Part 1: Sciences, Marketing,
Surveys, and Demographics: Following God?
January 1, 2000
"They are from the world; therefore
they speak as from the world, and the world
listens to them" 1John 4:5
By Greg DesVoignes
In this issue and in Parts 1 and 2, we will
present an analytical and biblical view of
what has been termed "The Church Growth
Movement" [CGM] and its counter part,
"The Purpose Driven Church".
Thousands of churches have become involved
in using the techniques of this movement
over the past ten years in efforts to cause
the numbers in their churches increase along
with personal growth. But are there problems
with it?
Have churches unknowingly compromised with
the world? Have they unknowingly aligned
with sources and techniques common to the
New Age, but not common to the Bible?
CGM Fundamentals
A cursory look alone at the CGM indicates
there is a problem concerning how the body
of Christ is built, and what is being used
to build it. It has been defined by its own
experts as, "A group of pastors,
denominational executives... who allow their
ministries to be governed by Donald McGavran
and fellow participants in the CGM".
Peter Wagner, Win Arn, others, Church
Growth: State Of The Art, Tyndale, 1989, pg.
284.
What are the principles of the CGM that
churches and ministries open themselves up
to be governed by? Church Growth
participants do not refer to their
principles as Biblical truths, but
"worldwide truths which, when properly
applied with other principles contribute
significantly to the growth of a
church". Ibid., pg. 284. Therefore,
ministries that follow the principles of
this movement are actually being governed by
the philosophies that the world holds to,
and not God and his Word.
What world truths or philosophies are
churches submitting to as governing their
ministries and causing their numbers to
increase? "Church Growth" itself
is defined as, "striving to combine the
eternal principles of God's word with the
best insights of contemporary social and
behavior sciences...". Ibid. This
translates into churches being ruled by, and
following theories. These include the
theories of sociology, anthropology,
psychology, statistics, marketing, cultural
relevance, and the ideal within each one.
So what is happening is that churches who
follow the CGM are incorporating the same
"sciences" and tactics that the
corporate world is using to attract
consumers, and much more.
Through a slow transformation process, the
structure and character of these churches
eventually manifest a "business"
and "entertainment" looks.
Something they say is more culturally
relevant and appealing to the modern
"baby boomer". This transformation
process is sold through sermons, staff and
lay leadership training, and required
membership classes and
"accountability" groups, with
materials and "consultants",
primarily out of Willow Creek Community
Church and Fuller Institute of Church
Growth.
However, as we look at scripture, we find
that man's techniques of the world cannot
build a church that God warned us not to
follow the principles of the world, and not
to add to His word. So let's compare what
the CGM says, with scripture.
Wrong Principles: From the World
First, the CGM experts note that the
principles of God are eternal. That is true.
And since God's principles are eternal,
i.e., what was said, and what worked almost
2,000 years ago and before, must apply to
today. Thus, what happened to the eternal
principle, "and the Lord was adding to
their number day by day those who were being
saved". Acts 2:47, or "...who has
saved us, and called us with a holy
calling"? 1 Tim 1:9.
It appears to me that since the eternal
principles here are [1] that it is God who
called us by His spirit, [2] that the
calling was a holy calling, [3] and that it
was the power of God that added to the
church; then this should also apply today.
Did Jesus call his disciples with sociology,
psychology, anthropology, marketing, or any
"world wide truth"? What is holy
about these things? Most of them contradict
the word anyway. Did Jesus preach a social
gospel, an evolutionary gospel according to
anthropology, or train his disciples to use
the principles of the world along with His
eternal principles? Then why do would we
need the principles of the CGM? We
don't!
Secondly, another eternal principle of God
that Jesus said is, "Upon this Rock I
will build My church; and the gates of Hades
shall not overpower it." Matt 16:18.
Upon whom is the church to be built, and who
will build it? It is Jesus who builds His
church and it is upon His eternal words from
which it is built. Oh, but it must be all
right to help it along. After all, we live
in the 90's [now, the New Millenium]; we are
a different culture today, right? In an
apostate sense, yes!
This brings us to the third eternal
principle. In Exodus 25, which is a
foreshadow of the church and how it is to be
built, God gave Moses the materials and the
plan by which he was supposed to build the
tabernacle saying, "And let them
construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may
dwell among them. According to all that I am
going to show you, as the pattern of the
tabernacle and the pattern of all its
furniture, just so you shall construct
it". Thus it is God himself who shows
us how the church is built, not the world,
and as He instructs in His word, this is how
it is supposed to be built. [Read Acts 1-2]
God says in a fourth eternal principle,
"You shall not add to the word which I
am commanding you, nor take away from it,
that you may keep the commandments of the
Lord your God which I command you. So keep
them, for that is your wisdom and your
understanding in the sight of the peoples
who will hear all these statutes and say,
'Surely this great nation is a wise and
understanding people". The principles
of the CGM are in opposition to what God has
said. For even they admit that they are
"striving to combine" the ways of
the world into the word of God.
A Lack of Confidence In
God's Word
Why is this happening today? Why is it that
these CGM experts can call God's principles
eternal, but then reject them as being
relevant and powerful today? Christian
writer and preacher John McArthur assessed
it well. He said, "Contemporary
evangelism has been beguiled and sabotaged
by a ruinous lack of confidence in God's
word... They have accepted the notion that
scripture does not contain all we need to
minister in these complex times. So they
turn to human expertise in the fields of
psychology, business, government, politics,
entertainment, or whatever they think might
supply some recipe for success that's
lacking in scripture". John McArthur,
Our Sufficiency In Christ, Word, 1991, pg.
117.
Israel had this same problem and frequently
took assistance and combined the "best
insights of contemporary social and
behavioral sciences" from the world of
the nations around them, including those
from Babylon. For while they were supposed
to go in and take the land God had given
them by His power, they themselves were many
times converted to following the world. The
results were disastrous. They were seduced,
spiritually turned away from God, and then
taken over and ruled by the very systems
they were intrigued by. As we will
see, the same thing is happening in this
system!
A fifth eternal principle from God asks,
"To whom then will you liken God?"
Or what likeness will you compare with
Him". Isaiah 40:18. In verse 12 God
shows the arrogant ignorance of man, by
comparing the heavens with the span of His
hand, and in verse 22 compares the
inhabitants of the earth to grasshoppers
that he has provided a tent for. In other
words, what can we grasshoppers come up with
that can compare with what this great and
mighty God has done and will do among the
"best insights" of the works of
the world? Is it God's word that needs
assistance from man? Or is it man that needs
everything from God? The CGM misses the
point.
The Frog In The Kettle
The transformation of a church is
accomplished over a period of several months
to a few years, the latter recommended by
the experts. In fact, it is interesting that
some of these experts recommend that pastors
who desire to implement these philosophies
and techniques do not try to transform their
current churches, but start a new church
based on these philosophies. Why? It has
been well proven that this movement has
destroyed churches. Even though they know
this and state this, they still provide the
techniques to transform a current existing
church!
