Rick Warren and his pragmatism have had consequences for the Church as catastrophic as Solomon's wisdom, with its division, had for Israel: 21 long years ago I had the displeasure of being introduced to his world-renowned work — A Life With Purpose — and, since then, to witness the inevitable “transmigration” of the Church of Philadelphia into the ecclesiastical enterprise of Laodicea.
We certainly cannot hold Mr. Warren solely responsible for the establishment of apostasyThe script, in which "he who rises up in opposition to all that relates to God" reaches its climax, was already written with precision millennia before our existence, and the pastor of Saddleback Church merely facilitated its realization.
I saw so many churches abandoning their members—traditional and committed to the Word of God—to jump headfirst into the vortex of "sensitivity to seekers"—who, instead of knowing, prefer to pay someone to "know" for them and scratch the itch in their ears (or even other less obvious organs) through soft messages of self-help and inclusion—that, in March 2005, I not only bought the book, but went looking for refutation material.
At the time, because it was something new, there wasn't much available in Portuguese, and I ended up having to translate material produced by those who were already suffering the consequences of so much biblical distortion: in addition to translating the material from English, I used the Word of God as a tool for comparison and supplementation, as well as trying to deal with idiomatic expressions in the best way possible.
From here on, please continue reading:
- Compare EVERYTHING to the Bible!
- If you own the book "The Purpose Driven Life," check the recorded citations.
If, even so, all this does not allow you to visualize the level of spiritual blindness established in ecclesiastical organizations in Brazil and the world, then the time is coming for us to prepare to meet our Lord Jesus Christ, because if this is not apostasy, I cannot imagine how far an organization that calls itself a "Church" can go from God and His word and still maintain that name.
Rick Warren and the Abuse of Exegetical Pragmatism
Rick Warren is the pastor of Saddleback Church in California and the author of "The Purpose Driven Church."“® and "A Purpose Driven Life"“®, the best-selling book series.
In his “The Purpose Driven Church”Rick Warren initially targeted pastors and church leaders, but now, with the release of "The Purpose Driven Life," he turns his attention to ordinary people.
Since its release in 2002, thousands of churches have either used this book literally or in a campaign called "40 Days with Purpose".
Rick Warren may well be a sincere Christian pastor, and his book does contain some practical truths for believers today. However—although it has some very positive aspects—the fact is that this book has been promoted as a "spiritual journey," and must be viewed with extreme caution, with any errors necessarily needing to be exposed in the light of Scripture.
Rick Warren does a lot of what Bible students call "proof-texting," always taking Scripture out of context to strengthen his ideas or appear more persuasive.
In Appendix 3, at the back of the book, Rick Warren explains the use of 15 different Bible translations and declares:
First of all, however good a translation may be, it has limitations.
This may be true, but using 15 different translations—paraphrasing them and making free translations—is not really good school practice: it may be useful for reading verses in many different versions, but by using paraphrases and free translations, the original meaning of the text will likely be lost.
Please don't misunderstand: free translations — such as "The Message" — or paraphrases — such as those in "The Living Bible" or "The New Living Bible" — may have their place, but only if they maintain the meaning of the original text.
As you will see, some of these quotes simply don't do it.
When conducting a serious study, the best practice is to choose two or three reliable versions and stick with them: if a verse is a little more difficult to understand, then look for explanations in the others to facilitate comprehension; after all, that's what's called "good exegesis.".
Rick Warren also states at the end of Appendix 3:
… I didn't always quote the entire verse, but I focused on the most appropriate part. To do this, I followed the example of Jesus and the way he and his apostles quoted the Old Testament.
However, Jesus and the apostles never took these Scripture quotations out of context when quoting the Old Testament, something Rick Warren needs to learn.
Let's now take a look at the book itself…
The Fallacy of the “40 Days” of Preparation
Rick Warren states on page 9:
Whenever God wanted to prepare someone for His purposes, He used 40 days:
1. Noah's life was transformed by 40 days of rain.
2. Moses' life was transformed by 40 days on Mount Sinai.
3. The spies were transformed after 40 days in the Promised Land.
4. David was transformed by Goliath's challenge, which lasted for 40 days.
5. Elijah was transformed when God sustained him for 40 days with a single meal.
6. The entire city of Nineveh was transformed when God granted the people 40 days to change.
7. Jesus was strengthened for 40 days in the desert.
8. The disciples were transformed by spending 40 days with Jesus after his resurrection.
This is nothing more than a FALSE PRESENTATION of the Scriptures!
The Bible does not teach, as Rick Warren suggests, that whenever God wanted to use someone, He took 40 days.
Noah: Justice Proven Before the Rain
These are the generations of Noah.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time.;
Noah walked with God.
It wasn't the 40 days of rain that transformed Noah, as Rick Warren unfairly suggests: Noah was already prepared when the rains came!
He had spent approximately 100 years building the ark and, in the meantime, preaching righteousness:
And he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with an eighth person, when he brought the flood upon the world of the ungodly.
The 40 days of rain were God's judgment upon the lost and violent human race, not a time of preparation or transformation for Noah!
And the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Then the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.
