04 the emerging church and the one project part 4

THE EMERGING
CHURCH  
& 
THE ONE PROJECT? 
PART 4 
 
 
“LEONARD SWEET” 
PART 3 OF LEONARD SWEET
1

Leonard Sweet & the Emerging Church?
2
Sometime
in
the
spring
of
2010
Leonard

Sweet
wrote
a
response
to
criticism

about
his
association
with
New
Age
and

Emerging
Church
ideas.
His
response

should
be
educational
especially
in
light

of
what
is
being
promoted
in
our
SDA

schools.
There
are
similar
arguments

made
by
those
pushing
the
Emerging

Church
movement
in
our
church
which

can
easily
blow
off
those
with
legitimate

concerns.

Leonard Sweet, the New Age & the Emerging Church?
¨ “But Jesus-following and God-pleasing--not people-pleasing--
can sometimes lead me up a hill, often carrying a cross. It can
mean being silent when accused, even refusing to defend
myself or push back when my faith or character is unjustly
attacked by brothers and sisters in the faith. …”
¨ “I take my commitment to those whom I may influence by my
ministry very seriously. And it is for this reason that I pause
now to address some issues of faith that are dear to my heart
and important to the many followers of Jesus who look to me
for guidance, hope and inspiration as we journey together in the
path of Christ. …”
¨ “[L]et me now take the opportunity to address some of these
accusations----to correct where misunderstandings have
occurred, to concur if called for, and to adamantly restate when
gross inaccuracies have altered the meaning of my writings and
evangelism.”
3
The
I
am
being
persecuted
argument.

Leonard Sweet & the Emerging
Church?
¨ “Let me say first of all that for me, New Age rhymes
with sewage. I have such a low threshold for Gaia
worship that in the middle of the movie ‘Avatar’ I had
to take a break, so severe was my attack of Gaiarrhea.
…”
¨ “‘The Secret’ of the universe is not that you can have life
your way. ‘The Secret’ is that Jesus is The Way
(Colossians 3). Jesus did not come to make us divine.
Jesus came to show us how to be authentically what
God made us to be--human.”
4

5
Gaia
was
the
goddess
or
personification
of
Earth
in
ancient

Greek
religion.

Sweet’s
claims
don’t
line
up
though
with
other
books
he
wrote

the
same
year
(2010).
If
he
truly
had
such
a
problem
with
New

Age,
pantheistic
ideas,
why
does
he
quote
so
much
from
those

with
these
beleifs?

Notice
that
similar
claims
are
made
today
by
those
pushing

new
views
into
the
SDA
church.
Also
remember
that
Kellogg

claimed
he
was
doing
nothing
wrong.
He
claimed
he
was
not

writing
about
that
which
Ellen
White
accused
him
of,
and
that

he
was
only
writing
what
she
had
been
writing
about
for
years.

¨ “I wrote a book 20 years ago called Quantum Spirituality, ... Back
when ‘New Age’ was a movement, I was inspired by the brilliance
of the Apostle Paul in evangelizing pagans, to show how even New
Agers, like atheists or other non-Christian groups, could be
evangelized for orthodox Christianity if only we learn how to
speak to them. For example, the recovery movement language of
‘higher power’ or ‘higher consciousness’ can be turned into ‘Christ
consciousness.’ Instead of ‘New Age,’ we might adopt and adapt
the ‘New Light’ language of Charles G. Finney….”
¨ “Would I write the same book today? No. Would I say some things
differently? Yes. … But this was the first book to examine the
challenges confronting Christianity as it entered into the uncharted
waters of a new post-Gutenberg, post-Christian, postmodern
culture, and I quoted and referenced New Age thinkers who
seemed to ‘get’ this cultural transition better than the church did
while I outlined avenues of approach to their minds and hearts.”
6
These
are
straw
men
responses,
and
don’t
really
answer
the
true
issues
at
stake.
Plus
it
appears
that
Sweet

hasn’t
changed
his
underlying
philosophy,
only
the
words
he
uses
to
present
it,
thus
making
it
more
subtle.

¨ “By quoting and referencing people outside the faith, I am doing
nothing more than Peter, Paul and Jesus himself did. …
speaking their language to get their hearing, yet not
compromising the gospel at the same time. Because I quote
someone does not mean I agree with everything that person ever
wrote. Paul quoted pagan philosophers in the Book of Acts. …
The key consideration to whether I quoted someone was not ‘Do
I agree with them?’ but ‘Does this quote energize the
conversation?’ ‘Guilt by association’ is intellectually
disreputable and injurious to the whole body of Christ.”
¨ “It is doubly ironic that I am under attack for being Emergent or
a leader in the ‘emerging church’ movement when I am known
in emerging church circles as one of its severest critics.”
7
Sweet
quoted
New
Age
authors
as
authorities
in
Quantum
Spirituality.
This
is
not
an
issue
of
“guilt
by

association.”

He
continues
to
do
the
same
in
many
of
his
newer
books
as
well.
Sweet
would
be
hard
put

to
claim
he
was
not
part
of
the
Emerging
Church
Movement.
For
him,
like
many
others,
he
seems
to
have

no
problem
with
the
Ecumenism
prophesied
in
Revelation,
which
would
take
place
right
before
Christ

return.

¨ “The ‘emerging church’ is a young movement grown old very
quickly because:
1. It is prone to cause political ruckus when it should be rocking the
world for Christ;
2. It is missing a hunger and longing for the salvation of others, a
passion for others to fall in love with Jesus and the sense that there
are things at stake here that have both earthly and eternal
consequences . . .
3. It appears more and more to be a new evangelical form of the old
70s liberation theology
4. It makes the mistake of separating the Person of Jesus from His
teachings
5. It deconstructs everything, including the historic creeds of the
church and the divine inspiration of the entire biblical canon
6. It revels in spreading doubt more than faith.” (http://
www.leonardsweet.com/response.php)
8
Sweet’s
description
of
the
Emerging
Church
Movement
is
fairly
accurate.
Unfortunately
he
does
not

seem
to
see
how
he
has
in
the
past
and
is
at
present
supporting
the
movement
through
his

associations
and
books.