It usually starts with a trip to a seminar
sponsored by a mega church such as Willow
Creek in the Chicago area. Church pastors
and staffs attend a "dynamic"
public service, listen to speakers give
ideas on how to make a church grow, and then
get an eye full of the programs and the
impressive buildings and their facilities.
They come back excited about what they have
seen and learned. Possibly a few months
later, new ideas and terminology will start
arising. The pastor may present a
"vision" for the church.
The Change Masters
However in CGM methodology, presenting the
new vision requires tearing down traditional
Christianity. Not that some tradition should
not be done away with, i.e., traditions of
men added to biblical worship, which is
worthless, but this is quite different.
Jim Dethmar of Willow Creek says,
"Change only occurs when there is
significant disillusionment with the status
quo. This is 'Change Theory' ". So,
that is what begins to happen. Tearing down
subtly begins. Jim Dethmar gives a
suggestion on how to do this when he says,
"...a simplified view of how to do
change is find something that is wrong, it
might be a little one, and rub it raw,
irritate it". {Willow Creek Seminar
Tape} And so the "rub" begins.
This new vision has to do with being
culturally relevant. You may hear that the
church needs to create a non-threatening
environment, in order that it may attract
seekers. That non-threatening environment
may mean several changes to accommodate the
modern "seeker". There may be
discussion as to whether or not it may be
offensive to a seeker if you raise your
hands while worshipping. Sunday services
will change to seeker services for
unchurched Harry. Messages will drift away
from expository verse by verse teachings out
of the Bible, to topical subjects. Not that
topical teaching is wrong, but you will hear
less and less of Biblical teachings and more
use of psychology, sociology, statistics,
etc., things you get out of modern college
classes and business relation seminars.
For instance, you may start to notice more
quotes from business leaders, psychologists
and others such as Peter Drucker [Father of
Modern Business], psychologist M. Scott
Peck, or Stephen Covey [the latter two are
New Age idealists]. You will hear less of
messages of repentance and the cross, but
more of felt needs, along the lines of
Abraham Maslow's theory of "hierarchy
of needs" philosophy: Get the needs
taken care of first, and people will come to
God [quite opposite of "Seek ye first,
the kingdom of God..."].
Making A Corporation
More business aspects will arise. The church
will come up with a Mission Statement,
develop a Strategy, a Statement of Purpose,
ascribe to Excellency, and make a call to
Social Action or to be a conscience to the
world.
You may hear of the need to create
community, and the need to use demographics
to do so. Accountability groups will form
[called "quality circles", or
"Peer Pressure groups" in the
Corporate world], and will be used along
with Cell groups and ministry teams to
monitor and bring about behavioral changes,
and frequently stress the "vision"
and involvement.
Gospel of Socrates?
You will start hearing the term facilitator
being used. Home fellowships and other
ministries will no longer have a leader or
teacher, but a "team" facilitator.
I have searched and searched, but I cannot
find the gift of "facilitator" in
the Bible. But I have in secular business
and leadership books, and other places. In
fact, one ministry facilitator notes that
the concept is the "Socratic"
method of teaching... saying, "I'm just
a facilitator. Instead of lecturing, I try
to help them discover for themselves what
all this means". {Daily Herald, May 18,
1988}
Socrates used philosophy not the theology of
the Bible, which was evident by his
attributing evil to ignorance, not sin.
Socrates was not exactly an Isaiah or Peter
or Paul, but his ways are some of the
"world wide truths" the CGM
combines.
Along this same thought, Dethmar suggests
not having a senior pastor, suggesting that
churches decentralize, utilizing teams. In
The CGM philosophy, the vision and its
aspects run the church through teams and
facilitators who must follow this vision.
This is strange because Willow Creek has a
senior pastor, Bill Hybels. However even he
says that the church runs fine without him
having to be there.
These concepts are also found in the
business world. One TQM [Total Quality
Management] philosophy for leadership is
"...to be coaches rather than
controllers of people, and to facilitate
things rather than mandate them".
{Effective Management Systems, Seminar
material, Leadership Skills}. Since God
calls us to teach, preach, lead, shepherd,
feed, exhort, rebuke, and many others, this
whole facilitator concept contradicts the
Word. It is not a "vision" that
guides the body of Christ, it is Christ
through His Word and Spirit; and definitely
not Socrates.
Members Only
Membership applications are suggested for
those who want to become members. Those who
do must have had regular attendance for one
year, consistent participation, attend
membership classes, have a personal
interview, and sign a Statement of
Commitment each year. One of the reasons
given for this formality is "...to
implement the principles of accountability
and commitment to the local body of Christ,
as defined in the New Testament and
practiced in the early churches..."
(Willow Creek Community Church Structure Of
Ministry, pg. 11).
I cannot seem to find this formal membership
and signing of a Statement of Commitment in
the New Testament, nor accountability other
than to Christ. I have had some parents tell
me that their teens are becoming
disillusioned with their youth groups
because they have become more of social
groups and use peer pressure accountability
to change their behavior. I asked one youth
pastor who uses the
"accountability" concept, if
changes in some of the youth in his group
were from a heart changed by God, or from
the pressure of conforming to the group. He
did not know, and did not know if the
outward changes were real, or a show because
of group peer pressure.
Businesses who have adopted incorporating
accountability "quality circles"
or "peer pressure groups" in
ethics and values programming among their
employees, know that it is the peer pressure
to conform to the group that forces an
outward change.
Computers are suggested to track class
attendance records, tithing, and behavior
changes of members [sounds familiar to the
Outcome Based Education system]. Why become
a signed formal committed member? The CGM
people say that this type of membership has
benefits. Hmm, it seems that just being a
part of the body of Christ isn't enough for
membership or benefits. I have not decided
yet if this follows the cults or Costco. It
is also similar to "Partnering" in
the business world where companies sign
agreements to do business with another and
adopt their values and receive benefits as
well.
Are these all aspects of business? Yes.
Modern business and business leadership
books contain the same teachings and
philosophies.
Pleasing The Customer
Next will come the demographic studies, a
form of sociology used in marketing
research. The church may start doing studies
of their surrounding area by the use of
surveys distributed in the area. Church
members may be given surveys to give to
friends. These surveys have questions
designed to find out why people don't go to
church, and find out what would make them
come to church. The purpose then, is like
market researchers, change and design the
church to fit what would attract the
population.
But then this marketing may go another step
further. It seems the CGM suggests picking
Target Groups, i.e. what part of the
population should be targeted to get into
church? It usually consists of targeting an
age range, but may go beyond this.
Bill Hybels, a forerunner of the CGM and
pastor of Willow Creek Community Church says
that, "The messages must have high user
value... When unchurched Harry comes out
here for a service, he's going to be asking,
'What value does my being here have for my
life?' So in preparing messages, we keep
asking ourselves, 'So what? Jesus Christ was
born to a virgin - so what?' That's the
question Harry's going to be asking."
