False Conversions, The Elephant in the Church

Read that last part carefully. Beloved, there is nothing darker than someone who has convinced themselves that their darkness is actually light. You cannot reason with that person. You cannot witness to that person. The fastest growing mission field today is found in the pews across this country. That is because we have convinced people that all they need to be saved is to say a simple two sentence prayer, often devoid of the crucial elements needed for salvation, and then we brashly declare they have joined the family of God! In the Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren presents salvation one time. In that one instance, he asks the unsaved readers to pray simply, "Jesus I believe in you and receive you", after which he declares -- welcome to the family of God! Really? Without a discussion of sin and repentance? Without a discussion of the blood and the sacrifice of Calvary? It's not just Warren; it is pervasive throughout the purpose driven churches in this country. We have been sold lies as the Gospel and have bought into them.

How is that possible? Just look at the key verses today. The Apostle Paul is warning us about false conversions thousands of years ago. He wants to remind the Church at Corinth about the Gospel they received from him and make their stand on. But then he acknowledges "unless you believed in something that wasn't true in the first place." There is no magical prayer that imparts salvation beloved. I said the sinner's prayer in 1998 but did not give my heart to God until 2002. I have no doubt where I would be heading if my life had been required during that four year window and it is not heaven. What are we making our stand on? What Gospel have we bought?

The seeker friendly, purpose driven model is not designed to bring people to the cross. It is designed to bring people to a church building. It is a business model disguised as kingdom business. Warren no longer refers to people as unsaved but rather as unchurched. That should be all we need to know to ascertain where his focus is. It is not on salvation but rather church membership. I have heard the defenders of Warren and Osteen decry any criticism under the blanket that he does some good things. That he once gave a sermon that was on point. It is almost as if some believe that a false prophet is always false. That everything someone says must be false in order to be a false prophet. Nothing can be further from the truth. The truly insidious false prophets and teachers are the ones like Joseph Prince, who sound so right so often but underlying the message is nothing but pure heresy and poison. Remember, the active ingredient in rat poison that kills the rat is less than 1% of the total ingredients. Listen, I have no doubt that the thousands of attendees at Rick Warren's church are purpose driven. I have no doubt they are being used by the church. I just wonder how many prayed that simple little two sentence prayer and were welcomed into the family of God. I wonder how many have crucified their old man. I wonder how many are regenerated. I wonder how many will get to Judgment Day only to ask Jesus incredulously, "didn't we serve in two ministries for You at Saddleback Church" only to be told He never knew them.

I am sure that the 45,000 + people who attend Joel Osteen's "church" feel better about themselves. I am sure that they are motivated. I am sure they believe this is their best life now and that God wants to supernaturally bless their lives. I just wonder how many think they are heaven bound when they are not. I have heard the Osteen defenders swear that they know someone who knows someone who was saved through his ministry. The law of averages alone indicates someone is going to get genuinely saved because they were so desperately seeking the true God. But what about the rest? What about the tens of thousands of people who I imagine think they are heaven bound? Sure they could be. They might be. Unless of course they believed in a gospel that was not true in the first place.   As if to clarify, Paul finishes the key verses be reminding us exactly what the Gospel is. What is the very first thing mentioned? That Jesus died for our sins! What is rarely mentioned in seeker friendly, purpose driven churches? That Jesus died for our sins! Don't take my word for it. Here are the words of Warren himself from a ministry article he did for pastors across this country, just this year:

Always either start a sermon series on Easter or the next week--and make sure it's a series that meets the felt needs of an unchurched person. Yes, they need the gospel and a relationship with Christ. You and I both know that's their foundational need, but most people will come to your church because they have a need for friendship " want a better marriage " want to be a better parent " want to feel they're living a life of significance " or there may be some other need. When you do a series like that, let Easter visitors know in your letter. It'll give them a reason to come back to your church.

Do you see the inherent problem with seeker friendly, purpose driven thinking? The Gospel is supposed to offend. It is supposed to divide. But according to this, the number one problem the unsaved person faces is that they are unchurched. Warren's statement here is that the Gospel is not a good enough reason for people to come back to your church! So they will be a better parent but still go to hell. They lead a life of significance right up to the point that they go to hell.

For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! -- 1Corinthians 9: 16 (NIV)

It is not woe to me if I do not teach them to feel significant. It is not woe is me if they do not come back to my church. The Bible teaches us that we plant the seeds but God gives the increase.

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