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Redefining Christianity: Understanding the Purpose Driven Life Movement

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The topics of the "seeker-sensitive" movement and Rick Warren's methodologies have been a major part of my life the past 3-4 years. I have devoured many books and articles about the Purpose Driven philosophy, especially after I began to have grave concerns about the changes brought into my church by my pastor after he attended a pastors conference sponsored by Rick Warren's Saddleback Church. Eventually, my wife and I were forced to leave that church (amicably) after private meetings with our pastor and a couple of deacons. In our church, Rick Warren started a slippery slope that included a softened and shortened sermon, dropping the name "baptist" from the church name, putting the hymnals in the church attic, selling the organ, needing earplugs to attend praise and worship time, watching an unicyclist parade through the sanctuary, participating in a live, interactive congregational marketing survey during church service time and starting a building program when neither attendance nor the budget supported doing so.

Sound familiar? If not, these seeker-sensitive things will soon be coming to your church if Rick Warren has his say. The final straw was our discovery that our pastor was plagarizing and purchasing Rick Warren sermon series from Pastors.com and fellow church members had no clue that these sermons were not his own. Sorry, but Rick Warren has his tentacles into far too many areas and people don't recognize it. No wonder Jesus used the "sheep" analogy in describing humanity's ability to discern danger.

Thanks for indulging me. I tell my story to lend some credibility to reviewing Bob DeWaay's book. In my studies and after reading this book, I quickly came to the opinion that Bob DeWaay's book is the most complete, accurate, and biblical response to the seeker-sensitive movement available. This movement has hijacked evangelical Christianity over the past decade or so and has now displaced countless bible-believing Christians from their churches. DeWaay has correctly analyzed that Rick Warren has created a franchise, similar to Ray Kroc with McDonald's restaurants. Local pastors, lacking Warren's homespunness and strength of personality, merely need to copy Warren's recipes and methods, and transplant them into their own community, directly (with some fees) from yuppie, wealthy Orange County California.

By worldly standards, Warren's methodologies are wildly successful which is not surprising since the principles used are taken from modern psychology, Peter Drucker and the Harvard Business School. However in the process, the gospel of Jesus Christ (I Cor 1: 17-19) ends up being ignored in the quest to insert worldly wisdom. Warren's target audience, the infamous Saddleback Sam, does not want to hear about sin, the blood of Christ, Jesus' second coming as a judge and conquering king, and the past, present and future importance of the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. Warren simply gives Sam what he wants, not what he needs. I actually believe Warren is sincere. However, he emphasizes the parts of the bible and Christianity that are easy to believe and appealing in order to maximize numerical outcomes. Warren may believe the rest of the bible but he knows Saddleback Sam doesn't want to believe them so he ignores them out of existence.

As Pastor DeWaay articulately states, Warren adeptly redefines Christianity around the PDL model of giving people what they want and downplaying most teaching, doctrine, and end-times prophecy. Warren does this largely through the use of multiple bible translations, relying heavily on paraphrases that too often subtly raise the importance and power of man over the sovereignty and holiness of God. Especially strong is DeWaay's documentation of how the Warren church model emphasizes evangelism rather than discipleship. This philosophy is best seen in that the desires of the unsaved are paramount and drive the content and format in the seeker-sensitive church. DeWaay however proves that the early church in the Book of Acts and the epistles were primarily for believers. Unbelievers were welcome but the church meetings were to focus on the needs and development of the believers (Hebrews 10:25 and I Cor 14:23), not the fleshly wants of unbelievers.

That's why we have so many Christians fleeing the seeker-sensitive churches today because we are no longer fed and are dying of thirst in these services that resemble worldly entertainment and the sound bites that today's media present. The customer is king and queen and Rick Warren takes this basic business tenet and applies it into the church. We should all know that fallen man never has the ability or desire to do what is right apart from the grace of God. The fact that we abdicate control of our churches over to the unsaved is a major sin of American Christians today. Most Christians, Rick Warren especially, do not have the guts to say what is right and proper, even if it means we may have the unsaved reject us. If Rick Warren said what he really should, he wouldn't sell 25 million books, be on the cover of Time magazine, and be a regular on CNN and the major TV networks. But what has Warren really achieved in the eternal perspective? See Mark 8:36 for some food for thought.

Another grave error that Rick Warren makes is that he quotes biblical promises and delivers them to the unsaved. Secular people reading the "Purpose Driven Life" end up receiving false assuarances that the bible only intended for believers in Jesus Christ. That's why bible teaching and preaching of God who chose to become a crucified Jewish carpenter is key as Bob DeWaay continually reinforces. If one doesn't believe in who Jesus Christ is and why he needed to come to earth as a man, these biblical promises are null and void. This point is especially noticeable to me as I know people who don't believe in the virgin birth, that Jesus Christ was God, and that the resurrection didn't happen, and that he may have had a child with Mary Magdalene as portrayed in the DaVinci Code, yet these people love Rick Warren's book and say that it provides them with God's love and validation. Goes to show that your average reader of Purpose-Driven Life didn't read the gospel in that book.