And the LORD said:
I will destroy the man I created from the face of the earth.,
from man to animal, to reptile, and to bird of the air;
Because I regret having made them.
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
These are the generations of Noah.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time.;
Noah walked with God..
And Noah begat three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
The earth, however, was corrupt in God's sight;
and the land was filled with violence.
And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt;
because all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.
Then God said to Noah:
The end of all flesh has come before me;
because the earth is full of violence;
And behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Moses: The Desert as a 40-Year School
Contrary to what Rick Warren claims, Moses was not called to be transformed on Mount Sinai: the impetuous young Hebrew, who had killed a man on the sands of Egypt, was transformed through the 40 years he spent tending his father-in-law's sheep.
Moses knew, while he was still in Egypt, that God was calling him to rescue His people, but the people themselves did not know.
And he was concerned that his brothers would understand that God was going to give them freedom through him;
But they didn't understand.
The problem was that Moses, like many churches today, was trying to do things through his own strength: it's amazing what 40 years in the desert, alone with God, can do for a man.
And when, finally, was Moses ready to do what God had called him to do?
When he encountered God in the burning bush.
This is clear both from what God said to Moses at that time and from his response to the Lord:
Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh so that you may bring my people (the children of Israel) out of Egypt.
Then Moses said to God:
Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?
Wow! Young, reckless, and impetuous Moses is gone!
Now God had a man he could use and send, and indeed, a humble man:
Now Moses was a very meek man,
more than all the men who were on the earth.
Moses did not ascend Mount Sinai to be transformed by God; the scriptures clearly show that he ascended to receive the law… and in absolute obedience to God!
Then the LORD said to Moses:
Come up to me on the mountain and stay there;
And I will give you the tablets of stone, and the law, and the commandments that I have written, that you may teach them.
Did Moses stay on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights?
Yes, but not to be transformed: he had much, much more to do in understanding God's command, "Come up to me.".
The Spies: A Test That Led to Death
Rick Warren states that “"The spies were transformed after 40 days in the Promised Land."”…yes, they went: ten of them, being unbelievers, returned, presented a horrible report to the people, were struck by a plague… and died!
Those same men who brought slander upon the land,
They died of plague before the LORD.
Only two, Joshua and Caleb, remained faithful, as the Scriptures record:
But my servant Caleb,
because there was another spirit in him,
and he persevered in following me,
I will bring him back to the land he entered,
and their descendants will inherit it.
Moreover, Israel had to spend a year for every day the spies wandered in the desert.
According to the number of days in which you spied out the land, forty days, each day representing a year, you shall bear your iniquities forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.
David: Anointed by the Spirit, Not by Time
Rick Warren's statement about David being “"transformed by the challenge of Goliath, delivered for 40 days"” This is also nothing but a load of nonsense: if Mr. Warren had analyzed this statement within the biblical context, he would have concluded that David was sent by his father only to bring provisions to his older brothers, who were with King Saul and the armies of Israel, only arriving on the last day of Goliath's mockery and challenge to Israel… he didn't even know about these facts before his arrival!
When David finally reached the battle lines and learned of this, only then was he filled with indignation that this uncircumcised Philistine was defying the armies of the living God.
David was definitely not transformed during Goliath's 40 days of mockery: David was a man after God's own heart!
In fact, we can see this on the day Samuel anointed David as king and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power:
Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers;
And from that day forward the Spirit of the Lord came upon David;
Then Samuel got up and went back to Ramah.
Elias: Sustenance for the Journey, Not Character Transformation
We are therefore led to believe that Elijah was transformed when God provided him with a single meal that gave him strength for 40 days…
I don't doubt for a second that God could give you the strength for 40 days in a single meal—or even 80 if He so desires!—but that's not what this passage is about.
When Elijah arrived at Horeb and went into the cave to spend the night, the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”.
This questioning aimed to reveal the hidden thoughts and feelings in Elijah's heart, and he answered:
I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts, because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they seek my life to take it away.
Because he had not seen the result of his zeal, Elijah thought that all was lost, and his desperate words were also filled with a sense of vengeance, so that the Almighty should punish the idolaters immediately.
Poor Elijah wanted to reform things through shock, which was not the gentle way God sometimes seeks to use in His grace: after understanding these things during his encounter with God, he was then able to return by the way he had come, according to the Lord's instructions.
The crux of the matter was never the meal that gave him strength for 40 days; after all, such an event, however unusual, did nothing to change Elijah's condition. A deep reflection on this rich and significant passage is necessary, and there are so many important things to consider. 1 Kings 19 I ask that you please go there and read it very carefully.
Nineveh: The Clock of Judgment and Temporary Repentance
The city of Nineveh was transformed when Jonah passed through it speaking about the judgment that God would send upon the city within 40 days and that would completely destroy it: this, again, deals with God's judgment and the fact that the city repented of its sins, covered itself in sackcloth and ashes, and then received God's grace for a longer time.
And God saw their works, how they turned from their evil way;
And God relented from the disaster he had threatened to bring on them, and he did not do it.
I believe everyone knows that, later on, Nineveh was actually destroyed by God for having returned to practicing, in an even more intense way, the evils for which she had been reprimanded.