Leonard Sweet & the Emerging
Church? A Response!
¨ “So his theology hasn’t changed despite what
he said in his rather patronizing ‘A Response to
Recent Misunderstandings’ filled with
postmodern Humpty Dumpty language; the
truth is, … nothing [Sandy Simpson] quotes
Sweet as saying … has been retracted.” (http://
apprising.org/2010/09/13/giving-leonard-sweet-a-nudge/)

Leonard Sweet & the Emerging Church? A Response!
10
Ken
Silva
refers
to
“Sandy
Simpson”
and
an
article
he
wrote
detailing
quotes
from
Leonard
Sweet’s

recent
books
which
shows
Sweet
has
not
changed.
(http://apprising.org/2010/09/13/giving-‐leonard-‐
sweet-‐a-‐nudge/).
Ken
Silva
then
quotes
from
a
recent
tweet
by
Sweet
which
also
shows
that
his

“Response”
didn’t
change
the
ambiguous
way
he
has
been
writing
and
speaking
as
of
May
12,
2010.
Thus
Sweet
has
not
really
changed.

Emerging Church Books by Leonard Sweet!
11
Again,
as
of
Oct.
2012,

we
still
find
this
listing

on
Christianbook.com,

advertising
Sweets

books
under
the

Emerging
Church

Books
section.
If
Sweet

has
nothing
to
do
with

the
Emerging
Church

movement
then
why

all
these
books
listed

here?

Nudge: Awakening Each Other to the God
Who’s Already There
12
Nudge:
Awakening
Each
Other
to
the

God
Who’s
Already
There,
Sept.
2010

release.
Notice
the
interesting
illustration

of
a
fingerprint
representing
Christianity,

already
imbedded
in
our
finger
print.

What
does
this
mean?

For
an
interesting

response
to
this
book,
look
up:
(http://
apprising.org/2010/09/13/giving-‐leonard-‐sweet-‐a-‐
nudge/)
Sweet
has
some
good
points
in
this
book,

suggesting
that
we
think
we
are
taking

Jesus
to
share
with
someone,
when
in
fact

Jesus
has
already
been
working
in
that

persons
life,
but
some
of
his
concepts
go

too
far,
a
mixture
of
truth
and
error.

Nudge:…God Who’s Already There 
Book Description
¨ “Evangelism is about reaching out to others. Really? You
think? Brace yourself. In Nudge, author Leonard Sweet
sets out to revolutionize our understanding of
evangelism. He defines evangelism as ‘nudge’ –
awakening each other to the God who is already there.
Sweet’s revolution promises to affect your encounters
with others, as well as shaking the very roots of your own
faith. So brace yourself.”
¨ (http://www.amazon.com/Nudge-Awakening-Other-Already-There/
dp/B004HB1BLU/ref=sr_1_1?
s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348120188&sr=1-1&keywords=nudge+leonard
+sweet)
13
As
typical
of
many
Emerging
books,
the
book
description
starts
by
questioning

evangelism;
starts
with
a
statement
of
doubt.
“Really?
You
think?”

Book Review
¨ “In his newest book … Leonard Sweet makes the case that there is
something fundamentally wrong with the way Christians conduct
evangelism in today's society. His central assertion is that, like a door-
to-door pots and pans salesman, we view our mission to convey the
message of the gospel as using fear tactics to convince people of a
problem they previously didn't know they had for which we just
‘happen’ to have the solution. The author's vision of what post-modern
evangelism should look like is quite different. He spells this out in his
concept of nudging people toward Jesus.”
¨ “However, it is in the explanation of what Nudge is that we see the first
subtle touches of Sweet's panentheistic worldview and the waters of
the River of Life begin to get muddied. In his own words, Sweet writes,
‘Evangelism is NOT bringing God to people or taking Jesus to the
unsaved.’ His core assertion is that, ‘Nudge is NOT bringing people to
Jesus or introducing someone they don't know but should. Nudge is
introducing people to the ‘Jesus in them’, to the God they already
know, but don't know it.’” cont.
14
Pantheism
once
again.

Book Review
¨ “To the casual reader, these may seem like innocuous phrases; but to
any believer with a fundamental understanding of the supernatural
transformation worked inside of us at the moment of salvation
[conversion] as outlined in the New Testament - the very core of the
Gospel message - these quotes reveal the crevasse-like fractures in the
foundation of Sweet's worldview, and as a result his concept of
evangelism.”
¨ “Let me be clear, however. Sweet is NOT incorrect in his premise that
the church's traditional means of evangelizing is flawed. By and large,
the ubiquitous ‘salvation message’ … is a watered-down version of the
scriptural too-good-to-be-true news Jesus and the apostles preached. …
This easily packaged gospel is so prevalent in our western culture that
the vast majority of Americans have come across it at least once in their
lives. As a result it does serve as a vaccine against the reality altering,
miracle working power of God unto salvation that Jesus came to
perform in our lives. In other words, people have a ‘been there, done
that, bought the T-shirt, played the Burger King scratch off game’ view
of Christianity.“ (http://www.amazon.com/Nudge-Awakening-Other-Already-There/product-reviews /
B004HB1BLU/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_hist_one?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addOneStar&showViewpoints=0)
15

Ellen White’s Warning
¨ “There is but one power that can break the hold of evil from the hearts of men,
and that is the power of God in Jesus Christ. Only through the blood of the
Crucified One is there cleansing from sin. His grace alone can enable us to
resist and subdue the tendencies of our fallen nature. This power the
spiritualistic theories concerning God make of no effect. If God is an essence
pervading all nature, then He dwells in all men; and in order to attain
holiness, man has only to develop the power that is within him.”¨
¨ “These theories, followed to their logical conclusion, sweep away the whole
Christian economy. They do away with the necessity for the atonement and
make man his own savior. These theories regarding God make His word of no
effect, and those who accept them are in great danger of being led finally to
look upon the whole Bible as a fiction. They may regard virtue as better than
vice; but God being removed from His position of sovereignty, they place their
dependence upon human power, which, without God, is worthless. …”
¨ “Those who continue to hold these spiritualistic theories will surely spoil their Christian
experience, sever their connection with God, and lose eternal life. The sophistries
regarding God and nature that are flooding the world with skepticism are the
inspiration of the fallen foe, who is himself a Bible student, who knows the truth that it
is essential for the people to receive, and whose study it is to divert minds from the great
truths given to prepare them for what is coming upon the world. I have seen the results
of these fanciful views of God, in apostasy, spiritualism, and free-lovism.” (Ellen G.
White, Testimonies, vol. 8, pp. 291-292)
16

I Am A Follower
17
I
Am
A
Follower:
The
Way,
Truth
and

Life
of
Following
Jesus,
Jan.
2012;

Notice:
“Leonard
Sweet
is
a

theological
poet.”—Shane
Claiborne.