Rick Warren may believe all the major doctrines of Christianity, but he has done an extremely poor job presenting them in his mega-selling book. One must wonder if Colossians 2:8 may apply to the seeker-sensitive movement. If the gospel is so clear in Warren's book, I doubt that it would have sold 25 million copies. If the person and work of Jesus Christ was accurately presented, I doubt that millions of Muslims, Mormons, corporations, and professional sports teams would read this book as they have and generate positive response. Warren has done the impossible of getting popular society to read a "christian" book but in so doing, he has so redefined christianity, that the integrity and good news of the gospel has been lost in the process. I don't doubt that some find the truth through the Purpose-Driven Life despite the book's shortcomings. But I have to wonder how many people are permanently led astray and scarred by the falsehoods and misdirections the book does offer. Rick Warren will need to answer for both results some day but not to Bob DeWaay, me or anyone other human, but to a holy God.

DeWaay concludes his book with an "open letter" to Rick Warren. In Matthew Ch. 18:15-17, believers who have a disagreement with a fellow believer should go to that person privately to discuss the matter. Rick Warren is far too famous and busy to ever permit Bob DeWaay to do so. I commend DeWaay for his gentle reproving of Rick Warren in a loving, gracious manner and contending earnestly for the faith as the Book of Jude, verse 3 describes.

Don't miss a wonderful biblical lesson in the Appendix from Revelation Ch. 2 and 3: the seven short epistles taught by Jesus Christ himself. The churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia were not large but were commended by Jesus for their faithfulness to the truth and enduring much hardship. Too many of today's churches fit the mold and description of Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22). Jesus said these churches think they are rich and in need of nothing, but are actually naked and pathetic. What a description of most American churches today. And people say that the bible is an outdated book and needs to be modified to be relevant !! Classic example that the bible is a living, breathing book worthy of study.

In summary, America doesn't need "Purpose-Driven Life" or 75 percent of the junk that litters the shelves of Christian bookstores. America needs preachers like Bob DeWaay and the gospel preaching described in his outstanding book to reach a hurting world in need of hope and redemption. We need heartfelt worship in our services and songs without the need for earplugs that teach deep biblical truth while conveying God's holiness, majesty and sovereignty to a skeptical world. That's what will reach the world for Christ and address the Great Commission.

This is a revealing book written in easy to understand language. It confirms much of what I found to be extremely troublesome with the "purpose driven" movement. Coming from a Mennonite perspective I had to weed out the author's fundamentalist views but overall it is a much needed critical look at the structure and methods behind this movement.

On pages 52-65 DeWaay writes extensively about another Rick Warren endorsed book "Transitioning: Leading Your Church Through Change" by Dan Southerland. DeWaay describes how this book encourages pastors to convince their congregation they've "lost their vision". This is necessary to sell the congregation on the new vision which in combination with the purpose driven formula is imposed on the unsuspecting congregation. Pastors are told to expect vigorous dissent by some and possibly significant loss of members in transitioning to the purpose driven format. According to the PD strategy this is to be expected and seen as success. So much for the shepherd caring for every sheep in his flock!

DeWaay also shows how the purpose driven model uses marketing techniques and vision statements to give pastors a way to "measure" the success of a church. Success, as defined by the PDM, is ultimately based on numerical growth in the church. According to the purpose driven model if a church is not growing in numbers it is seen as a dying congregation. I have seen firsthand the damage this causes in a congregation. Why do so many church leaders jump on this bandwagon with little if any discernment of its merits?

Bob DeWaay says that Rick Warren has redefined Christianity to make it more pleasing to pagans, but it is not the Christianity of the Bible. DeWaay contends that "The Purpose Driven Life" is "an unholy mixture of human wisdom, bad Bible translations, misinterpreted and misapplied scripture, approving citations of New Agers, mystics, an eroticist, a socialist, etc, combined with some of the truths of the gospel."

DeWaay comes to this conclusion after two years of studying and researching the purpose driven movement. He calls into question Rick's ministry philosophy of ministering to a person's felt needs, turning the church of Jesus Christ into a business model of a franchise, and his use of Bible translations that make the point he wants to make even if the author of scripture wasn't making that particular point.

