God Does not protect us from Lonliness.

Get a load of this whopper from Purpose-Driven Heretic Rick Warren:

But
God says, “If you will do what I tell you to do, you will never again have to deal with
loneliness. You’ll be able to overcome fatigue, fear, failure, and frustration. Your life
will be so much easier if you’ll just do it the way I planned for you to do it.” The
anecdote to all of those things is the concept of community.
(Why We Need Each Other
Transcript of Message by Rick Warren
October 2-3, 2004)
http://docs.purposedriven.org:8088/docs/40DOC/Pastor_Transcript_Sample.pdf
Excuse me, it is heretical to say, "Thus saith the Lord" when the Lord has not thus said. That makes Rick Warren a false prophet.

contrast with a more realistic view by A.W. Tozer:

"The pain of loneliness arises from the constitution of our nature. God made us for each other. The desire for human companionship is completely natural and right. The loneliness of the Christian results from his walk with God in an ungodly world, a walk that must often take him away from the fellowship of good Christians as well as from that of the unregenerate world. His God-given instincts cry out for companionship with others of his kind, others who can understand his longings, his aspirations, his absorption in the love of Christ; and because within his circle of friends there are so few who share his inner experiences he is forced to walk alone. The unsatisfied longings of the prophets for human understanding caused them to cry out in their complaint, and even our Lord Himself suffered in the same way.—Man, the Dwelling Place of God."

Scoreboard - Blog about that Buddy!

For all you doubters of Mormonism check this out: http://www.mormonconverts.com/



This site recounts the amazing way that Mormonism has changed peoples lives. Marriages have been save, homes restored, and faith renewed. People are being saved, marriages are being restored, kids are getting their fathers back. That is why Joseph Smith gave us the Book of Mormon so more people could get to know God. So how dare you criticize what God is doing here. The result speak for themselves. So to all you doubters and nay-sayers I have on thing to say: SCOREBOARD.


I use the following example to illustrate the natural tendency to see the 'fruit' of a work as proof from the 'truth' of a work. At a recent service of NewSpring Church, the Pastor Perry Noble, chided those who would speak harsely about his church. He said, "I'll look right in the camera a say Scoreboard, (the auidence breaks into applause) lives are being changed." This kind of attitude exhibits the typical American preference for Pragmatism. Pragmatism is the philosophy that says 'Do whatever work.' The problem with pragmatism is that it does not work. For example of how a marriage was saved by God, you can find an example of how a marriage was destroyed because one spouse turned to God. Try telling Christians in Iraq to have their "Best Life Now." This is the same reason why Tony Robbins or Oprah can also help people change their lives. Islam, Mormonism, Buddism, Secular Humanism, and many other 'ism's' can help people change their lives. The question is not the changed life but rather has the gospel of forgiveness, repentenence, freedom from the wrath of God been proclaimed. Self-help systems are a dime a dozen. It is unfortunate that NewSpring may help people with personal issues but they fail to help people the the ultimate issue.

Rick Warren - Islam's Useful Idiot

In political jargon, the term useful idiot was used to describe Soviet sympathizers in western countries and the attitude of the Soviet government towards them. The implication was that though the person in question naïvely thought themselves an ally of the Soviets or other Communists, they were actually held in contempt by them, and being cynically used.
The term is now used more broadly to describe someone who is perceived to be manipulated by a political movement, terrorist group, hostile government, or business, whether or not the group is Communist in nature (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Useful_idiot)

Why do we get the worst spokes people for Christianity? Well, Rick Warren, Purpose-Driven Pope, went to speak to a group of Muslims and instead of warning them of the judgement to come for believing a lie he started to apologize and sought to placate the crowd with pithy platitudes. This is the same man who uttered this whopper while praising an advocate of Baby butchery (Obama): "I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life, Yeshua, Isa, Jesus [Spanish pronunciation], Jesus." Who exactly is "Isa"? Jesus’ true name, according to the Qur’an, was ‘Isa. His message was pure Islam, surrender to Allah. (Âl 'Imran 3:84) Like all the Muslim prophets before him, and like Muhammad after him, ‘Isa was a lawgiver, and Christians should submit to his law. (Âl 'Imran 3:50; Al-Ma’idah 5:48) ‘Isa’s original disciples were also true Muslims, for they said ‘We believe. Bear witness that we have surrendered. We are Muslims.’ (Al-Ma’idah 5:111) (http://www.answering-islam.org/Intro/islamic_jesus.html). Why would a "Evangelical Pastor" refer to our Master and Lord using such a blasphemous moniker? The answer of course is that "Pastor" Rick wants to be friends with the world. His understanding of Islam is hopelessly naive! The stated goal of Islam to the establishment of Sharia Law over the entire world. Warren believes that we can work together for the 'common good.' Well, who defines the common good. For a large swath of Islam the 'common good' is the destruction of the infidel. Warren being among the class of Infidels. Rick Warren and others of his ilk are a clear sign of the Judgement of God upon the Apostate Church! May he repent and preach the undiminished Gospel and to the wind with popularity and man-pleasing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQak4l60Dt4

Sermon Preparation?!

Contrast the following approaches to Sermons Preparation.

