The following letter was written to pastors in Dr. Bruce DeBaun's local area shortly after his attending a Discernment Ministries, Inc. conference in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
Re: The Purpose Driven Church
Dear Brothers in Christ,
While I was fighting in Vietnam during the war, ambush was our most feared form of attack. This method of guerrilla warfare endeavors to catch the enemy off guard, in a place where he feels reasonably secure. Under these circumstances he can usually be wiped out before he's aware of the danger. This simple tactic has never lost its effectiveness.
Today, as a member of the Lord's Army, I am constrained to cry, "Ambush!" to everyone who will listen. Satan is a skillful strategist. He is aware of the noble intentions of the brotherhood of COTTT, its desire to work together to bring down walls of separation and unify the Body of Christ. He uses these ambitious ideals and our collective belief that we are too aware of his devices to be lured into a trap as the very means to make us vulnerable.
It has come to my attention that some member churches have gotten involved or are considering involvement in the "Purpose Driven Church/Life," the "Government of Twelve," the "New Apostolic Transformation," to mention only a few of the names by which the movement represents itself. The philosophies offered, in reality a form of humanistic/socialistic government, are being heralded as the way to the "post-denominational era". Its advocates have presented these ideas as a new system of beliefs, which will allow the Church to complete the Great Commission. Not only does this plan promise a "better way" of reaching the lost for Christ, it offers a carrot to local pastors by declaring that his/her church will flourish, that is, grow in membership, service to others and spirituality. All this can be accomplished by adopting their new plan and consenting to unify and collaborate under human leadership. The essential facet of this new scheme requires that everyone "voluntarily" sign a contract for church/community service and submit to a quasi-political ecclesiastical hierarchy which has been formed by the reinstatement of the Prophet and the Apostle.
A parallel doctrine teaches the historical church has failed and is no longer effective! By adopting the proposed new method, which is no more than a rephrasing of old secular business management archetypes, it suggests the church can emerge efficiently and effectively to usher in the Second Advent. In reality this scheme is nothing more than a tool to manipulate the masses - sheep and shepherds alike. This new interfaith model will imbue the Christian with pragmatic humanitarianism and methodology which substitutes "The end justifies the means," for "Let us hold fast to the profession of our faith without wavering." By the time the church realizes it has been deceived it will be impotent.
This movement is by no means new, but a progressive resurfacing of Kingdom Now/Dominion teaching. What we are presently seeing became a movement during the 40’s, beginning with the Latter Rain, the Manifest Sons of God, and later, the Kansas City Prophets. Its agenda has been and is currently to establish the Prophets first, and later, when the time is ripe (now), the Prophets will set the Apostles in their place.
Basing "their" authority on one or two scriptures concerning the five fold ministry, a few "self appointed", "buddy endorsing" individuals have laid claim to the exalted offices of Apostle and Prophet. They proclaimed a vacuum (No surprise, since the offices, particularly that of Apostle, have been vacant for thousands of years!) and so seized the opportunity. Subsequently they convinced a growing number of pastors that for the last 1900 years the Church has lost its way. In reality what they are attempting is to set up an international church government that will gradually become tolerant of other doctrines, ultimately separate us from the biblical pattern and set the stage for a global religion. At present this may seem far fetched but there is a biblical basis. This new world church order (government) will remove the precious autonomy of the local church and eventually the pastors' authority to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified as the only way to salvation. In the interests of evangelism and to overcome differences in points of view it will also put prohibitions on preaching anything that offends a particular group, such as advocates of homosexuality and abortion.
We are now being schooled to believe this new transformed model of procedure, with its organized cell structure, accountability and mandated productivity is a better way to save souls than preaching Christ and His cross. This negates the biblical method by which for thousands of years Jesus and those ordained by the Holy Spirit have built the church. The biblical Apostle (not the modern episcopate) had the unique qualification of being an actual witness to Christ and His resurrection. Even Paul, by his Damascus road encounter with the Lord, had a resurrection experience and could claim he saw the resurrected Christ. These biblical examples of the office can not be repeated or transmitted. The function of each Apostle in history was to establish the church, not individual churches. This has been accomplished. The work of birthing new churches now rests on the missionary and the pastor. The Apostle of the Bible was essential to present the church with what we now possess in print, the New Testament. Since the day of Pentecost the apostolic commission has been passed to the Holy Spirit who guides us (individually) in all truth! It is the Holy Spirit who now bears witness of Jesus, and speaks, conveys, teaches, directs, reproves, sends, ordains, commissions, and anoints all believers according to His election. (1 Co.12)
The early church was built on the foundations of the apostles and the prophets. These foundations were not embodied in the individuals, but in the doctrines they expressed, taught, and passed on, which are now and forever anchored in His written Word. We are admonished against adding to the Word. The plan for the end times has already been revealed. Why, then would God now set up a new plan and appoint New Apostles? God does not make mistakes or had an afterthought by neglecting to give us additional Apostles or Prophets over the centuries, nor has He waited until now to do so. We should also be mindful that early in this very century, men claiming to hold these offices ended up being exposed as nothing but delusionary.
This new group of so called Prophets and Apostles are nothing more then "wanna bees" who are doing Satan's work and aiding the cause of the antichrist! There is no resemblance between them and the real Apostles, i.e. Peter in Acts 10:25,26, or Paul in Acts 14:13, 14, 15 . Indeed, a "real" prophet sent by God today would have nothing to do with a movement like this. Rather he would, as the Prophets of old, point his finger at the orchestrators and tell them to repent!!
We who are neither prophets nor apostles must be careful not to get caught up in this masquerade or be swept along in this wave of lunacy. Let us stand fast, holding firmly to the doctrines once delivered to the saints. Let us not be so intent on swelling the ranks of the churches we’ve been privileged to oversee, or so overtaken with visions of unification that we violate the warnings and the ways of God. Let us not in our exuberance overturn the Reformation or create a new papacy!
This new movement is immense and what I have said here is only a suggestion of its size and scope. For the great falling away to occur the church must wittingly or unwittingly leave its first estate and accept another doctrine or strategy. The new "world" church will be an amalgamation of beliefs and a synthesis of heresy. It will be an organization in which each of its members will sacrifice the most significant tenets of their faith and surrender their autonomy. This surrender of beliefs is essential to Satan’s plan. Apostasy as it is prophesied can only occur if the guardians of the flock (pastors) and the guardians of the Word can be misdirected long enough for the sheep to become scattered. I ask you all to prayerfully consider this watchman’s warnings. I also welcome your comments.
Yours in Christ,
Brother Bruce R. DeBaun
3321 Gorton Rd.
docbruce@stny. rr.com
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