Hi Deborah,

Thank you for your clarification, but I’m wondering if you could offer just a bit more. 

First, could you indicate exactly what showed up in “When Storms Come” that was inserted w/out permission and which was “contrary to the Word of God and negate the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Can you cite the exact quotations that triggered Chuck Smith to recall his book.

Secondly I remain confused about what happened regarding PDL and CC.  Obviously the PDL material has been in print for many years and sold as a CC resource since it was first published.  Did RW do or say something recently that has now caused CC to pull the material that they have been supporting heretofore?  I trust CC wouldn’t have promoted and sold PDL material in the first place if it had not aligned with the CC philosophy and theology.  What has changed? 

Thank you - Wendi

Dear Wendi -

PDL sounds good at first.  Christian language, bible quotes.  And it sounds like another helpful Christian program - that might work.  And in an American culture where few do their own Bible reading - and even pastors don’t know their Bible well, Rick Warren sounds good.  And many have followed Warren without taking a hard look at what he is really teaching - just as some Calvary Chapel affiliates did.  I did not recognize any problems when we first read it; PDL just sounded kind of “Gospel Lite”.  But look deeper - and see what is really being said. 

First, Warren uses multiple translations & paraphrases of the Bible - many times using verses out of context to make his point.  Here are a few examples:

“Let us consider how he presents the gospel: “If you learn to love and trust God’s Son . . .” It is true that we must love and trust Christ, but this is not how Christ or His apostles presented the gospel. They did not suggest that one has to “learn to love Jesus,” implying that were He just dressed up better He would be more lovable. Here is how Jesus said it, “And after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14,15)...Warren does not mention repentance until he gets to a chapter called “how we grow” (Warren: 182). Jesus (Mark 1:14, 15), Peter (Acts 2:38), and Paul (Acts 17:30) commanded people to repent as terms of entrance into the kingdom, not as a special teaching for elite Christians. Repentance is part of the Great Commission: “He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day;’ and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46, 47).

“But there was one man who made God smile. The Bible says, ‘Noah was a pleasure to the Lord’” (Warren: 69). This is a citation of Genesis 6:8 from the Living Bible...The NKJV is more pointed: “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8; NKJV). In the Biblical account God gives grace to Noah, in Warren’s account Noah gives pleasure to God. Here is how Warren interprets Genesis 6:8: “God said, ‘This guy brings me pleasure. He makes me smile. I’ll start over with his family’” (Warren 69). He twists Genesis 6:8 to promote his man-centered theology and obscure the fact that it was God’s grace that made Noah who he was.”

These citations are from an excellent article called “The Gospel: a Method or a Message” which lists several of the problems with Warren’s work.  Read it - and you will find some answers to why PD has serious problems.  As I said, dig and do more research.  The information is out there...website: http://cicministry.org/commentary/issue80.htm

It really is pretty sad to see the constant division within the body of Christ.  As I very briefly perused the site Deborah inked to, here is a list of a portion of the Christian leaders and organizations that were raked over the coals on there somewhere:

Rick Warren (of course), Rob Bell, Dan Kimball, Tony Campolo, Brennan Manning, Erwin McManus, David Jeremiah, Dallas Willard, Henri Nouwen, Max Lucado, Eugene Peterson, Beth Moore, Larry Crabb, Donald Miler, Robert Schuler, Chuck Smith, Jr, Focus On The Family, Biola University, Youth Specialties, Willow Creek, Christianity Today Magazine, and a countless number of denominations.

While I’m all about being true to scripture above people, I find it hard to believe that everybody on this list has missed the boat.  In fact, it makes me wonder who is trustworthy outside of Lighthouse Trails and now Calvary Chapel since they’ve ‘seen the light.’

I used to be involved with Calvary Chapel, and this is one of a couple reasons that I chose to distance myself.  It is disappointing to see that CC would continually discredit completely ministries not in complete agreement with them, and in a situattion like this it seems like it merits an explanation of why directly from Chuck Smoth himself.  I hope that comes.

There is a lot of good that has come out of CC and still does, and it stinks to see it overshadowed by their attitude toward others in the faith.