(on
cover)

“Its
never
been
about
leading”.
(on

cover
at
bottom).

This
is
one
of
the
books
given
out
at

Seattle
Gathering
of
The
One
Project.

18
North American
Division’s
Chaplain/Campus
Ministries
Convention

I Am A Follower 
Book Description
¨ “Immersed in a society that worships success, we have succumbed
to a trendy fixation with leadership. In I Am a Follower, author
Leonard Sweet explains how Christians in a twenty-first-century
corporate-obsessed culture have shifted away from a Jesus art of
following toward a popularized form of leading.”
¨ “Through a colorful mélange of practical applications, imaginative
metaphors, and probing biblical exposition based in gospel truth,
Sweet reveals that the summons of Jesus and the message of the
New Testament point clearly to an emphasis not on imitation but
on incarnation, not on leading but on following.”
¨ “Join Sweet on an exciting and intentional journey from leadership
cult to followership culture.” (http://www.amazon.com/Am-Follower-Truth-
Following-Jesus/product-reviews/0849946387/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_hist_ one?ie=UTF8&
filterBy=addOneStar&showViewpoints=0)
19

Brennon Kirstein
Southern Adv. Univ.
Paddy McCoy
Walla Walla Univ.
Kevin Kibble
Southern Adv. Univ.
Mario Ceballos
Lafﬁt Cortez
Paciﬁc Union
College
Japhet De Oliveira Boulder, CO
Formerly Andrews University
Reynold Acosta
Florida Hosp. College
Dilys Brooks
Loma Linda Univ.
Buell Fogg
Union College
Rich Carlson
Union College
Delwin Finch
Web Church Pastor
Jose Bourget
Andrews University
S. Joseph Kidder
Andrews University
Bill Crofton
Florida Hosp. College
Notice in the background under the Andrew University logo it says, “FOLLOWER”.
Sweets book was passed out at The One Project conference. Notice how many
individuals here are connected with The One Project.

LomaLindaUniv.
LaSierraUniv.
LeonardSweet
FormerlyAndrewsUniv.
Notice how many of our educational institutions were represented.

I Am A Follower 
Leonard Sweet’s own words in this book.
¨ Sufi poet Kabir: “‘Tell me, What is God? God is the breath inside
the breath.’”
¨ “True followers of the way of Jesus are always aware of their
breathing. They are not only in touch with the external ways of the
world but also in tune with the internal sounds of life breathing
around them and inside them. They are tuning forks for others to
follow their respirations. All of creation is made alive with the holy
breath of the Creator.”
¨ “Breathing Yahweh breath is breathing the holy breath of life.
Yahweh. … our breathing and heartbeat are in tune with the name.
Breathe in ‘Yah’ and breathe out ‘weh’ … I guarantee you will
relax. The fact that we breathe the breath of God means our
identity is also in him.”
¨ “In the Hebrew texts, the name Yahweh … is expressed as the
tetragrammaton, the four letters yud hey vav heh, or YHWH. And
while the name itself is without gender, the letters vav and heh
represent the male and female forces of Providence.[4]”
23

I Am A Follower 
Leonard Sweet’s own words continued…
¨ “A Spirit-filled church is a praying church. It is a church with big
Upper Rooms where followers pray without ceasing, attentive to
the movements of the Spirit. It is not a church filled with program
and agenda rooms but an Upper Room church in touch with both
its roots and its wings. In prayer, followers are aware of breathing.
When we are breathing Yahweh breath, the air between me and
you is sprayed with prayer. . . .”
¨ “Life in the Spirit involves not only breathing but also moving,
seeing, and listening. The Spirit breathes within us, moves among
us, reveals to us. As God moves us through life and his(story), we
sail as pneumanauts on the edges of the wind. . . .”
24
On
the
following
page,
Sweet
seems
to
start
the
paragraph
out
good
but
then
continues
the
same

thoughts
as
before
making
it
clear
that
he
is
connecting
these
ideas
with
contemplative,
centering

prayer
so
common
among
the
Emerging
Church
movement.
Also
pits
programs
and
agendas
or

plans
against
prayer,
Why?
“His(story)”
is
another
catch
phrase
of
the
movement.

I Am A Follower 
Leonard Sweet’s own words continued…
¨ “Our lives need to be moving with Jesus and gyrating in the winds of his
gospel. Only by untaming our minds can we hope to see and hear the truth
within the world. . . .”
¨ “Life in the Spirit is a lectio dvina life. These words refer to a traditional
Catholic practice usually translated at “holy reading.” It is often defined as
“praying the Scriptures,” but the discipline is actually more tied to careful
listening for the voice of God. When we listen and look for the animations,
ruminations, and illuminations of the Spirit, we engage in a prayer that
tells God we are ready to receive the divine revelation.”
¨ “Lection divina is one example of spiritual discipline that allow us to tune
in to the reverberations and waves of the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of love
and life. There is nothing more immodest than lectio divina, for it leaves
the participant exposed, standing naked before God. The process is
traditionally practiced in four phases. …The Irish-Belgian monk Dom
Columba Marmion (1858-1925) gave these four phases their classic
expression.” (I Am A Follower, pp. 235-237).
25
What
clergy
is
Sweet
quoting
from?

The
issue
seems
to
be
not
with
clergy,
but

clergy
that
don’t
agree
with
the
Emerging
church
movement.

Sound
familiar?

