We exhort you to examine contemplative and emerging church spirituality and test it in the light of the Word of God. Researching the real foundations of contemplative emerging church spirituality may shock you. We have spent many hours examining the teachings and practices in this movement and have found that they ultimately lead to what we call Contemplative Emerging Church Deception.

Obey Jesus and "let no man deceive you."

Do what the Bible says,

"Test all things; hold fast what is good.
Abstain from every form of evil. "
1 Thes.5:21

Apostasy Continues To Exponentiate!

Greetings once again!

We hope and pray our readers are reading their Bibles too. Because apostasy in these last days continues to exponentiate!

Amidst working through more emails, we have received some very encouraging letters and also some very sad ones too. Periodically people will share their own stories about how their churches are embracing contemplative spirituallity, New Age mystical techniques, yoga, etc.

People also share about how their church leadership frowns upon them as they ask why the church is not teaching the Bible, but instead Rick Warren's book. We have recently posted more articles regarding these dangers of these things at our SRN Blog and our Contemplative Emerging Church deception Blog. These two articles help shed a bit of light on what Bible believers are up against nowadays

• pseudodidaskaloi' - The Cut & Paste Hermeneutics Of Rick Warren and The Gnostic by Jacob Prasch, Moriel Ministries, 12/14/06

BIBLE BUTCHERY - How To Make God’s Word Say Whatever You Like And Ignore What God Said It Actually Says - The Cut & Paste Hermeneutics Of Rick Warren and The Gnostic Interpretation Of The Parables By Brian Maclaren & Peter Tsukahira
www.moriel.org/articles/discernment/church_issues/pseudodidaskaloi.htm emerging church

• How to Know When the Emerging Church Shows Signs of Emerging in Your Church http://www.understandthetimes.org/commentary/c54.shtml

I have also received correspondence from a Christian who got into alternative therapies, new age healing, and Kundalini [yoga] arousal. Although he is a Christian, his life has been dramatically affected by occult influences. This ought not to be.

Sadly, many leaders in churches nowadays think it is a New way of doing church to integrate Gnostic mysticism and ancient rituals into church services, including chanting, praying with crystals, centering prayer, visiaulizing Jesus, incense, candles, venerating images and icons, walking labyrinths, etc.

A simple reading of Jeremaih chapter 7 and 8 reveals what our Holy God thinks about mixing pagan religious practices with the worship of the One true God - Jehovah - Jesus Christ!

Beware friends, New Age Gnosticicm and Ancient Mysticism re-labeled for Christians is not of the God of Holy Scripture! We understand that post-modern leaders want to reach out to poeple, but this is Christian chicanery - artful subterfuge, Trojan Horsism, masquerading as "true worship".

Purpose Driven Ecumenism

Purpose Driven Ecumenism

by Roger Oakland

Nearly every day we read headlines that indicate the ecumenical movement is sweeping the world. It seems churches and denominations that once took strong biblical positions no longer believe what they once believed. It is common to hear about unity at any cost, however, not at the foot of the cross.

The death of Pope John Paul II was a watershed event with regard to the ecumenical movement. Christian leaders from all over the world demonstrated their willingness to lay down their differences. What would have been deemed impossible a decade ago, with regard to embracing Roman Catholicism is now common-place. Since taking over as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI has promised to unify Christianity. Based on current events and trends, there is a strong possibility this may well happen.

Bible prophecy reveals the last days will be characterized by a time when a counterfeit bride will be prepared for a counterfeit Christ. Deception will take place in the name of Jesus because the truth of God’s Word will be ignored.

This commentary will document a number of trends that appear to be leading towards a unified “Christianity” with a reunion of the separated brethren in Rome. My prayer is that people will read this commentary with an open mind and consider the facts...

Read Entire Article on Purpose Driven Ecumenism
at Understand the Times International

The Purpose Driven Hostage

The Purpose Driven Hostage
by Paul Proctor

March 26, 2005, NewsWithViews.com

"A friend called me on my cell phone a couple of weeks ago to share some amazing quotes from the Purpose Driven hostage shortly after her story broke and shot to the top of the human-interest charts. Before he could even finish reading the pertinent excerpts from the article he found, we both agreed that those who stood to benefit the most from this “miracle of God” would exploit it to the very limits of believability and in doing so, further legitimize Rick Warren and his Purpose Driven products, now captivating and confusing the spiritually lame, biblically ignorant and ecclesiastically ambitious around the world.

Of course we all know that nothing sells books, tickets, movies, merchandise, programs, popcorn, cotton candy and Kleenex like a life and death drama with a happy ending. That’s why so many victims and perpetrators who come out of obscurity to suddenly find themselves before the TV cameras end up in some carnivalesque corner of the entertainment industry trying to capitalize on their newfound notoriety and turn it into a cash-producing and/or agenda-advancing career... "

Read Entire Article...The Purpose Driven Hostage

Can Rick Warren Change The World?

Can Rick Warren Change The World?

by Sandy Simpson, 8/21/06

With the recent rash (and I use that word physically) of Rick Warren appearances all over the TV networks, touted as the man who is going to save the planet, I have finally reached my maximum saturation point. I just want to address one statement that Warren made on Fox, though I could go into his appearances and what he taught in ultimate detail as I have in the past. But this one statement is more than enough to illustrate that Rick Warren is trying to change the world through his use of diaprax and his INCREDIBLE lack of discernment.

“I would trust a pastor or a rabbi of a synagogue or an imam of a Muslim mosque more then I would trust a government or NGO.” (Can Rick Warren Change the World? Fox Video – video time 2:15 Aug.19, 2006 Fox News).

Six points ...

(1) The title of the show on Fox was "Can Rick Warren Change the World?". Rick Warren does not have a mandate from God to change the world. Christians have a mandate to preach the Gospel and disciple all nations, being light and salt to the world. We do NOT have a mandate to fix the problems of the world, to take over the NGOs of the world, nor should any Christian make that boast. Yet Warren makes those boasts over and over again in a variety of ways. He is simply following the agenda of his mentor C. Peter Wagner who has been teaching this Latter Rain/Dominionist agenda to a whole generation of Fuller Seminary graduates like Warren, stating that Christians must "overthrow the governments" of the world.

http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/dominionismexposed.html http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/arise.html

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Calvary Chapel and Purpose Driven by Roger Oakland

Calvary Chapel and Purpose Driven

by Roger Oakland

at Understand The Times International

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Since Rick Warren’s best selling Purpose Driven book and other related products were pulled from Calvary Distribution, [1] a number of people have contacted me asking for an explanation. My answer has been quite simple - contact someone at Calvary Distribution and ask them for the answer.

While I do speak at many different Calvary Chapels throughout the USA and around the world, I am not involved in the decisions that the leaders of Calvary Chapel make. Basically, I am a missionary to the world, based in southern California, affiliated with the Calvary Chapel movement. The ministry of Understand The Times is a discernment ministry, and I am dedicated to warning people about current trends within Christianity which lead believers and non believers away from the truth of God’s Word. Other than warning people, there is not much else I can do.

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