Deborah –

Thank you for your response.  I’m inclined to agree with Todd.  Nothing on your website or the press release, or anything I’ve found on the CC websites offers an indication that RW or PD has done or said something that triggered this sudden withdrawal of CC from PD.  It would be one thing if CC had been silent all along and then decided to join the ranks of Lighthouse and other anti-PD/RW groups.  However, heretofore CC has promoted and sold PD material as a resource, something I think is rightly perceived as an endorsement.  The explanation on the CC website that the “teachings and positions of RW have come into conflict with the Calvary Chapel,” leads one assume that something new has happened (have come into conflict).  If CC feels that PD is bad theology, then it was bad theology when it was published and for the past years that CC has sold it.  At the end of the day, it seems like RW and PD have been steady and consistent whereas CC appears to be confused and unwilling to explain this sudden change.

The whole Eastern Religion merging with Christianity because of contemplative prayer and practices . . . seems like another broad generalization that leads us (as human beings) all too easily to make incorrect and inappropriate judgments and assumptions about others.  Chuck Smith Jr.’s quote from your website “More and more Protestant Christians - and we are way behind the Roman Catholics on this score - are discovering a new, yet old way of reading the Bible: lectio divina”

. . . reminds me of some of the great fathers of our faith who were drawn to the contemplative life of monasticism and were also instrumental in protecting the church from heresy, both before and after the canonization of the NT.  I’m reminded also of a great book by Gary Thomas, “Sacred Pathways” in which he describes how God has “hard wired” people differently and that because of this difference they connect with and relate to God differently.  Among the pathways Thomas describes are; traditionalists, activists (that’s me), ascetics, and contemplatives (that couldn’t be less me).  Personally, I appreciated Thomas’ 1) challenge to discover how God has “hard wired” me to best connect with Him, and 2) admonition to honor and respect the differences between us, not expecting that everyone connects to God via the same “pathway.” The monastic church fathers contributed much to our faith because they followed their “pathway.” Contemplative practices might indeed be more common among Eastern people (religious and otherwise) than among fast-paced, hard-driven 21st century Westerners, but that in itself isn’t dangerous and after all, Christianity wasn’t birthed in North America.  The rush to label anything and everything that might be contemplative as dangerous to our faith is, (IMO), what is actually dangerous.

Wendi

After stumbling onto this site and reading all the comments here, my heart is disturbed in the fact that most here seem to be in support of one person or another. No one has concerned themselves with what the BIBLE has to say about what a church should look like ( The Book of Acts) or the gospel that is to be preached ( 1 Cor 15: 1-4 ) Anything other than that, is to be anathema ( Gal 1:6-9 ) Many seem to be forgetting the Bibles sufficiency to establish true doctrine and proper Christian worship and conduct. If you can’t find it in the scriptures you shouldn’t find it in your church. How about we return to the exhortations and warnings the LORD Jesus Christ gave us in ( Rev Ch 2-3 ) because there is no promise for those who don’t obey Him and Him alone!!! ( 1 John 2: 3-6 )

Why the disrespect for two new posters on this blog, Deborah and EX-PDC who are explaining their experience and knowledge of why CC broke and they receive comments that their evidence and experiences are “far reaching” and “seems like another broad generalization” or just not in an agreeable time: [So far, the answer to that question is… nothing.  Warren or PDL haven’t changed anything, it appears.  According to Deborah, it just took CC over 5 years to see the flaws and take action.  I really find that a little hard to believe, because so much of the criticism of PDL has been out there since the book was published.  So it really can’t be a matter of “CC not discovering these problems earlier”.]

Could it be that some hold so tightly personally to RW and PD program that no matter what the evidence is they will not be convinced?  How sad that no matter how many people reveal a problem, some will simply continue to believe they have the right as church leaders to believe it and teach it.  Simply because they accept it at face value and don’t test it.

How about a little respect for this “new” evidence brought to the table.  Do you have a defense other than - why did they wait so long or this is ANOTHER generalization.  Lucifer used scripture too and the demons tremble but that doesn’t make any of them children of God.  Perhaps RW and the PD do have some major problems, are we willing to discuss them?

