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Position of the CGM & The Purpose-Driven Church |
Position of the Bible |
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Man adds to the church daily as should
be saved through contemporary marketing methods...
Churches are taking surveys among
unsaved and/or unchurched to determine what they do and do not like
about the church, then applying the results and statistics to
determine how the church should be run. |
"...And the LORD added to the church
daily such as should be saved" Acts 2:47.
"But if we walk in the light, as he
is in the light, we have fellowship one with another..." 1 John 1:7.
"Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up
late, toiling for food to eat -- for he grants sleep to those he
loves" Psalm 127:1-2. |
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The Church needs a new purpose. |
The Church already has a purpose since
its beginning 2000 years ago. The Great Commission: "Go ye into all
the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:15.
"Ye should earnestly contend for the
faith which was once delivered unto the saints" Jude 1:3.
"He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" Mark
16:15-16. |
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Conform the Church to the image of the
world and culture in order to make the church more palatable and
comfortable for the unsaved. |
"Know ye not that friendship of the
world is enmity with God?" James 4:4.
"And be not conformed to this
world..." Romans 12:2.
"The just shall live by faith. For
the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness..."
Romans 1:17-18. |
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Promote self-love. |
"He that loveth his life shall lose it;
and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life
eternal" John 12:25.
"Loved their lives not unto death"
Revelation 12:11. |
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The goal of the Church is Happiness and
Personal Fulfillment |
The goal of the Church is Holiness.
"Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy" 1 Peter 1:16. |
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Do not offend seekers with "religious"
words. |
"And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of
offense, [even to them] which stumble at the word," 1 Peter 2:8. |
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Remove the Cross from the church. |
Cling to the ole rugged Cross. The Cross
was in plain view for all to see: "and they shall look upon me whom
they have pierced" Zechariah 12:10. |
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Manmade 12-step programs toward
psychological healing and deliverance. |
One-step deliverance program: Being Born
Again in Christ. "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall
be free indeed" John 8:36.
At the most, we could also
acknowledge a second "step": Sanctification, which is the process of
perfecting the saints until we are resurrected in our glorified
bodies. |
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Scriptures are insufficient for
perfecting the saints. Psychology and sociology help the church
where the Bible seems to lack. |
"All scripture is given by inspiration
of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness; That the man of God may be
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" 2 Timothy
3:16-17. |
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Need to discover the key to "Unchurched
Harry's" heart to reach him for Christ. |
Condition of man's heart is already
known: "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the
earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart
was only evil continually" Genesis 6:5. |
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Christ's salvation is equal trade for
worth of man and focus on unsaved Harry's worth. |
Unequal trade: Man's worth is zero,
Christ's salvation is worth infinite value. "All our righteousness
are as filthy rags" Isaiah 64:6. Christ alone is our refuge and our
worth! |
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Entertain the world into the
Kingdom of God. |
Convict the world unto salvation:
"No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost" 1
Corinthians 12:3. |
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Caters to the flesh. |
Crucifies the flesh: "For if ye live
after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do
mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" Romans 8:13. |
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Pleasers of men. |
Pleasers of God: "We were allowed of God
to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak, not as
pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts" 1 Thessalonians
2:4. |
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The answer to low self-esteem is high
self-esteem. |
Concept of self-esteem is nonexistent in
Scripture. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and
contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" Psalm 51:17. |
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How to become an "influential Christian"
(John C. Maxwell). |
"But he that is greater among you shall
be your servant" Matthew 23:11. We are to be imitators of Christ who
made himself of no reputation. |
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Nature of man: Man is a victim. |
Nature of man: Man is a sinner: "For all
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23. "They
did not like to retain God in their knowledge" Romans 1:28. |
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Focus on self. |
Focus on God, then others: "A new
commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have
loved you, that ye also love one another" John 13:34. |
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Christians need to be pleasing savor to
the world. |
"For we are unto God a sweet savor of
Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one
(we are) the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor
of life unto life" 2 Corinthians 2:15-16. |
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Be loved by the world. |
"Blessed are ye, when men shall hate
you, and when they shall separate you (from their company), and
shall reproach (you), and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of
man's sake" Luke 6:22. "Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate
you" I John 3:13. |
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Seek ye first the felt needs of the
world and the Kingdom shall be added unto you. |
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you"
Matthew 6:33. |
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Different church services for "Churched
Harry & Mary" vs. "Unchurched Harry & Mary." |
Same church service and message for both
church and unchurced at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-11).
Same message of repentance to every tribe, tongue and nation: "And
he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel
to every creature" Mark 16:15. (Same message throughout the Old
Testament as well!) |
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Communion Inclusive. |
Communion Exclusive to Believers. |
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Unchurched have rejected church but not
necessarily God. |
All unsaved are in rebellion and have
rejected God: "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" 1
Corinthians 1:18. |
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Shine the salt of earth into a sparkling
gem. |
As the salt of the earth we must be
covered with the blood of the Lamb in order to retain savor, remove
poison in the world, and preserve the world: "Ye are the salt of the
earth; but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be
salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and
to be trodden under foot of men" Matthew 5:13. |
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"Unchurched Harry" will come to church
via a good experience. |
Harry will come to church only by God's
sovereign work of grace: "For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8. |
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Self-centered. |
Self-Sacrifice. |
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This generation is different from all
past generations. |
This generation is IDENTICAL to all
generations. |
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Asks what we can require of God. |
Asks what God requires of us. |
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Seeks personal fulfillment. |
Seeks obedience to Christ. |
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Integrates psychology with the Bible. |
"O Timothy, keep that which is committed
to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions
of science falsely so called" 1 Timothy 6:20. "To the law and to the
testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because
there is no light in them" Isaiah 8:20. "Beware lest anyone spoil
you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men,
after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" Colossians
2:8. "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as
there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in
damnable heresies" 2 Peter 2:1. |
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Integrates Personality Theory and Tests
with the Bible, such as Meyer-Briggs Test, S.H.A.P.E., Kiersey-Bates
Temperament Sorter, based on occultist and atheist Carl Jung &
Sigmund Freud... all based on astrological signs of the Zodiac. |
"Let now the astrologers, the
stargazers, the monthly prognosticators stand up, and save thee from
these things that shall come. Behold, they shall be as stubble..."
