Rick Warren Exposes His Congregation to the False Financial Teaching of Robert Morris

"Just from a business point of view, that's a good deal for 10%, to have God rebuking the devil for you....God is saying 'Listen, you're living in this cursed financial system, I would like to redeem your finances, protect your finances, from this world's system. The only way I can do it, though, is if you will recognize me first every time you get paid. If you will give me the tithe, I will redeem the rest of your finances out from under the curse.' " Robert Morris at Saddleback Church
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As we begin to look at "Slacking Shepherds", let's consider that a Southern Baptist Church mega church pastor, Rick Warren, has exposed his congregation to a man who preaches a false prosperity gospel that is non-biblical, and just plain stupid and nonsensical.

Yes, thanks to Rick Warren, Pastor Robert Morris' heretical teachings on tithing and blessings and curses have now made inroads into the Southern Baptist Convention at Saddleback Church.

Robert preached the very same sermon at Saddleback that he preached at Perry Noble's NewSpring Church in May 2011, that I blogged about here. Robert Morris' sermon "The Principles of Multiplication" uses the story of Jesus feeding the multitudes from Luke 9 to tell Christians they need to "redeem" their income by giving their first 10% of their income to their church. Robert says you can actually buy God's protection for 10%, and calls it a "good business deal".

From the quote at the top of this post, you'll see that according to Robert, God's ability to bless you and protect you is dependent upon YOU being able to give 10% of your income! Yes, God is all-powerful, and he actually WANTS to protect you, but he absolutely cannot unless you give 10% of your money to a local church. If you can't give 10%, you're cursed and out from under God's protection.

And if you give your 10% to your church, Jesus is there to accept it, and will bless it. Robert says:

"Here's what the bible says: when you give the first 10%, the tithe of your income, to the church, Jesus himself receives our tithe and blesses it."

The Bible never, ever says that. Not even close. We all know that the ushers receive our offerings at the church, not Jesus. The counters count it, and the church leaders under the direction of the pastor spend it mostly on buildings and salaries. Jesus doesn't receive it, and those who do receive it don't spend it on what Jesus would have spent it on had he actually received it. Just trying to keep it real here, folks.

As I said, his message is non-biblical, he says the bible says what it does not say, and you have to check your brains at the church door to actually hear his teaching and not burst out laughing hysterically.

But we know what Robert teaches, he has taught it before.

The question before us is: why would Rick Warren, a Southern Baptist preacher, the godfather of the modern contemporary worship movement, invite this man in to preach this at his church?

Does Rick Warren believe this same doctrine? He can't say he didn't know that Morris was going to preach this, because this is the SAME sermon Morris preaches when out on the preaching circuit. Warren exposed his sheep to false financial teachings. Why? And if he doesn't believe it, shouldn't he publicly correct Robert Morris so his people aren't led astray? Isn't that the role, the job description, of a pastor in Titus?

Didn't Rick Warren know that Robert Morris earlier this year invited Creflo Dollar, the king of health and wealth prosperity false gospel, to preach in his church? That should tell you all you need to know about what Robert Morris believes.

Lastly, here is an advertisement at Warren's church on the website this week:

How sad that under the auspices of trying to help people with their finances in these difficult days, Rick Warren exposes people to the false teachings of Morris, that if implemented could spell financial disaster for a family. And guess who is next on the list, this coming Sunday in this financial series? Dave Ramsey. Placing Morris in the same lineup in a financial seminar as Dave Ramsey is like holding a "Secrets to a Happy Marriage" seminar with Liz Taylor and Laura Bush speaking. Does Dave Ramsey endorse the nonsense of Robert Morris? Why would Dave Ramsey want to associate himself with such financial nonsense as Robert Morris'? We know the answers to all of these questions, don't we?

Watch out, church members. Investigate who it is that your pastor is inviting in to speak at your church.

The wolves may be at the door, waiting to come in, with no shepherd willing to protect the flock.

Watchdog to Examine "Slacking Shepherds": Pastors Not Doing Their Jobs to Protect Their Sheep

One of the scriptures that has been at the top of this blog for about 3 years now is Matthew 9:36:

" When He [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

Still today, Jesus has compassion for the crowds - the crowds at many mega churches especially, who are like sheep without a shepherd.

Later today I will start a series of posts to shine a light on pastors not performing their most basic job functions as described in the Bible they preach from. Many take huge salaries and live a jet-setting, glamorous lifestyle, but they don't even earn their pay when it comes to their most important job functions as described in the pastoral epistles. They call themselves the "under shepherds" of the flock, with Jesus being the "chief shepherd" - but they are failing miserably.