The book goes through how Rick has repackaged and redefined Christianity to make it seeker friendly rather than biblically accurate. One of the most devastating chapters in the book is a discussion of Warren's many mishandlings of scripture. DeWaay shows how Warren applies Ephesians 1 to people in general when the text is speaking of Christians in particular. He also shows how Warren changes the meaning of certain texts such as Genesis 6:8, Matthew 16:25, and a number of others. He notes that if he would have taken the timeto chronicle all of Rick's Bible misinterpretations, it would have filled an entire book!

Pastor DeWaay also charges that Pastor Rick is not preaching that the blood of Jesus is the only ground for salvation, and that people need to be saved from judgment.

Bob also notes that in Christ's messages to the seven churches of Asia Minor, he never once criticizes them for not growing numerically, or for not being more seeker friendly. In fact, Jesus reserves some of His more poignant words for the smaller churches (Rev 3:8-13). This is a point that those in the Church Growth Movement would do well to ponder.

Bob quotes from emails that people sent to him expressing their dismay that the Bible has been replaced in their parishes by copies of the Purpose Driven Life. DeWaay even points out that some pastors don't even write their own sermons anymore, they just preach the pre-packaged ones that Rick Warren wrote!

I myself have scoured hundreds of Rick Warren's sermons. I have always been amazed at how well Rick applies spiritual truths to our lives, and equally amazed at how careless he is with the Bible. He frequently misunderstands what the text is saying, and more often than not quotes it to support his point rather than consulting it to see what point is being made.

DeWaay also stresses that even though Rick probably believes all of the main teachings of the gospel, he doesn't emphasize them in his sermons or in his public statements, probably out of a desire to be more appealing. He calls on Rick at the end of the book to get back to preaching the Word.

There are some places where I felt that Bob was being too hard on Rick Warren. For example, he chastises Rick for preaching that we need to receive and believe on Christ rather than emphasizing repentance from dead works that could lead to judgment. This is unfair because the gospel is presented in a variety of ways in Scripture (John 1:12, 3:16; Acts 2:38; 3:19, 16:31, Romans 10:9-13), using different terms and expressions. Rick uses the language of John a bit more than the language of other texts, but I think his salvation message is clear enough.

Bob also criticizes Rick for quoting pagans, but there is some precedence for this in Acts 17.

But on the whole, I felt that Bob did a good job of presenting his side without sounding like sour grapes. I love Rick Warren's heart for seeing people come to know Christ. I love his desire to see people live out their mission on earth. But I pray that Rick and other Purpose Driven leaders will take the good parts of this book and really think about what Bob is saying. I pray that they will become more faithful to the Scriptures in their preaching and in their writings.

I recommend this book for people who want to read a biblically based, compassionate critique of the Purpose Driven Movement.

Rev. Marc Axelrod

The first time I read Rick Warren's book I couldn't believe that he could convince so many people that his teachings were biblical. Anyone who spends a serious amount of time in Gods word will immediately recognise that something is very wrong with the purpose driven movement. Bob Dewaay does a great job at examining the teachings of Rick Warren in light of sound biblical doctrine, a must read for anyone who wants a better understanding of this very deceiving movement.

Dewaay's first accomplishment is that he has written a book that is easy for lay person to understand. Redefining Christianity does not dive into deep theology but does offer two appendices (The Invisible and the Visible Church) and (The Churches of Revelation) that offer a deeper theological understanding of how the church is defined according to the gospel. Any Christian will be able to understand how Rick Warren's vision for the church is in direct opposition to the guidance described in the Bible.

DeWaay takes the reader through Rick Warren's constant misuse of scripture for his own purposes. He demonstrates how Rick Warren purposely uses multiple translations to support a journey of self-discovery rather than an examination of our true sinful nature. He also heads off the criticism by Warren's supporters that Rick is actually quite orthodox in his own beliefs. Dewaay acknowledges that Warren may be orthodox in private but he fails to share that orthodoxy in public where it counts. Warren fears that such a public demonstration will hurt the numbers coming into Saddleback Church. DeWaay shares that Warren is running a church that appeals to the unregenerate by meeting their felt needs. This method does guarantee that the numbers of people coming to the church will increase. However, it will be at the expense of true gospel teaching and the bible believing Christians who will eventually be driven out.

The book goes on to demonstrate that Warren has far succeeded his mentor Robert Schuller by duplicating his efforts in a form of a franchise model. DeWaay shares how pastors signing on to the Purpose Driven Church model are no different than those who sign a contract with McDonald's. The Purpose Driven Life model is one that if you follow the exact methods of Rick Warren your church attendance will grow by 20%. By signing the contract your role changes from pastor to a PDL franchise owner.

Pastors who support the Purpose Driven Life will have a very difficult time with this book. They will find themselves in the uncomfortable position of opposing the gospel to justify their support for the church growth movement. However, in my opinion the best part of the book is not the refutation of Rick Warren. It is the clear explanation of what the church is supposed be according the gospel. What is the church? How is the gospel to be proclaimed? Who is the true head of the church? All these questions are answered as DeWaay puts the nail in the coffin of the watered-down gospel of Rick Warren. This is must read for those who wish protect the church, the bible and the true meaning of evangelism.