26
“What
is
the
Lectio
Divina?
The
word
Lectio
Divina
is
Latin
for
‘divine
reading,’

‘spiritual
reading,’
or
‘holy
reading’
and
represents
a
method
of
prayer
and
scriptural

reading
intended
to
promote
communion
with
God
and
to
provide
special
spiritual

insights.
The
principles
of
lectio
divina
were
expressed
around
the
year
A.D.
1620[?]

and
practiced
by
Catholic
monks,
especially
the
monastic
rules
of
Sts.
Pachomius,

Augustine,
Basil,
and
Benedict. 
Today,
this
practice
that
has
been
kept
alive
in
the
tradition
of
Benedictine
monastic’s

and
it’s
not
only
popular
among
Catholics,
it
has
gained
acceptance
in
other
faiths

and,
more
recently,
in
the
emerging
church.
Today
it
is
better
know
as
contemplative

prayer.
…

In
order
to
practice
lectio
divina,
select
a
time
and
place
that
is
peaceful
and
in
which

you
may
be
alert
and
prayerfully
attentive.
Dispose
yourself
for
prayer
in
whatever

way
is
natural
for
you.
This
may
be
a
spoken
prayer
to
God
to
open
you
more
fully
to

the
Spirit,
a
gentle
relaxation
process
that
focuses
on
breathing,
singing
or
chanting,

or
simply
a
few
minutes
of
silence
to
empty
yourself
of
thoughts,
images,
and

emotions.
… 
The
Lectio
Divina
has
the
potential
to
become,
and
often
does
become
a
mystical

experience
pursuit
in
which
the
goal
is
to
empty
the
mind
and
freely
empower
oneself

unknown
sub
conscience
powers
.
While
the
Christian’s
often
try
justify
the
use
of
the

Lectio
Divina
because
of
use
Scriptures
to
pursue
the
knowledge
of
God,
wisdom,
and

holiness
in
this
prayer
method.
This
however
does
not
mean
that
the
end
justify
the

means.”

(http://www.empoweredbychrist.org/-‐what-‐is-‐the-‐lectio-‐divina.html)

I Am A Follower 
Unsolicited Book Reviews
¨ “The longer I read, the more the author seemed to distrust or
disapprove of church leadership in general, and I’m not sure
if much of his philosophy in the topic is entirely biblical.
Much of the discussion seems to ignore or gloss over
examples of Church leadership in Acts, or descriptions of
leaders in New Testament epistles.” (Alexis Wisniewski)
¨ “In the midst of these ramblings, Sweet rails against clergy,
suggesting that ‘we have come to believe that most
Christians cannot follow Christ on their own’ (180), yet he
not only quotes several members of the clergy throughout
the book, he himself by virtue of the written word is
functioning effectively as a member of the clergy and making
the very same assumption that his readers cannot follow
Christ on their own.” (cont.)
27

I Am A Follower 
Unsolicited Book Review
¨ “It's difficult to miss the irony of someone who’s authored nearly
50 books attacking clergy for having ‘come to believe that most
Christians cannot follow Christ on their own.’ Moreover, the meat
of Sweet's meditations, seems to be lost in the pendulum-like
swings between overly casual language (e.g. calling the Holy Spirit
‘Coach Ghost’ and excessive use of the term ‘first follower’) and
technical jargon (e.g. ‘semiotics’ and ‘solipsistic’).”
¨ “Sweet shares extensive meditations on the three metaphors of
Jesus in his well-known saying recorded in John 14:6, ‘I am the way
and the truth and the life.’ Unfortunately, these meditations read
more like stream-of-consciousness ramblings than carefully
thought-out ruminations on these metaphors. It is not uncommon
for Sweet to make startling assertions for which he provides little if
any warrant,…” (Keith Clark) (http://www.amazon.com/Am-Follower-Truth-Following-
Jesus/product-reviews/0849946387/ref=cm_cr_pr_hist_2?ie= UTF8&showView
points=0&filterBy=addTwoStar)
28

29
Keith
Clark
continues:

“‘Streams-‐of-‐consciousness’
is
new
age/spiritualistic

thought
couched
in
pseudo-‐religious
language.
…
It
is
not

uncommon
for
Sweet
to
make
startling
assertions
for

which
he
provides
little
if
any
warrant,
such
as
his
attack

on
the
focus
on
spiritual
giftedness
(pp.
161-‐169),
or
his

claim
that
‘the
new
relationality
of
the
localized
and

organic
.
.
.
is
creating
a
web
of
strength
and
a
fortress
of

freedom
that
won't
be
broken
or
pulled
asunder’
(p.
176),

or
his
discussion
of
New
Testament
notions
of
priesthood

and
church
polity
(pp.
174-‐178),
or
his
baseless

contention
that
‘the
major
fruit
of
the
Spirit
is
joy’
(p.

252).
Really?”

Viral: How Social Networking is
Poised to Ignite Revival
30
Viral:
How
Social

Networking
is
Poised
to

Ignite
Revival,
March
2012.

The Voice Bible
31
The
Voice
Bible,
April
2012.

Sweet
was
one

of
120
scholars
that
contributed
to

produce
this
paraphrased
Bible.

Some
of
the
reviews
of
this
paraphrase
are

not
so
glowing:

“Even
more
alarming
is
John
6:39
,
The

Voice:
‘He
sent
Me
to
care
for
all
He
has

given
Me
so
that
nothing
and
no
one
will

perish.
In
the
end,
on
the
last
day,
He

wants
everything
to
be
resurrected
into

new
life.’”
(http://www.amazon.com/The-‐Voice-‐Bible-‐Story-‐
Scripture/product-‐reviews/1418549010/ref=cm_cr_pr_hist_2?
ie=UTF8&filterBy=addTwoStar&showViewpoints=0)

 
Some
felt
“The
Voice
is
not
a
Bible.
It

leaves
out
Jesus
Christ
and
uses
New
Age

lingo.
It's
dangerous!”

The Voice Bible  
Book Description
32
¨ “The Voice™ is a faithful dynamic equivalent translation that
reads like a story with all the truth and wisdom of God's
Word. Through compelling narratives, poetry, and teaching, The
Voice invites readers to enter into the whole story of God with
their heart, soul, and mind, enabling them to hear God speaking
and to experience His presence in their lives. Through a
collaboration of nearly 120 biblical scholars, pastors, writers,
musicians, poets, and artists, The Voice recaptures the passion,
grit, humor, and beauty that is often lost in the translation
process. The result is a retelling of the story of the Bible in a
form as fluid as modern literary works yet painstakingly true to
the original manuscripts.”
¨ (http://www.amazon.com/The-Voice-Bible-Story-Scripture/dp/1418549010/
ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348955039&sr=8-1&keywords=the+voice+bible)

The Greatest Story Never Told
33
The
Greatest
Story
Never
Told,

May
2012.
Sweet’s
book

evidently
written
toward
his

Methodist
church
upbringings.

