Hybels and Schuller Together
Building The Harlot
Church
The Following excellent article
was written by
Pastor E. L. Bynum
Bill Hybels and Robert H. Schuller are like two peas shelled out of the
same pod, and they are helping to build the One World Harlot Church.
They will be back together again at the Robert H. Schuller Institute For
Successful Church Leadership, January 24-27, 2000. This will be held as always
at the beautiful Crystal Cathedral of Garden Grove, California, where Schuller
is pastor, and where his nationwide telecasts originate. I know that this
article will infuriate the followers of Bill Hybels, but what we shall say is
the truth, and that is more important than the approval of man. I know that I
am writing the facts that such a meeting is to take place, because I have my
very own invitation, along with the pictures of the speakers.
Speakers For This Conference
Hybels and Schuller are spiritual twins of compromise and distortion of the
Word of God. They will share the platform for the above conference with Louis
Palau, Evangelist from Portland, Oregon, who seems to have modeled his
crusades after Billy Graham. He has held huge crusades in the U.S. and in
Latin America. Another speaker will be John Maxwell of Atlanta, Georgia. Walt
Kallestad, Pastor of the Church of Joy, of Glendale, Arizona will also be a
speaker. Dr. H. B. London, Jr. from Focus On The Family (an associate of Dr.
James Dobson), Colorado Springs, Colorado, will also be on the program.
Another speaker will be Bishop Sundo Kim of a Methodist Church in Seoul,
Korea. Of course Robert H. Schuller, and Mrs. Arvella Schuller will also be
speaking.
Holland B. London is from Focus on the Family. May I suggest that London
and Dobson should focus on the Bible for awhile. It might help them to
associate with the right crowd.
Compromise Coverup
When some people read some of the articles on Bill Hybels, Billy Graham and
others, they write to Hybels or Graham to ask if it is so. Of course they
never hear from these men directly, but they hear from someone on their staff,
and they usually give some kind of denial. Some people are so naive that they
believe the misinformation that they receive from these men or their
organization. For instance we published an article in the Plains Baptist
Challenger, January 1998, exposing Bill Hybels and the Willow Creek
Association which he headed. In a previous article we pointed out that Bill
Hybels, Rick Warren, and John Maxwell had spoken in a Conference in Schuller's
Church. When a man in our Church wrote the Hybels organization about this,
they denied that it had ever happened. Of course the man that answered the
letter was either misinformed, or he lied about it. I went to the Library and
found the ad in Christianity Today, in which the Conference was
advertised. Below you will find a part of the article from the Plains
Baptist Challenger, January 1998.
Bill Hybels proudly gives Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian the credit for inspiring
him to build the Willow Creek ministry. This French born professor did his
undergraduate work at the University of Paris. Then he enrolled at Gordon-Conwell
Theological Seminary in Massachusetts, where he received a Master of
Divinity degree.
While Gordon-Conwell is named after two great men, it is a hotbed of new-
evangelicalism and modernism. Gordon and Conwell would flip over in their
graves, if they knew how their names were being used.
After pastoring for five years in Albany, New York, Bilezikian moved on
to teach in Wheaton College. (This is another hotbed of new-evangelicalism,
and a synonym for compromise.) After accepting the presidency of a Christian
college in Beirut, Lebanon, he returned to the United States in 1971. He
soon joined the staff of Trinity College in Deerfield, Illinois (another
school of compromise). It was there that he indoctrinated Bill Hybels into
this new kind of ministry.
No doubt Robert Schuller, pastor of the Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove,
California, has had a tremendous influence on Hybels. Schuller with his
perpetual grin, can be seen on many television stations nationwide. He
believes that self-esteem is the new reformation, and wrote a book to prove
it. On page 15 of his book he declares "Self- Esteem" and "Self-Love" are
the same thing. His theology and his message are a thousand miles from being
biblical. The gospel he preaches would not save a fly, much less a sinner.
We shall give some quotes from "Rediscovering Church," by Lynne and Bill
Hybels which clearly show the relationship between Hybels and Schuller. "In
April he (Hybels) read Robert Schuller's book Your Church Has Real
Possibilities, which affirmed Bill's belief that one could reach
unchurched people through the local church." (P. 51) "During the latter
years of Son City and the early years of Willow Creek, Bill (Hybels)
traveled periodically as a consultant to youth groups. One group with whom
he had an ongoing relationship was the high school Youth group at Garden
Grove Community Church in Garden Grove, California (now the Crystal
Cathedral)." (P. 68) This is Robert Schuller's Church.
"DIVINE ENCOUNTER. In the fall of 1976, Bill (Hybels) took another trip
to Garden Grovethis time to take the staff, module directors, and other lay
leaders of Wil low Creek to a pastors conference there. During the
conference, our entire entourage somehow ended up in Robert Schuller's
office which at that time was in the upper floors of the Tower of Prayer.