Chicago Daily Herald, May 19, 1988
"Suburban Living. I don't know about
you, but it appears to me that the Bible,
the Word of God, the "sword of the
Spirit", is not some product that is
developed to have "high user
value". It also appears to me that if a
pastor is anointed by the Spirit of God, and
is a vessel of God, then if he teaches out
of the Word of God, the Word of itself is of
a great value to anyone who hears it.
Several years ago I had to attend a
three-day Total Quality Management seminar
[referred to as TQM], which was put on by a
management consultant for managers at my
place of employment. The first day of the
seminar it was De JA Vu. I started seeing
the same things I experienced while in a
church that had been involved in the CGM
[such as what we just covered], and also in
many of the books I had studied while
researching the CGM.
I began asking the consultant questions
about business leaders and books that I had
seen in some of Fuller Institute of Church
Growth and Willow Creek advertising
materials. He was familiar with the books
stating that TQM also used the philosophies
of some of the writers I mentioned. During a
break, the then Director of the place I work
asked me what had motivated me to study
modern business aspects. I told him that
these same principles were starting to come
into churches. He had a most remarkable
response for a non-Christian. "I
thought a church was supposed to be run by
the Holy Spirit". Interesting concept!
I suddenly had a thought that God might be
pleased if Christian businessmen allowed
their businesses to be run by the Holy
Spirit! Naw, silly thought. But if the
business world is not run by the Holy
Spirit, what is it run by? And if churches
or other ministries are run by business
concepts and not the Holy Spirit, what, or
whom are they run by?
User Friendly Changes
Aside from the aforementioned changes,
physical changes slowly began to occur.
Since it is believed that traditional
Christianity turns off seekers and it's
icons, Christian symbols will start to
disappear. Crosses and other such symbols
may be replaced by some sort of banner on
the wall behind the pulpit that contains a
message or symbol representing the current
series the pastor is teaching.
Next the suggestion arises that the physical
aspects of the church must be changed to
become more user friendly [kind of like K
Mart]. Perhaps getting rid of the pews and
going to more comfortable theater seats
would attract more people, or parking lot
parkers to show people where to park would
show that this church really has it
together.
Or maybe, as Bill Hybels stresses in CGM
conferences, the secret of a successful
Sunday service can be attributed to proper
lighting, quality sound equipment, an
attractive building and others. What do
proper lighting and sound equipment have to
with anything? This has much to do with the
next aspect of the CGM. : Entertainment.
Multi Media Manipulation
According to Bill Hybles, drama and music
can lower a person's resistance to
persuasion, which enables him to communicate
the message "...through the back door.
People don't even know it's happening."
Ibid. Now where did this idea come from? On
the outside, the business world. It’s a
tool used in advertising.
Why do you think commercials contain music
and skits? And why do you think that all of
the sudden you want to go to the
refrigerator and eat what you just saw? And
you don't even know it's happening either!
Now the interesting thing about this is that
these very same principles are suggested by
the New Age as powerful methods to trigger a
change in our thinking.
What is the reason given for the use of
drama and music in CGM churches? To reach
people at an emotional level. The heavy
metal rock bands know this too, don't they?
Psychology? If so, where did psychology get
this concept? Let's see; music and drama
have a power to manipulate a person's mind,
a power that can lower the mind's
resistance, a power to manipulate the mind
to an emotional level, a power that is going
on and people don't even know they have been
manipulated, a power not seen taught in the
Bible. Think about it a minute. According to
the Word of God
"For the word of the cross is to those
who are perishing foolishness, but to us who
are being saved, IT IS THE POWER OF GOD...
For since in the wisdom of God the world
through its wisdom did not come to know God,
God was well pleased through the foolishness
of the message preached to save those who
believe...
For my message and my preaching were not in
persuasive words of wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
that your faith should not rest on the
wisdom of men, but the power of God." 1
Cor 1:18, 21; 2:4-5
Music in the church is for the corporate
praise and worship of God. God said He
inhabits the praises of His people. However,
in "seeker services" there is not
much corporate worship. Just music, and
sometimes it is secular music, or music to
arouse emotions. Seeker services are
non-participating services, services
designed so as not to offend the seeker, or
make them uncomfortable. Have we become
ashamed of our worship? The Word says;
"From Thee comes my praise in the great
assembly; I shall pay my vows to the Lord
before those who fear Him. The afflicted
shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek
Him will praise the Lord." Ps 22:25, 26
"I will give Thee thanks in the great
congregation; I will praise Thee among a
mighty throng." Ps 35:18
"I have proclaimed glad tidings of
righteousness in the great congregation;
Behold, I will not restrain my lips."
Ps 40:9
We have forgotten the purpose of our
gatherings together and have turned them
into a dog and pony show in order to create
a non-offensive environment. Pay your vows
to the Lord before the people. Follow God,
not the principles of the world.
Transcending Cultures
The Greeks were well known for their drama,
and it was used to change thinking,
politically and otherwise. But then they
also followed the gods of the myths, the
perverted word of the true God. Don't you
find it interesting that although we find
accounts of Paul being in Greece that he did
not suggest using their culturally relevant
methods to reach people? In Acts 17 it
plainly shows he was in an area where
religion was relevant, but the Word was not,
"because he was preaching Jesus and the
resurrection." Vs. 18.
This account tells us that Paul was speaking
in the synagogue and in the market place and
finally gave a verbal message to the
Athenian council. This offended some, but
"...some men joined him and
believed" Vs 34, including a member of
this most powerful council. All without the
use of their own culturally relevant
methodology. This should tell us something.
Another example of the power of the Word,
and not techniques or special effects or
programs, is the account of Jonah. God gave
him just eight words to speak to an entire
city. "Yet in forty days and Nineveh
will be destroyed". Not popular, but
when its God's Words given to an anointed
person to speak it, things happen. Those
eight words of God caused an entire city to
repent.
Consider the simple message of John the
Baptist. Under the power and authority of
God all he said was "Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt
3:2. Now here was a pretty un-culturally
relevant person. He didn't even preach in
the temple! He didn't dress like the
acceptable culture of the time, he did not
preach a social gospel, a felt needs gospel,
a watered down "light" message, as
suggested by the CGM. But what happened? The
power of the Word happened!
If we can get it into our heads that God's
word has power, does not need help, and all
we have to do is say what he tells us to
say, things will happen. By giving this
simple message it says that people from
Jerusalem, Judea, and those around the
Jordan were going out to him, being
baptized, and confessing their sins. That is
church growth, and it is the power of the
Word of God that causes it.
It Doesn't Work!!!!
Do you know something else? By their own
admission, the CGM experts say their
philosophies and techniques do not work!
Yes, churches grow in numbers, but it is
transfer growth, not "...the Lord
adding to their number day by day those who
are being saved". Acts 2:47. And do you
know what their solution is? Peter Wagner of
Fuller says they have to look for more
techniques!