The Greatest Story Never Told 
Book Description
34
¨ “The essence of Methodism’s genius resides in two famous
Wesleyan mantras: “heart strangely warmed” (inward
experiences with a fire in the heart) and “the world is our
parish” (outward experiences with waterfalls of cutting-edge
intelligence). For Wesley, internal combustion, the former, led to
external combustion, the latter. “
¨ “In the 18th century, Methodists in general (and in their
younger years, the Wesley brothers themselves) were accused of
being too ‘sexy.’ What else could all those ‘love feasts’ and
‘strangely warmed hearts’ be about? Why else were all those
women in positions of leadership? With this book the author
hopes to bring back to life some of Methodism’s sexiness so that
our current reproduction crisis can be reversed.” (http://
www.amazon.com/Greatest-Story-Never-Told-Revive/dp/1426740328)
Sweet
seems
to
make
light
of
the
great
Wesleyan
heritage
of
justification

and
sanctification
by
faith
calling
it
a
mantra,
and
adding
sexual
metaphors.

35
“At
a
meeting
of
the
Moravian
society
in
London,
a

statement
was
read
from
Luther,
describing
the
change

which
the
Spirit
of
God
works
in
the
heart
of
the
believer.

As
Wesley
listened,
faith
was
kindled
in
his
soul.
“I
felt

my
heart
strangely
warmed,”
he
says.
“I
felt
I
did
trust
in

Christ,
Christ
alone,
for
salvation;
and
an
assurance
was

given
me
that
he
had
taken
away
my
sins,
even
mine,
and

saved
me
from
the
law
of
sin
and
death.”

Great
Controversy,
1888
ed.,
p.
256

Jesus a Theography
36
Jesus:
A
Theography,
Oct.

2012
a
book
written
along
with

Frank
Viola,
see
presentation
3

for
more
on
Viola’s

background.

The
book
description
makes
a

wild
claim
that
no
book
has

been
written
until
now
on
the

history
of
Jesus
in
the
OT

combined
with
theology
of

Jesus.
Perhaps
it
is
true
only
in

the
context
of
Emerging

Church
authors.

Jesus a Theography  
Book Description / Review
37
¨ “Biographies of Jesus generally have been written by those
trying to investigate the historical Jesus with little
attention given to the grand narrative of Scripture. On the
flip side, those interested in tracing the theology of
Scripture are typically disinterested in historical Jesus
studies. These two approaches have yet to converge...until
now.” (Book Description)
¨ “I also really appreciated the appendix on Post-Apostolic
Witness, including pronouncements by Aquinas, Wesley,
Bonhoeffer, and Wright among many others.” (Book
Review)
(http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-A-Theography-Leonard-Sweet/dp/0849947022/ref=sr_1_ 1?
ie= UTF8&qid =1348959042&sr=8-1&keywords=jesus a+theography)

George Fox University  
History of Quaker Movement
38
Before
we
look
at

George
Fox

University’s

graduate
program

where
Leonard

Sweet
is
a
leading

professor,
we
need

to
take
a
look
at
how

the
George
Fox

University
got
its

name.

39
¨ “George Fox was a leader in a 17th-century Christian awakening from
which came the Quaker movement (now known as the Society of Friends or
the Friends Church). During civil strife between royalist and parliamentary
forces, the movement spread rapidly across England and in American
colonies, … Many early adherents were drawn from Seeker communities of
Northern England. These Christians, disillusioned with monopolistic state
religion, whether Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, or Independent, had
been meeting informally for Bible study and prayer. George Fox forcefully
articulated their criticism of the institutional church for its secondhand
faith, sin-excusing doctrine, hireling ministry, and compromise with
political powers.” (http://www.georgefox.edu/about/history/namesake.html)
¨ “Fox lived in a time of great social upheaval and war. He rebelled against
the religious and political authorities by proposing an unusual and
uncompromising approach to the Christian faith. He travelled throughout
Britain as a dissenting preacher, for which he was often persecuted by the
authorities who disapproved of his beliefs.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Fox)
¨ “[Quaker’s] founder was George Fox who at that time suffered severe spiritual
depression from the spectacle of human suffering and from the doctrine of
predestination he heard preached from Puritan pulpits.” (Howard Peth, The Dangers of
Contemplative Prayer, p. 50)

40
George
Fox
lived
during
time
of
reformation
(1624-‐1691).

George
Fox
was
rebelling
against
much
of
the
corruption
of

the
church
of
Rome
and
of
England
and
even
Calvinism,
but

he
went
too
far.

It
appears
that
modern
day
Quakers
in

some
respects
have
rejected
those
aspects
of
George
Fox

that
were
admirable
and
kept
and
promoted
those
aspects

that
are
most
questionable.
Fox
stood
for
liberty
of

conscious,
but
his
ideas
of
liberty
went
beyond
biblical

terms.
Today,
equal
rights
is
defined
by
Quakers
to
mean

ordination
of
women,
and
homosexual
clergy.
Gay
marriage

is
accepted
as
a
norm.
Although
pacifist,
they
are
led
to
false

views
about
judgment,
etc.
They
are
also
becoming
very

Ecumenical
in
nature.

41
What
Ellen
White
had
to
say
about
false
doctrine
of

predestination:
“The
errors
of
popular
theology
have

driven
many
a
soul
to
skepticism
who
might
otherwise

have
been
a
believer
in
the
Scriptures.
It
is
impossible

for
him
to
accept
doctrines
which
outrage
his
sense
of

justice,
mercy,
and
benevolence;
and
since
these
are

represented
as
the
teaching
of
the
Bible,
he
refuses
to

receive
it
as
the
word
of
God.”
(GC
525)

“The
appalling
views
of
God
which
have
spread
over

the
world
from
the
teachings
of
the
pulpit
have
made

thousands,
yes,
millions,
of
skeptics
and
infidels.”