Jesus: Empowered by the Spirit through Baptism, Not Through Fasting
Rick Warren also dares to declare that Jesus was strengthened by his 40 days in the desert… and once again we are confronted with a shameless manipulation of the biblical text: in fact, the Scriptures clarify — in THREE of the four Gospels! — that the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form at Jesus' baptism.
The Gospel of John tells us that John the Baptist saw the Spirit descend and remain with Jesus during this event, and was able to know who Jesus was:
And John testified, saying:
I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.
And I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me:
On the one on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain,
This is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.
Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit at his baptism, not after the 40 days in the desert, which were a time of trials and temptation ordained by the Father, guided by the Spirit, and fulfilled by the Son.
The text from Luke says:
Then, by the power of the Spirit, Jesus returned to Galilee.,
And his fame spread throughout all the surrounding lands.
This cannot be considered proof that Jesus was empowered by his period of fasting; however, it is conclusive proof that he was empowered by the Holy Spirit!
And when did the Spirit finally come upon Him?
At his baptism!
The Disciples: The Power of Pentecost vs. The Time of Fellowship
Finally, Rick Warren tries to make us believe that the disciples were transformed by the 40 days they spent with Jesus after his resurrection, and again, there is no biblical evidence for this, because in reality the disciples, on the day of Pentecost, were transformed from frightened and terrified men into courageous preachers of the word.
It was the coming of the Holy Spirit that transformed them:
And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you;
But stay in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;
And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria.,
and to the ends of the earth.
Indeed, the number 40 is very significant in the scriptures because it is linked to temptations, trials, and judgments:
- You 40 days of the flood were a judgment.
- You 40 years Moses' journey in the desert was test, training e humiliation.
- You 40 days where Goliath mocked Israel were for test e judgment From Israel.
- You 40 years The events in which Israel wandered in the desert had something to do with tests e judgment.
- You 40 days They went to Mount Sinai so that Moses could receive the law, just as a test For the people: would they remain faithful to God during Moses' absence? And they they were not…and then God made the judgment.
The Bible It definitely does not teach that God will take 40 days to prepare people to serve Him.This is nothing more than a manipulation of the Scriptures to convince the reader of the false importance of this book!
Day 2: God's Responsibility for Sin
In today's world, where many thousands of babies are born out of wedlock, the above statement attributes these births to God's plan, thus making God responsible for the sin in which these babies were conceived!
Certainly God did not plan for children to be born out of wedlock, and such births are the result of sin, not divine plan.
Rick Warren states on page 22 of his book "The Purpose Driven Life":
His parents may not have planned it, but God certainly did.
Rick Warren uses the passage of Psalm 138:8a The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me. — taken out of context from the NIV, in a clear case of selective manipulation, solely to reinforce his ideas for the day: he begins by constructing an outline of God planning his birth and not being surprised by it, and then states:
You are alive because God wanted to create you.
Only then does he connect this to the text of Psalm 138:8…and this is quite wrong!
This part of the psalm speaks of God delivering David from his enemies, and to understand this properly, we need to look at the previous verse:
Even though I go through anguish, you preserve my life from the wrath of my enemies;
You stretch out your right hand and deliver me.
Rick Warren uses only the first part of verse 8 and, in doing so, corrupts its original content, the conclusion of which is an affirmation by David. See the full text:
The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me!
Your love, Lord, endures forever; do not abandon the works of your hands!
However, Mr. Warren could not use this part of verse 8 because it would not fit his thesis, since verse 8, even in the NIV, must necessarily be linked to verse 7!
It is a type of manipulation in which the functionally illiterate They fall easily…
Immediately following, on page 23, he emphasizes that:
…many children were not planned by their parents, but they are not an unforeseen event for God.
This is nothing more than another blatant lie!
God does not plan sin and does not influence it to occur: God's desire for children is that they be born within the framework of marriage, but if this does not happen, God's love will be with them just as it is with other people.
Does God know them before they are born? Yes.
Has he been with them since the mother's womb? Yes.
Does he plan illegitimate babies? No: they are the result of sin!
Rich[1] Warren drags his theme through to page 23 and states:
The reason God created him was the love he has.
Yes, this statement is partially correct, however, as his "proof text" then quotes:
Long before He laid the foundations of the earth, God already had us in mind, having chosen us as the focus of His love.
[1] Translator's NotePerhaps by mistake, the author of the text I based my work on misspelled “Rick Warren” as “Rich Warren.” In English, the term “Rich” means “wealthy,” which is the situation of the author of these books after the impressive number of copies sold.
And that is a blatant abuse of Scripture!
In keeping with the prevailing sentimentality, he presents only half of the verse and, once again, completely out of context!
This verse speaks of God's sovereign election of those who believe and is addressed only to believers: the word "elect" in Greek is εκλεγομαι (eklegomai) and it means "to select, to choose"!
This is a definitive statement about God's elective grace concerning believers in Christ and, placed in its proper context, presents the elect as holy and innocent.
This could never be used as a verse, as Rick Warren does, to lead us to believe that God chooses to create each and every type of human being simply because He loves us all.
