“DECEIVED ON PURPOSE.” – Is there an agenda to bring New Age deceptions into the Evangelical Churches?A Book Review and Critical Overview of the Issues…
Of all the subtle deceptions that satan uses to deceive and mislead people in the world and in the churches, none is more subtle (or dangerous) as the humanistic “New Age” philosophy and religions of today. How wonderful and logical it all seems on the outside; yet how fully and utterly antichrist and anti-Christian it is all just beneath the surface. … take a closer look … Grabbling mightily with these very issues, former New Ager and author, Warren Smith, writes two fine books that sheds much light on the new age agenda that is infiltrating the churches throughout America and much of the Western world as well. His first book was called, THE LIGHT THAT WAS DARK, and chronicles the spiritual journey of himself and his wife as they learn what real spiritual warfare is over the souls of men and women in the context of the supernatural and the many new age religions scattered throughout America. His second (and even more important) book is titled, DECEIVED ON PURPOSE, and is a well researched indictment of just how definite and unmistakable New Age ideas and philosophies have crept into MANY mainline and evangelical churches today. Believe me: this book is a real eye-opener.
Being very cognizant of new age buzz words and concepts, Smith, after becoming a convert to historic and biblical Christianity, could very easily discern a hidden agenda on the part of bestselling author and pastor, Rick Warren, who it turns out is a disciple of the heavily new age influenced, Dr. Robert Schuller and his worldwide “Hour of Power” television ministry. Knowing that many evangelicals outright reject many of the teachings of Robert Schuller, Rick Warren picks up the teachings of one of his major mentors [Schuller] in a somewhat new mode and then gives them a “more Christianized” fresh-face approach in an effort to make these ideas and concepts more acceptable to the evangelical communities at large. Well, did Warren succeed in this subtle deceit? Yes. Enormously so, … and he also made a fortune and built a hugely influencial ministry in propogating these “new and fresh ideas.” … and WHAT ARE? these “new and fresh” ideas and approaches to ministry and the Gospel? . . .
We find out in the book, Deceived on Purpose, that Schuller has been for a long time now very much involved in and often taught new age ideology openly in his church and ministry . One teaching in particular, A Course in Miracles, is completely full of and riddled from top to bottom with new age doctrine. This course teaches what the Bible calls ‘another Jesus,’ - a “Jesus” that is “the Christ” in everyone. Schuller fully endorses the basic new age ideology that, “God is in everything and everyone.” For example, the Course in Miracles study books and guides (which are also regularly endorsed by people like Oprah Winfrey and other propagators of New Age thinking), teaches in Lesson #29 that it requires the participants to go through their day affirming that “God is everything I see.” Lesson #61 requires participants to repeat over and over the mantra, “I am the light of the world” (no reference is made to the Lord Jesus, the TRUE Light of the world, in this regard, only “the Christ in you”)! Lesson #70 requires participants to say and believe, “My salvation comes from me.” – This, of course, is total heresy and utterly contradictory to both the Gospel and all sound, biblical doctrine and truth. Along with all this, Schuller also has often exposed his television audience and congregation to numerous known new age teachers such as Bernie Siegal, Gerald Jampolsky, and others, presenting them as being tantamount to “Christian believers” in very deceiving and misleading ways.
Why so much emphasis on Schuller? Because if you know all of Schuller’s false teachings and twistings of Biblical truth, you know where Rick Warren gets much of his inspiration and ideas. He was a graduate of Schuller’s Institute and has numerous past connections to his so-called “rethinking of Christianity” agenda. Rick Warren bought into most all of Schuller’s basic ideas and then wrote ‘The PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE,’ - a bestseller that has literally swept thru thousands of churches and ministries worldwide. Are the churches in trouble and in peril? I think, frankly, that would be an understatement.
Another disciple of Schuller, by the way, is Bruce Wilkinson, who wrote the runaway bestseller, ‘The Prayer of Jabez.’ He also uses new age terms and makes them popular and seemingly acceptable within a ‘christian’ context. Words and concepts such as “Enlarge” and “Emmergence” are major new age buzz word which turns a person’s attention to their own agendas instead of seeking God’s plans. Wilkinson has spoken at Saddleback Church for Rick Warren and then later at Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral. What are some of the ideas and doctrines that are being espoused here that are not according to sound, biblical, Christian doctrine and Faith.? – That is what we now want to examine further…
Rick Warren also makes reference to Bernie Siegal in chapter three of his book as Warren Smith further exposes Rick Warren’s clear and unmistakable new age connections. Then, a little later in his commentaries R.Warren adds a confusing, even somewhat insulting twist in interpreting the lives of the patriarch, Job, and Isaiah, the prophet. Just to show how far off base R.Warren often is, Smith quotes from this chapter of the PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE: the quote states that “the lives of Job and Isaiah were without purpose and without God.” Is THAT Truth? Far from it. Their lives were FULL of God’s calling and God’s purposes, but Pastor Rick Warren tells us that “their lives were without purpose and without God.” (!) Yet nothing could be further from the truth.