Could it be that 1 Corinthians 1 is really
true when it says that through the wisdom of
men, man did not come to know God? Wow, what
a concept; God's Word must be right! But
some how, many just refuse to believe it, or
cannot see it.
"God has chosen you from the beginning
for salvation..." 2 Thess 2:13
"You did not choose Me, But I chose
you..." John 15:16
"Yet others I will gather to
them." Is 56:18
"No one can come to Me, unless the
Father draws him..." John 6:44
If it is God who chose us from the
beginning, if it is He who gathers, and if
no one can come to Him unless it is He who
draws, then how much time, money and energy
must be wasted with all the attractions of
man! If it is God who has already done this,
no wonder the efforts of the principles of
the CGM do not work!
It is interesting that TQM does not work
either. This philosophy of business, which
was in Japan years ago, was finally dropped
because they found it really did not work.
It did not work, nor even get off the ground
where I am employed. It was a time consuming
drudgery that caused burnout and dissension,
and division, just as it does in churches
today.
But do you know what the real thing is that
makes me wonder about the phenomena of
church transfers to CGM churches and the
felt needs, "light" gospels? It is
something that Paul warned Timothy about, a
significant prophecy. He told Timothy,
"Preach the Word; be ready in season
and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort,
with great patience and instruction. For the
time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but wanting to have their
ears tickled, they will accumulate for
themselves teachers in accordance with their
own desires; and will turn away their ears
from the truth, and will turn aside to
myths." 2 Tim 4:2-4.
But today we are told that the church is not
culturally relevant; it is out of season.
But Paul says to preach the Word, not what
the culture wants to hear. He warned that
there would be those that would gather to
those who taught a relevant gospel,
teachings that would fit their own desires.
Are we setting up churches to fit the
desires of people in order to attract them?
Absolutely!
What Is The Real Attraction?
And of these people who are transferring
from other churches to fill CGM churches,
what is the attraction? Is it the wonderful
programs, the emotion raising drama, the
comfortable seats, the professional music,
the building and its modern amenities, the
non-threatening non-offensive sermons? Or is
it Jesus and a desire to get to know Him, to
have His word speak to their hearts whether
it is a reproof, rebuke, or an exhortation?
How many people would still be around,
pastor, if the drama was gone, the lighting
did not work, your sound system was gone,
and all the things that you used to attract
seekers in, were gone, and it was just you
and the word of God? What really is the
attraction? Is it itching ears, peoples own
desires, the programs or is it the Word,
Jesus, and what He has to say?
I wonder greatly about those people who
transferred into churches that follow a
system of the world that does not work, not
only according to their own system experts,
but according to the word of God. And I
wonder, thinking about all the prophesies
concerning apostasy and how faith in the
Word would diminish, I wonder why many feel
it necessary to combine the ways of the
world with the "eternal principles of
God", and allow themselves to be ruled
by some other authority.
Why do we continue to follow something that
does not work? Because there is a blindness
caused by this system that seduces. Jim
Dethmar of Willow Creek said of the CGM
model, "Changing to the Willow Creek
model is not something you do because you
want to or because you think its a good
idea. Its something you do because you have
to... you are compelled". (Willow Creek
Seminar Tape)
What is it about this CGM model that compels
some to change to it? It doesn't work and
it's not in the Word. Is it listening to a
seminar minister speaking the word of God
with power, as Paul did? Or is it the
dynamics of the model that appeals to one's
senses and emotions; the drama, the lights,
the music, programs, business - like aspects
and success? Could it be, as the prophecy
says,
"An appalling and horrible thing has
happened in the land: the prophets prophesy
falsely, and the priests rule on their own
authority; and My people love it so! But
what will you do at the end of it?"
Jeremiah 5:30
Elshaddai, "The All sufficient
One", is no longer Elshaddai. What
happened to faith and following the eternal
principles of God? Although they speak of
these things, they do not follow them. The
Word, it seems, is no longer considered
sufficient without the philosophies of man.
We are going to have to, once and for all,
make up our minds. Are we going to follow
the world, or the Word? If we continue to
incorporate the world, we are going to have
to take the hidden things that come with it,
as Israel did. Are we the bride of Christ,
or the bride of the world? Paul warned the
Corinthians;
"For I am jealous for you with a godly
jealousy; for I betrothed you to one
husband, the to Christ I might present you
as a pure virgin. But I am afraid, lest as
the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness,
your minds should be led astray from the
simplicity and purity of devotion to
Christ". 2 Cor 11:2,3
Are the CGM principles simple and pure? They
neither carry the simplicity of devotion to
Christ, and as we will see further in Part
2, nor are they pure.
NEW AGE CONNECTIONS IN THE CGM
Church Growth Movement: Business And The New
Age January 1, 2000
"A little leaven leavens the whole
lump" Galations 5:9
By Greg DesVoignes
Philosophies Of The New Age In The Church
Growth Movement
Who is undermining the sufficiency of Christ
and His word? When we disobey God, and go
outside His Word, there can be some real bad
results, and we may end up in places we did
not desire to be, involved with things we
never thought we would ever be involved
with.
We really need to do some rethinking
concerning drawing upon the world of
business, theirs and other techniques. Why?
Revelation 18 warned us concerning the
prophesied re-established Babylonian system,
that [1] "...the merchants of the earth
have become rich by the wealth of her
sensuality", [2] "...your
merchants were the great men of the earth,
because all the nations were deceived by
your sorcery". vss 3, 23
Think about it a minute. These verses
specifically tell us that the business world
would incorporate the methods and thinking
of this system, and become rich by it, and
considered the "great" men,
actually lords of the earth because the
world accepted it, as the world too would be
deceived by the system.
Think some more. What is actually
influencing, even running the governments?
The Corporate World. What is beginning to
influence and run our educational systems?
The Corporate World. In a recent newspaper
article there was a story about some school
districts even turning over the operation of
the schools to corporations. And now
churches? One futurist confirms the prophecy
is happening when he said in a new book on
business,
"The transformation of the corporation
is part of the larger transformation of the
socio - sphere as a whole... Taken together,
they add up to a massive historical
shift.... The force of change will be coming
both from within and from outside the
organization...
"In days of the Holy Roman Empire the
Church, as the dominant institution in
society, took major responsibility for the
well being of the whole. Business is the
dominant institution in modern society... As
the dominant social institution on the
planet, business and industry will pay a key
role in shaping the future of the globe,
whether for good or ill... the dominant
institution in a society needs to take
responsibility for the whole... It is
genuinely new, and will require new ways of
thinking, feeling, and behaving..."
Willis Harmon, The New Paradigm In Business:
Emerging Strategies for Leadership and
Organizational Change, J.P Tarcher, 1993,
pgs 282, 285, 288, 289
If these things in
Revelation 18 are true, and they are, or
they would not be in the Word, then [1] Why
is the church flocking to the business
world, and [2] in addition to this, what
else are these CGM churches also
incorporating from the business world? And,
if these things are not happening, if there
is nothing really going on, then why did God
say right after verse 4, "Come out of
her, My people, that you may not participate
in her sins and that you may not receive of
her plagues." Revelation 18:4
Durant, a contemporary writer observed,
"While Christianity converted the
world, the world converted
Christianity". Dave Hunt, Global Peace
and the Rise of the Antichrist, Harvest
House, 1991, pg. 108, from Durant
Civilization Vol. 13, Caesar and Christ, pg.
