ON THIS PAGE
Emphasis Mine In Bible Verses
Introduction
Rick Warren and the two books that catapulted him into the national spotlight.
Popularity and Accolades
What You Will Find
What Is Conspicuous By Its Absence
A 40-day Spiritual Journey - Why 40 Days?
Footnote I - Rick Warren's Less Than Desirable Associations
Meet Rick Warren
Rick Warren who has been called "America's Pastor" was founder of Saddleback a sprawling mega-church located in Lake Forest, California that is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and said to be the largest church in California and one of the largest in the US. [01]
Spread over a 120-acre campus it drew well over 20,000 worshipers weekly. [02] Warren is also a best-selling author and at one time was even considered one of the most influential figures in American evangelicalism.
Two books catapulted him into the national spotlight.
The Purpose Driven Church (a manual for church growth) was written in 1995. In spite of the clearly anti-Biblical concept underlying the book, his megachurch became a model that other church leaders endeavored to duplicate. According to Warren himself, "more than a million pastors worldwide" were "trained in those methods". [03] See Seeker Friendly, Church Growth Failures in The Bible.
The Purpose Driven Life - What on Earth Am I Here For? (PDL) published by Zondervan in 2002 was Warren's other bestseller. The book's 40 chapters takes the reader through a 40 day 'spiritual journey' designed to explain the five purposes of a Christian's life (Rick Warren believes everyone has a purpose in life; it is up to each person to find and pursue that purpose).
What is The Purpose Driven Life About?
The goal of The Purpose Driven Life is to answer the question "What on earth am I here for?" (Pg. 15) which may help explain the book's broad appeal. An Editorial Review by a Gail Hudson on Amazon.com says (Emphasis Added)
"The spiritual premise in The Purpose-Driven Life is that there are no accidents --- God planned everything and everyone. Therefore, every human has a divine purpose, according to God's master plan". [04]
In other words, everyone has a purpose in life; it is up to each person to find then pursue that purpose. In order to help people achieve that goal Warren lays out a 40-day spiritual journey during the course of which individual Christians are encouraged to examine their lives and to take up the challenge to become more mature and Christ-like.
Popularity and Accolades
Judging by how many copies it sold PDL was immensely popular. In fact, a May 2005 survey of American pastors and ministers conducted by George Barna asked Christian leaders to identify the books that were the most influential in their lives and ministries. The Purpose Driven Life was the most frequent response. [05] Additionally the book was warmly endorsed (back cover of the 2002 hardcover edition) by several well known Christian leaders, none of whose opinions I have very much (any) faith in.
Lee Strobel, author of The Case for Christ, says this book is life-changing, and that Rick Warren is absolutely brilliant at explaining our real purpose on earth.
Billy and Franklin Graham urge people to make sure they are not missing the point of their lives, and add that the Purpose-Driven Life will guide them to greatness.
Max Lucado says that Rick warren as written a masterpiece of wise counsel, and that god can use these (Pg.s to place your feet firmly on the right path regardless of whether you are a seeker, a new believer, or a seasoned saint.
Bruce Wilkinson, author of The Prayer Of Jabez, calls the book a "ground breaking manifesto" which was set millions of people free to lead the lives God intended.
Rick Warren himself was certainly not bashful about stating what he thought the importance of the Purpose Driven Life was. A Christianity Today article quoted him as saying
"Personal computers have brand names. But inside every pc is an Intel chip and an operating system, Windows. The Purpose Driven paradigm is the Intel chip for the 21st-century church and the Windows system of the 21st-century church." [06]
In its first decade The Purpose Drive Life sold 32 million copies in 50 languages. [07] and it didn't stop there. In January 2011 Thomas Nelson announced that The Purpose-Driven Life held 16th place on their list of the 100 Best-selling Christian Books. Additionally, a revised and expanded version came out in 2012, based on what Warren said he had learned over the last ten years.
So why bother updating an article on a book that was written close to 20 years ago - its popularity slowly fading over the last decade or so? A couple of reasons.
1.) Although Rick Warren retired as pastor of Saddleback in September 2022, it is still a very influential church and PDL still sells a few copies.
2.) Hopefully a few people once read and believed what Rick Warren wrote will realize how many often dangerous problems the book contained and will perhaps be a lot more discerning in future when the next big fad hits.
