Purpose Driven Gimmicks

I am writing this tract primarily in response to the immensely popular book by Rick Warren entitled The Purpose Driven Life. These last of the last days that we are living in are a very strange time indeed. We watch in amazement as nominal “Christian” religions are rotting from within while our entire nation wallows evermore in perverseness and immorality. Fundamental “Christian” churches are especially vulnerable as they try to meet the world halfway. Satan knows that in this late hour there is only a small remnant left, and he keeps busy providing clever gimmicks that are so cleverly created that if it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived. We have seen the rise of the “Promise Keepers”, which is a Masonic project, and I have evidence of that. We have seen the “Passion of the Christ”, which was a Vatican-Jesuit project. Many other things have emerged.

There are many satanic gimmicks, which deceptively present only part of the truth, and they are always bestsellers, because Satan knows that undiscerning people always gravitate toward evil. It is spiritual fast food and junk food that people clamor for in search of gimmicks that compensate for their lack of true repentance. The Purpose Driven Life book by Rick Warren is one such masterpiece of deception!

Rick Warren is the pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. The church grounds and complex is designed like a theme park and has a budget of 90 million dollars per year. The church features psychedelic rock concerts with music that would rival Jimi Hendrix, “K.I.S.S.”, and the “Grateful Dead.” In fact, Rick Warren admitted that one of his dreams was to become a rock star. In an interview for network television, Rick Warren freely admitted that he never preaches against homosexuality or abortion. He stated that he believes abortion is wrong, but he would never say it from the pulpit. Warren considers himself to be a marketer, salesman, and preacher. He says that we must always accentuate the positive and that worship should be fun. Rick Warren has been known to rub elbows with high-level politicians, such as President George W. Bush, and has become a multi-millionaire through his various efforts and enterprises. The Purpose Driven Life book has sold 20 million copies generating $400 million in sales. He also teaches his thousands of church members to give ten percent of their gross income.

We will now look at the book itself and see what is wrong with this project of deception that has affected so many. We will start with the title: The Purpose Driven Life. I am reminded of Luke 4:1 which says, “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” As we can see, the Spirit of God does not “drive” us, and we are not “driven” in His purpose. Who is the one who causes people to be driven? In Luke 8:29 we read, “For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was DRIVEN of the devil into the wilderness.”
When one reads Warren’s Purpose Driven Life book, it would seem innocuous enough, for it contains what appears to be good practical advice. It will be noticed by discerning Christians, however, that there are dangerous errors and new age philosophies interspersed in the book, like raisins in a cake. Before I give some examples of these errors, I must also point out that Mr. Warren does not seem to like the Authorized King James Bible, and you will be hard-pressed to find a verse from the KJV in his book. His book contains 1200 verses from 15 versions. On page 325 of his book Warren says, “First, no matter how wonderful a translation is, it has limitations.” In other words, he is saying there is no one true Word of God! What rank blasphemy! What brazen treason to God’s Kingdom! God only wrote one book and promised to preserve it. The Authorized King James Bible is the only true Word of God in the English language, period. Warren also said on page 325, “English-speaking people should thank God that we have so many different versions to use for devotional reading.” Mr. Warren, they all say different things! God is not the author of confusion!

Here are a few more things that Rick Warren has to say. Page 63: “The moment you were born into the world, God was there as an unseen witness, smiling at your birth.” How about Hitler and Stalin, Mr. Warren? On page 104 we read, “Try praising God without using the words ‘praise, hallelujah, thanks, or amen.’” He says to substitute other words. Why eliminate those precious Bible words that Satan hates so much? Try to tell that to the Apostle Paul and the early Christians. On page 160 we find the new-age unity theme as Warren writes, “Unity in the church is so important that the New Testament gives more attention to it than either heaven or hell.” And on page 167 we read, “At Saddleback Church, every member signs a covenant that includes a promise to protect the unity of our fellowship….. When God has a bunch of baby believers he wants to deliver, he looks for the warmest incubator church he can find.” It should be so obvious that the greatest of Christians came forth in great adversity. We don’t need warm, fuzzy incubators.

On page 181, we find Warren using an analogy that every Freemason would recognize as pure Masonic doctrine regarding alignment with the “sacred East.” Warren writes, “Imagine riding in a speedboat on a lake with an automatic pilot set to go east. If you decide to reverse and head west, you have two possible ways to change the direction. One way is to grab the steering wheel and physically force it to head in the opposite direction from where the autopilot is programmed to go. By sheer willpower you could overcome the autopilot, but you would feel constant resistance. Your arms would eventually tire of the stress, you’d let go of the steering wheel, and the boat would instantly head back east, the way it was internally programmed.” 

On page 267, Warren says, “God uses money to test your faithfulness as a servant. That is why Jesus talked more about money than he did about either heaven or hell.” Positively false! Warren also believes we can alter the appointed day of our Lord’s return. On page 286 he says, “If you want Jesus to come back sooner, focus on fulfilling your mission, not figuring out prophecy.” To top it off, Warren says on page 300 of his book, “Shift from local thinking to global thinking. God is a global God.”

Sadly, what is missing from Warren’s book is the message of contrition and true repentance, and that God will smite the world with judgement. Warren is a religious businessman and showman and reminds me of Phineas T. Barnum of circus fame. It was Barnum who supposedly said, “There is a sucker born every minute.” I feel so urged by the Holy Ghost to warn churches and pastors across this nation and overseas to stay in the Word of God. Do not be duped and driven by deceptive forces. Be led by the Spirit of God. 

Pastor David J. Meyer 

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