{GC
536.2}

History of Quaker Movement: Beliefs
42
¨ “Friends believe that there exists element of God's spirit in
every human soul. The Patheos website states: ‘Friends don't
teach that human nature is inherently sinful. On the contrary,
the heart of Quakerism is the belief in an Inner Light, a part
of God's spirit that dwells in every human soul.’ … There is a
strong mystical component to Quaker belief.”(http://
www.religioustolerance.org/quaker2.htm )
¨ “Quakers believe that there is something of God in
everybody and that each human being is of unique worth. …
The light of God is in every single person… Fox got into
political trouble because of his idea that there was something
‘of God in every person’”. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion /religions/christianity/
subdivisions/quakers_1.shtml)
Statement
of
beliefs
has
this
preface:
“As
with
all
large
denominations,
individual
Quakers
are
religiously

diverse.
Their
beliefs
range
from
Evangelical
(conservative)
to
liberal.
The
following
beliefs
are
common
to

most
Quakers:”

Notice
the
false
Hindu,
pantheistic
idea
of
god
in
all
men.
For
Ellen
White’s
response
to

this
idea
see
slide
15
above.

43
¨ “Though Fox used the Bible to support his views, Fox reasoned that,
because God was within the faithful, believers could follow their
own inner guide rather than rely on a strict reading of Scripture or
the word of clerics.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Fox)
¨ “Many do not regard the Bible as the only source of belief and conduct.
They rely upon their Inner Light to resolve what they perceive as the Bible's
many contradictions. They also feel free to take advantage of scientific and
philosophical findings from other sources. … Their religion does not consist
of accepting specific beliefs or of engaging in certain practices; it involves
each person's direct experience of God.” (http://www.religioustolerance.org/quaker2.htm )
¨ “Quakers seek religious truth in inner experience, and place great reliance
on conscience as the basis of morality.… Most Quakers regard the Bible as a
very great inspirational book but they don't see it as the only one, and so
they read other books that can guide their lives. … Reasons for disliking
theology include: Theology distracts people from looking for the ‘inner
light’ and responding to it.” (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions /christianity/subdivisions/
quakers_1.shtml)
“Pantheism
is
the
pagan
belief
that
‘ALL
is
God.’
Panentheism
is
its
twin
that
says,
‘God
is
In
everyone
and

everything.’
The
Quakers—like
the
Hindus,
Buddhists,
and
New
Agers—are
panentheists.”
(Howard
Peth,
The

Dangers
of
Contemplative
Prayer,
p.
50)

44
¨ “Fox also made no clear distinction between Father, Son and Holy
Spirit.”
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Fox)
¨ “They believe that God grows and changes with his creation and
believe that God continues to tell human beings what they should do.”
¨ “Worship: Quaker communal worship consists of silent waiting, with
participants contributing as the spirit moves them.
¨ Are Quakers Christian? Although outsiders usually regard the
movement as a Christian denomination, not all Quakers see
themselves as Christians; some regard themselves as members of a
universal religion that (for historical reasons) has many Christian
elements. Tolerance is part of the Quaker approach to life, so Quakers
are willing to learn from all other faiths and churches. …
¨ Quakers welcome diversity: A written list of beliefs is considered
inappropriate. Quakers feel people should follow their ‘inner light’
rather than external rules.” (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/ christianity/
subdivisions/quakers_1.shtml)
Quakers
have
an
Ecumenical
nature
to
their
beliefs.

History of Quaker Movement: Standing in the Light
45
¨ Book Description: “Perhaps no other religious philosophy is as simple
and inclusive as pantheism. What is, right now, is divine; there is no
god apart from the universe itself. In Standing in the Light, Russell
explores the history of this tradition from the Stoic philosophers to the
Transcendentalists while reflecting on her own life. … With a humane
heart, an inquisitive mind, and luminescent prose, Sharman Apt
Russell invites skeptics, scientists, and seekers everywhere to join her
in her exploration of the soul of pantheism.”
¨ Editorial Review: “As she tracks the profound influence pantheism has
had on diverse religions, deep ecology, the romantic poets, and the
transcendentalists, Russell recounts her decision to become a Quaker
and her realization that she is, at heart, a scientific pantheist.
Ultimately, Russell’s probing and illuminating inquiry into pantheism
renews our appreciation for the complexity and wonder of life.”

46
The
author
was
raised
in
the
suburbs
of
Phoenix,
Arizona.

“In
1981
I
settled
in

southern
New
Mexico
as
a
‘back
to
the
lander’
and
have
stayed
there
ever
since.

I
am
a
longtime
professor
in
the
Humanities
Department
at
Western
New
Mexico

University
in
Silver
City,
as
well
as
an
associate
faculty
at
Antioch
University
in

Los
Angeles.
I
received
my
MFA
in
Creative
Writing
from
the
University
of

Montana
and
my
B.S.
in
Conservation
and
Natural
Resources
from
the
University

of
California,
Berkeley.” 
Author
of
Hunger:
An
Unnatural
History
(Basic
Books,
2005),
and
many
others.

Rom
1:21-‐25
KJV

Because
that,
when
they
knew
God,
they
glorified
him
not
as

God,
neither
were
thankful;
but
became
vain
in
their
imaginations,
and
their

foolish
heart
was
darkened.

(22)

Professing
themselves
to
be
wise,
they
became

fools,

(23)

And
changed
the
glory
of
the
uncorruptible
God
into
an
image
made

like
to
corruptible
man,
and
to
birds,
and
fourfooted
beasts,
and
creeping
things.

(24)

Wherefore
God
also
gave
them
up
to
uncleanness
through
the
lusts
of
their

own
hearts,
to
dishonour
their
own
bodies
between
themselves:

(25)

Who

changed
the
truth
of
God
into
a
lie,
and
worshipped
and
served
the
creature

more
than
the
Creator,
who
is
blessed
for
ever.
Amen.

47
¨ Customer Review: “As a Quaker seminarian and fellow New Mexican,
I'm more than a little partisan to Russell's latest book, but I'd
recommend her beautiful lively writing to all who sense something
delightful and disturbing in their experience of nature and spirit. [The
book] is a walking meditation, faithful in its survey of pantheistic
thought. … ‘Standing in the Light’ is a Quaker phrase that captures
both the immediacy of religious experience and the difficulty of its
explication.” (http://www.amazon.com/ Standing-Light-My-Life-Pantheist/dp/0465005179)
¨ “The book follows several different but interrelated threads: On a
personal level, she describes her experiences as an on and off and on
again Quaker. … Sharman traces the history of pantheism from pre-
Socratic Greeks … to Epicurus and the Stoics. … The next hero of
Pantheism was Baruch Spinoza in the 17th Century. He was
excommunicated by the Jewish establishment as well as rejected by
both Protestants and Catholics. Spinoza attended Quaker meetings, …
and his writings had some influence on Quakerism.” (http://
ecouke.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/quaker-pantheism/)
Quakerism
at
its
core
has
pantheistic
tendencies.