All of which poses the million dollar question - Are all the accolades (and popularity) deserved?
The answer is a resounding "No"!
But on to the book itself
What You Will Find
Rick Warren has written a book that on the one hand does make a few sound points but, on the other has much going against it.
The nonbeliever will be given little or no information as to how he or she can be included in the coming kingdom and will certainly not be told anything about the necessity of repentance from sin and a life of holiness. The reader - Christian and non-Christian alike will be introduced to a wide variety of spiritually lost people. At least one led a decadent lifestyle, another was a staunch supported of hallucinogens, and at least two were active opponents of Biblical orthodoxy. Additionally, on more than once occasion Warren refers to monks, nuns, and mystics as examples to be emulated.
And since they have been told, in no uncertain terms, that the most important thing is 'unity', they will never hear a word about discerning between true and false teachings, nor how the Bible instructs them to deal with those who practice and teach untruths.
As the reader wends their way through the book they will ...
1) Hear a Gospel Message That is Insufficient to Save: The Purpose Driven Life presents a shallow, incomplete, version of God's plan of salvation.
2) Read Paraphrases That Alter The Meaning of The Text To Suit The Agenda: The book quotes innumerable passages of text from Bible paraphrases that literally alter the meaning of the original Hebrew and Greek text. Rick Warren does this in order to support the particular subject he happens to be writing about.
3) Meet A Wide Variety Of Extremely Questionable Authors: The pages of The Purpose Driven Life are liberally sprinkled with quotes from a wide variety of questionable authors . What is extremely reprehensible is that several of those quoted were not only spiritually lost but at least one led a decadent lifestyle, another was a staunch supported of hallucinogens, and at least two were active opponents of Biblical orthodoxy. One of whom - Bernie Siegel's practice of medicine was completely changed by guided visualization, and contact with a spirit guide. Warren also holds up monks and nuns as positive examples which makes me wonder if he considers them true believers.
4) Be Introduced to Contemplative Prayer and Catholic Mystics: The Purpose Driven Life introduces readers to contemplative prayer through people like Richard Foster, his "friend" Gary Thomas (author of Sacred Pathways), Henri Nouwen and various other Catholic mystics like Brother Lawrence and Madame Guyon.
One has to wonder how many thousands of readers have either been introduced to the treacherous world of Contemplative Prayer or have continued in their practice of it assuming that 'America's Pastor's' positive references means that it is okay to use CP as a way to supposedly get "closer" to God and the Catholic mystics were good examples to be emulated. Nothing could be further from the truth.
See Rick Warren's Less Than Desirable Associations Footnote I
It seems that Rick Warren was more interested in promoting his theories and 'growing' his church than he was in sound Biblical principles such as separation from the world.
Supposedly a "theologian" and "global strategist", he seemed to neither know nor care who he associated with beginning with Southern Baptist pastor W.A. Criswell whom he described as "an incredible influence" in his life and said that he hoped to emulate Criswell's tenure. [08] And there were plenty of others that any pastor worth his salt should know better than to have any association with regardless of how much their life or teachings appear to be desirable.
What Is Conspicuous By Its Absence
1. Any Instruction on What The Scriptures Teach About Discernment or How to Handle False Doctrine
Warren tells his reader that "unity" in the church is all important, so much so that he says if we destroy unity we rip the heart out of Christ's body (Pg. 160). He goes on to say that Jesus prayed for our unity in His final hours (John 17:20-23] (Pg. 161).
However, to be noted is that the unity Jesus prayed His followers would have was based on the unity that exists between the Father and the Son. There can be no unity between a faithful believer and a person who does not believe, follow, practice, and/or teach the truth.
Conveniently ignored are the many, many verses that instruct believers how to how to treat anyone who does not teach and practice the truth including walking away and not even allowing the person in their house. The Scriptures do not endorse blindly following any one who stands behind a pulpit, pastors a church, or writes a book, but advises that everything has to be checked by the word of God.
In fact, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is the ability to judge or determine between two (or more) things as to which is right and which is wrong. Therefore Biblical "discernment of spirits" involves being able to distinguish between people or practices that serve the cause of Christ and those that serve other spirits. See Judge Not?
