---

In 2005-2006, Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel (CC) become one of the most visible critics of Rick Warren. Smith, founder of the CC network of churches, not only made an executive decision to pull all of Warren's materials from CC bookstores, but also voiced concerns about Warren directly from his pulpit in Costa Mesa, California (according to various persons who continue to maintain that they heard such remarks).

I became involved immediately after these comments where supposedly made by Smith (not only at the pastor's conference, but also at his church during weekend services). Several members of Saddleback Church who had heard the remarks were deeply troubled and shared with me as much as they could recall. I was eventually able to contact a Calvary Chapel board member with whom I had become acquainted and asked him if Smith had indeed spoken negatively about Warren at church. He answered, "yes." I then attempted to explain to him where there might be some misunderstandings. He assured me:
Unfortunately, I never heard from this particular board member again. Nor were my calls/emails answered. And the tapes wherein Smith had mentioned Warren were not to be found at the Calvary Chapel bookstore. 

(Note: For all I know, Smith might have never known that I wanted to meet with him, or wanted the tapes. I have no way of verifying that he ever received the original requests I voiced to his board member.)

I have still not been unable to secure copies of these original tapes (c. 2005/2006), which has effectively rendered me unable to fully review them. Nevertheless, after speaking with several third parties who said they heard Smith, one specific accusation against Warren kept being recounted by each person (who had heard Smith speaking from his pulpit during weekend services at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa)—Smith had apparently charged Warren with teaching another way to heaven (a way that is as unbiblical as the way taught by Mormons).

(I stress that I am getting this information by way of several third parties. Anyone who may have copies of these tapes from weekend services at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa, wherein Smith mentioned Warren, please contact me.)

If, and I stress IF, Smith did indeed make such an accusation, then it would be untrue. Rick Warren has always taught that the only way of salvation is through Jesus Christ (see Saddleback Church: The Cross, Sin, and Hell), by grace alone through faith alone in his death on the cross, and his bodily resurrection.

To date, however, no official statement on Rick Warren has come form CC or Smith. The only comment in published form that has a stamp of CC authority is: "[T]he teaching and positions of Rick Warren have come into conflict with us as Calvary Chapel." This short remark appeared in a declaration saying that Rick Warren's materials would no longer be sold by CC.



This would have been the end of the story had it not been for my recent discovery on the Internet of a sound file featuring Smith during one of his "Pastor's Perspective" radio programs. It indicates rather pointedly that Chuck Smith holds a resoundingly negative opinion of Rick Warren, Purpose Driven, and Saddleback Church. During this particular show, Chuck Smith fully endorsed none other than author Warren Smith and his book Deceived On Purpose, which is arguably one of the worst apologetics-related volumes to ever gain popularity in the Christian community (for more information on Warren Smith's view of Rick Warren, see my articles Warren Smith: The Rick Warren-Antichrist Conspiracy, Warren Smith: Deception in Sacramento, Warren Smith: Self-Deceived On Purpose, and Warren Smith: Still Self-Deceived On Purpose).

Interestingly, Pastor Chuck not only endorsed Warren Smith and Deceived On Purpose, but he actually had Warren Smith on the show with him as an in-studio guest. Then, later that night, Pastor Chuck featured Warren Smith as the guest speaker in the pulpit at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa for a Wednesday night Bible study (see my article Warren Smith: Still Self-Deceived On Purpose, which is a multi-point refutation of this lecture).

On Pastor Chuck's radio program, Warren Smith was allowed free reign to discuss the infiltration of the New Age Movement, pantheism, and a counterfeit spirituality into the church through a number of personalities including "Rick Warren," whom Warren Smith mentioned several times by name during the show. Warren Smith's book Deceived On Purpose was also advertised on-air as an available resource through Word for Today (listen to sound file). Later that evening, during the Wednesday night Bible study, Warren Smith again named Rick Warren directly and linked him with various actions that would be indicative of a heretic, or at the very least, someone who is unwittingly leading the church down some spiritually destructive path being paved by New Agers. Pastor Chuck introduced Warren Smith by explaining to his flock:


After the lecture, Pastor Chuck gave full support to what has been stated by Warren Smith. Pastor Chuck made the following comments in thanking Warren Smith for coming to Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa:


What exactly does Deceived On Purpose say about Rick Warren? The subtitle of this volume says it all: "The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church." It cannot get any clearer than this. Basically, Warren Smith directly accuses Rick Warren of:


So, as it stands now, we have some undeniable facts:


If Pastor Chuck in any way disagreed/disagrees with Warren Smith, then he certainly didn't make that apparent on the radio program. During his introduction of Warren Smith, Pastor Chuck glowingly declared that his guest, because of his former involvement in the New Age, could "see some of the dangers that are developing as the result of the introduction of these very practices [i.e., New Age] within the Christian church" (listen to sound file).



Regarding some of the actual things said by Warren Smith during the radio program, every reference to Rick Warren was made within the context of him and others (especially Robert Schuller) being conduits into the church for New Age teachings, spiritualities, and concepts of God. Warren Smith clearly painted them all as part of a far-reaching New Age agenda to infiltrate and deceive the church:


But if this were not bad enough, Smith himself, in direct response to caller asking about Saddleback Church, recommended that the caller (Andy) get a copy of Warren Smith's book Deceived On Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church (listen to sound file). Andy wanted to know how to handle a relative who had re-dedicated their life to Christ and was going to Saddleback. Now, thanks Pastor Chuck's solid recommendation, this individual is going to read Deceived On Purpose and think his relative is attending some kind of New Age cult led by a false teacher/deceiver blinded to the New Age influences entering the church in these last days! One can only image the kind of interpersonal conflict that is now going to arise in this family—all because Chuck Smith recommended Deceived On Purpose to Andy. This is just one example of the fallout that is bound to take place as a result of Deceived on Purpose being endorsed, recommended, and distributed by a Christian leader as well-known and influential as Chuck Smith.

So at this point, it seems beyond question that Chuck Smith apparently agrees with the assessment of Rick Warren, Saddleback Church, and Purpose Driven that can be found in Warren Smith's Deceived On Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church. If there remains any doubt, one need only listen to the glowing review that Pastor Chuck gave during his "Pastor's Perspective" radio program the day after Warren Smith spoke at Calvary Chapel. He painted his guest as being spot on with his views, saying: "[H]e is so well researched. . . . So I was very impressed by him. And I think that the message that he has is, is a real eye-opener. And should be an eye-opener to a lot of Christians today" (listen to sound file).



Given the very name of Chuck Smith's radio program—"Pastor's Perspective"—we now seem to at last have Chuck Smith's "Pastor's Perspective" on Rick Warren, Saddleback Church, and Purpose Driven. It has been suggested, however, that perhaps Pastor Chuck did not know the full extent of what was in Warren Smith's book. As one individual recently posted on a blog:


Unfortunately, Pastor Chuck (as I have shown above) did more than just have Warren Smith on the air with a book that contained a minor error here or there in an endnote/paragraph/chapter that perhaps Pastor Chuck missed. That would be fine. No problem. Such things happen. But the truth is that Warren Smith's book Deceived On Purpose is a direct assault on Rick Warren, Saddleback Church, and Purpose Driven. The very subtitle of the book is "The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church." Moreover, as noted above, when a caller asked specifically about Saddleback Church, Smith confidently said the caller needed to simply get Warren Smith's book about that issue (listen to sound file). Such a response would not seem to indicate that Pastor Chuck was unaware of the book's contents.

It must also be noted here that this is NOT guilt by association. There are certain criteria that must be met for guilt by association to be in effect. And when it comes to Warren Smith/Chuck Smith we do not see that criteria being met. We see one individual (Warren Smith) and his views being directly/blatantly promoted by a another person (Chuck Smith), who has indicated publicly that he is fully aware of that the first person’s position and shares that position by virtue of the fact that he endorsed of the first person, their views, and writings. In this case Chuck Smith firmly and resolutely endorsed Warren Smith and his book Deceived On Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church, going so far as to:


Clearly, this is NOT guilt by association, which is defined as "the attribution of guilt (without proof) to individuals because the people they associate with are guilty." Smith has done far more than simply associate with Warren Smith and his book Deceived On Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church. He has recommended, endorsed and promoted both, thereby lending his name to them, and in essence echoing their sentiments.

For an in-depth look at Warren Smith and the multitude of factual errors, false statements, flawed conclusions, and erroneous assumptions about Rick Warren that appear in his book Deceived On Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church, see my article Warren Smith: Self-Deceived On Purpose. Tragically, innumerable persons have already been introduced to Warren Smith and his book via Pastor Chuck Smith. And such individuals are now functioning under an utterly false perception of Rick Warren, Saddleback Church, and Purpose Driven.



