How to Grow Your Church (The Willow Creek / Purpose Driven Way)

Please listen to pastor david wilkerson's warning about this movement as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtxzD-Rh_9M
A simple video message explaining the danger of the current church growth movement. AKA The Purpose Driven or Willow Creek Association method. If you suspect your church is 'up the creek' go to willow creek association website and go to find a church and you see if your church is listed. That's how i found out about my former church. Also search the willow creek assoc or pastor.com website and see if "your pastor's message" is there( they download and share sermons). They usually use the latest TV Show(i.e. "Extreme" this or that, "Desperate Housewives") or current movie to "relate" to their audience.

For further study, I recommend reading John MacArthur's book: "Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes like the World" . My findings are not based on what others have told me about these movements. I was part of 2 seeker friendly churches and witnessed firsthand the problems. I've already read Warren's books the purpose driven church and purpose driven life and have read their teachings in the context..

I also recommend listening to, or reading the text of the sermons titled "The Gospel of Accommodation", "Falling Away to the Anti-Christ, and "Beware of the Wisdom of Men" preached by David Wilkerson and Carter Conlon. Each of these is available online for free. Try Greg Gordon's sermon index website.
www.sermonindex.net

"..the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." (2 Tim 4:3)


TAGS - Purpose Driven Life Church Bill Hybels Robert Schuler Pragmatism Pragmatic diaprax Seeker Sensitive Movement Church Growth Apostasy Joel Osteen Marketing Consumer Driven Surveys Hillsong Willow Creek Association Saddleback Paul Shepherd ALCF Abundant Life Christian Fellowship

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[1Cor2two]

This is what the LORD Almighty says:"Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. They keep saying to those who despise me, ‘The LORD says: You will have peace.’And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’ But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?

[1Cor2two]

-Jeremiah 23:16-18

are your pastors standing in the council of the Lord?

[ClayCafe]

@1Cor2two

Yes, I think all of that is wonderfully acceptable if it furthers the cause of Christ. I refuse to let my pride distort and limit my perception of how God works through His people because it doesn't fit my personal philosophy. I know that God is smarter than me, and if he so chooses to reach the lost through relevant and applicable sermons and church foundations, who am I to stand in His way but a stumbling block?

[1Cor2two]

@ClayCafe

It has nothing to do with pride. It has to do with Truth. It's amazing and sad how the protestant church is now becoming like the catholic church. Every part of the service is predictable. 15 min worship, 4 min announcements, 5-7 min skit, 20 min non-offensive message about how God loves us, concluded with a 5 min song.

No room for move of the Spirit. It even has got to the point where the ushers (basically security team) will escort people away from the altar.

[1Cor2two]

by the way, I do realize God can reach people through these seeker sensitive churches. It doesn't mean he approves of it. I've heard of stories about backsliders being ministered to at a bar. Does that mean he approves of that method..paul said "But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth.." Shouldn't this verse be considered by these churches that do bait and switch?

[grammastola]

I've often heard people say, "If these church growth tactics bring even one person to Christ, then they're worth it."

I strongly disagree; after all, Satan is a master tactician. I'm sure that he'd gladly let one person come to Christ if this means that a hundred more will be led astray.

Besides, that argument PRESUMES that these tactics do bring people to Christ. As you correctly pointed out, Willow Creek admits that they haven't worked well. Let's trust in God's ways instead.

[joseph82069]

I was in a Willow Creek sponsored seeker friendly church for the last ten years. Very watery preaching and lots of entertainment as sermons, so sad. Glad I listened to John McArthur alot.

[Kyouryuu5000]

This whole emergent church is just a joke. It is all about the ends supposedly justifying the means (pragmatism). Most of the "Bible sermons" in these churches clearly mirror secular seminars, but with a "Christian imprint" on them.

There is unfortunately very little Bible study in these churches, but a whole lot of secular humanism in the form of "Christianity."

[HydroCarbine]

Willow Creek Association churches are bought off by F.E.M.A. as part of the Clergy Response team. In other words, your preacher/pastor has been paid by the us Government to use Romans 13 as a tool to get you to obey whatever form of tyranny is active at the time. Hiding the truth(I.E. erasing this comment) is a form of suppressing truth and in other words, is a lie, passing judgement based on emotion, or as you might remember it more clearly, a sin. Thou Shall Not Lie

[1Cor2two]

@RyanGreenMusic

No. The sermons and methods come from Willow Creek or Rick Warren at pastors.com

Don't take my word. Do some research.

[1Cor2two]

@RyanGreenMusic

No. The sermons come from Willow Creek or Rick Warren at pastors.com

Don't take my word. Do some research.

[RyanGreenMusic]

@1Cor2two

Well churches joining are different than the actual thing I'd suspect, right?