In 2005-2006, Roger Oakland (see my article Roger Oakland: Truthteller or Storyteller?) and Dave Hunt  began to raise significant objections to the teachings of Rick Warren. Their objections, not surprisingly, coincided with concerns that were also being raised about Warren by Chuck Smith, founder of the Calvary Chapel system of churches (for an in-depth look at Smith's views on Warren, see Chuck Smith: A Pastor's Perspective).

Oakland, who is the founder of Understanding the Times ministry and was for many years a frequent speaker on the Calvary Chapel circuit, not only voiced his own concerns, but outlined four reasons why he believed Warren's teachings were incompatible with those of Smith/Calvary Chapel.

Around this same time, Dave Hunt—another popular Calvary Chapel personality—was launching his own series of attacks against Rick Warren/Saddleback Church through his radio ministry and also in print via The Berean Call (his newsletter).

The following article is my preliminary response to Dave Hunt, which details a behind-the-scenes story that continues to be relevant in light of Hunt's ongoing attacks against Rick Warren. The details of this story bring into serious question not only Hunt's integrity, but also his reliability when it comes to his research and accountability for his research (or lack thereof).



Dave Hunt is best known for his steady stream of teaching materials, most of which can be categorized under three main headings: anti-Roman Catholic, anti-psychology, and end-times (doomsday/Armageddon) speculation/warnings.

Around 2005/2006, however, Hunt found another target in Rick Warren. He produced page after page of anti-Warren material, and even made a lengthy, multi-part radio broadcast series that ripped apart Warren's book The Purpose Driven Life and related teachings. The series co-hosted by his right-hand man, T.A. MacMahon, was filled with end-on-end misrepresentations of Warren's views, the intent of Warren's book, and several bizarre interpretations of what Warren had stated in the volume. This prompted a mutual friend, Frank Cate (now deceased), to contact Hunt. Cate had been a long time supporter and friend of Hunt's ministry.

What is unknown to many people, is that Dave Hunt agreed to meet with both Frank and myself in California to discuss the issues after we sent him a personal invitation to attend one of Warren's the Purpose Driven Church Conferences. Soon thereafter, he and one of his closest advisers (i.e., the very same Calvary Chapel board member I discuss in Chuck Smith: A Pastor's Perspective) attended the conference with us.

Before the conference, Frank and I had dinner with Hunt and discussed many issues. He seemed rather surprised by many of our answers regarding Warren's views, his teachings, and doctrines. Still unconvinced, but open to change, Hunt said he would pay careful attention to what he observed at the conference, which was scheduled to begin the next day. He also said he would give Warren a chance by listening closely to him.

The next day, Hunt not only attended a number of lectures by Warren, but he also met privately with Warren—all of us had lunch together during the Purpose Driven Conference. This informal meeting over a meal lasted for about an hour. Before it began, I assumed that Hunt would wisely use the time to finally discuss with Warren, one-on-one, the various concerns he had about:
But much to my shock, Hunt never once asked Rick Warren anything about his basic doctrinal beliefs, his teaching style, his views on salvation, his thoughts on other religions, his opinions on how the Holy Spirit is (or is not) involved with building churches, or anything else relating to the criticisms that Hunt and others (including Church Smith) had been raising. Hunt didn't even mention his particularly serious worries about Warren's supposed "connection" to Roman Catholics, his so-called mis-applications of various biblical texts, or Saddleback's alleged use of unbiblical psychological techniques.

I kept waiting for Hunt to say something (anything) of importance. After all, that was why we were all there—or so I thought.

What ended up being the subject of conversation over that one hour lunch? Dave Hunt simply talked about himself and his new book about Israel and Muslims, requesting that Rick Warren give a copy of it to President Bush! Hunt also asked Warren if there was any possible way that he might be able to get the book into Saddleback's small groups (which number in the thousands), and perhaps even make a teaching video based on the book that could also be distributed throughout Saddleback's small groups—tapes that Saddleback could purchase from Hunt.

Hunt, at one point, seemed positively giddy at the prospect of his materials being used by Warren, who all the while was sitting there eating his lunch and trying as hard as possible to be polite and respectful. Hunt even asked Warren to call his wife and wish her a Happy Birthday! Warren obliged. And Hunt was thrilled. Hunt also immediately called his secretary and made sure that she would Next Day Air materials to Warren so that he could get them to President Bush as soon as possible. (This is the honest truth—I kid you not).

And, as a note of particular interest, when Hunt was talking to Warren about the Muslim problem in the world (and in America), Hunt voiced what had to be the one of the most disturbing suggestions I have ever heard come from an evangelical. Dave Hunt actually stated that he thought the best way to combat the persecution of Christians in Muslim countries was to give them a dose of their own medicine (my paraphrase) by preventing Muslims in America from worshiping freely! He said he thought it would teach them a lesson if America shut down all the mosques in the U.S., and only re-opened them if Christians in Muslim countries were allowed to worship freely. Everyone at the table was speechless.

After lunch ended, the conference continued. Hunt seemingly enjoyed the worship, the teachings, and the fellowship. Then, once it was time for us to part our ways, Dave Hunt told me that he had indeed appreciated the event, and expressed to me how he had misjudged Rick Warren in many areas. Hunt even prayed with me and others, petitioning God to bless Warren and his ministry, even asking God to continue using Warren to reach souls for Christ, just as he had been doing all along. Hunt's mind had completely changed and he had very few concerns.

But then, Hunt returned to his home in Oregon. And under pressure from those around him, he changed his tune and jumped back on the anti-Warren bandwagon, apparently to please his board of directors, staff, and financial supporters—all of whom basically had their minds made up about Warren. This was a concern, in fact, that Hunt had expressed to me during the conference when we went to get some refreshments. He told me that various individuals on his staff had not wanted him to go to Saddleback for the conference because they were afraid that he would be deceived!

Coincidentally (and conveniently), by maintaining his strong stand against Warren, Hunt was able to continue selling his anti-Warren resources. This came as a grievous surprise to me because I had told Hunt that his radio shows about Warren—which he had turned into marketable CDs—were full of errors and misrepresentations of Warren's views, teachings, and beliefs. Hunt seemed disturbed at my words, hesitated for a moment, and then admitted to me that when he had actually done these radio shows before even reading The Purpose Driven Life! That was something, he said, he had simply left up to T.A. MacMahon to do, whom he had also trusted to tell him whether or not it was a biblically-sound book. MacMahon, unfortunately, got it all wrong.

To date (2008), Dave Hunt's attacks against Rick Warren are ongoing via the error-laden materials he sells that are critical of Rick Warren, Purpose Driven, and Saddleback Church.

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