…they are full of things from the east and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines. (Isaiah 2:6)

First Let Me Say, It’s Not About You; So Here, Now Let Me Tell You All About You

Apprising Ministries is pleased to remind you that in his article The Gospel According to Warren a few years ago Dr. Gary Gilley tells us that Purpose Driven Pope Rick Warren, of the highly influential Saddleback Church, best “exemplified the market-driven approach” to church growth.

Dr. Gilley went on to point out that “Warren’s popularity with the masses has risen to such levels that he has now been asked to write a monthly column for the Ladies Home Journal.” Then Gilley tells us:

Rather than preach Christ, Warren’s message, as reflected in the title of his article is, “Learn to Love Yourself.” In his March, 2005 article the man who opened his book with the words, “It’s not about you,” shows that he really thinks it is. He tells his readership, “To truly love yourself, you need to know the five truths that form the basis of a healthy self-image.” What are they? (All the following are direct quotes from Warren’s article)

Accept Yourself

God accepts us unconditionally, and in his view we are all precious and priceless. Focus on this and you will not waste any time and effort trying to be someone you’re not.

Love Yourself

[Warren’s wife affirms], “God really does love me without strings attached.” [On this basis we apparently have been given the freedom to love ourselves]

Be True To Yourself

Discover, accept and enjoy our unique “shape” [which refers to Warren’s S.H.A.P.E. program] ….Be content with them [our weaknesses].

Forgive Yourself

God doesn’t expect perfection but He does insist on honesty. When I honestly admit my errors and ask forgiveness in faith, He doesn’t hold a grudge, doesn’t get even, and doesn’t bring it up again. We should practice such a forgiving attitude with ourselves.

Believe in Yourself

Start affirming the truth about yourself! The truth is God has created you with talents, abilities, personality and background in a combination that is uniquely you. It’s your choice. You can believe what others say about you, or you can believe in yourself as God does, who says you are truly acceptable, lovable, valuable and capable.

What a disappointment! Not only does Warren not share the gospel, the glory of Christ or any theological truth, he muddies the waters by offering anemic pop-psychology none of which is supportable from Scripture. Briefly, remember that Warren is not writing to believers but to the general populace, which he would have to assume is largely unsaved. (Online source)

Over at A Little Leaven Christian apologist Chris Rosebrough, host of Fighting for the Faith on Pirate Christian Radio, added in his Rick Warren Teaches Self Love post:

Doesn’t the first sentence of the Purpose Driven Life say, “It’s not about you”?

We here at the Museum of Idolatry have no idea which Bible PASTOR Warren was reading from in order to come up with these suggestions.

Maybe we’re just a bunch of unsophisicated dolts who are not hip to the ‘new thing’ God is doing but doesn’t God’s Word say that ‘self love’ is the source of humanity’s problems instead of the solution? (Online source)

Indeed, that’s precisely what it says; and this in direct contradiction to the man-pleasing musings of Rick Warren, which to my eye anyway, reads almost identically to the man-loving message of Robert Schuller. This centered on the self love also fit in quite well with the whacked Word Faith mythology of The Doctor of Destiny LaVerne Adams as well.

I’ve told you that Warren’s done the foreword to her book Driven By Destiny (DBD); and as you can see in Decade Of Destiny With Rick Warren, Rick Warren kicked off his dream Decade of Destiny on the day her book dropped on 10/10/10. Yeah, but we know that’s probably just some kind of an odd coincidence. ;)

You might find it interesting that as pastrix Doctor Destiny begins her book DBD she first praises notorious Word Faith heretic Dr. Mark Chirona—her “invaluable mentor, [and] life coach”—as well as “the prophetic ministry” of Kabbalist Apostle and Heir Apparent for the NAR Dr. Chuck Pierce—which “has literally transformed my existence.” Mighty high praise indeed. And then there’s “prayer general” Dr. Cindy Trimm (below) whom pastrix Doctor of Destiny Adams says was brought into her life by God:

as a catalyst to move me into a realm of power and faith that delivered me into a [*cue Twilight Zone theme*] deeper dimension of my divine destiny… As an ambassadorial mouthpiece for God, Dr. Trimm’s dynamic style, cutting-edge prayer stategies, and kingdom technologies has profoundly aligned me to take dominion and prosper in every area of my life.

Because of her unique passion to see me empowered to reach my fullest potential my life is royally positioned as a resource that advances the establishment of the Kingdom of God.[1]

Well, beam me up Scotty! Yeah, that sure isn’t about *ahem* her. And zowie, who knew; Dr. Cindy Trimm is “an ambassadorial mouthpiece for God” with such “kingdom technologies” that our Divine Destiny Doctor pastrix Adams is now so fine-tunedly “aligned” she’s able “to take dominion and prosper”—not just some areas; no siree, but in “every area” of her life. Wow! Then Doctor Destiny says that “finally” she is grateful to the Lord “for Dr. Rick Warren.” That’s very nice, eh.

