LTRP Note: These two comments we received today in our “Guestbook” say so much about what many believers are going through today in their churches.
Letter 1
At first I ignored things I saw on here, things people were linking. I decided to come again to this site after my husband and I just began to feel we weren’t being fed in our church. We had experienced many changes from the church “catch phrase” including transform to every single ministry being revamped (except maybe the music ministry which had already been somewhat modern to begin with). Our church is very missional, and that seemed so right to me. I wanted my children to grow up with a heart for people around the world, the idea of going and making disciples seems good and I do not think it is wrong. However, I am now seeing that we are not really as much about pure missions as we are about following this plan and meeting the needs of “emergent youth.”
When I really began to search things out, I found that most all of our books or curriculum for adults/youth/children is from Saddleback or WillowCreek. Our pastors are following the likes of Dallas Willard. I began looking at sermon notes and we have the lessons on the global PEACE plan and transformation. We’ve not been openly promoting contemplative prayer yet, but I believe it’s because the pastors realize the church hasn’t gotten far enough into it to swallow that one whole yet.
The hardest thing is now sitting in church when there is a nugget of truth, and realizing that it’s not enough. I felt this Sunday while we were singing about Satan being vanquished and Jesus being King that I was in a room full of wonderful people who were just as I had been a few months earlier, a room full of people following our pastors right wherever Rick Warren or Dallas Willard prescribe. I cried, I prayed for their eyes to be opened. I prayed for my pastors. We have to decide if we will stay and try to educate, or if our children will be at risk if we do stay. We love those people, you know. We really do. They have been our family for several years, and we’re not church hoppers, we’re loyal. Well, first off we have to be loyal to the King, and so now we wait on the Lord to see what He would have us to do. My heart is broken.
DMHL
Midwest
Letter 2
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This is in reference to the post below (see Guestbook – entry from 6/22/08) – about worshipping God and not the Bible. đ
I am so interested in this site. I went to a church for 4 years where they were starting to infiltrate with The Purpose Drivin Church methods – we went to Saddleback on 3 different occasions to conferences. I went to Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa…and I was quite used to that ‘non-denominational’ way . . . and I still am.
As time wore on, my Dad and I were getting quite skeptical of this Purpose Driven idea….we believed that as Christians, our purpose is to spread the Gospel – not growing your church into a mega-chapel where money flows, and what not. So, yes, as Christians, we do have a purpose – and our purpose should be getting out the good news of Jesus Christ – not what Rick Warren or any of his followers are exuding.
As we looked back, upon our practical excommunication from our old church, we see that it was run very much like that of Jim Jones and the Jonestown /Guyana Tragedy….from the late 70s. It was quite bizarre – the similarities.
We are in a Calvary Chapel now….and we’ve been there for 10 years. We have never been steered into building the church and numbers, and such….our church has grown because people are hungry for the gospel.
God bless you all for proclaiming the truths and for proclaiming Jesus Christ! See you in Heaven! đ
David
Southern California
A note from Roger Oakland (taken from Faith Undone, p. 228): “There are still pastors and churches dedicated to proclaiming the truth. Find out where they are and support them. If you are in a location where this does not seem to be possible, seek out materials that are available from solid Bible-based Christian ministries and hold Bible studies in your homes.”
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