Share on Facebook 245 Share on Twitter Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
Devotionals   

Purpose Driven Leadership -- Seven Tips To Compromise the Gospel

By       (Page 4 of 5 pages)   No comments

Here we see the true core of the anti-shepherd at work. It does not matter who leaves, only who you can draw in. After all, they are going to leave within three years anyway! Using carnal metrics, the new paradigm is if one sheep leaves but two goats replace them, that is a net gain for the kingdom. Nonsense! Neither of the goats are saved and you just let one of the sheep wander off! That is a net negative for the kingdom. Do we want the unsaved to come to our churches? Of course! Where else will they hear the Gospel? But they have to hear it when they go there! Not a self-help sermon or a motivational speech. Not seven steps to a better you or how we are destined to reign. They need to hear the Gospel not a five-part series on strengthening their marriage.

4. "Buildings - As Christians, sometimes we get more attached to our buildings than we do to our mission. Christians should also be willing to give up their buildings to reach more people. One of the oddities of the era we're in these days is that the churches who have buildings often have no people, and the church plants that have people often have no building. Flip that. I love hearing about the growing number of churches who are giving their building, assets, and leadership over to a young church that's reaching people.

5. Money - Dying churches that own buildings also often have money. If a church doesn't flip the keys and simply closes, then in many cases, denominations (many of which are also in decline) often take the money after a church closes and uses it to prop up, well, a dying denomination. What if instead that money was redeployed to plant new churches? Even new churches that aren't part of that 'denomination'? In the emerging post-Christian era, it's time to build THE Kingdom rather than YOUR Kingdom. Similarly, older Christians tend to have more money than younger Christians. What if Christians who had money used their resources to fund innovation rather than fight it? Could you imagine what might happen?" -- Carey Nieuwhof

For the sake of time and space, I have lumped four and five together, as Carey ran them into each other also. Once again, the issue is not "reaching people." It is what are you reaching them with? The issue is not denominational; it is about whether the Gospel is actually being preached. Note however the completely unattached ambivalence he shows regarding people and money. The older people have been mocked throughout this entire article from the usage of "contemporary" music through not being able to reach anyone under 40. Ahh but the older people have the money. How pathetic. And Mr. Nieuwhof, it is not about funding or fighting "innovation" it is about funding or fighting heresy.

6. "Time - Being the church is about a lot more than showing up for an hour on Sunday or tuning in online. If you're really going to reach the next generation, it means giving your time too. Authentic Christianity is more about what we give than what we get. Our giving doesn't earn us our salvation, of course, but it's a joyful response to a God who gave everything for us. -- Carey Nieuwhof

7. Our lives - Christians should be the most generous and selfless people on the planet. Sadly, we're often known as the stingiest and most selfish (ask any non-Christian who's worked at a restaurant). The Gospel calls us to die to ourselves so that others may live and to put something bigger than ourselves above ourselves. If you give your life away, you find it. When you die to yourself, something greater rises." -- Carey Nieuwhof

The final two are also lumped together for their similarity. Number six is another staple of the purpose driven scheme. The object is to get as many goats as possible "volunteering" in their "ministry" and convince them that it is their "purpose" (insert Jeremiah 29:11 here). Give them a bloated sense of self for doing it too. Suddenly the guy with the flags in the church parking lot is a "Parking Minister." I agree by the way that giving our time and lives for the cause of Christ is the best usage of them but the trick is first assuring that what you are sacrificing to is really of God.

This brings us full circle again. Carey Nieuwhof is full of zeal. As much zeal as the Pharisees had the day Jesus rebuked them. The only focus for the purpose driven church model is to church people. To gain proselytes. They will dress it up in pseudo-piety and all the Christian trappings while denying the power of the Gospel itself. But if in order to gain the proselyte you abandon what they actually need, then you have only made them twice the son of hell as you are. Why twice? Because it is harder to convince someone who thinks their darkness is light then someone who is fully aware they are in the dark. Carey Nieuwhof would be able to see that if he was not in such deep darkness already.

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5

Rate It | View Ratings

Anthony Wade Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to (more...)
 
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Joel Osteen Blasphemes "I Am" (55008 views)

Why I Have Left the Assemblies of God (38841 views)

Joyce Meyer Teaching the "Relationship over Religion" Heresy (19819 views)

Joyce Meyer -- A Prisoner of Heresy (17524 views)

Francis Chan Stands With Outright Heresy, Again (14581 views)

Bethel Teaches to Declare God is in a Good Mood and Other Insanities (14272 views)

Total Views: 160045

To View Comments or Join the Conversation: