Posted on 09/23/2006 5:59:13 PM PDT by hiho hiho
Rick Warren's "Purpose-Driven" church model is being blamed in a developing split in one of the Southern Baptist Convention's most prominent churches.
Two weeks ago the Wall Street Journal carried a front-page story saying Warren's church-growth methods--which include replacing hymns, choirs and pews with rock-style praise bands and laid-back sermons--were dividing the country's 50 million evangelicals.
Baptist Press defended Warren, a Southern Baptist, by implying the Journal story made a mountain out of a molehill.
"The 2,200-word story cites four congregations where upheaval occurred from a move toward the principles espoused by Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., and author of the best-seller Purpose-Driven Life," wrote a BP staff writer. "The story, however, does not relay any estimates of the extent of problems nationwide stemming from Warren's Purpose-Driven methods."
But a Web site nearing 60,000 visitors criticizes several changes at the 30,000-member Bellevue Baptist Church near Memphis, Tenn., since last year's retirement and subsequent death of its legendary pastor, Adrian Rogers.
One of the largest churches in the Mid-South, Bellevue has been led by just four pastors in the last 79 years: R.G. Lee, 1927-1960; Ramsey Pollard, 1960-72; Rogers, 1972-2005; and since last September, Steve Gaines, former pastor of First Baptist Church in Gardendale, Ala.
Gaines' honeymoon is apparently over for some long-time church members, who criticize what they view as excessive salaries, moving away from congregational leadership toward an elder-led system and unpopular staff changes, including forcing out and replacing a long-term music director.
They also criticize Gaines' leadership style, claiming he is arrogant, uses intimidation and pressed forward with changes instead of giving the church time to grieve following their beloved emeritus pastor's death from cancer in November 2005.
Gaines denied in the Memphis Commercial-Appeal the church is departing from its Southern Baptist roots or is part of the church-growth movement, but acknowledged that some had criticized the blending of contemporary and traditional church music in worship.
The "Saving Bellevue" Web site, however, includes articles seeking assurances the new pastor isn't trying to move the church toward "Warrenism" and quotations from Warren's "Ministry Toolbox" playbook on transitioning a traditional church to a Purpose-Driven model.
"Not only do we need to take a stand for our church, but we--EVERY BLOOD BOUGHT CHRISTIAN--needs to take a stand against this Rick Warren Revolution!" wrote one commenter in a blog section.
"I have been a member of Bellevue since 1952, when I was 17 years old," wrote another. "I have been in the choir since 1960. Every time my mail comes I look for the letter telling me that I am no longer needed in the choir, that I am too old. I do not clap and stomp. I do not wave my hands."
Other grievances include a story about Gaines sending staff to discourage a particular long-time church member from saying "Amen," during worship services. One version of the story says Gaines issued the order after hearing in a dream the man was under demonic influence and needed to be silenced before the next Sunday. Gaines denies the dream ever happened, claiming the "Amens" were a distraction and hurting his concentration.
Other rumors are that Gaines negotiated a salary twice the size of his predecessor, one figure tossed around was $500,000. Gaines and others said the church doesn't disclose salaries, but his isn't nearly that high. Questions about hiring, firing and staff compensation allegedly went unanswered, and church members were refused copies of the church bylaws.
One former deacon and long-time member gave an on-line interview describing how, after asking questions about compensation and other administrative matters, four uninvited visitors, including Gaines, came to his home in a gated community, climbing over a fence marked with a no-trespassing sign.
The four men said the visit was an attempt to seek reconciliation, but the homeowner, Mark Sharpe, who wasn't at home when it occurred, viewed it as intimidation.
He said Gaines called him after 11:00 one evening and told him he was "Hezbollah" and personally sending people to hell by his actions.
"I informed him that I didn't have the power to send anyone to hell," Sharpe said. "I have to admit, I was shaken by the words I heard my pastor speak to me. I was shaken to the bone but reminded that these were not the actions of a pastor."
Gaines said the Web site contains "insinuations and downright falsifications," and he believes it is creating confusion in the church.
The Sept. 5 Wall Street Journal story detailed criticisms of "Purpose-Driven" attempts to attract non-believers with lively worship services, practical sermons and chances to volunteer. Critics question the use of secular marketing methods and simplistic Bible study.
Among churches split after adopting Warren's techniques, the story said, is Valley View Christian Church in Dallas, the former church of failed Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers.
Ron Key, the church's senior minister, was demoted and later fired for criticizing the "Madison Avenue" approach advocated by Warren. Key and about 200 other members began worshipping in a hotel and later a college gym. Miers reportedly attends when she is in town.
Key's replacement at Valley View was Barry McCarty, longtime parliamentarian for the Southern Baptist Convention.
"Our church used the five purposes from the Purpose-Drive Life as the outline for our strategic plan, because they are the purposes for the church that are revealed in Scripture," McCarty told Baptist Press. "It ought to be noted that Rick Warren did not invent these five purposes" [worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and evangelism]. "He simply popularized them."
"Rick got these five purposes from the Bible," McCarty said. "Rick's heart is the same place that our hearts are: We want to do what God has assigned us to do as individuals and as a church."
Oh please. Some of the contemporary praise songs our church does are literally Psalms put to music. FTR, we also sing older hymns as well. However, one cannot dismiss as light and fluffy one of Kind David's songs to the Lord, poured out of his heart in times of praise and adoration, distress, etc. simply because the type of music accompanying them is more modern. What matters is the heart of the worshipper. You can be every bit in the flesh singing ‘Not What My Hands Have Done’ as you can singing Rick Founds’ ‘Lord I Lift Your Name on High’.
The point to be made on the website link I gave was not to condemn either contemporary or hymns, but, rather that we examine what we sing in the light of Scripture just as we would what we receive in a message. In some cases, the text of what we sing may be more appropriate for our personal worship time than it is for corporate worship.
At least at Bellevue it isn't an either/or situation with regard to music... unless you're in attack mode against the current staff, in which case even the smallest thing that isn't "the way it used to be" can be a stepping-stone for another character assassination attempt.
--Mike
http://thebrattonreport.blogspot.com
Thanks, PleaseNoMore, that was a good post, and a good explanation of that song.
Ed
I grew up listening to Southern gospel music as I attended a small country church and the folks there were just common people, many of them farmers etc. My grandfather was the pastor there and he firmly believed in freedom of worship as well as sound doctrine and order. We raised our hands and shouted Hallelujah when Miss Virginia would play the piano and screech out the words to something out of the hymnal and we raised our hands and shouted Hallelujah when the young lady who came in with the gifting of praise began singing more contemporary music accompanied by other instruments.
In my experience, our worship was never about entertaining a congregation. It was about worshipping together corporately, as a body of believers. What moved some taste wise didn't move others and vice versa, but we knew we weren't there to "feel good" and be entertained. We were there to worship the Lord of Lords and the Kings of Kings as a unified body and "little things" like the genre of music never did cause much trouble at all as, in the scheme of things, it was inconsequential.
My grandfather passed away in Jan of this year and our little country church dissoved. I now attend a larger, more contemporary church where the praise and worship is more contemporary but it is sincere and meaningful.
Just curious as to why you signed up and posted your blog site.
-A8
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