657. Unfortunately, by incorporating ideals
of science and business, something unseen is
going on underneath.
Aside from the outward aspects of these
world philosophies coming into the church,
what else has covertly been introduced with
them in their "scientific" and
"business" packaging? Looking for
the source of the CGM concepts and of their
worldwide truths, and into some of their
recommended materials, over three years of
research led us on interesting trails. In
our research we found that woven in among
the philosophies, and the materials provided
and suggested by CGM experts and
consultants, are the aspects and well know
leaders of the New Age Movement and the
occultism that go along with it.
In our last issue [Part 1] on the Church
Growth Movement in Battle Lines, we pointed
out that the Church Growth Movement [CGM] is
largely based upon, to put it in their own
words, "world wide truths". These
include sociology, anthropology, behavior
sciences, etc. We also noted that many CGM
philosophies and materials have been
incorporated from the business world. But
what are the philosophies of the business
world; where did they get them?
We indicated that the business world has
adopted New Age philosophies, and
influential people in the corporate world
are claiming it is the dominant force over
the church, to shape and transform society.
Is this true?
In this article, using CGM recommend
materials as a base, we will confirm our
warning of what happens when we go outside
the Word, by showing that the CGM has
connected itself with New Age idealists from
the corporate world and beyond. There is
more to business than business today.
The Still, Small Voice
One of the most common things we hear from
people who have come out of churches that
have adopted the CGM model and practices is,
"We knew something was wrong, we just
didn't know what it was".
This has been the experience of many; a deep
belief something was wrong, but not being
able to put a finger on it, knowing it was
not in the Word, and wondering where it came
from. Some who read the last issue on the
CGM told us they now understood what was
wrong, what the still small voice of the
Holy spirit was telling them; what they saw
was contradicting the Word of God.
There was something else, another reason for
the red flags of the still small voice:
Where did these philosophies come from? What
is the source of all of these new terms,
programs, philosophies and other church
growth techniques, not found in the Word of
God?
In Comes The Leaven
In one of his parables of the apostasy
within the Kingdom of heaven, Jesus said,
"The kingdom of heaven is like leaven,
which a woman took, and hid in three pecks
of meal, until it was all leavened".
Matt 13:33
In this verse and others [1 Cor 5:6; Gal
5:9] we are taught that it does not take
much of false doctrine to mess things up. So
in the following paragraphs were going to
look at what we found as some of the sources
and resources of CGM materials.
Unfortunately the church has become like
"Mikie" in the old cereal
commercial; we'll eat anything. Forgetting
the warnings of apostasy in scripture, we
just accept any "expert" that
comes along without checking to see the
sources and resources for their materials,
or to check them with scripture. We cannot
be this way anymore! As we follow the trail
back to the sources of CGM, you will see
why.
One of the first associations we found that
links the CGM with the New Age were the
writers themselves of the business and
leadership books sold in the catalog of The
Fuller Institute of Church Growth [a sub
organization of Charles Fuller Theological
Seminary]. It needs to be noted that these
books are out of a catalog put out by The
Fuller Institute of Church Growth in the
1990-1991 issue. How much more has
been added ten years later to both business
and the CGM?
The Business Link
One business leadership book Fuller sells is
On Becoming A Leader by Warren Bennis. Is
Bennis associated with the New Age? We found
Bennis' books endorsed by New Age Journal,
and New Age futurist Alvin Toffler. Inside
this book we also found Bennis quoting in a
positive way, the writing of New Age
business writer Thomas Peters and the
elitist New World Order organization, The
Club Of Rome, occultist Carl Jung, and
Marilyn Furgeson, author of the popular New
Age book, The Aquarian Conspiracy.
It is also interesting that Furgeson also
quotes Bennis in her own book. It was quite
obvious that Bennis is associated deeply
with New Age persons and groups. Next on the
list from the catalog is Lawrence Miller's
book Barbarians To Bureaucrats. Are there NA
associations with Miller?
"Transformative ideas also appear in
the guise of Business management." The
Aquarian Conspiracy
Miller's book is endorsed by New Age
idealist Buckminster Fuller, author of
Synergetics [a book based upon ancient uses
of geometry & physics Fuller says will
save the world], Craig Hickman and Micheal
Silva, authors of Creating Excellence -
Managing Corporate Culture: Strategy &
Change In the New Age.
An Expanding "Network" Of
Associations
When we did our four years [and still
counting] research into the CGM [back in
1991], we went beyond the first level of
books, i.e. those sold by Fuller, to
research some of the authors and books that
Bennis, Miller and others used as resources
or who endorsed these books we found in
Fuller's catalog at that time. We found it
interesting to see the web of New Age
associates increased and how they
crisscrossed in using each other as
resources.
For instance, we find one of Miller's
endorsers, Buckminster Fuller, and his book
Synergetics endorsed by Marilyn Furgeson,
plus other New Age thinkers such as Norman
Cousins, Samuel Elliot, Arthur C. Clarke,
Arthur Loeb and so on.
Looking at Miller's second endorsers,
Hickman and Silva, we found the sources of
their book Creating Excellence... to be
Marilyn Furgeson, Warren Bennis, Thomas
Peters, Alvin Toffler, and others who are
New Age thinkers.
Another book in Fuller's catalog is a
popular book by Steven R. Covey, Seven
Habits Of Highly Effective People. Covey
also has an interesting list of positive New
Age resources. Some of these include Thomas
Peters [again!], Charles Garfield, author of
Peak Performers; Anthony Robbins, fire
walker and author of Unlimited Power; Tom
Crum, founder of the New Age organization
Windstar Foundation with John Denver; M.
Scott Peck, author of several popular New
Age books, such as The Different Drum, &
The Road Less Traveled, and yes, Marilyn
Furgeson.
Let’s take a quick look at some of Covey's
resources and their associates. One is M.
Scott Peck. Peck is a writer of two very
popular books just mentioned. But whom is
Peck associated with? One endorsement on the
cover of The Different Drum reads "Peck
has done it again!" - Marilyn Furgeson.
Obviously Pecks books appeal to New Age
thinkers, and they do. Peck believes that
man is evolving into gods. An occult
bookstore I was recently in even sells a M.
Scott Peck Road Less Traveled Calendar. A
real unfortunate thing that is happening,
pastors are quoting Covey from the pulpit
and even recommending his books to their
members and staff.
What's Wrong With This Picture?
What is really wrong with this picture?