49
Leonard
Sweet
is
“Currently
the
E.
Stanley
Jones
Professor
of
Evangelism
at
Drew

University,
Madison,
NJ
and
a
Visiting
Distinguished
Professor
at
George
Fox

University,
Portland,
Oregon,…”

George
Fox
University
which
was
founded
by
Quakers
in
1885
and
is
located
in

Newberg
Oregon,
and
has
centers
in
Portland,
Salem
and
Boise,
ID.
In
1996,
the

college
merged
with
Western
Evangelical
Seminary
to
form
George
Fox

University.
Notable
graduates
include
Richard
Foster,
and
Dan
Kimball,
both
big

names
in
Emerging
Church
movement.

Doctor
of
Ministry

George
Fox
offers
3
Doctor
of
Ministry
programs:

DMin
in
Leadership
and
Global
Perspectives

DMin
in
Leadership
and
Spiritual
Formation

DMin
in
Semiotics
and
Future
Studies

Leonard
Sweet,
although
involved
in
all
three
programs
is
especially
in
charge

of
the
“Semiotics
and
Future
Studies”
program
to
which
several
Adventists

pastors
have
attended
and
received
their
post-‐graduate
degrees.

George Fox University 
Leadership & Global Perspectives
50
¨ “Through a combination of academic seminars and field trips, students
interact in-person with scholars from the host location and leaders from
churches and faith-based nonprofit organizations engaged in significant
ministry, humanitarian, community development, social justice,
missional, and church planting efforts. Additionally, students meet with
their advisors and research course instructors to discuss the progress in
their research.”
¨ “Through a series of real-world experiences in a variety of global
venues students engage with Christian leaders from around the world,
who are making a difference. They join a network of like-minded
leaders who are transforming lives, empowering communities, or
engaging in social entrepreneurship as a witness to the love of Christ.
They explore ministry leadership at the global and local intersections of
church, world and culture with Dr. Clark in a flexible, online learning
environment.“ (http://www.georgefox.edu/seminary/programs/dmin-lgp/
index.html)
Leadership & Global Perspectives is one of the three
3
year
post
graduate
courses.
Leonard

Sweet
is
involved
in
all
three
courses
to
some
degree,
the
third
we
will
look
at
he
is
the
leading

professor.
Some
aspects
of
the
description
of
this
course
are
not
wrong
in
and
of
themselves,
but
in

the
context
of
the
Emerging
Church
and
what
they
mean
by
this
description
should
be
of
concern.

Leadership & Spiritual Formation
51
¨ “[This] program operates out of the conviction that leadership in the
kingdom of God only occurs through lives that are rightly related to
Jesus Christ. The program features an approach to academics that
focuses on enriching both your leadership skills and spiritual life. As
such, it fosters a learning atmosphere that encourages personal
transformation in order to become an effective spiritual leader. …”
¨ “Students meet face to face for a retreat of 10 days in each module.
This contact time is intended to allow sufficient space for spiritually
formative experiences, not just academics. While students meet for
class with each of their instructors, they also follow a daily rhythm of
prayer with their cohorts under the direction of the Spiritual Director,
fellowship around meals, and time away for reflection.”
¨ (http://www.georgefox.edu/seminary/programs/dmin-lsf/index.html#program_overview)
Leadership & Spiritual Formation is one of the three
3
year
post
graduate
courses.
Leonard

Sweet
is
involved
in
all
three
courses
to
some
degree,
the
third
we
will
look
at
he
is
the
leading

professor.
Once
again
some
very
appropriate
descriptions
of
what
a
true
leader
should
be.
But

in
the
context
of
Emerging
Church
philosophy
there
are
some
serious
dangers
here.

52
The
Leadership
in
Emerging
Culture
Doctor
of
Ministry
(DMin),
also

called
Semiotics
and
Future
Studies,
is
the
3rd
doctoral
program
at

George
Fox
University
and
is
led
by
Leonard
Sweet.
“Anticipate

Change”
is
the
heading
on
the
web
listing
for
this
course.

Definition
of
SEMIOTICS:
“a
general
philosophical
theory
of
signs
and

symbols.”
Leonard
Sweet
has
been
the
primary
person
to
make
this

word
popular
in
the
Emerging
Church
movement.
He
states
that
he

bases
it
on
Matt
16:3

“He
answered
and
said
unto
them,
When
it
is

evening,
ye
say,
It
will
be
fair
weather:
for
the
sky
is
red.
And
in
the

morning,
It
will
be
foul
weather
to
day:
for
the
sky
is
red
and
lowring.

O
ye
hypocrites,
ye
can
discern
the
face
of
the
sky;
but
can
ye
not

discern
the
signs
of
the
times?”
The
Greek
word
is
“sēmeion”
which

means:
“an
indication,
especially
ceremonially
or
supernaturally:
-‐

miracle,
sign,
token,
wonder.”
Sweet
seems
to
use
it
as
a
term
that

describes
himself
and
his
cohorts
and
followers,
who
can
see
the
signs

in
different
religions,
cultures
and
histories
that
can
be
a
means
of

leading
the
Emerging
Church
of
today.

Semiotics and Future Studies
53
¨ “Anticipate change. Proactive leadership in Google
Culture with Len Sweet.”
¨ “The Leadership in Emerging Culture Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
tracks explore the character and shape of effective Christian leadership
in the emerging culture. The … program with Dr. Leonard (Len) Sweet
prepares an advance guard of Jesus semioticians, leaders adept at
seeing signs of Jesus' work in the world. These followers of Jesus are
not afraid of the future but are excited about its possibilities and
promises, while aware of its perils and pitfalls.”
¨ “The approach is an ancient-future one of MRI (Missional, Relational,
Incarnational) discipleship, using an EPIC (Experiential, Participatory,
Image-Rich, Connective) interface. Students explore how to transition
the church from its current default of APC (Attractional, Propositional,
Colonial) to MRI, and play with a variety of EPIC interfaces.”