Yet, Warren places unity above doctrine. The covenant that believers are required to sign before becoming members of Saddleback ensures no one will openly challenge what the pastors may say or teach, or take any serious errors before the congregation.
In other words, Warren does not teach the believer how to avoid being suckered into the many false and extremely dangerous doctrines making the rounds of the churches. But, on second thought, I guess he could not afford to do that because The Purpose Driven Life would be among the first to go. (See Chapter 5 - Unity At All Costs)
2. Any Mention of Biblical Repentance
Although Rick Warren states that The Purpose Driven Life is a 40-day spiritual journey that will transform your life enabling you to find the Divine purpose God has for you and take up the challenge to become a more mature Christ-like Christian he says little or nothing about repentance which I believe is only mentioned twice in PDL.
In the Old Testament, God took pleasure in the many sacrifices of worship because they foretold of Jesus' sacrifice for us on the cross. Now God is pleased with different sacrifices of worship: thanksgiving, praise, humility, repentance, offerings of money, prayer, serving others, and sharing with those in need. Real worship costs. (Pg. 105)
The New Testament calls this mental shift repentance, which in Greek literally means "to change your mind." You repent whenever you change the way you think by adopting how God thinks - about yourself, sin, God, other people, life, your future, and everything else. You take on Christ's outlook and perspective. (Pg.182)
The early apostles beginning with John the Baptist preached exactly the same message as the Old Testament prophets. The two Greek words they most used are metanoeo and epistrepho neither of which mean to change one's mind. See Repentance
Although the second quote above is a fair description of some of the things that we need to change, it does not get to the core of Biblical repentance which is specifically turning away from sin. No one can be converted without repenting of sin, yet Rick Warren tells his reader that they are converted and welcomed into the family of God without it. In his version of the Gospel message, Warren says "all you need to do is received and believe" (Pg. 58] which is not true.
Repentance is part and parcel of conversion. In fact, because there is no gospel without repentance of sin we are doing nothing but deceiving people that they can join the family of God without it. Yet this crucial topic only comes up, very briefly, much later in the book. See Sin and Repentance on THIS Page
Any Mention of Holiness
What I find particularly disturbing is that although Warren tells his reader that they have been created for God's purposes and God's family he never once tells them that God expects them to live holy and righteous lives. In fact, there is no mention of "holiness" (mentioned only a couple of times in passing) in a book that purports to take the reader on a 40-day spiritual journey that will prepare them for eternity (Pg. 9).
This, in spite of the fact that no one is going to see eternity without holiness, a topic that is stressed from one end of the Bible to the other. The statement made by the author of Hebrews that is stunning in it's directness... "Without Holiness, No Man Shall See God!" (Hebrews 12:14)
The Myth of Faith Alone
Perhaps one of the all time greatest delusions in the Christian world, is the innumerable number of people who are under the impression that in order to be forgiven their sins and inherit eternal life, all they have to do is believe Jesus died for their sins on the cross. Even the suggestion that anything other than faith is required for salvation is not only militantly opposed by most of Christendom, but denounced as an unbiblical, works based, false teaching. But is this true? While it is certainly a fact that the Bible teaches that faith is an essential ingredient without which it is impossible to please God, it never ever teaches that faith is the only requirement for salvation.
See What is Holiness?
In the 21st century, the word "Holy" often coveys some very negative connotations. It is often used to describe someone who is self-righteous, smug, sanctimonious, goody-goody, priggish etc. Even to most Christians, the word "holy" implies moral goodness. However, this is only part of the meaning. Separation: While holiness certainly implies goodness, the core meaning of holiness, it is not "good" but rather "set apart" and therefore, good. Holiness, or separation from the world and it's standards is NOT a virtue, it is the commandment of God, repeated from one end of the Bible to the other. Anyone who professes Christianity without holiness is as phony as the proverbial three dollar bill.
A 40-day Spiritual Journey?
PDL purports to offer quite a bit for your $14.95.
"This is more than a book; it is a guide to a 40-day spiritual journey that will enable you to discover the answer to life's most important question: What on earth am I here for? By the end of this journey you will know God's purpose for your life and will understand the big picture -- how all the pieces of your life fit together. Having this perspective will reduce your stress, simplify your decisions, increase your satisfaction, and, most important, prepare you for eternity." (Pg. 9).