First we can see that churches are sometimes
unknowingly [hopefully], being taught by New
Age idealists. I said "sometimes"
unknowingly because some pastors I have
spoken with and showed them the New Age
connections to these materials, still
continued to use them. This includes a
favorite and well known pastor. And they
just are not inviting in the one, but also
the many; i.e. the string of resources that
these author use. Now if New Age idealists
write these books, and their resources and
associates are New Age, what type of
teachings do you suppose are coming into the
churches? One word given to us warns;
"Do not be bound together with
unbelievers; for what partnership have
righteousness and lawlessness, or what
fellowship has light with darkness?
Therefore, come out from their midst and be
separate", says the Lord, "And do
not touch what is unclean; and I will
welcome you..." 2 Cor 6:14, 17
Now, would you think that these New Age
idealists are believers in God as is written
in scripture? Are they of light or of
darkness? Obviously they are not believers,
and the New Age is of darkness, not light.
In fact, their philosophies and ideals
oppose Christianity. Would you think that
books endorsed by New Age Journal or written
by New Age authors are clean or unclean?
We need to understand that those in the New
Age believe that fundamental Biblical
Christianity is a no more than an outdated
irrelevant myth and a danger to their goals.
In fact, Warren Bennis, along with New Age
futurist Willis Harmon , says that the
church is no longer relevant in today's
society, that it is up to the corporate
world to teach values and spirituality to
their employees and families; in the
corporate setting.
Do we want to be bound together with those
who are opposed to Christ and believe that
Christianity is a wall to their One World
Eastern type religion and their New World
Order? We need to realize that if we
incorporate and get advise from the writers
of these books that the CGM sells via Fuller
and other CGM organizations, we are also
getting the advise of the other numerous
writers they referred to.
We followed the path of many of the
endorsers and resources [about 20 books] of
some the books that Fuller sells. They all
had New Age philosophies, many times covered
under the guise of business or science.
What else is wrong with this? It is that
these books are even in a Christian
organization and catalog! What happens is
the ease by which the philosophies of these
writers can enter churches. Most Christians
know little or nothing about the New Age. So
when a respected person or organization
within Christianity promotes, sells or
quotes a writer or book, they are giving
credibility to them, their philosophies.
Christian Author Connections
Christian Authors Are Also Linked This
problem not only happens with the secular
books that the CGM promotes, but also, yes
also, in some books by pastors and other
authors in the CGM.
For instance, in a book co-authored by
Church Growth experts Don Cousins, Leith
Anderson, and Arthur DeKruyter called
Mastering Church Management, published by
Multnomah and at one time promoted by
Christianity Today, Inc., we find some of
their positive resources are also of the
realm of the New Age idealists. Thomas
Peters is one referenced. In his book In
Search For Excellence, he resources Warren
Bennis and Rosabeth Moss Kanter.
One part of Mastering Church Management has
in it, Abraham Maslow's scripture -
contradicting Hierarchy of Needs. Yet
another promotes Kenneth Blanchard's One
Minute Manager. Blanchard himself is a
graduate of Anthony Robbins Unlimited Power
course and was also at one time engaged in a
cable TV advertising promotional of this
course. Positive thinker Robert Schuller of
the Crystal Cathedral and Peak Performers
author Charles Garfield also endorses
Blanchard’s book.
It is interesting that Garfield also
resources Blanchard in Peak Performers along
with a list of heavy New Age thinkers such
as Rollo May, Ted Turner [Turner
Broadcasting], deep New Age idealist Aldous
Huxley, Morton Hunt, Jean Houston, along
with Warren Bennis.
Now if I did not know better, since
Mastering Church Management was written by
highly respected people [they have numerous
books in Christian bookstores] and sold by
the respected but out of scripture Fuller
Institute of Church Growth, and in Christian
bookstores in general, it must be all right.
Not only must this book be all right, but
also all those resources and their resources
must be credible and acceptable.
This same concept applies to Honest To God
by pastor Bill Hybels, a very
respected person in CGM circles who has a
corporate style CGM mega church of over
19,000, Willow Creek Community Church. In
Honest To God, Hybels quotes New Age Men's
Movement philosopher Robert Bly [As does
Promise Keepers book The Masculine Journey].
Bly's books and philosophies can be found in
New Age bookstores. And remember M. Scott
Peck, the writer who believes we are all
evolving into gods? Bill Hybels book also
uses Peck as a positive resource from The
Road Less Traveled and The Different
Drum.
Remember that it was even on the cover of
The Different Drum that Furgeson said,
"Peck has done it again".
Incidentally, in a twenty-page interview by
Playboy Magazine, Peck stated he thought
pornography was good. Not a very good
resource to draw upon. But church leaders
are doing it!
In Honest To God, Bill Hybels also endorses
a book called Please Understand Me;
Character and Personality Types, by David
Keirsey and Marilyn Bates. He said this book
helped his marriage. Bill stated in his book
that Please Understand Me is an in depth
look at the theories of Carl Jung and on
personality types from which the Meyers -
Briggs Type Indicator Test in the book was
derived from. In this and past newsletters
we have pointed out that Jung was an
occultist, astrologer, believed the Bible is
a myth, and was demonically possessed by two
spirit guides; Philemon and Ka. The
Word said this was going to happen, didn't
it?
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly,
that in the latter times some shall depart
from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils." 1
Tim 4:1
Personality type tests have their root in
ancient mythology and astrology. There are
occult books on the ancient occult symbol,
the Enneagram, and personality and character
types. Yet we also found these personality
type tests offered in the Fuller Catalog.
Now, because a respected person wrote Honest
To God, the unknowing person may believe
that Bly, Peck, Jung, Please Understand Me.
and their philosophies are all right. But
they are not.
Look Who's Coming To Dinner!
It should be quite evident there is a
serious problem here. Look who, and what,
has been invited into the church! The Word
tells us,
"For many deceivers have gone into the
world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus
Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the
deceiver and the anti Christ... Anyone who
goes to far and does not abide in the
teachings of Christ, does not have
God..." 2 John 7, 9
Question. Do those in the New Age
acknowledge the Jesus of the Bible? No. Do
they abide in the teachings of Christ? No.
Then what are they doing being used in the
body of Christ, either from the secular
books or books written by Christian authors?
We are told,
"If anyone comes to you and does not
bring this teaching [of Christ] do not
receive him into your house, and do not give
him a greeting: for the one who gives him a
greeting participates in his evil
deeds." 2 John 10, 11
"But"[some say], "We just
utilize some of the good insight out of
their books and throw the rest away".
Sorry, no buts. The Word says do not receive
them! Again, they not only do not abide
[stay in] the teachings of Christ, they are
not even in them. And, unfortunately, we are
seeing that Christian pastors and authors
are also not abiding [staying] in the
doctrine of Christ, but going outside,
utilizing those who follow the New Age; a
very present danger when we look outside the
Word.
Can we participate in their "evil
deeds"? Yes. If we use them and their
philosophies as resources, as helps, we help
spread their anti Christ philosophy and give
them credibility in the church.
"You cannot partake of the table of the
Lord and the table of demons" 1 Cor
10:21
REMEMBER, GOD SAID AN APOSTASY WAS GOING TO
HAPPEN!
