Systemic Problem #3: Prairie DNA
HEADS. Layman John Wicklund:I began to have grave concerns about the changes brought into my church by my pastor after he attended a pastors conference sponsored by Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church. Eventually, my wife and I were forced to leave that church (amicably) after private meetings with our pastor and a couple of deacons. In our church, Rick Warren started a slippery slope that included a softened and shortened sermon, dropping the name “baptist” from the church name, putting the hymnals in the church attic, selling the organ, needing earplugs to attend praise and worship time, watching an unicyclist parade through the sanctuary, participating in a live, interactive congregational marketing survey during church service time and starting a building program when neither attendance nor the budget supported doing so.
Sound familiar? If not, these seeker-sensitive things will soon be coming to your church if Rick Warren has his say. . . . This movement has hijacked evangelical Christianity over the past decade or so and has now displaced countless
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DISCERNMENT QUESTIONS
RESOURCES
[1] The quote is a selection from David O. Kueker’s Fuller Seminary Doctor of Ministry project submitted in September, 2007, entitled Diagnosis, Dialogue, and Decision: A Threefold Process of Revitalization For the Illinois Great Rivers Conference.
It is shared here in recognition of its 12th Anniversary along with comments to update and provide perspective on the material. The original project was a Training Manual/Study Guide of three Seminars supported by three chapters of research and an Introduction. The material is available for download at www.disciplewalk.com/Resources.html. In 2009 it was provided for purchase as a softcover book entitled Designing Discipleship Systems: Christian Disciple Making For Any Size Church, Any Theology through CreateSpace.com.
[2][3] [4][5] [6][7] [8]
All Scripture quotations are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Please review the page How and Why We Use Quotes.
[1]John Wicklund, reviewing Bob DeWaay, Redefining Christianity: Understanding the Purpose Driven Life Movement (Springfield, MO: 21st Century Press, 2006), under http://www.amazon.com/gp/ product/0977196437/qid=1149757409/sr=1-9/ref=sr_1_9/002-3430851-0046407?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 (accessed May 16, 2007).