On page 24, Rick Warren comments:
There is perfect love in the brotherhood of the Trinity, so God didn't need to create it. He wasn't alone. But He wanted to create it to express His love.
And then he quotes:
… you whom I have sustained since you were conceived,
and that I have carried with me since his birth.
Even in their old age, when they have white hair,
I am he, the one who will sustain them.
I made them and I will carry them;
I will sustain them and I will save them.
The problem is that this passage has been completely taken out of context and its true meaning: it doesn't talk about God creating human beings individually to express his love, but Rick Warren deliberately "knocked down" the first part of verse 3, where it says:
“Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who…”
The subject discussed here is exclusively about Israel and Jacob, highlighting an inappropriate universalization of biblical promises!
The worst part is that Rick Warren doesn't mention in the back of his book that he omitted this first part, causing misunderstanding for most people who would never consult those verses!
If this isn't a deliberate mistake, why does Rick Warren use the "part a" and "part b" system sometimes and not others?
It must be to conceal the fact that these verses were taken out of context… why else would anyone do that?
Day 3: The False Exegesis on Approval
Under the title “Many are driven by the need for approval,” Rick Warren writes about trying to earn the approval of others, including friends, parents, and teachers, and makes the following statement:
I don't know all the keys to success, but one key to failure is trying to please everyone. Being controlled by the opinions of others is a sure way to stray from God's purposes for your life. Jesus said: No one can serve two masters.
Although the thoughts Rick Warren is expressing may seem beautiful and sound, he has once again quoted scripture out of context, in a blatant decontextualization, to give "basis" to his ideas: the verse found in Matthew 6:20-24 This is part of the passage known as the "Sermon on the Mount," and it is located in the middle of the moment when Jesus speaks about accumulating treasures in heaven, not on earth, because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Jesus also states:
No one can serve two masters;
because either you will hate one and love the other,
Or he will devote himself to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and Mammon.
These verses have nothing to do with trying to gain the approval of others!
And yet again, Rick Warren takes the beginning of the verse without quoting it in full, but in the endnotes of the book, he implies that the verse was presented to the reader in its entirety.
In fact, to place verse 24 in any kind of context, the least a person should do is read verses 19 to 34, and since verse 25 begins with the expression "Therefore...", it is immediately noticeable that it is related to the previous verses and is a continuation of Jesus' thought and speech: taking the first part of verse 24 and relating it to the attempt to please others (in an attempt to gain the approval of others!) shows a miserable exegesis.
At the beginning of page 30 there is a quote from Proverbs 13:7 — in the version “The Message”"—which completely distorts the original meaning of the text, perverting biblical instruction on true wealth, saying:"
A showy and arrogant life is an empty life; a simple and ordinary life is a full life.
- The version João Ferreira de Almeida Corrected and Revised (JFACR) it says: “"There are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing, and others who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth."”.
- A New Translation in Today's Language (NTLH) it says: “"Some people have nothing, but pretend to be rich; others have a lot of money, but pretend to be poor."”.
As we can see, the version chosen by Rick Warren leaves much to be desired with this verse.
The same problem had already appeared on the first day, page 18, where again the "The Message" version completely confuses the original meaning of Matthew 16:25, Replacing spiritual self-denial with self-help concepts, see:
Self-help is not help at all. Sacrifice is the way, my way, for you to find yourself, your true self.
- JFACR: “"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it."”.
- NTLH: “"For whoever puts their own interests first will never have true life, but whoever forgets themselves for my sake will have true life."”.
Day 5: Tests, Temptations, and Exegetical Confusion
In the section titled “Life on Earth Is a Test,” Rick Warren uses the illustration of King Hezekiah (page 39) and quotes:
…God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.
The Hebrew word for "test," in this case, is "nasa" and means "to test, to prove character or loyalty," and here it is being used correctly, but... still in the same subtitle, right below, Rick states:
The good news is that God wants you to pass life's tests, so He will never allow you to face trials greater than the grace He gives you to handle them.
And he quotes:
…but God is faithful and will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear…
The word temptation, in the original Greek πειρασμος (peirasmos) does not refer to a test from God, but rather to temptations from Satan!
To link the test performed on King Hezekiah to this passage under the premise that God will sometimes test us, as Rick Warren does in this example, is completely wrong and constitutes a primary exegetical confusion, because there are two completely different things happening in these verses: in one there is a test and in the other there is temptation.
God can be held responsible if we are tested, as was the case with Hezekiah, but he should certainly never be involved if we are tempted, as we can easily verify:
No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”;
For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own desires.
To take the verse of 1 Corinthians 10:13 And placing it in the context of "tests," as Rick Warren did, subverts the meaning of the biblical verse regarding temptations!
Later on, in “Day 27” (page 187), Rick Warren uses this same verse in relation to temptations, under the title “Defeating Temptation,” but now he uses the verse in its correct context only because it says exactly what he wants it to say on that day… this maneuver in The Purpose Driven Life is nothing more than a sordid and deliberate manipulation of God's word to serve his own interests.