This addendum includes three additional pieces of documentation that I found interesting. The first and second are email responses from Calvary Chapel, explaining why Rick Warren's materials were pulled from Calvary Chapel bookstores:



Both of these documents are very telling in that they each mention the term "Purpose Driven." It seems that the very term itself is offensive/disturbing to Calvary Chapel. They seem to think the term stands in contrast to being "Spirit Led" (which is, by inference, the Calvary/biblical way of doing things). This immediately indicates that there is a serious flaw in the Calvary Chapel/Chuck Smith understanding of what "Purpose Driven" even means. Being purpose-driven is tantamount to being Spirit-led, only using a different term.

Both The Purpose Driven Church and The Purpose Driven Life were Warren's attempts to simply put biblical principles for church health and personal spiritual health into an easily memorized 5-step format as follows:



Underlying anything that is Purpose Driven is the idea that it is God, by his Holy Spirit, who is leading and guiding us as individual believers and us as a corporate church.

The third item, written by Chuck Smith in 2007, rather mockingly refers to seeker-sensitive churches (which would include Saddleback Church) as “dessert-only” churches that merely entertain and do not teach scripture using the verse-by verse style (the Calvary Chapel style of preaching the Bible). It is very enlightening:

A few days after I posted the above material, I received an email from Pastor Chuck Smith (Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa). Smith was understandably angry. It was an email of moderate length that expressed his irritation over my comments and included a defense of Calvary Chapel in general. 

I replied to this first email of his, and after a few days received Pastor Chuck's answer. 

I, in turn, responded to his 2nd email, offering to discuss the issues more completely in person, or over the phone. 

To date, I have not heard anything from Pastor Chuck, and do not expect to hear from him. Consequently, to conclude this matter, I am posting my replies for the public to see.  (Note: copyright law forbids the public posting of quoted statements from private emails. Pastor Chuck's comments, therefore, have had to be replaced by simply "Smith's Comments." Also, the name of one pastor at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa has been deleted by Xxxxx Xxxxx to protect his identity. he is a good/godly man, who is not directly involved with the controversy and I have no wish to bring him into it):

---

My reply to Chuck Smith's 1st emailed response to me

Dear Pastor Chuck,

1 Tim 5:1 commands me, "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father." If I have failed to be obedient to this passage with regard to you, I ask for your forgiveness. It was not my intention to disobey scripture.

I posted my Internet articles (there are two of them now) because they seemed to be my only recourse in dealing with the issues surrounding your decision to: 1) pull Rick Warren's materials from CC; and 2) fully endorse/promote Warren Smith and his book Deceived On Purpose (not only through your "Pastor's Perspective" radio program, but also by giving him immense credibility via his use of your pulpit at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa).

I have spent the last few days taking to heart what you said to me in your email, and would ask that you permit me to respond as best I can. I am grateful that you have been patient. I pray that you take my words in the humble spirit with which they are given. (BTW, I happened to hear the other day that you've recently taken on Xxxxx Xxxxx as a pastor. I know Xxxxx very well. And if you are interested, I believe that he can vouch for my character, integrity, and love for Christ, the scriptures, the Gospel, and the body of fellow believers).


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: I have since broken up that original article you read into two separate articles. Roger and Dave are now in one article titled An In-House Conflict: Roger Oakland and Dave Hunt. You are in a different/new article titled "Chuck Smith: A Pastor's Perspective." You might want to read that second/new article since it deals directly with you, and only you. As for my mistakes and misinformation, I am certainly teachable and open to correction. I would be glad to look at any specific places where you feel I have disseminated mistakes and misinformation.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: Official, no. Unofficial, most definitely, yes—and that dates back for many years. I attended CC for quite some time, started around the time that Dave's book The Seduction of Christianity first came out in the early 1980s. Even then, he was resoundingly equated with a small group of men that regularly spoke on the CC circuit. His reputation as a known CC-speaker and accepted preacher in the CC system continues to this day. But this is all a moot point since you are no longer being connected to him or his thoughts on Rick Warren.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: Oakland like Hunt, has a deep, long-standing connection (unofficial) to the CC circuit of churches. I realize, however, that you and he are no longer on the best of terms. Nevertheless, a cursory search of the Internet will find that his name and his article Calvary Chapel and Purpose Driven are consistently being given out as the reasons for your stand against Rick Warren. And, in fact, in that article, he writes that he reflects his perceptions of why you would pull Warren's materials based on his knowledge of CC. But once more, this is a moot point, since I now discuss your views of Warren in my article that discusses you in isolation.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: Any perception of that [kind of association between you and Oakland] has now been rectified based upon your own views, which seem to be consistent with those of Warren Smith (see "Chuck Smith: A Pastor's Perspective").