Here’s why; pastrix Adams says that “by divine providence” Warren was brought into her life when he:

just happened upon one of my articles in the African American Pulpit, while going to be the first Caucasian preacher at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Dr. Martin Luther King’s Day 2009. His prompting to reach out to me for counsel affirmed my calling and destiny as spiritual advisor to great people.

Ours is truly a divine connection as I have always been impressed with his ministry and literary work. And now our destinies have been miraculously aligned and driven with purpose.[2]

Rick Warren Was The One Who Originally Sought Out Dr. LaVerne Adams 

Hmm, did you catch that; according to pastrix Adams, our Dr. Destiny, Rick Warren was the one “to reach out” to her “for counsel.” Looks like Rick has some ‘splainin’ to do because according to what Dr. John Piper said in defense of his dubious decision to make Warren keynote speaker at DG 2010:

What would you think he would believe about women elders? He’s just totally there as far as the… the office of elder is concerned. “We don’t have ‘em”, he said. “Can’t find it in the Bible. Women have all the spiritual gifts and they have all the… the gifts of pastoring but as far as the office of pastor, the office of elder goes,” he says, “the bible says it shouldn’t happen. I’m committed to the bible. Therefore we’re not gonna go there.” (Online source)

Leaving aside that this is just another example of Rick Warren’s rather elastic orthodoxy, the key point is this: Had he not originally contacted pastrix Destiny Doctor Adams, likely we’d not be covering her foolish fantasies right now. Yet, depite the obvious lunacy in the Lord’s Name of the Word Faith heresy she’s aligned with, after his usual shtick that this isn’t about us Rick Warren says in the foreword to DBD:

focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life’s purpose. In her book, Driven By Destiny, Dr. LaVerne Adams provides a very practical plan not only determining what your God-given destiny is, but also provides a way to help move you forward in fulfilling your destiny.[3]

Interesting; Rick Warren think’s that a woman who usurped the office of elder in violation of God’s Word, though she claims to be on sabbatical right now, is going to then be blessed by God to help others reach their destiny? Well in closing this, for now, here’s a quick example of pastrix Destiny Doctor Adams’ “very practical plan” that’s supposedly going to “help move” us to our “God-given destiny,” which we apparently can’t get to without a Divine Destiny Doctor. Well, the first key is we need to go “to the next dimension for your revelation.”

Pastrix Destiny explains that when we “go through the doorway of revelation,” apparently we have myriad “realities” we’re going to have to “be prepared to see.” This means we’ll now have to get into the proper position “to receive” the destiny blessings “God desires to reveal.” So she gives us our handy, dandy, “declaration” that will get us into the right position and “will nurture your dreams and help them to become realities.” Um, do keep in mind here that Rick Warren has just praised this unbiblical refried Romish mystical mumbo jumbo of self-ish-ness.

Now here’s a little taste of the utilitarian Divine Destiny Declaration mantra we’re given by Dr. Destiny:

“My ears are in tune with God so that I can hear God’s revelation clearly regarding every area of my life. I tune my hearing through fervent prayer, study, meditation, praise, and worship…

As I yield to the spiritual guidance of the Holy Spirit, I also submit myself to the sound teaching of the spiritual leader that God places in my life and joyfully embrace sound doctrine… I thank God for sending a mentor who takes a special interest in me personally and speak [sic] prophetically into my life to help me fulfill my divine destiny…”[4] 

You should be able to see that, along with the idea of “spiritual directors” flowering in the apostate Roman Catholic Church, we’re also being taught the classic Word Faith positive confession teaching that somehow our words have creative power and we can “speak into” people’s lives. If there’s any doubt, then consider the following where Doctor Divine Destiny pastrix Adams muses that “by reviewing and saying them daily” we can give our “dreams the power to materialize.”

WRITE YOUR OWN DESTINY DECLARATION FOR YOUR REVELATION

Personalize your Divine Destiny Declaration to accomodate your unique situation by writing your own below. Be sure to include the vision you receive from the destiny dreams that you see in your heart.

As you nurture them by reviewing and saying them daily, you give your dreams the power to materialize. This is a living document so feel free to update it regularly.[5]

And we have Rick Warren to thank for bringing this kind of idiocy into mainstream evangelicalism…

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Endnotes:

[1] Dr. LaVerne Adams, Driven By Destiny: 12 Secrets to Unlock Your Future [Dr. LaVerne Adams, 2009], ix, emphasis mine.

[2] Ibid. , x.

[3] Ibid., xi.

[4] Ibid., 67.

[5] Ibid., 68.

See also:

JOHN PIPER ON RICK WARREN

RICK WARREN BRINGS LOVE ON RECORD

RICK WARREN WANTS US TO LEARN FROM HENRI NOUWEN

RICK WARREN AND PURPOSE DRIVEN ROMAN CATHOLICS

SADDLEBACK CHURCH, RICK WARREN, AND SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

CHARISMATIC QUASI-PROSPERITY PREACHER JUDAH SMITH

STEVEN FURTICK A PROPHET OF GOD?