The book lays out a step-by-step, 40-day plan by which a person can discover what God's purpose for their life is. Warren urged readers to read no more than a single chapter a day so they have the time to reflect on what they have just learned and its implications for their lives.
The nonbeliever will be given little or no information as to how he or she can be included in the coming kingdom and will certainly not be told anything about the necessity of repentance from sin and a life of holiness. The reader - Christian and non-Christian alike will be introduced to a wide variety of spiritually lost people. At least one led a decadent lifestyle, another was a staunch supported of hallucinogens, and at least two were active opponents of Biblical orthodoxy. Additionally, on more than once occasion Warren refers to monks, nuns, and mystics as examples to be emulated.
And since they have been told, in no uncertain terms, that the most important thing is 'unity', they will never hear a word about discerning between true and false teachings, nor how the Bible instructs them to deal with those who practice and teach untruths.
One question that comes to mind is...
Why 40 Days?
Rich Warren claims that
"The Bible is clear that God considers 40 days a spiritually significant time period. Whenever God wanted to prepare someone for his purposes, he took 40 days:"
For example, he wrote that
Noah's life was transformed by 40 days of rain.
Moses was transformed by 40 days on Mount Sinai.
The spies were transformed by 40 days in the Promised Land.
David was transformed by Goliath's 40-day challenge.
The entire city of Nineveh was transformed when God gave the people 40 days to change.
Jesus was empowered by 40 days in the wilderness.
The disciples were transformed by 40 days with Jesus after his resurrection.
The next 40 days will transform your life. (Pgs.11-12 Zondervan's 2002 edition)
What he has done is to take every 40 day event in the Bible that he could find and put his own spin on them making it seem that over and over again people were somehow prepared or transformed in that particular number of days.
(As an aside, I wonder what we are to make of the fact that Genesis 50:2-3 tells us that the Egyptians took 40 days to embalm a body )
While it is true that 40 days was a significant period of time in the Scriptures, none of the examples above show that God took 40 days to prepare someone for His purposes. The claim was made in an effort to convince the reader of how very Biblical and therefore very important the book is. Unfortunately, it seems to have worked for one of two reasons
The reader was unfamiliar with the exact circumstances of each of these 40 day periods.
They were familiar with the circumstances of each of the given examples but never stopped to question whether or not the 40 days were a transformational period.
The fact is that not one of those chosen for a specific purpose had to go on a 40 day journey to find out what that purpose was... God let them know loud and clear what He wanted them to do. Abraham was told to pack up and go, Moses was confronted by a burning bush, Gideon came face to face with an angel, Paul was knocked off his horse, blinded and heard God's voice from heaven, and John the Baptist's future was known from the time he was in his mother's womb.
Read the exact circumstances of each of the 40 day periods Rick Warren mentions AND do so with an open word-for-word translation of the Bible in hand. (NOT a paraphrase which is often no more than the author's opinion of what the verse in question means. But more about that later)
Noah:
The forty days and forty nights of rain was judgment on the world not a preparation period for Noah who had already found favor in God's sight (Genesis 6:8) being, as Peter said, a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5). In any case in obedience to God's instructions, Noah spent several years building the ark then stocked and populated it before the 40 day period.
See Was Noah Was Considered Blameless Because He Was Morally Good? - Not Exactly
Now if Rick Warren had said that everyone else's life was transformed by the 40 days of rain, he would have been far more accurate since the entire population met a watery end. Moses merely waited out that time period. Besides which, this was not the only time the number 40 was associated with judgment.
Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, so that the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines forty years. (Judges 13:1 NASB)
Moses:
Rick Warren wrote that Moses was transformed by 40 days on Mount Sinai! The only transformation described in the Bible is the skin of Moses’ face shone from speaking with God when he descended from Mt. Sinai the second time (Exodus 34:29 NASB).
The Spies:
The 12 spies spent 40 days spying out the land of Canaan. However, only Joshua and Caleb believed that the Lord would bring them into this land that was flowing with milk and honey.