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: That board member was Rob Yardly. Feel free to contact him [about my request to get those tapes of your messages]. And as for your comments about Warren from the pulpit, it has come to my attention that you most often referred to him indirectly in your sermons by talking about "that seeker church" in "Orange County" or those "Purpose Driven" churches and such. Now, once more, we are dealing with a moot issue, given your endorsement/promotion of Warren Smith and his book Deceived On Purpose, subtitled "The New Age Implications of the Purpose Driven Church." This book is a full on assault against Rick Warren by name. You even recommended it to the caller "Andy" who asked specifically about Saddleback Church. I refer you to my article wherein I respond to just some of the many false accusations/intimations made by Smith in his book against Rick Warren, Saddleback, and Purpose Driven (see Warren Smith: Self-Deceived On Purpose).


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: That remark by Rick has repeatedly been taken out of context and perverted by his critics to accuse him of denouncing "fundamentalism" as a set of orthodox, Christian, essential beliefs. But in context, he was talking about a mindset that is more about hate, than love; more about screaming than listening; more about judging, than accepting. There are all kinds of fundamentalists who are like this. And these types of people, whatever they call themselves, is what Rick was talking about—not doctrinal positions that we all hold near and dear to our hearts [see my article Rick Warren and Fundamentalism]. For information showing that Warren himself if a fundamentalist (doctrinally speaking), please feel free to read my two articles, Saddleback Church: The Cross, Sin, and Hell and "The Doctrinal Essentials of Christianity—and Rick Warren.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: This is an opinion [about your emphasis on prophesy] based on: 1) personal observation as a former attender of Calvary Chapel for many years, 2) historical evidence documenting your heartfelt belief in Hal Lindsey's 1981 date [The Late Great Planet Earth], and 3) publications since then by you that repeat, with more forcefulness than necessary (in my opinion), the imminent return of Christ. I have discussed/documented my perspective on the end-times and why I hold my position in this document Chuck Smith: A Brief History).


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: I would never want you to [not teach various books of the Bible such as Daniel, Ezekiel, Revelation]. We must teach the whole counsel of God.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: Then, let us simply deal now with your endorsement/promotion/support of Warren Smith and his materials that boldly and blatantly attack Rick Warren, Saddleback, and Purpose Driven -- falsely.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: I have always supported Calvary Chapel as a network of churches. And even in my criticisms of you [I] have voiced my overall support of you. In the article that now focuses mostly on Oakland and Hunt, I state: "Smith must be credited with having changed the face of American Christianity by welcoming the unwanted masses, and eschewing aspects of traditional church that had no connection whatsoever to his heart's passion—telling people about Jesus, and making sure that God would accept them just as they were (long hair, barefoot, and dirty)."

And I have, and still do, recommend CC to those who would fit in better at CC than at a Saddleback. Moreover, pointing out one error that I believe you have made in this area, does not in any way take away from the wonderful things that continue to be done by you and by Calvary Chapel. My very first paragraph in "Church Smith: A Pastor's Perspective" reads:

"This article is not intended as a criticism of all Calvary Chapels, all CC pastors, and certainly not all attenders Calvary Chapels. The main purpose of my article is to simply present the views of Pastor Chuck Smith on Rick Warren, based on his own words and actions. I harbor no animosity toward Chuck Smith and greatly admire all that he has done for God in in many years of ministry. Similarly, I admire the Calvary Chapel system of churches, which has contributed significantly to spreading the Gospel and reaching out to the poor, sick, and destitute."