Perry Noble, Pastor, NewSpring Church (Seeker Driven Model):
http://www.newspring.cc/docs/UNL09-SeniorPastorsOnly.pdf

Q: What does sermon prep from week to week look like?
A: Listen to a lot of podcasts, I don’t read as much of other books as I should. A group of guys and girls get
together and brainstorm. After praying over it bringing it back and say what I think we should do. Go 2-3 series
ahead. In creativity meeting, bring all kinds of people in creativity meeting to make it diverse. Although we plan
way ahead, we are always open for the Holy Spirit changing it.

Listen to a lot of podcasts. The Scriptures are not even mentioned. Biblical Exegesis, What's That? Hermenutics, Your hurting my head! Biblical Languages, Now you are just being elitist! "All exegesis does is X out Jesus" "Just help people pray to receive Jesus"

Compare this to how John Macarthur prepares a sermon:
http://unashamedworkman.wordpress.com/2007/03/21/macarthurs-sermon-preparation/


4 days to prepare:
Day 1 (First 8 hours):
* Reads, re-reads, and re-reads the text.* Takes out a legal pad a jots down some notes.* Turns to the Greek text.* Peruses some 20 commentaries on the text.* Goes through cross-references.
Day 2 (2nd 8 hours):
* Mediates on what he learned on Day 1.
Day 3 (3rd 8 hours):
* Puts together his rough draft.* Finds Biblical illustrations.* Writes his introduction and conclusion.
Day 4 (4th 8 Hours):
* Writes his final draft, all of which is hand-written.

Which Pastor is following the admonition to "Preach the Word" (2 Tim. 4:2)

Teaching The Law!

Consider this quote from a recent conference. The conference was put on by NewSpring "Church." Notice how the Law is being imposed on New Testament believers. The "Breakout session" dealt with Church Finance. http://www.newspring.cc/docs/UNL09-ChurchFinances.pdf

"Monitor staff tithing – quarterly “We check all of our staff’s tithing record every quarter and if they are not
tithing 10% of their gross salary then we will have a one-on-one discussion with them to address the issue. If a
member applies for a position at NewSpring and they are not tithing then we don’t even interview them. If their
heart is not here, then we don’t want them on staff.”

Notice the Subtle, "If their heart is not here" indictment of "non-tithing" members. Consider what Jesus said concerning giving:

4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Mat 6:4 ESV).

Consider the following statement by Frank Viola in his book Pagan Christianity "With the death of Jesus, all ceremonial codes that belonged to the Jews were nailed to Christ's cross and buried, never to be used again to condemn us. For this reason, we never see Christians tithing in the New Testament, just as we don't see them sacrificing goats and bulls to cover their sins (173)."

NewSpring (along with most seeker driven churches) bind the Old Covenant principle of the Tithe on the consciouses on New Covenant believers. For this reason they are perverting the pure message of Grace found the the sacrificial atonement of Jesus, Our Savior.

Playing a Numbers Game

For any healthy church the sum and substance of vitality is numerical growth. Attracting a big crowd on Sunday morning validates any and every methodology used to attract such a crowd. Pine Ridge Church puts it this way:

“to do whatever it takes, by whatever means necessary, to reach people that are far from Him. “

Here is a list of references which prove that God approves of endless topical messages and fluffy emotion driven services.

Pine Ridge Church: After just 18 months of existence, the church averages nearly 500 people over 4 weekend services and has seen over 170 people make decisions for Christ.
http://www.pineridgechurch.com/sub/lead-pastor-tadd-grandstaff/

Radiant Church: But somehow, Radiant grew. Within six months, over 450 people attended each weekend, and the numbers increased exponentially over the next 10 years—the weekly attendance numbers, but also the number of baptisms and commitments to Jesus.

http://www.radiantchurch.com/history.asp

Christ Church of the Valley: Christ's Church of the Valley moved into their new 3,000 seat multi-use structure on the 100-acre campus. Christ's Church of the Valley has over 9,000 in attendance each weekend at four identical services.

http://www.ccvonline.com/Arena/default.aspx?page=12656&xml=85e6e6bc-e01c-48bf-9b0d-2c8e64e83093

NewSpring Church : In the beginning of NewSpring Church 115 people met in a small auditorium of the local college in Anderson, South Carolina. Nine years later, we are 10,000+ strong

http://www.newspring.cc/newhere/our-story

This is merely a sample of the Church/Self-Help Organizations who define success based on numbers. Always strive for horizontal growth not vertical growth.

Will God Support your Money Back Guarantee?

A Key principle in the marketing of any product is to back up its quality with a 100% money back guarantee. Thankfully the marketing team at Pine Ridge Church provide the discerning seeker of God with a money back guarantee. Tadd Grandstaff is sort of like a modern day Johann Tetzel. If you remember your Church history, during the Reformation a Roman Catholic Priest, named Tetzel, developed a catchy slogan for folk who gave their money to spring a family member from purgatory. "When the coin in the coffer clings, the soul from purgatory springs." Now Pine Ridge Church has developed this little diddy: When the Tithe in the Church Account posts, the one who tithes will get the most (blessings from God) or your money back.

"We commit to you that if you tithe for 60 days and God doesn't hold true to His promises of blessings, we will refund 100% of your tithe. No questions asked. "

Check it out:

http://www.pineridgechurch.com/give/tithe-challenge/