You are missing the point of what we do at Lighthouse Trails Research. We began our ministry to expose the dangers of contemplative spirituality. In just five years, this belief system has so infiltrated Christendom that most well known Christian leaders are promoting it. That is no exaggeration. And we have spoken to many of them: Rick Warren, Phil Yancey, Mike Yaconelli, Dan Kimball, Ken Blanchard and others. They don’t deny that they are promoting it. They just don’t think it is dangerous. We do.

If you take a careful look on our site, you will see that we do not discuss these people’s personal lives, we do not speak with meanness nor do we use sarcastic or derogatory remarks. We really do try to speak the truth in love.

I realize that you started this blog topic with the question why did Calvary Chapel suddenly change their stance. Perhaps no one really knows why, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that a major Christian ministry is saying, “No more.”

Some of you may not like the way or manner in which we are exposing the New Age, but I hope you will research this out yourselves. As scripture says, the truth will set your free. God bless.

Deborah you said:

[I realize that you started this blog topic with the question why did Calvary Chapel suddenly change their stance. Perhaps no one really knows why, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that a major Christian ministry is saying, “No more.”]

Are you suggesting that we should say to ourselves, “okay, now that I see Chuck Smith and CC have changed their minds, there must be something wrong with PD and RW”?  Just follow blindly without expecting a response and explanation?  If Chuck Smith says something is bad, then it’s bad.  If he says something is good, then it’s good.

You say “perhaps no one really knows why.” If that’s true, then why should we follow their lead (if they really don’t know why themselves)?  PDL must not be all that much of a problem.  If they do know why and aren’t willing to explain it, then frankly, it causes me to respect RW much more than CS and CC.  Last month I could buy PDL through CC resources, this month I can’t and CC has come out publicly against the teaching of PDL without explanation.  Do you not see a big lack of integrity in that action (along with inaction)?

You challenge us to do the research ourselves and then “the truth will set us free.” You see, that statement assumes that we have been duped and are unwilling to research and be sure that what we read, support, use in our churches aligns with scripture.  It assumes that you have the “truth” and we do not.  I know you don’t mean to be derogatory, but can you see how condescending that sounds? 

Wendi

Todd...nice touch...having an ad on the bottom of the page that reads, “If you like Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life...” Ha Ha Ha...that cracks me up!

To me, it seems silly to ask the question, “why now?” regarding CC’s change of mind regarding selling PD materials.  Have you ever changed your mind?  Did anyone demand that you tell them that there was something that happened at exactly that moment in time that made you change your mind?  Don’t you think it is possible that CC gradually came to the conclusion that they did not want to associate with the PD thinking anymore?  Haven’t you ever gradually come to a decision about something?  BTW, CC has mentioned since the beginning the things in PD that they did not agree with - so that is nothing new.

Wendy

Wendi-
Todd-

Calvary Chapel has never stated that PD is “unbiblical”.  I believe the official words were:

>The teaching and positions of Rick Warren have come into conflict with
>us at Calvary Chapel. Pastor Chuck has directed us to discontinue this
>product effective immediately. The following items are now longer
>available through Calvary Distribution

And Wendi, to question someone’s integrity and make the accusation that they are abusing their God-given power and influence because they may or may not have made an explanatory phone call? 

Nick

Okay – I know that I said I was out . . . but I thought of this example and I think it fits here.  A few years ago Charles Colson used his radio broadcast to call another well known Christian leader (who I will not name) to account for some actions that he (Colson) believed were unbiblical and wrong.  The next day Colson, through tears, begged the forgiveness of his audience.  He had already called his brother and asked for forgiveness.  Colson said (to my recollection – it was several years ago).

“I have abused the platform God gave me.  At the very least, I should have called my brother to tell him that I found his actions wrong and that I was going to state my opinion publicly.  In hindsight however, I’m not sure that my public statement about my brother’s actions served in any way to advance the kingdom of God.  In this situation I was not honorable to the precious gift of influence God gave me.  I was wrong and I’m sorry.”

Neither do I think CS and CC have been honorable.

Wendi