Rick Warren then begins a new subtitle — “Life on Earth is a Trust” — where he then says (page 40):
The first service God gave to humans was to manage and care for His "things" on earth. Man has never been relieved of this responsibility. And it is part of our purpose today. Everything we enjoy should be treated as a trust that God has placed in our hands.
Then he refers to 1 Corinthians 4:7b And that is completely correct: humanity is responsible for caring for the earth, and the portions of Scripture cited to affirm this are also correct. Genesis 1:28.
However, the text from Corinthians used to support this thesis has nothing to do with what Rick Warren is discussing in this "Day 5" lesson, revealing a deliberate decontextualization to support a pragmatic argument, and, again, he took a verse out of its original context just to protect his ideas!
This verse from 1 Corinthians is part of a gentle warning or rebuke that Paul gives against pride and vanity, and the passage is directed to the members of the church in Corinth, who were boasting about who had converted and baptized them. Paul preferred that they consider any difference between them as not coming from God, but from men, and that if they had enjoyed any benefit connected with their respective ministers (apostles), then they had received it from God and therefore should not be filled with pride.
In reality, this is a continuation of the theme that Paul writes about in chapter 1:11-17, where some were saying "I follow Paul," others "I follow Apollos," still others "I follow Cephas," and yet another "I follow Christ" (this in verse 12). I suggest you read the rest of this passage for yourself, from verse 13 to verse 17.
Paul was not speaking about the responsibility of caring for God's "things" in an ecological or material sense, but rather dealing with what the Corinthians had received from God through the apostles: their salvation and their misguided pride in that salvation.
Day 7: The False Gospel and Salvation Without Repentance
Today presents us with a particularly unbiblical teaching about salvation: Rick Warren's version of the gospel, as shown starting on page 48, is deeply problematic!
From day 1 to day 6, it seems there is preparation for day 7—when it is assumed that the “non-believers” reading this book will be ready to invite Jesus into their hearts—then he gives them a text that must be “prayed” in order to receive salvation.
Here is the prayer:
Jesus, in you I believe and I receive you.
Then he adds:
If you prayed this prayer sincerely, congratulations! Welcome to God's family!
I don't know if this happens to you too, but my heart is troubled by this false gospel spread in The Purpose Driven Life, which is actually NOT A GOSPEL AT ALL!
- Where is the REPENTANCEJesus, the greatest evangelical pastor in the world, came preaching repentance (Matthew 4:17Peter preached repentance (Acts 2:38Paul preached repentance (Acts 20:21).
- Where is the Confession of sins? (1 John 1:9)
- Where is it? THE CROSS? (1 Corinthians 2:2)
- Where is it? THE CRUCIFIED SON OF GOD? (Acts 2:36)
- Where is it? The blood that cleanses us from sin.? (1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 1:5)
- Where is the SAVIOR? RESURRECTED? (2 Timothy 2:8; Luke 24:6)
In fact, from the very first day these things are not mentioned in any of the accounts of what Christ did for us, and this is the unbelievably sad "friendly seeker's disappointment.".
I read a quote from James McDonald, responding to the "searcher-friendly" movement, and regardless of what may have happened since, I really liked what he said:
The seeker movement could also be called "HOW TO FILL YOUR CHURCH WITH TARES"!
There is more truth in this statement than in all of Rick Warren's "non-gospel"!
What saddens me most is that thousands of pastors and leaders are presenting this book to their congregations as something of inestimable value.
Day 8: Man-Centered Worship and Religious Entertainment
No one needs to dig deep to find serious problems with Rick Warren's exegesis…
Again, in this chapter—whose subtitle is “Giving pleasure to God is what is called worship”—he gives us a few words taken from John 4:23 on page 58, when it states:
The reason God created us with this desire is that He longs for worshipers! Jesus said, "These are the worshipers the Father seeks.".[2]
The Mutilation of John 4:23 and the Concept of Worshipper
Once again, the biblical text has been subverted according to Rick Warren's "supreme will": the text is not only completely taken out of context, but also mutilated to create an artificial biblical basis that can serve the author's purposes.
At the end of the book, in the endnotes where the biblical references are listed, there is no indication of which version was used for this quotation… and I need to know why?
I have 23 different versions of the Bible at my disposal—including the Greek Interlinear Version and the Greek New Testament from the original manuscripts—and I have checked each and every one of them, concluding that none of them has... “"The Father seeks worshipers" — "These are the worshipers the Father seeks"” In the Brazilian version — nowhere or anywhere else!
This passage speaks of worshipping God in spirit and in truth… and those who do this are the kind of worshippers God is looking for.
Rick Warren simply corrupts the entire meaning of this passage.
On page 59 he states:
God loves all kinds of music because He invented them all – fast and slow, loud and soft, old and modern. You probably don't like them all, but God does! If it is offered to God in spirit and in truth, then it is an act of worship.
This is wrong and unbiblical: the reason most people enjoy worship at deafening volumes, in the style of "rock," "funk," and other forms of music that are offensive to God is... that these styles satisfy their own desires!
Contrary to what Rick Warren claims, God definitely did not invent all types of music: the gift of music was indeed a gift from God, but the corruption of this art through rhythms that appeal to the carnal (such as "Heavy Metal" and "Forbidden Funk") cannot be attributed to the Creator.