Isaiah 47:13. "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather
grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" Matthew 7:16. "For a good
tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt
tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own
fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush
gather they grapes" Luke 6:43-44. "Can the fig tree, my brethren,
bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both
yield salt water and fresh" James 3:12. "Ye cannot drink the cup of
the Lord, and the cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the
Lord's table, and of the table of devils" 1 Corinthians 10:21. |
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Unconditional acceptance. |
Requires repentance; God is not tolerant
of evil. Sets in place Elders in church discipline to judge and
restore those in the church. |
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You set boundaries. |
God sets the boundaries. |
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Seek a higher power... whatever or
whomever that might be for deliverance from disease. |
"Neither is there salvation in any
other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved" Acts 4:12. |
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Journaling is how you keep connected
with God. |
Praying and meditating on God's Word is
how you keep connected with God. |
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Invites false teachers to pulpit, such
as Muslim clerics; or Presents false or contrary teachings in
positive light from the pulpit. |
Shepherds protect and guard the flock
from wolves and wolves in sheep's clothing. "Take heed therefore
unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost
hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath
purchased with his own blood" Acts 20:28-31. |
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Supports Evangelical and Catholics
Together (ECT) and other ecumenical endeavors. |
"Wherefore come out from among them, and
be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and
I will receive you" 2 Corinthians 6:17. "Now I beseech you,
brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to
the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them" Romans 16:17.
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what
communion hath light with darkness?" 2 Corinthians 6:14. |
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Stand in counsel of men who are not
Christians to implement or finance their new church building plans. |
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in
the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor
sitteth in the seat of the scornful" Psalm 1:1. "But if they had
stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then
they should have turned them from their evil ways, and from the evil
of their doings" Jeremiah 23:22. |
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Invokes imaginary Jesus (spirit) with
help of spirit guide to search for past wounds, generational curses,
and lost memories. |
"Brethren, I count not myself to have
apprehended but one thing, forgetting those things which are
behind, and reaching forth unto those things with are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God
in Christ Jesus" Philippians 3:13-14. |
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Never criticize what God is "blessing." |
"But though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached
unto you, let him be accursed" Galatians 1:8. "And have no
fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove
them" Ephesians 5:11. "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try
the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are
gone out into the world" 1 John 4:1. |
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Principle of Pragmatism: It it works, it
must be good! |
Be faithful to the same message whether
they respond or not: "And go, get thee to them of the captivity,
unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them,
Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they
will forbear" Ezekiel 3:11. |
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All truth is God's Truth. |
"But when He, the Spirit of truth,
comes, He will guide you into all truth" John 14:17; 16:13. |
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Mandatory Signed Pledges & pyramid
schemes. (Levels similar to Masonic religion, the Caste system in
Hinduism, or Mystery Babylon.) |
"Again, ye have heard that it hath been
said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt
perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at
all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth;
for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of
the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou
canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication
be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of
evil" Matthew 5:33-37. |
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Respecter of persons. |
"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said,
In truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons" Acts 10:34. |
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Makes the Highway to Heaven as wide as
possible. |
"Because strait is the gate, and
narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be
that find it" Matthew 7:14. |
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Endorses or teaches Alpha Course. |
Evidence of the presence of the Holy
Spirit does not imitate Demon Possession. |
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A growing church means God is blessing
us. |
Blessing and curse is completely
dependent on obedience to God's Word. |
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Thinks men seek after God. |
"There is no one who seeks God" Romans
3:11. God seeks after men: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God" Romans 10:17. |
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Promotion comes via completion of
courses. |
"Humble yourselves therefore under the
mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time" 1
Peter 5:6. "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the
west, nor from the south. But God is the judge; he putteth down one,
and setteth up another" Psalm 75:6-7. |
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Preach only "positive" messages from the
pulpit. |
Preach publicly the full counsel of God
which includes both the love of God and the wrath of God. |
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Based on principles of this world and
"universal truths." |
Church governed by Word of God, based on
nothing but the person of Christ and him crucified. "For I
determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and
him crucified" 1 Corinthians 2:2. |
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Monitors required tithing or pledge
money. |
"But when thou doest alms, let not thy
left hand know what they right hand doeth" Matthew 6:3. |
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Catch people unaware |
"Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men,
after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" Colossians
2:8. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour"
1 Peter 5:8. |
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Lower mind's resistance. |
"Wherefore gird up the loins of your
mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be
brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1:13. |
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No silence during church service. |
"Be silent, O all flesh, before the
LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation" Zechariah
2:13. "The Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep
silence before him" Habakkuk 2:20. |
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Man builds the church. |
Jesus Christ builds his church: "And I
say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I
will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it" Matthew 16:18. |
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My strength is made perfect in my "strengths",
i.e. S.H.A.P.E. (Personality profiles, Gift profiles, etc.) |
"My strength is made perfect in
weakness" 2 Corinthians 12:9. |
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Fear of the Lord?: "I don't think fear,
as a tactic, really moves people toward faith these days. So,
tactically, I think there are better ways to interest the
uninterested in the claims of Jesus Christ." --- Pastor Bill Hybels,
Willow Creek Community Church. |
"And the way of peace have they not
known: There is no fear of God before their eyes" Romans
3:17-18. |