The other ten spies said that the inhabitants of the land were too strong for them and they would not be able to defeat them. In fact, the entire congregation of Israel was very inclined to stone Joshua and Caleb, so much so that the Lord once again lost patience with the people, threatened to smite them and start all over again with Moses. (Numbers 13-14)
David:
The only mention of 40 days is that Goliath spent that amount of time challenging the army of Israel to choose a man who would fight him. (1 Samuel 17:16). If this man killed Goliath then the Philistines would become the servants of Israel, but if Goliath defeated his challenger the situation would be reversed. David, who was not a warrior but took care of his fathers sheep was sent to take supplies to his older brothers who were in the army . It seems pretty apparent that he killed Goliath the same day he first heard the challenge. (1 Samuel 17).
Elijah:
While there is no question that Elijah traveled forty days and forty nights to Mt. Horeb on the strength of a single meal provided by an angel, he was just as afraid and disheartened when he got to Horeb as he had been before. The meal and the 40 days walk did nothing to change his despair...
Pre-meal: But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers." (1 Kings 19:4 NASB)
Post-meal: Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He said, "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." (1 Kings 19:9-10 NASB)
It was only after the Lord spoke to Elijah and told him that victory would come to Hazael, Jehu and Elisha and that he, Elijah was not alone but there were 7000 in Israel that had not bowed the knee to Baal, that he took courage and set off to do what the Lord commanded, which was to anoint Hazael king over Aram; Jehu king over Israel; and Elisha prophet in his own place. (1 Kings 19)
Nineveh:
was given 40 days to repent or be destroyed. However, it certainly doesn't follow that they were 'transformed' over this period. The story simply tells us that the people of Nineveh believed what God said, called a fast and put on sackcloth.
The king issued a proclamation instructing the people to turn away from violence and wickedness and call earnestly on God that He would turn, relent, and withdraw His burning anger so that they would not perish (Jonah 3). There is absolutely no indication whether this happened on the first, the seventeenth, or the thirty ninth day after they heard God's ultimatum.
Jesus:
The Bible neither says nor implies that, as Rick Warren says, Jesus was "empowered" by 40 days in the wilderness. Although Luke's account says that "Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit" (Luke 4:14), we know that the Spirit came upon Jesus at his baptism (John 1:32-34), not during the 40 day wilderness experience.
So what was the 40 days in the wilderness about?
The Bible says that Jesus was led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. It was apparently God's plan for Jesus to begin His ministry with this challenge. The devil was willing to tempt Jesus but it was the Spirit of God that led Jesus to it.
There are both parallels and contrasts between the temptation of Jesus and that of Adam - so many centuries earlier. Adam's caving into Satan's lures introduced sin into the world and started mankind's separation from God. Jesus' resistance to Satan's offers at the very outset of His ministry was His first victory over Satan which began opening the door for mankind to return to God.
The Disciples:
There is no question that Jesus appeared to the disciples over a period of forty days during which He spoke of the things concerning the kingdom of God.
However, the disciples were commanded to tarry at Jerusalem "for the promise of the Father" (Acts 1:4) which they did. Jesus Himself told them that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them; and they would be His "witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." (Acts 1:8 NASB).
They did not have long to wait. The coming of the Holy Spirit occurred on the next Jewish holiday when Jews from different countries came to be in Jerusalem to celebrate the completion of the harvest season. This annual feast was none other than Shavuot ( the Feast of Weeks) that came fifty days after the festival of First-fruits, which is when Jesus rose from the dead. In other words, it was on Shavuot or Pentecost that the disciples were transformed from timid, fearful men into bold preachers of the word. See The Seven Feasts of Israel
Conclusion
It is tremendously conceited to insist that because certain events in the Bible occurred over a period of 40 days, reading The Purpose Driven Life's 40 chapters over 40 days means that the book will transform your life.
Besides which, there have been a few really excellent books written by believers over the centuries the best of which gave the reader a much greater depth of understanding of and insight into God's word. However, none of them ever were capable of "transforming" lives, a privilege that is reserved for the Scriptures alone.
Considering the extremely bad start PDL has gotten off to, I have to wonder if it can be considered even a passably good Christian book. I do know that, had my curiosity not been piqued as to how much else was carelessly handled, misapplied, and/or misused, I would have lost all faith that Rick Warren had any idea of what he was talking about and would probably have relegated the book to the nearest re-cycle bin.
Footnote I - Rick Warren's Less Than Desirable Associations
Rick Warren had some less than desirable people that he looked up to and (certainly in the case of Peter Drucker) learned from.