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: Pastor Chuck, one thing I learned under Raul Ries was, as he always used to say, "No one is beyond correction." I believe you have made a serious error in your views on Rick Warren and your promotion of Deceived On Purpose, which is a divisive book built on half-truths, misinformation, disinformation, flawed thinking, paranoia, and wild/irresponsible accusations against a brother in the Lord who is calling people to Jesus (and by implication, all of us at Saddleback are being slandered as well). My goal is healing, restoration, unity, and reconciliation. But that will not happen without truth.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: Well, that is not Warren Smith is preaching [about Rick Warren]. Nor is that what is in Deceived On Purpose, which is now in the hands of trusting members of Calvary Chapels who are reading it with an understanding that you endorse/support its contents.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: "Pastor's Perspective" is certainly not hearsay. And that [i.e., Pastor's Perspective"] is what I discuss in the article now directly relating to you, and only you.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: You have just used the analogy of the pot calling the kettle black. Well, did you follow the careful practice of seeking to discover the truth about the absolute falsehoods in Warren Smith's book before distributing it to the flock of God? That book contains so many false accusations and so much misinformation/disinformation about Warren, Saddleback, and Purpose Driven that I would need an entire book to refute it. Pastor Chuck, in all humility, with as much respect as I can muster, you are the one who did not search out the truth.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: It was a wasted meeting [between Dave Hunt and Rick Warren] for show only [apparently].


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: I did seek to talk with you—two years ago. I made that request several times to Rob Yardly. The meeting was never arranged.

---

Pastor Chuck,

Thank you for writing back in such a timely manner. I know you are terribly busy, and that this is probably not something you want to have take you away from your pastoral duties. I realize that. Allow me, however, to finalize my thoughts and quickly reply to what you have stated here.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: Yes. I agree. We do need to be careful lest we devour each other. I have had to counsel and comfort many in God's flock who have come to me in tears after having heard many terrible and false things said about Rick, Saddleback, and Purpose Driven. Some of them have been very young and frightened. They were deeply wounded and stumbled. My heart is for them, and for truth. That is all.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: Yes. My point exactly. And one of those [people] adding to the problem in the apologetic world is Warren Smith (among too many others) and his book. I was hoping that there might be a way that you could find to correct the wrong impressions about Pastor Rick, Saddleback, and Purpose Driven that are now certainly being held by those who heard Warren Smith and have read (are reading) his book.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: I agree. We must remember who the enemy is.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: I would not see these two situations as analogous. Obama came to speak specifically on AIDS. And what he said about AIDS, Warren expressed support for. That is all. Hilary came because ALL of the candidates were invited to a political forum, but she was the only one who showed up (unfortunately). So that had more to do with the other candidates who didn't show up than anything else.

But with Warren Smith, it is a different story. His very purpose (no pun intended) for being at CC was to warn believers about the infiltration of the church by the New Age Movement—which is what you wanted him to speak on. And during the radio show, you directly endorsed and recommended his book, which is specifically against Rick Warren, Saddleback, and Purpose Driven teachings.

You even recommended Deceived On Purpose personally to the caller Andy. He wanted to know how to handle a relative who had re-dedicated their life to Christ and was now going to Saddleback. He's going to read Deceived On Purpose because you told him to read it. Now, he's going to think that his relative is attending some kind of New Age cult led by a false teacher/deceiver blinded to the New Age influences entering the church in these last days! One can only imagine the kind of interpersonal conflict that is now going to arise in this family.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: Guilt by association? I am confused here.


These are the bottom line questions. In the absence of anything from you saying you didn't agree with Warren Smith and Deceived On Purpose, given your direct promotion of him and his book, it would seem obvious that you agree with him.

Now, if you have changed your mind, or if you were not aware of what was actually in the book before recommending it, then that presents us with a different situation; a situation that would require a different solution. I leave that up to you.


> SMITH'S COMMENTS
RESPONSE: I shall answer: When the body of Christ is divided, Christ bleeds. You bleed. I bleed. We all bleed. We all weep. We are all injured because it is contrary to God's will, and in opposition to the example Christ gave us. Bringing correction, pointing out errors, and asking in humility for mistakes to be made right does not divide the Body of Christ. What divides the Body of Christ is bearing false witness against your brother, lying to each other, not listening when truth is being spoken, not being willing to see when the picture is brought into focus.

Here is my closing thought: The truth is that Warren Smith, through his book Deceived On Purpose, is poisoning and harming the Body of Christ far more than the New Age could ever poison or harm it. I pray that the right thing will be done. That's all.

I love you. I respect you. I admire you. And THAT is why I have done what I have done. For the One who saved both you and me. For the One who died on Calvary. For the only Way, the only TRUTH, and the only Life.

One in Him,

R. Abanes

Feel free to contact me anytime by email, by phone, or in person.
XXX-XXX-XXXX