The author also exposes the use of many new versions of the Bible by Rick Warren in his PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE books and study guides. Sometimes Warren uses a verse from one or another version that seems to be more suited for his interpretation or spin on any particular subject. The version that is clearly the most controversial would be THE MESSAGE Bible. Smith, forinstance, compares the MESSAGE Bible Version and the KJV Bible in their translation of the very well known LORD’s prayer found in the Gospels. This is very interesting because in the Message version, instead of saying “ let Thy Will be done: in earth, as it is in heaven” [as translated in the KJV and many other Bible translations), the MESSAGE has it translated: “as above, so below.” Smith notes that this is (again) a definite new age buzz term and expression that all new agers would immediately identify with. Also exposed is the belittlement of the King James Bible. In fact, Rick Warren tells his readers “to get rid the King James Bible.” This simply makes me want to keep mine above all the others.
Warren Smith encourages his readers “to be Bereans,” - to be careful to verify the truth of ideas and doctrines based upon sound Biblical context. How the people of God need to be and to do just that. Smith continually alerts his readers of the changes in ideology among many of the leaders of evangelical Christianity. As a man who came out of the darkness of great deception and has seen first hand the new age philosophies and religions, he is well informed and able to inform others of just where and how these new age ideas have crept into the Christian community and various ministries. He exposes his readers to numerous new age ideas and concepts that most of the body of Christ are woefully ignorant of, both in terms of what they mean and as to the origins, - which is usually Hindu, Buddhist, occultic, or “New Age.” This book is a MUST READ for many Christians who have simply been entirely naive of these creeping (and often subtle) deceptions.
I must add also that it is certainly no great surprise that this book has been published by a relatively small publishing company (Mountain Streams Press). While it is well-written, well-researched and very convincing, it deals with a subject matter most publishers would, for the most part, simply want to avoid. Despite being confined to small distribution channels, I was gladdened to see that it is now in its third printing. I believe that Warren Smith has many important things to say in this book and that Christians need to evaluate the teachings of Rick Warren and others to see if they are consistent with the Scriptures. "In these times of heightened danger and treacherous deceptions, we must always go to the Lord and look to the Holy Spirit for truth and direction. Christians following deceived leaders will only end up deceived themselves. We must always measure everything carefully by the true Word of God and what is known to be sound doctrine.
In closing, I would like to share my favorite passage in this fine and challenging book that is found on page 147. It seems to sum up the real message of Christ and Christianity very simply, clearly and concisely:"Finally, after all we had been through, I was starting to see that the heart of the gospel is not so much that God helps those who help themselves, but, rather, that God helps those who can't help themselves. It was not in affirming our strength but in recognizing our weakness that we had finally learned to ask the Lord for help. It was His grace, not our own self-sufficiency that had saved the day."
Some additional works that have only recently been published on this same subject are:
For Many Shall Come in My Name, by Ray Yungen
The Truth War, by John MacArthur
The Beautiful Side of Evil, by Johanna Michaelsen
Inside the New Age Nightmare, by Randall Baer
Redefining Christianity, by Bob DeWay
and
More than a Purpose, by Marshall Davis
Here also are a few videos over at youtube that can be very helpful in order to get a clearer perspective on these issues:
Be sure to listen to this one first:
Pastor John MacArthur on the Purpose Driven Life:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI9EzMWZoag&feature=related
Rick Warren - Religious Pluralism - These Bridges Are False! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptGh_xU2PCc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdhDnPeIOn0&feature=related
BEWARE of the subtle infiltrations and deceptions of the New Age Agenda: it is now more prevalent and “acceptable” than ever before. Remember: Jesus said, “MANY *would come in His name* and deceive MANY.” – that was certainly a righteous and accurate warning.
Len & Lynne Hummel
Clearlight Christian Ministries* Jeremiah 9:23-26 ** Philippians 1:6, & 9-11 *