These styles, and others like them, arose from the sensual and sinful nature of man.
Therefore, having received a kingdom that cannot be shaken,
Let us retain grace,
through which we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and piety;
Because our God is a consuming fire.
Verse 29 is a direct quote from Moses' warning to the people about idolatry:
For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
It is interesting to note that the writer of Hebrews sought out this verse and incorporated it into the recommendations on worship as a warning to the Church, so that we may have a better understanding of what God considers acceptable worship:
Any part of our worship that is for our own pleasure, our own satisfaction, or entertainment.
It cannot be considered acceptable worship.,
because it inverts the sacred order, focusing on man and not on God… and therefore it is not being carried out “in spirit and in truth”.
The Danger of Conformity with the World's Musical Culture
Please keep this idea in mind as I quote several passages from Rick Warren's first book, "The Purpose Driven Church," where he encourages young pastors to abandon more traditional worship in favor of jazz or rock or anything that "connects" people!
He encourages churches to imitate the culture and "not care" about the church.
Does this concept align with what the Bible truly says? Let's see:
And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
so that you may prove what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.
RICK WARREN AND YOUR AMAZING PROJECT
OF TRANSFORMATION OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
…
IN ASHES!
A CHURCH WITH PURPOSE
Adulterers and adulteresses,
Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?
Therefore, whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Another absurd statement from the book "The Purpose Driven Church" can be found on page 263, where we read:
If you don't purposefully determine the kind of atmosphere you want to create in a worship service, you're leaving it to chance.
This advice seems like a form of psychic manipulation to me… and where does the Holy Spirit guide the worship?
It had everything: classical music, country, jazz, rock, reggae, and even rap. The crowd never knew what the next style would be. Result: we disappointed everyone!
Saddleback is, without apology to anyone, a church with contemporary music. The press often refers to us as "the flock that likes rock." We use the style that most people in our church hear on the radio.
I admit that I lost hundreds of potential members because of the style of music we adopted. On the other hand, we attract thousands because of our music..
Very interesting ideas: and I thought that Jesus should be the main attraction in a church, not the technical performance of a pop-rock orchestra…
"Saddleback now has a complete pop/rock orchestra!"” [3]
"Every now and then, I wonder how many more people I could have reached in the early years if we'd had the current quality of keyboards in our services.".
It seems that much more emphasis is placed on the type of music that people want and like than on "worship in spirit and in truth.".
Rick Warren says one thing in "The Purpose Driven Church" and something completely different in "The Purpose Driven Life": on the one hand he says we should worship in spirit and in truth, but on the other hand he negotiates, giving people what they like.
This is not God-centered worship: this is nothing more than worship of man!
[2] In the English version, the text represented here as the words of Jesus is "The father seeks worshipers," that is, just four words not found in the Bible.
[3] It seems the book's translator didn't want to include the reference to "pop rock" in the Brazilian version…
Breath Prayer: The Infiltration of Contemplative Mysticism
Even up until the eighth day, I restrained myself to acting solely as a translator, but I ended up discovering discrepancies between the original and Brazilian versions that forced me to act as a researcher. I discovered that the book's translator "concealed" the true meaning of an expression and, through this, softened the theme to which Mr. Warren refers, suppressing the mystical charge of the original term, on pages 79 — Prayers of a Breath — and 259 — Nothing But a Murmur — of the Brazilian version.
Here are the texts, side by side, for comparison:
The Bible tells us to `pray all the time.” How is it possible to do this?
One way is to use “breath prayers” throughout the day, as many Christians have done for centuries.
You choose a brief sentence or a simple phrase that can be repeated to Jesus in one breath: “You are with me.” “I receive your grace.” “I'm depending on you.” “I want to know you.” “I belong to you.” “Help me trust you.” You can also use a short phrase from Scripture: “For me to live is Christ.” “You will never leave me.” “You are my God.” Pray it as often as possible so it is rooted deep in your heart. Just be sure that your motive is to honor God, not control him.
The Bible tells us: Pray continually. How is that possible?
One way is to use "one-breath prayers" throughout the day, as many Christians have done for centuries.
Choose a short phrase that can be repeated to Jesus in one breath: “You are with me”; “I receive your grace”; “I depend on you”; “I want to know you”; “I belong to you”; “Help me to trust in you.” You can also use a short phrase from the Bible: “That I may live in Christ”; “You will never leave me”; “You are my God.” Say these prayers as often as possible so that they become deeply rooted in your heart. Just make sure your motivation is to honor God, not to control Him.
Begin asking the Holy Spirit to help you to think of the spiritual need of unbelievers whenever you talk to them. With practice you can develop the habit of praying silent “breath prayers” for those you encounter. Say, “Father, help me to understand what is keeping this person from knowing you.”
Begin by asking the Holy Spirit to help you consider the spiritual needs of those who do not believe each time you speak with them. With practice, you can develop the habit of praying silently, nothing more than a murmur, for those you meet. Say, “Father, help me to understand what is preventing this person from knowing you.”.
