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AG Against Purpose Driven Study

Michaux to S.S 20070111

Mr. Svendsen, you should be ashamed of yourself for making your discontent that of others, especially that of other churches and other districts.  Membership in a church is a sacred covenant between a person and their church family, and it should be remembered that such covenants are always voluntary.  Your arrogance to judge that anyone who disagrees with your beliefs is in error is nothing short of the contentious divisiveness that the Apostle Paul warned Titus regarding when he said, “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time.  After that, have nothing to do with him.”  (Titus 3:10).  You would be wise to heed the voice of the Holy Spirit in Proverbs 26:21, pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

 Your effort to take your personal conviction and use it to demean the sincere, Jesus devoted, God fearing leaders of churches, districts, even our Fellowship saddens God’s heart and places you in a dangerous place of incurring His wrath (read Genesis to Revelation to better understand that if this thought doesn’t resonate with you)!

 I pray the Holy Spirit will reveal to you whatever fight from your past that you are struggling to win now vicariously through this shameful attempt to slander the Bride of Christ so that your heart may be healed.   I pray that you will ask for the forgiveness of all just as publicly as you have sinned.  You would be wise as well to consider the Apostle Paul’s warning of sharing in the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner until you have humbled yourself.

 Needless to say, you should remove church@mccag.org from your future attempts to cause dissension in this blessed, God ordained Fellowship of the Assemblies of God.

 With both compassion and righteous indignation,

 Pastor Fred Michaux
Virginia

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S.S. to Michaux 20070120

Mr. Michaux
 
I am honored by your letter. 
 
Others in the AG including top level leadership have reacted differently than you.

S.S.

Michaux is a junior administrator pastor at Mechanicsville Christian Center in Virginia. He sent the above letter to 100 Churches, the General Superintendent and Assistant General Superintendent. The senior pastor Carter Goolsby was contacted twice and asked if his Church was involved in Purpose Driven Doctrine. He was also asked to comment on the Michaux letter. Mr.Goolsby did not reply. 

McLennan to S.S. 20070118

Mark 9:38-40

38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
40 For he that is not against us is on our part. KJV
 
Mark 9:40  for he who is not against us is for us; (Young's Literal Translation)

Dave McLennan, Pastor
First Assembly of God
1200 Mill St.
Lamar, MO 64759

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Jesus warns of false teaching in Matthew 7

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit
18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Pastor - Name Witheld to S.S. 20070118

Thanks for sending a copy of your letter and the response from Supt. Trask to me.  I appreciate your hard work addressing this issue, however I’m not sure your campaign will result in any real benefit.  I was glad to see Trask’s response to your first question, but I disagree with you call for a special committee or person to review the materials.

 I think that the problem with your quest is that you are attempting to create a theological debate over issues which are just an unfortunate part of pop-theology in our culture.  Your area of concern is not the only one.  What about some of the other popular issues which are sucking Christians into their lair?  The crazy preoccupation with Eschatology, the Zionists, the Vitamin and Supplement Pushers, the Prosperity preachers, the overtly political “ministers,” etc. etc. etc.  Each of these other distracting, pop-theologies come with many published many volumes as well, which flood the shelves of Christian bookstores.  It is really a shame.

 Trask answering your first question is sufficient.  Please don’t continue to insist on giving further attention to the Seeker Sensitive Movement...it is a fruitless pursuit for the A/G to officially waste time on.

 I’m sorry you felt forced out of your church.  That is very painful for you, I’m sure.  We pastors are not always the best communicators or leaders when it comes to managing change.  Your former pastor evidently wanted to change some of the personality of your worship services.  This is a “style” issue, not a theological one, UNLESS your pastor has swallowed the Seeker Sensitive model hook, line and sinker.  The danger I see from becoming exclusively seeker sensitive is that you disenfranchise church members and deny them their calling to go seek out the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God bless you

Pastor David Bemis to Thomas Trask 20070119

In reference to the letter that was sent to you about appointing someone to “examine” the materials and then produce a report, I believe we shouldn’t waste the time or energy.  In my humble opinion, and I do not know this individual personally, this individual seems to have an ax to grind and not a genuine concern about “Pentecostal doctrinal”.  As far as I can see, none of Rick Warren’s materials comes across as “doctrinal” except for the need to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, which we obviously ascribe to.  As I told my people, I know of no one who is more sensitive to the needs of seekers than the Holy Spirit.  We need to stop reacting to and start declaring and seeing a demonstration of what we know to be “doctrinally sound”.

 Thank you for the leadership that you give this fellowship.  I will support what ever you think must be done.

 David L. Bemis
Senior Pastor
 

Pastor Randy Carter to S.S 20070120

I have been to Saddleback and have been blessed by the ministry of Pastor Rick Warren for over 20 years, long before he became famous.

I appreciate what seems to be a sincere effort on your part to protect the church, but I have to say that I totally disagree with your assessment of

Pastor Warren and Pastor Hybels. I could only encourage you to redirect your energy into reaching the lost and not chastising the sheep.

AG Pastor Rich to S.S. 200701

I preach word for word Rick Warren, Bill Hybles, Ed Young and Andy Staleys material all the time.   The AG cannot tell me what to preach.  Trask is old and out of touch with what is happening in todays churches. 

 
-Rich

There where other letters that where critical of the effort to get an examination of Purpose Driven Doctrine that where not posted for various reasons.

 

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