The question is, do we want to be a part of
helping it spread? The CGM is doing just
this. Not only by teaching their "world
wide truths", but also by bringing in
teachers and futurists of the New Age
Movement.
Following Prophets Of Baal
"The church at the end of the twentieth
century is going through changes of major
proportion right along with the culture. We
have long known, alerted by the works of
Alvin Toffler and other futurists, that
major shifts have been underway for decades
now as we move from an industrial to a
technological society."
This statement was on a paper I received
from some concerned people who told me it
was given to them from the mission director
of their church. The paper had titles on it
such as "Paradigm Shifts At The End Of
The Twentieth Century" and "A New
Paradigm For The Twenty First Century".
The writer of this paper then goes on to
quote New Age futurists Alvin Toffler and
Thomas Kuhn. Recall Toffler is also part of
the trail of resources in the CGM
recommended books, Barbarians To
Bureaucrats; 7 Habits of Highly Effective
People; On Becoming A Leader, also all the
others that have The Aquarian Conspiracy in
their line somewhere. Thomas Kuhn is also
found in the trail. Alvin Toffler's book,
Power Shift was also listed in a Fuller
Catalog. Here we have another example of the
church, utilizing CGM thinking, listening to
and following the writings of New Age
futurists.
Prophets of the New Age
What really is a futurist? They are the
prophets of the New Age. They are the ones
calling for the old "paradigm" to
be put aside for the ancient occult
prophesied [falsely I might add] new
"paradigm" of the New Age. They
are the modern day prophets of Baal.
And who is following them? The statement on
the paper said, "We have long known,
alerted by the works of Alvin Toffler and
other futurists". The writer is
referring to his sector of Christianity.
What ever happened to "'We' have long
known, alerted by the prophets of God"?
The writer of this paradigm shifts paper
[incidentally, "paradigm shift"
was a phrase coined by Thomas Kuhn] also
says,
"The Church will create a new paradigm
to fit a new cultural situation. It is
already happening before our eyes. Old
institutions, organizations, and agencies
are creaking at the joints and stretching as
fare as they can. New forms are emerging.
Doesn't this sound exactly like the
statement of Willis Harmon?
The question is, 'Will these new forms be
driven by the cultural norms and ideas, or
be firmly rooted in the broad biblical
paradigm? The answer is obvious. First, even
in this writer's own paper we see him
listening to the New Age prophets concerning
a forth coming society and the need for the
church to change with it. Second, the CGM
calls for churches to change to fit the
culture. Third, the CGM is driven by the
cultural norms and ideas as seen in the
books and philosophies of the world they
sell and promote, and as seen in the changes
that happen in CGM following churches.
Does it appear that there is some blindness
here? And isn't the doctrine of the Bible
narrow and not broad? Marilyn Furgeson said
of this paradigm shift,
"The premonition was recorded that a
minority of individuals would some day be
yeast enough to leaven a whole society.
Serving as a magnetic culture, they would
attract order around them and transform the
whole." The Aquarian Conspiracy, pg. 45
It does appear that the leaven of the New
Age is in the church. Especially since we
have seen the introduction of the words of
their prophets and other followers into the
church. Peter warned,
"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, even denying the
Lord that bought them, and bring about
themselves swift destruction. And many shall
follow their perious ways; by reason of whom
the way of the truth shall be evil spoken
of." 2 Peter 1:2
Can we see how this is happening in the
church? What does the word say about leaven?
It would be hidden within the good meal, and
it would not take much to leaven a whole
lump. Thus we can see that through the CGM's
introduction of New Age prophets and
teachers, this very thing is going on today.
We constantly are failing to learn from the
lessons in the scriptures concerning what
happened to Israel and Judah. We are doing
the same thing. How? First, God told Israel,
"Thus says the Lord, 'Do not learn the
way of the nations...'." Jer 10:1
Did they listen? No. Are we listening today?
No, we are incorporating the ways of the
world and the occult into the church.
Second, they were told,
"Ephraim mixes himself with the
nations; Ephriam has become a cake not
turned. Strangers devour his strength, yet
he does not know it... Hosea 7:8, 9
Has the CGM mixed itself with the nations?
Yes. Do they, or churches that follow their
philosophies see that they have invited
strangers in? No. Do they know that these
strangers are devouring their people, their
strength in God? No.
Third, they were told,
"Thy holy people possessed Thy
sanctuary for a little while, our
adversaries have trodden it down. We have
become like those over whom Thou has never
ruled, like those who were not called by
they name." Is 63:18-19
It should be seen that this is happening
today. The adversaries of Biblical truth are
coming in, and coming in invited with their
Babylonian philosophies, being, as Furgeson
said a "yeast", acting as a
"magnetic culture" for the purpose
of transforming the entire society,
including the church. And what is suggested?
That the church change itself to follow the
culture. Yes, to become like them, in order
to reach them. As with the New Age, those in
the CGM and related ideals are saying the
same thing!. But what happened before
has happened again, and with the same
Babylonian system.
"We are ashamed because we have heard
reproach; Disgrace has covered our faces,
for aliens have entered the holy places of
the Lord's house." Jer 51:51
"The adversary has stretched out his
hand over all her precious things, for she
has seen the nations enter her sanctuary,
the ones whom thou didst command that they
should not enter into Thy
congregation." Lam 1:10
They See It, We Don't
"This picture is complicated because
one of the most visible phenomena is the
growth of Christian evangelical
fundamentalists - a group who appear to have
little in common with the followers of the
Asian gurus passing through. It is only by
talking in depth with many of these people
that one discovers underneath a quiet but
spreading commitment to an M-3 kind of
metaphysical perception." Willis
Harmon, Global Mind Change; The New Age
Revolution In The Way We Think, Warner,
1988, pg. 121.
[Willis Harmon is the president of a New Age
organization, Institute of Noetic Sciences,
and a founder and Fellow of The World
Business Academy]
This is an interesting statement from a New
Age futurist [prophet]. We quoted Willis
Harmon in the first issue on the CGM in
Battle Lines concerning his perception, that
it is the corporate world who will dominate
the world and be the key to world
transformation.
What he is saying that he sees that many
evangelical fundamentalists are following
the path of the New Age, but that it is
quiet, an "underneath" or hidden
[like leaven] within the precepts of
Christianity. In other words, they don't
even know what they are following. Harmon is
saying, it is confusing that, although
fundamentalists outwardly have nothing in
common with Eastern mysticism, underneath
they are committing to their philosophies. A
mix of Christianity and New Age.
What does he mean by an M-3 metaphysical
perception? It is called
"Transcendental Monism"
It is the New Age belief that the universe
is really the mind, an enlightenment of a
universal consciousness, and a need to
engage in a paradigm shift. In short, the
philosophies of the New Age; a following of
the New Age metaphysical views of reality
and the universe.