W. A. Criswell
Rick Warren described Southern Baptist pastor W.A. Criswell as his "father in the ministry" and said he was "felt called to be a pastor" under Criswell who was "an incredible influence" in his life. He added that Criswell was "the greatest pastor of the 20th century" and didn't think anybody else even came close. He also credited Criswell with developing "the most widely copied model" of church organization and ministry in America. [09]
One problem is that Criswell was a well-known segregationist.
"He attacked preachers who supported integration and particularly railed against both the National Council of Churches and the NAACP, calling them "good-for-nothing fellows who are trying to upset all of the things that we love as good old Southern people and as good old Southern Baptists.” [10]
"Even a decade after his views on race and the biblical support for segregation supposedly changed, Criswell continued to conjure up the spirits of white supremacy and implicitly endorsed the resulting racialized social arrangements". [11] Note: This article is well worth reading.
He also founded a private, whites-only school, First Baptist Academy, in 1972.
Criswell and Robert Schuller
And that was not all. Criswell endorsed Robert Schuller's ministry. In a 1981 ad in Christianity Today's Leadership magazine. He said,
"I know Dr. Schuller personally. He's my good friend. I've spoken on his platform. I'm well acquainted with his ministry. If you want to develop fruitful evangelism in your church; if you want your laity to experience positive motivation and ministry fulfilling training, then I know, without a doubt, that you will greatly benefit from the Robert Schuller Film Workshop."
Along with Paul Crouch, Jack Hayford, John Wimber, Criswell also endorsed Schuller's 1996 autobiography My Soul's Adventure with God. He also endorsed a book by Schuller's mentor - self-esteem theologian Norman Vincent Peale.
Robert Schuller was the epitome of the wolf that Paul spoke about in Acts 20:29-30. Called an extraordinary minister by New Age leader Neale Donald Walsch, what Schuller believes about the Bible is actually a redefined, twisted view of it. His repentance was not Bible repentance; his new birth was not Bible regeneration; his Jesus and his salvation was not that of the Bible.
By promoting New Agers and their doctrines Robert Schuller did more than his share of leading the church down some very dark paths and away from Biblical doctrine.
See Robert Schuller and Norman Vincent Peale
Apostles of Self-Esteem
Also See Joel Osteen - The Blind Leading The Blind
The Mind Blowing Parallels Between Osteen, Napolean Hill, and Norman Vincent Peale's Doctrines
Warren and Ken Blanchard
In April 2005 Rick Warren gearing up to "train a billion people" (from Christian Post) teamed up with New Age and contemplative promoter, Ken Blanchard. to aid him in training leaders.
There is much evidence to show that Blanchard sits on the New Age/mystical/contemplative bandwagon. Blanchard believes in the benefits and use of mantra meditation, yoga and had no trouble borrowing from Buddhism. See Ken Blanchard
Rick Warren And Peter Drucker
Religion News Service says that "Based on Saddleback's success, Warren began training other pastors, borrowing heavily from management guru Peter Drucker" as Austrian-born American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business corporation. [12]
Apparently, Rick Warren gave the opening address at the 2009 Peter Drucker Centennial conference in Vienna, Austria at which he related a story about how each time he went to visit Peter Drucker and learn from him, he wound up trying to answer and wrestle with Drucker's own persistent questions. [13]
Warren and the John Templeton Foundation -
The Power of Purpose was a worldwide essay competition sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation. In (I believe) 2004 Rick Warren was one of the judges of the competition joining people like Hugh Delehanty - a practising Buddhist and Paul Davies who "places the highest confidence in science to find answers to the deepest questions of the cosmos and mankind's place in it."He is " reluctant to accept a Creator who made the world by a miraculous demonstration of His sovereign power. [14]
Templeton's beliefs are clearly expressed in his numerous writings: He is an evolutionist, pantheist, universalist, and has occultic views to boot. His writings display a rejection of the God of the Bible, Christ as the only way to God. He claims that heaven and hell are states of mind we create here on earth, that truth is relative, and that Christianity is no longer relevant today as it was in Christ's day.
Here are few examples,
God is billions of stars in the Milky Way and He is much more ... Time and space and energy are all part of God - God is five billion people on Earth - God is untold billions of beings on planets of millions of other stars - God is the only reality -God is all of you and you are a little part of Him(Templeton, Humility, p. 37-38.)
