Purpose Driven or Scripture Driven? - Way of Life Literature

Saddleback Church features nine different “worshipvenues.” There is a worship style to suit every worldly taste.The Overdrive venue is “for those who like guitar-drivenrock band worship in a concert-like setting that you canFEEL.” The Ohana venue comes “complete with hula andisland-style music,” and on the first Saturday of every monthyou can take hula lessons during the potluck following theservice. The Country venue features line dancing. I didn’tmake this up, folks. It is right from Saddleback’s web site.“Love not the world, neither the things that are in theworld. If any man love the world, the love of the Fatheris not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of theflesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is notof the Father, but is of the world. And the world passethaway, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will ofGod abideth for ever” (1 John 2:15-17).The SermonThe sermon, which was titled “The Potential of a SingleLife,” was a witty, motivational challenge to single people todedicate themselves to God. Rick Warren said, “You are ashappy as you choose to be. … You can waste your life onvanities, spend your life on yourself, and invest your life forGod.”Mother Teresa was used as an example with no warningabout her false gospel. There was no specific mention of thehard things of God’s Word such as sin, separation, judgment,Hell, or repentance. These were replaced with general andvague references to biblical truth. No clear gospel messagewas given. Some of the statements were good, but the errorlay chiefly in what was not said. This is the hallmark of NewEvangelicalism, which is characterized not so much by theheresy that is preached but by the truth that is neglected in aneffort to present the Bible in a more positive light.25