"But while men were sleeping, his enemy
came and sowed tares also among the wheat,
and went away. But when the wheat sprang up
and bore grain, then the tares became
evident also." Matt 13:25, 26
Now, this would seem an absurd thing to
believe. However, we must realize that if
the church has incorporated New Age books,
New Age idealists and their teachings [as we
have seen], then it is obvious that we have
also incorporated their philosophies as
well. Why is it that New Age followers see
this, but we don't?
How Blind Are We?...
One book that stands out in a Fuller
Institute catalog that amazes me is
Megatrends For Women, by two New Age
prophets Patricia Aburdene and John Naisbitt.
The catalogue's promotion of this book says,
"Women of the 90s are challenging the
male dominated status quo, integrating
female values into the social, political,
and economic megatrends of the day...
Megatrends For Women documents the current
achievements of women and the sweeping
changes women need to be appraised of to
excel now and throughout the future".
What are two things this book covers that
women need to be appraised of? Listen.
"Whether theologians or nuns or New
Agers, women are transforming both religion
and spirituality by rejecting the notion of
a male divinity and embracing the archetype
of the Great Goddess." Cover flap!
We must ask, How did Fuller miss this?
Or did they?
This book has an entire chapter on the
emergence of Goddess worship, the positive
effect it is having, and another on Women In
The New World Order, stating,
"In time the New World Order will come
to stand for something very different from
what it means today. It will mark the
beginnings of the integration of women into
a New Order, a new global power structure
that celebrates the positive traits of both
male and female. Women have opportunities as
never before... to serve, to shape the New
World Order", pg. 318
Now, is Harmon right about New Age
philosophies spreading in Christianity? Yes,
but since the time his book was written
[1988], the New Age philosophies are not a
quiet spreading anymore; but like Jesus said
would happen, "...then the tares became
evident also".
To see a visual example of how this is
happening (highly recommended): GO TO CHART
...Really, Really Blind!
Isreal did not listen when they were told
not to get involved with things outside His
word. They did not listen and were
eventually taken over by the nation of the
very system they incorporated; Babylon.
We have God's Word, his prophecies and
warnings. But are we still too blind
to see this blatant incorporation of New Age
idealisms? Yes! Why?
Remember what God told Israel? The
verses above bears repeating.
"Ephraim mixes himself with the
nations; Ephriam has become a cake not
turned. Strangers devour his strength, yet
he does not know it... Hosea 7:8, 9
"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, even denying the
Lord that bought them, and bring about
themselves swift destruction. And many
shall follow their perious ways; by
reason of whom the way of the truth shall be
evil spoken of." 2 Peter 1:2
Perhaps are a pastor or board member in a
church that has gotten involved in these
things. Perhaps you go to a church
where you see these things happening. Hopefully
your eyes have been opened and you will turn
away from it.
Where is this all leading? In the following
article [Part 3] we will look into the
hidden metaphysic that is in the very
structure of the CGM and show how the Church
is one more cell needed to complete a
universal whole system.
Go To >Part 3: World Business: Chaldeans
Of The New Age
World Business: Chaldeans of The New Age
THE RISE OF CORPORATE BABYLON IN THE CHURCH
January 1, 2000
"Your merchants were the great men of
the earth, because all the nations were
deceived by your sorcery" Revelation
18:23
By Greg DesVoignes
As we noted in the first article on the CGM,
the corporate leadership of the world now
believe that the so called "paradigm
shift" into the long waited for New Age
is dependent upon them. You cannot hardly
pick up a business /leadership book, or
books on global perspectives without seeing
the business world's perspective on this.
For instance, futurist and founder of the
World Business Academy, Willis Harmon says
in his book Global Mind Change,
"Leaders in world business are the
first true planetary citizens" pg. 132,
and associate Rinaldo Brutoco says in The
New Paradigm Of Business, "Because
business is fully internationalized, it is
the only institution... to serve as a
catalyst for the broader planetary evolution
that is underway" pg. 6.
As Revelation 18 prophesied, the
"merchants" [emporos; wholesale
tradesmen, both fixed and traveling] would
be the "great men" [megitanes;
very great, lords] of the earth. It also
says there would be a close association
between this corporate world and the risen
Babylonian system, they refer to as the
"new paradigm". As we look in
other prophetical books concerning Babylon,
such as Daniel, we can see the parallels
between then and now.
The Chaldeans of Babylon were also merchant
peoples, a powerful force for Babylon, and
in the world. They were the catalysts for
the spreading of the Babylonian kingdom.
Looking back in history and in scripture,
the Chaldeans were also the professional
occultists of this unified society that was
set up according to the structure of nature,
the universe, and geometry. As one historian
put it;
"One can discern an underlying vast
philosophical system, in which man eternally
linked with the movements of celestial
bodies whose laws were immutable &
inescapable. All life was but an infinite
part of the universe". Albert Champdor,
Babylon, 1958, PG 170.
Their temples were important centers of
business, which was a vital part of the
economic and social life of each community.
Their ideal was the establishment of justice
and equity on the earth. [Does this sound
like today?] As we look at the underlying
move in business today, there is not much
difference.
Business writer Hazel Henderson says,
"...our Earth has much to teach us...
When we can feel this kind of attunement to
the whole creation, we are transported... to
the "high"... [of] 'peak
experiences'... [we] seek new challenges in
our societies for order, peace and justice
and to develop our spirituality". The
New Paradigm of Business, pg. 270
Henderson continues;
"The Age of Light is an image that
reminds us that it is the light from the sun
that drives the earth’s processes... The
Age of Light will also be a time of re -
weaving the world's cultures, most of which
down through history have understood our
planet's total dependence on the sun"
Ibid., pg. 269, 274
Interesting comments from a book on
business. Are these things business,
religion, or the religion of business today?
It sounds like ancient Babylon… because,
it is not ancient anymore.
"Business in the new Paradigm seems to
be evolving as a spiritual discipline... The
emerging paradigm is going to include some
synergetic combination of ancient spiritual
wisdom and modern science... ancient wisdom
is becoming something of a context for our
actions". Micheal Ray, Ibid. pg. 291,
292.
In old Babylon, the temples were the centers
of business and social life. In the new, the
businesses are becoming the temples for the
same purpose; spirituality, and an influence
in the social life in each community.
What does it take to be a "true
Planetary citizen? Being a global citizen in
a society, like ancient Babel, without
borders, unified in all aspects. This is the
suggestion of world business today, and they
are the catalysts. They are, as Rev 18 says,
merchants of the ancient Babylon and her
system.
The Church is just one of many groups, one
more cell that the New Age system requires
to make this metaphysical synergistic
"at one" religious plan work, to
make all an infinate part of the universe.
They are successfully accomplishing
this through the adopted philosophies and
materials of the Church Growth Movement.
Where will the CGM take the church if we
follow their experts / philosophies from the
business world? Perhaps the question should
be, "Where HAS the CCM taken the church
at this time?" As of November 1999, the
Willow Creek Association shows over 3,000
churches worldwide that are paying members
of this association
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