[T]he basic principles for leading a 'sublime life'... may be derived from any religious tradition, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and others, as well as Christian (Discovering the Laws of Life pp. 6-7).
The doctrinal formulations of Christianity have changed and will change from age to age - Christians think God appeared in Jesus of Nazareth two thousand years ago for our salvation and education. But we should not take it to mean that - progress stopped - that Jesus was the end of change -To say that God cannot reveal Himself again in a decisive way [through other Messiahs] - seems sacrilegious...” (Templeton, Humility, pp. 48,53.) [15]
Incidentally, Templeton's book Discovering the Laws of Life (2009 edition) was endorsed by both Robert Schuller and Norman Vincent Peale (no surprises there)
Norman Vincent Peale said what impressed him the most was Templeton's dedication and drive in the spiritual realm.
Robert Schuller applauded' the publication of "this master work"
However, the first endorsement at the top of the page was by
Billy Graham: More than almost any other businessman I know, John Templeton understands that the true measure of a person's success in life is not financial accomplishment but moral integrity and inner character.
{PLACE IN TEXT}
Continue On To PART II -
Who Was The Purpose-Driven Life's Target Audience - The Mature Believer, The New Believer, or The Unsaved?
Repentance - The Missing Message. The Warning in John 3:36. A Profusion of Questionable Bible Versions and Partial Quotes That Alter The Meaning Of The Original Hebrew And Greek Text. AND MORE
End Notes
[01] 2020 Largest Participating Churches. https://outreach100.com/largest-churches-in-america/2020
[02] Kim Lawton. Purpose Driven’ Pastor Rick Warren Goes Global.
https://religionnews.com/2006/09/09/purpose-driven-pastor-rick-warren-goes-global/
[03] Saddleback Church backs Rick Warren successor despite allegations. Religion News Service. https://religionnews.com/2022/06/12/saddleback-backs-rick-warren-successor-despite-allegations-andy-wood-echo-church/
[04] Editorial Review. Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Purpose-Driven-Life-Rick-Warren/dp/0310205719
[05] Survey Reveals The Books and Authors That Have Most Influenced Pastors". barna.com. 30 May 2005.
https://www.barna.com/research/survey-reveals-the-books-and-authors-that-have-most-influenced-pastors/
[06] Tmothy Morgan. Purpose Driven in Rwanda. Rick Warren's sweeping plan to defeat poverty. Christianity Today. https://www.christianitytoday.com/2005/09/purpose-driven-in-rwanda/ ] (Unfortunately one has to subscribe to Christianity Today to read the rest of this article)
[07] Purpose Driven Life Gets a 10th Anniversary Makeover: PW Talks with Rick Warren. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/religion/article/54912-purpose-driven-life-gets-a-10th-anniversary-makeover-pw-talks-with-rick-warren.html
[08] Christianity Today. Bob Smietana. Rick Warren Reveals Successor, Retirement Date as Saddleback Church Pastor. https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/june/rick-warren-retirement-saddleback-church-pastor-andy-wood.html
[09] Baptist Press. Rick Warren honors memory of legendary W.A. Criswell.
https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/rick-warren-honors-memory-of-legendary-w-a-criswell/
[10] Richmond Free Press. Pastor whitewashes history of Southern Baptist denomination. http://richmondfreepress.com/news/2016/jul/29/pastor-whitewashes-history-southern-baptist-denomi/
[11] Curtis W. Freeman Never Had I Been So Blind: W. A. Criswell's "Change" on Racial Segregation.
http://jsr.fsu.edu/Volume10/Freeman.pdf
[12] Kim Lawton. Religion News Service. Purpose Driven’ Pastor Rick Warren Goes Global.
https://religionnews.com/2006/09/09/purpose-driven-pastor-rick-warren-goes-global/
[13] Shawn Hunter. The Purpose Driven Leader – Rick Warren on Peter Drucker.
https://shawnhunter.com/2009/12/03/the-purpose-driven-leader-rick-warren-on-peter-drucker/
[14] https://theologicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/jisca/03-1_067.pdf
[15] A Bridge over other Waters http://www.letusreason.org/curren40.htm
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