You've probably heard your pastor tell you of the "pastoral epistles", one of which is the letter of Paul to Titus. In the first chapter there are qualifications and responsibilities of "overseers" or "elders". As I start this series of posts on "slacking shepherds", I want to highlight some verses from Titus 1:

"For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain...holding fast to the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. " Titus 1:5-9

Baptist pastors like to preach about the "wine" part (and the "husband of one wife" part in verse 6 to justify prohibiting women from serving in leadership positions), but how many mega church pastors do what they do, invite who they invite into their churches, for the purpose of attracting nickels and noses? How many of these pastors expose their congregation to strange or false teachings that are either non-biblical, or have little to do with the actual proclamation of the gospel, to entertain people? How many of these pastors invite men in to speak to further their own interests and careers? We're going to look at those who do these things contrary to their biblical job description, and thus I call them "slacking shepherds."

Paul goes on:

"For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain...for this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith" Titus 1:10-13

So Paul says a pastor should silence and rebuke those teachers who teach for sordid gain, or are empty talkers, or who teach Old Testament law. Instead, many of these pastors are more interested in silencing and rebuking their critical sheep than they are about rebuking their fellow preachers who are misbehaving. As Paul points out, shepherds should not be handing their pulpits over as a platform for these men to teach, and they should rebuke them if they happen to make inroads to their church.

Sadly, many pastors today are not so much interested in just teaching the bible week by week to their sheep - they are interested in bringing in "speakers", entertaining their congregations, even inviting teachers of questionable character and doctrine. Some even using their pulpits for sordid gain.

We will start off later today looking at "slacking shepherds", looking again at Robert Morris of Gateway Church who has now made inroads at a prominent Southern Baptist Church with his false prosperity tithing doctrine.
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H/T: Chris Rosebrough - Fighting for the Faith, September 21, 2011

Jacksonville Pastor Arrested for Living in a Stolen House!! Take THAT Steve Gaines!

One of Steve Gaines' most ridiculous lines when it comes to tithing, is to accuse his non-tithing church members of "living in stolen homes". In Gaines' very strange worldview, failure to fork over 10% of one's income to his church is a crime.

There is no evidence to suggest that any church member ever lived in a "stolen home". That would be pretty brazen to actually STEAL a home and live in it. Not sure how one would go about stealing a home.

But leave it to a PASTOR, oddly enough, to try to steal a home, and then live in it!

Yes, in my own hometown, a pastor was arrested Friday and accused of....get this....living in a stolen home!

Yes, Steve Gaines, one of your fellow pastors ACTUALLY is living in a stolen home!

As reported by WOKV radio, and by News4Jax, Pastor Marcelous Dunbar, who told News4Jax he is a pastor at Open Arms Christian Fellowship, took up residence in a $440,000 house as a "squatter" in an attempt to gain ownership under "adverse possession" provisions of an old Florida Statute. The family that bought the house this week was not able to move in until they got rid of the unwanted guest.

Pastor Dunbar said he was simply trying to eradicate the homeless problem in Jacksonville...by that he must mean his own homelessness.

And this isn't the only home that Pastor Dunbar is trying to steal! Apparently the good Pastor has figured out a scheme to claim "adverse possession" and has tried this at three other homes in the neighborhood! Only problem he would have to live there for 7 years, not just a few days. They must not have covered "adverse possession" in seminary. Oops.

How does a pastor go about living in a stolen home? According to Pastor Dunbar's arrest report:

"On September 20, 2011, the defendant went to the residence and drilled out the locks on the residence without the owner's consent. On September 21, 2011, the defendant occupied the residence again without the consent of the owner."

So, Steve Gaines, while no one was ever arrested for not tithing....your fellow pastor Marcelous Dunbar was arrested for grand theft and burglary for....living in a stolen home!

Captain Chris Rosebrough Has Removed the Curses from Your Finances that Pastors Have Placed!

Readers: Chris Rosebrough of the Pirate Christian Radio network and author of the Fighting for the Faith website, has written an ingenious proclamation. His funny, but full-of-truth proclamation below releases your finances from the curses that some pastors - even pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention - have told you apply to your money unless you fork over the first 10% of your income to their church.

Please read this. It is very clever, yet it just absolutely hammers home the reality that I've been trying to make about this storehouse tithing nonsense that pastors such as Mac Brunson, Steve Gaines, Ed Young, Perry Noble, Robert Morris, and others have been beating God's people with during these difficult economic times.

The truth is that Christ's death has removed any and all Old Testament curses and judgments on those in the New Covenant. For a pastor to try to hang any Old Testament curses around the necks of New Testament believers is spiritual malfeasance. And that these "men of God" do it in order to get you to separate from your money under false pretenses, makes it all the more damnable.

I love Chris' final paragraph, which I have highlighted.

Here is his proclamation:

"Are ye concerned that your treasure (finances) are under a curse? Have Robert Morris, Kelly Dykstra, Perry Noble, and Craig Groeschel or any other scurvy pastors told you that your money (treasure) is under a curse unless you redeem it by giving them the very first ten percent of your hard earned cash? Not to worry.

Whereas I am a pirate captain, and we captains have the authority to break and all curses that have been put on any treasure, I am officially exercising my powers and removing the curse on your treasure by declaring all of your treasure to be uncursed. Furthermore, I declare all treasure that you earn from now until the end of your life to also be uncursed.