With 30 million copies of Purpose Driven sold, there are bound to be a few people looking for a second opinion - this book is exactly what they are looking for. DeWaay understands and documents the claims and gospel of Rick Warren, asking whether this is the gospel of the scriptures. Rick Warren claims to be leading a modern reformation of Christianity that will make PEACE in the world. Redefining Christianity made me wonder if what is promoted as a reformation might be something less and much more damaging to those who embrace Purpose Driven's message. The issues raised in the chapter reviewing Rick Warren's requiring members take oaths to join his church are especially disturbing. DeWaay examines requiring vows for church membership in light of scripture's commands and Luther's claim that such oaths are sinful.

As I considered Purpose Driven, I read Richard Abanes' book that dealt with Warren's critics from the perspective of one who knows Rick Warren and attends his church. Rick's wife, Kay, even reviewed Abanes' book before it was released. This book was intended to silence Warren's critics and answer the unanswered questions. Instead, it simply documented the claims of Bob DeWaay. What I found most amazing in comparing these two books was that both Abanes and DeWaay agree on the basic facts and message of the Purpose Driven movement. One side believes it is a new reformation and the other documents concerns being expressed by many as their churches embrace the movement. Ultimately, we are left with the question, "Is Purpose Driven the next evolution of the gospel or has Warren redefined everything that is essential in Christianity itself?"

I recommend buying the book and reaching your own conclusion.

When the purpose driven movement hit our church I read The Purpose Driven Life and wasn't inspired much. I did not think of it in either a positive or negative light. Since my entire church was participating at the direction of the pastor I decided to look around the web for more information. After reading a couple of articles including Bob Dewaay's Critical Issues Commentary on the subject I became alarmed. The thing I found most alarming was not what Rick Warren was saying in the book, but that I read it and did not realize what he was saying. As I read the scripture references and the conclusions drawn as a result I passively accepted their claims. I am ashamed at the laziness with which I read Warren's book.

I think it is a tradegy that so many people read The Purpose Driven Life and never bother to look up the scripture references or think long and hard about the logical conclusions that must be drawn from the purpose driven philosophy. The thing I have learned most by reading Redefining Christianity is that if we are not careful we can be duped into anything. I am still shocked that my pastor, after being confronted with the criticisms of Warren and seeing the areas where he clearly departs from the scriptures, stands beside him because he seems so sincere.

If you haven't read this book you owe it to yourself to see how many areas where Warren has strayed, and strayed on purpose. Bob Dewaay has a heart for the truth and that is just what is exposed by his book. He carefully examines the claims made by Warren, the scriptures used to back them up, and the logical conclusions that must be made as a result.

This book is an excellent overview of the depth of the falsehood inherent in the Purpose Driven Paradigm. Bob DeWaay has been an indispensible encouragement to purpose driven refugees everywhere. It's just too bad there aren't more like him that haven't fallen for the marketing gimmicks that are creating such huge wealth for Warren and his empire. Bob's tender heart for the people of God shows through this book and especially in the open appeal/open letter to Rick Warren, as a brother in Christ, to reconsider what he is doing and turn to boldly proclaming the whole truth. Rick Warren has been promoting and proclaiming this "Joel Osteen" "Tony Robbins" "Jim Wallis" type Gospel for years and it will be hard for this very rich man to turn and go through the eye of the needle.

I join with Bob DeWaay in his appeal to Rick Warren in this book. Please, Rick, we are not 'blessed subtractions' -- we are real people that just want more of Christ, not all this 'other stuff' and definitely not more nominal Christians who join the church for a sense of 'purpose' but *because* they *have been saved* from their sins and God's eternal wrath.

I will not pretend to add to the voluminous reviews in agreement with this book other than to say that if you become confronted with Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven Life" movement, you should read this book and "Who's Driving the Purpose Driven Church?" by James Sundquist before you agree to anything. The deception is so insidious that those Christians who spend more time watching 'American Idol' than reading their Bible will easily fall into the trap of the 'seeker sensitive' church of Purpose. To those who have already joined the Purpose Driven Church, take the time to read this book and judge for yourself if what you see is true or false. As a Christian you should not be afraid of the truth and you should be able to discern it.

This book should be mandatory reading for all Christians. It is extremely well researched and well written. It sheds great light in a loving but truthfull way regarding the market driven Purpose Driven movement by Rick Warren and how it compares to what the Bible has to say. It will be quite the eye opener for anyone in a purpose driven church. Please buy this, you will not be sorry!