Whoa! Here we see the Brazilian version softening the highlighted term "breath prayers"... and I was wondering why: could it be that the Brazilian translator couldn't agree with one of the many strange concepts that Mr. Rick Warren is promoting through this book?
And finally… what concept is that?
I went to the website of Presbyterian Church of the United States — the official website of a church that calls itself Christian and evangelical! — and I found the definition given for this term.[4]
[4] In the original 2005 version, I was so astonished that such a renowned ecclesiastical franchise was making available the instructions for a mystical ritual of transcendental meditation that I preferred to include the English transcript first, and only then present its translation.
Now, in the midst of the established apostasy of 2021, I have made the original text available at the link above and am presenting here only the Portuguese version.
BREATHING PRAYER — A CONTEMPORARY VERSION OF THE JESUS PRAYER
In Hebrew, the word for breath and spirit is the same, “ruach.” A breath prayer, when used for an extended period, can help us experience what Romans 8:26-27 defines as “the Spirit intercedes for us.” It is a short prayer that can be said or thought in a single breath.
HERE IS A WAY TO DEVELOP YOUR OWN BREATHING PRAYER:
Imagine Jesus standing before you, asking, “What do you want me to do for you?” Go deep within yourself and allow your answer to emerge from that place of deep hope and prayer. If several things emerge, try to identify the primary desire beneath all the others.
Now identify a name you normally use for God in prayer. It could be Lord, Jesus, Almighty, Spirit of God, Holy God. Find your name for the divine being.
Combine your wish with the name you gave to God into a single short phrase that flows easily in your mind. You may need to experiment with phrases until you find a comfortable rhythm.
Sit quietly and repeat the phrase softly in your mind for several minutes. Allow the prayer to take the form of your breath so that the words accompany you with each breath.
Take a walk, repeating your prayer as you move. Notice how the prayer shapes your perceptions. Allow the prayer to keep pace with your walking and breathing.
This prayer can be carried with you throughout the day. It is a good companion for solitary activities such as running errands, frustrating times like being stuck in traffic, and rhythmic exercises like running, swimming, or cycling.
Some examples of breathing exercises:
Holy Spirit, fill me.
Give me strength, O Christ.
Father, show me your love.
Teach me patience, gracious God.
My God and my All. (Saint Francis)
Come, Lord Jesus!
Isn't all this cute?
However, it is profoundly unbiblical, seeking to inject the foundations of Eastern philosophy (meditation, repetition) into our churches, promoting an emptying of the mind that the Bible never authorized.
If you are unaware of the dangers of such methods, I suggest the book "The Alluring Face of Evil" by Johanna Michaelsen and the documentary "Gods of the New Age," available in full below:
First, the quoted passage must be read in its entirety:
Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness;
because we do not know what we ought to pray for,
But the same Spirit intercedes for us with groanings that words cannot express.
And he who searches hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is;
And it is he who, according to God, intercedes for the saints.
Wow! It's the Holy Spirit of God interceding for us!
…and not the human spirit, according to the heretical suggestion that we can “experience” this intercession through breathing techniques.
Another Wow: “He who searches hearts”—that is God!!!—knows the intention of the Spirit… and be sure to note that the “Spirit” mentioned here is the Holy Spirit and not the human spirit, otherwise it would be written in lowercase letters.
That alone would be enough to make this meditation exercise a ritual without plausible biblical justification and, moreover, further proof that anyone associated with Rick Warren is capable of taking any biblical verse out of its original context to justify any ideas, no matter how crazy they may be!
“I think” — in quotes because I’m more than certain! — that this whole “breath prayer” thing is at odds with the word of God… and it doesn’t surprise me that Mr. Rick Warren is involved with it.
Even worse is the half-baked justification he tries to offer for collaborating in the spread of these truly profane practices:
Meditation is often misinterpreted as some mysterious and complicated ritual practiced by isolated ascetics and monks. But meditating is simply focusing the thoughts – a skill that can be acquired by anyone and put into practice in any situation.
How beautiful!
The popularization of Eastern meditation and Buddhism within evangelical Christian circles… and it even has the advantage of being easy! Anyone can do it!!! (Sorry, but I can't help being cynical…)
Let's look at three very interesting biblical quotes on the subject of "meditation":
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth;
But meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.;
For then you will prosper in your ways, and then you will have good success.
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.,
nor does it linger in the path of sinners,
nor does he sit in the company of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord.,
and meditates on his law day and night.
How can a young man keep his way pure?
Observing it according to your word.
With all my heart I sought you;
Do not lead me astray from your commandments.
I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Note that, in the Scriptures, meditation is never passive or repetitive: the action presented is always that of learning and memorizing the law of the Lord so that there may be blessing and sin may be avoided!
Let us now consider what the Lord Jesus Christ himself said about repeating "clichés" as if they were prayers:
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions,
like the Gentiles, who think that by speaking much they will be heard.
Isn't that already more than enough proof that this "modern ecclesiastical genius" is trying to insert a false gospel into the churches, trampling on Christ's direct command against the use of vain repetitions?
Could this book, so often touted as "good" for and by young people, be a tool for spreading strange doctrines and, why not say it, doctrines of demons within the body of Christ?