Whereas I am a generous pirate captain, I must insist that you receive my curse breaking services as a gift. Please do not try to buy this gift. This is a free service that I am doing for you out of the kindness of my heart due to the joy that I feel as a result of having all my sins freely forgiven by the bitter sufferings and death of our beloved Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Since he freely released me from the curses of sin and the law I can't help but to also want to release all your treasure from the curse, for free.

Now that your treasure has been released from the curse you are now free to support your church or any other ministry that preaches the gospel to you and properly instructs you in the word of God with the amount that you've "decided in your heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Cor 9:7)

Enjoy your freedom."

Amen. Enjoy your freedom, Christian. You are free to support your church, or any other ministry with an amount you've decided in your heart.

Southern Baptist Name Change: It is About Helping to Gain Access to the "Pockets and Portfolios" of Northerners

Bryant Wright, the Southern Baptist Convention prez, has authorized another study to be done about changing the name of the Southern Baptist Convention. Read this article from Fox News about the change, with quotes from various Southern Baptists.

Why the name change?

The Southern Baptists are trying to extend their brand into the north and northeast, plain and simple. SBC mega pastors like Wright and others who regularly employ the services of church marketing consultants to grab market share in the south, would naturally view a move into the north as one of marketing strategy.

Expanding beyond the southeast and into the rest of the U.S. is part of their "Great Commission Resurgence" (GCR) strategy, but they have an image problem: "Baptist" doesn't sell all that well in the north, and "Southern" definitely doesn't sell. Might as well let the Yankee Baptist Convention try to make inroads in Georgia.

And why do they want to move to the Northeast and get more churches started? I know, they want people to pray a prayer and "accept Jesus". But in this day of churches paying marketing consultants and generosity consultants to attract people and to get them to let loose of more of their money - this is all about coming up with ways to gain access to a mostly untapped market of tithers. The SBC's seminaries are cranking out more and more professional ministers, and they need to grow their market as the south becomes more saturated. The SBC can't wait to get people up north to give money to churches so they can build buildings and hire full-time professional ministers.

And of course these mega church pastors down south need some churches up north to expand their preaching circuit, especially during those hot summer months. Imagine, a brand new market that hasn't heard all of their recycled preaching-circuit sermons!

I would remind you what Ronnie "Max Headroom" Floyd, mega church pastor and the head man of the GCR said in February 2010 in one of his GCR video taped presentations (this is the actual slide):

Yes, Yankees, you have money right now in your pockets and in your financial portfolios that the heavies in the SBC have their eyes on. Us church members down south are stingier than ever, still giving less than 3% of our income. They need you and your money now to advance the gospel (i.e. build church buildings and hire ministers), and they might change their name so you don't know who they really are.

The fundamental problem with their approach is that a brand name cannot mask the cold-hard facts of what the brand IS.

Maurilio Amorim has written a piece on this issue from a branding perspective, since he is a church marketer who makes a good living applying Marketing 101 principles to churches. Maurilio's number one point: "A new name doesn't mean you have a new brand." In fact, changing the name without making fundamental changes to the product can be seen as "bait and switch". People in our country already know what the SBC is, and to change the name to help them move north is nothing short of being deceptive, trying to mask who and what they are. Whatever the new name is, for the next generation the new abbreviation will be followed with "formerly the SBC."

Let's face it: "Southern Baptist" is a powerful brand name in western religion. They ARE southern. They espouse "southern" traditions: they interpret the Bible very strictly, they require strict adherence to secondary doctrinal matters, women have a very limited role in leadership, they pick and choose Old Testament doctrines to apply legalistically to church members and drinking any alcohol is considered a terrible sin.

And the SBC is and always will be known as the convention that uses "church autonomy" as an excuse to not hold their participating churches accountable for harboring and then allowing pedophiles to move on undetected. They are the convention that takes swift action to dis-fellowship churches who hire women pastors, yet takes no action to do the same with those that protect pedophiles.

It is this, it is what they ARE, that will be offensive to northerners, not the name.

And wait till Joe and Jill Yankee hear the first sermon on storehouse tithing, when they find out there was a minor detail left out of the gospel presentation: that once they are saved God requires them to give 10% on the gross to their "storehouse" to receive God's blessings and to redeem their income. Calling people up north who pay enormous income taxes to all levels of government "selfish" or "stingy" or "driving stolen cars" or "God collects" won't go over too well. People outside the Bible belt haven't been raised to believe the nonsense that Old Testament verses meant for the care of Israel apply also to their paycheck - they'll see right through that trick.

Maurilio says that a brand name should align with the "brand promise". I like Ergun Caner's idea for a new name for the SBC. Ergun tweeted today:

My SBC Name Change: "Fundamental Anabaptist Conservative Local Church Immersion Revivalistic Tithing Convention"

Amen. Now that would be aligning the SBC brand name with the brand promise!