Semiotics and Future Studies
54
Advances
¨ “Students participate in three face-to-face 'advance' experiences in
Portland, OR, Oxford, UK, and Orcas Island, WA. They meet for a
research course, visit in-person with their advisor, and join Leonard
Sweet for a number of learning sessions. Learn more....”
Online and Hybrid
¨ “The delivery system for the track utilizes a hybrid delivery model.
Students participate in several conferences, receive personal mentoring
from Dr. Sweet and select faculty advisors, engage in ongoing online
interactivity with cohort members and professors, and engage in
reading, reflection, research, and writing. Students meet weekly with
Len Sweet for synchronous chats in SpotOn3D at an island online
learning community called ‘Mag Mell’.” (http://www.georgefox.edu/seminary/
programs/dmin-sfs/index.html)
Students
in
this
course
“receive
personal
mentoring
from
Dr.
Sweet.”
Don’t
let
anyone
convince
you
otherwise.

Leonard
Sweet
“mentors”
those
who
take
this
course
and
is
an
outlet
for
his
Emerging
Church
ideas.

Testimony of the Scriptures
¨ John 15:18-20 “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before
it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:
but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the
world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said
unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have
persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my
saying, they will keep yours also.”
¨ 1 John 2:15-17 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the
world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the
world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of
God abideth forever.”
¨ 1John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed
upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world
knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”
55
True
followers
of
Christ,
who
love
Him
and
obey
Him
and
His
ways
laid
out
in
the
Scripture
will

not
fit
in
with
the
world.
They
will
reach
out
to
the
world,
but
will
always
be
different.

Testimony of the Scriptures
¨ 2 Timothy 3:10-13 “But thou hast fully known my doctrine,
manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at
Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them
all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers
shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”
¨ 2 Timothy 4:2-5 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of
season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and
doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to
themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn
away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of
an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
56
Doctrine
and
sharing
that
Doctrine
are
part
of
the
great
commission.
But
following
that
call
will
bring

persecution.
Jesus
lasted
only
3.5
years
when
he
lived
and
preached
the
Word.
Look
at
the
lives
of
the

apostles
in
Acts.
They
should
be
our
example!

Testimony of the Spirit 
Ellen White Comments: “The Falling Away”
¨ “Little by little, at first in stealth and silence, and then more openly
as it increased in strength and gained control of the minds of men,
"the mystery of iniquity" carried forward its deceptive and
blasphemous work. Almost imperceptibly the customs of
heathenism found their way into the Christian church. The spirit of
compromise and conformity was restrained for a time by the fierce
persecutions which the church endured under paganism. But as
persecution ceased, and Christianity entered the courts and palaces
of kings, she laid aside the humble simplicity of Christ and His
apostles for the pomp and pride of pagan priests and rulers; and in
place of the requirements of God, she substituted human theories
and traditions.”
¨ “The nominal conversion of Constantine, in the early part of the
fourth century, caused great rejoicing; and the world, cloaked with
a form of righteousness, walked into the church. Now the work of
corruption rapidly progressed. Paganism, while appearing to be
vanquished, became the conqueror. Her spirit controlled the
church. Her doctrines, ceremonies, and superstitions were
incorporated into the faith and worship of the professed followers
of Christ.” (cont.)
57

Ellen White Comments: “The Falling Away”
¨ “This compromise between paganism and Christianity
resulted in the development of ‘the man of sin’ foretold in
prophecy as opposing and exalting himself above God. That
gigantic system of false religion is a masterpiece of Satan's
power--a monument of his efforts to seat himself upon the
throne to rule the earth according to his will.”
¨ “Satan once endeavored to form a compromise with Christ
[temptations in the wilderness]…. But Satan meets with
greater success in presenting the same temptations to man.
To secure worldly gains and honors, the church was led to
seek the favor and support of the great men of earth; and
having thus rejected Christ, she was induced to yield
allegiance to the representative of Satan--the bishop of
Rome.” (Great Controversy, pp. 49-50)
58

Ellen White Comments: Spiritualism
¨ “There is but one power that can break the hold of evil from the hearts of men,
and that is the power of God in Jesus Christ. …His grace alone can enable us
to resist and subdue the tendencies of our fallen nature. This power the
spiritualistic theories concerning God make of no effect. If God is an essence
pervading all nature, then He dwells in all men; and in order to attain
holiness, man has only to develop the power that is within him.”
¨ “These theories, followed to their logical conclusion, sweep away the whole
Christian economy. They do away with the necessity for the atonement and
make man his own savior. These theories regarding God make His word of no
effect, and those who accept them are in great danger of being led finally to
look upon the whole Bible as a fiction. They may regard virtue as better than
vice; but God being removed from His position of sovereignty, they place their
dependence upon human power, which, without God, is worthless. …”
¨ “Those who continue to hold these spiritualistic theories will surely spoil their
Christian experience, sever their connection with God, and lose eternal life.
The sophistries regarding God and nature that are flooding the world with
skepticism are the inspiration of the fallen foe, who is himself a Bible student,
who knows the truth that it is essential for the people to receive, and whose
study it is to divert minds from the great truths given to prepare them for
what is coming upon the world. I have seen the results of these fanciful views
of God, in apostasy, spiritualism, and free-lovism.” (Ellen G. White, Testimonies, vol. 8,
pp. 291-292)
59

Ellen White Comments: “Great Reformation”
¨ “The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a
great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day
Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up
the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging
in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place
what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom
has given to the remnant church would be discarded. Our religion
would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained
the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new
organization would be established. Books of a new order would be
written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced.
¨ The founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a
wonderful work. The Sabbath, of course would be lightly regarded,
as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand
in the way of the new movement. The leaders would teach that
virtue is better than vice, but God being removed they would place
their dependence on human power, which, without God, is
worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm
and tempest would sweep away the structure. “ (Battle Creek Letters, pp.
79-81)
60

Ellen White Comments: “Storm Approaches”
¨ “As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed
faith in the third angel's message, but have not been
sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their
position, and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting
with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come
to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test
is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular
side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced
in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead
souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former
brethren.” (Great Controversy, p. 608)
61
Next
we
will
look
at
the
influence
Leonard
Sweet
has
had
on

Adventism
and
The
One
Project!

04 the emerging church and the one project part 4

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04 the emerging church and the one project part 4