I am impressed by the reach of this work, full of contradictory information disguised among some good concepts, across all denominational lines, contaminating not only sheep but especially pastors and leaders who succumb to the beauty and allure of these "revolutionary ideas.".
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
It is not surprising, then, that his ministers masquerade as ministers of justice;
whose end will be according to their works.
And you? Are you still able to think that "The Purpose Driven Life" fits the concept of "a good Christian book," knowing that it was one of Satan's most useful tools in implementing the apostasy we are experiencing in 2021?
Conclusion: The Biblical Verdict on Modern Pragmatism
After all the catastrophe promoted through The Purpose Driven Life, Mr. Warren went even further in his apostasy and embarked on a crusade to unify Islam and Christianity, the so-called "Crislam," claiming that both religions "serve the same God"... and the apostle Paul has the perfect name that should be given to the people responsible for promoting wrong doctrines:
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
As we have already told you, so now I say it again.
If anyone is preaching to you a gospel other than the one you received, let them be accursed.
My studies present only what is written in the word of God in contrast to the utterly spurious theology that this author offers, and, assuming a stance similar to that of Paul, I cannot recommend this book and, on the contrary, I am certain in condemning it and calling it what it truly is: CURSED!
God desires that the Church be protected from false teachers and their teachings.Acts 20:27-31; 2 Timothy 3:13; 1ˢᵗ John 4:1-6When we use discernment and compare all teachings with the Word of God, then, in reality, it is not we who are judging, but the Word of God Himself.
And this should always be the standard for examining doctrines: if it is not aligned with the Word of God, then it is false teaching and we should avoid it.
I cannot make the decisions for you in your life and in your church, but I reiterate that there are far healthier, more honest, and valid Christian works to be used in place of all this truly diabolical deception that Mr. Warren is selling us.
Even if it were distributed for free, it would still be too expensive!
Just like the first time, I imagine some will say, "OK... it's all right, but one of the 'big shots' should have seen this. Someone should have realized it!"“
This is an argument people use to feel better about themselves, and by doing so, they think they can avoid confronting the absolute truth of God's Word…
Know that the Lord God does not and never will judge anything solely by its final outcome: He will always judge things by the Truth and Light of His Word, rejecting the pragmatism that sacrifices doctrine on the altar of numbers!
God the Father is the one and only true God.Jeremiah 10:10; John 17:3)
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."John 14:6)
The Holy Spirit is primarily the Spirit of Truth.1 John 5:6)
Since the three persons of the Trinity are the Truth, how can God accept anything that is not the truth?
Because if He acted that way, it would be contrary to everything that God is: the fact that many people have been touched by the “purposes” is not an indication of God’s blessing, or even that there is anything of value… it is simply the fulfillment of God’s promise, that His Word will not return empty.Isaiah 55:11).
The Price of Loyalty in a World of "Purpose"“
After so much careful work, I remember exactly when, filled with the Holy Spirit, I went to present this content at the Baptist church I was a member of, and even before I began, the pastor's wife—then the Minister of Religious Education who was already starting to implement this secular project through Sunday School—enthusiastically (somewhat indignant because I was touching her "sacred cow") anticipated me and shouted:
Rick Warren's ideas aren't just good... they're EXCELLENT!!!
At that moment I realized that, as we say in our country, she had already swallowed the bait, the hook... the line, the rod, and everything else that could come her way!
Since then, deceit and pride have become so deeply ingrained in that company that, seeking "more commercial appeal," it even changed its name to establish branches instead of congregations because, as the pastor told me:
A congregation one day becomes a church and no longer generates any income, but a branch will generate money forever!
Incidentally, this devotee of religious purposes has become so successful that she has even been enthroned as a "pastor," as if such a thing existed somewhere in the Bible…
Suffering the consequences of my faithfulness to the Word, I left that meeting already accused of "pride," called "arrogant" for being grounded solely in biblical texts, and I even had the displeasure of seeing the pastor use the pulpit to trample on the principles that he and his wife had once taught me to "seek above all else"...
Since then, while the world labels me "radical," "narrow-minded," "blind" (and so many other derogatory words that have become attached to my name), others who still lead and frequent ecclesiastical organizations project their hypocrisy onto me, wanting me to, with my recent oral deafness, "Either take part in a community" or spend two hours looking like a fool, pretending to listen to what's happening in their meetings!
The Apostasy Promoted by Rick Warren
It's just one of many signs to look out for in
THERMOMETER OF THE END
All these embarrassing and painful episodes only increased my conviction: both that they were allowed by the Lord God himself to enable me to focus my faith solely on Him, and that I will only find a Church like the one I was once a part of… in heaven!
Thank you for reading this far, and I truly need any help you can offer: comments, shares, and reactions help spread this content, which was produced with the intention of contributing to the edification of the Body of Christ in the world.
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A church with "purposes," or OUTSIDE OF GOD'S PURPOSES????
This guy, Rick Warren, who calls himself a pastor but isn't a Christian, is crazy, he's lost his mind, and has become a demon-possessed son of the devil. Why do so many listen to him and follow his nonsense?