Bill told Dr. Schuller about our efforts to establish a church for the
unchurched and about our seeker services and about our tentative plans to
buy land for a future building. Bill asked Dr. Schuller if he could give us
any advice regarding our next step.
"Dr. Schuller answered, `If you give God a thimble, perhaps He will
choose to fill it. If you give God a five-gallon bucket, perhaps He will
choose to fill that. If you give him a fifty-gallon drum, perhaps He will
choose to do something extraordinary and fill even that. If God chooses to
do a miracle, you'd better be ready for it. Don't buy a thimbleful of land.
Buy a fifty-gallon drum.'" (P. 69)
They go on to tell us that Schuller was highly esteemed by them. "Had we
been `puffed up' with the affirmation offered us by a man so highly
esteemedthe only credible adult who had given us any encouragement?
"As I look back through the years I can't help but think that what
happened that day was exactly what we thought it was at the time: a divinely
staged encounter. We returned home changed." (P. 69)
"On a Saturday night in June 1977, Robert Schuller graciously came and
spoke at our fund-raising banquet in the ballroom of the Sheraton Hotel in
Des Plaines, Illinois...Dr. Schuller affirmed the value and potential of the
dream to the 1,000 people who attended." (P. 70)
Down through the years the relationship between Hybels and Schuller has
continued. They have spoken in each others churches on a number of
occasions. A few months ago, we published an article from the Calvary
Contender, which stated that Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, and John Maxwell
had spoken at a conference at Robert Schuller's Church, and that homosexuals
were there for training. Bill Mosley, a veteran preacher who is a member of
Tabernacle Baptist Church in Lubbock, wrote Hybels asking about this. He
received the following reply.
Regarding your recent correspondence:
Bill Hybels never attended or spoke at any conference for gay and
lesbian pastors. In fact, Bill, Rick Warren, and John Maxwell have never
done a conference together anywhere in the world, let alone the Crystal
Cathedral.
This is an ugly rumor and I pray that you'll pass on the accurate
information to other parties that might inquire. Thank you for checking with
us first.
In Christ,
Paul Braoudakis
Communications Director
Willow Creek Association
Brother Mosley gave me a copy of the above letter from Paul Braoudakis.
Then he wrote to the editor of the Calvary Contender who stood by his
report. He had received his information from a pro-homosexual paper which
clearly stated that over 100 people from the Metropolitan Community Church
went to this Institute at Schuller's Church for training. It is possible
that Hybels did not know that the homosexuals were there, since they would
have been a small part of those in attendance. I am sure that Schuller would
have known since they registered from the Metropolitan Church.
Mr. Paul Braoudakis of Willow Creek Association in the above letter said,
"In fact, Bill (Hybels), Rick Warren, and John Maxwell have never done a
conference together anywhere in the world, let alone the Crystal Cathedral."
This gentleman, either lied or said this through ignorance.
When I read this, I went to the public library and looked at copies of
Christianity Today on microfilm. I found the ad that I was looking for
in the September 16, 1996 issue. That issue of CT contained a full page ad
for "The Robert H. Schuller Institute for Successful Church Leadership."
This meeting was to take place on January 27-30, 1997, and the pictures of
the speakers were printed in the ad. The pictures and names found in the top
row include, Robert H. Schuller, Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, and John Maxwell,
along with others. These the same people of which Paul Braoudakis,
Communications Director for Willow Creek Association said, "Bill Hybels
never attended or spoke at any conference for gay and lesbian pastors. In
fact, Bill, Rick Warren, and John Maxwell have never done a conference
together anywhere in the world, let alone the Crystal Cathedral."
This shows you just how far these people will go to cover up their sin of
compromise. Plains Baptist Challenger, January 1998.
What Does Robert Schuller Believe?
It is not difficult to discover the heresy of Dr. Robert H. Schuller, since
he is also a writer. I have his book "Self Esteem, The New Reformation,"
published by Word Books, in 1982. When you read this book, you can easily see
that Schuller is not only unsound in doctrine, but in fact he is an apostate
of the first order.
Schuller said, "I don't think anything has been done in the name of Christ
and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human
personality and, hence, counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise than
the often crude, uncouth, and unchristian strategy of attempting to make
people aware of their lost and sinful condition." --Christianity Today,
Oct. 5, 1984 (Emphasis ours).
Please note that he says, that "to make people aware of their lost sinful
condition," is unchristian. If we do not make people aware of their lost and
sinful condition, then we are failing to do what the bible says. I do find
that Schuller is denying what Paul taught in Romans 3 and elsewhere. Listen to
the Bible:
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is
none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are
all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is
none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with
their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed
blood:Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they
not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Romans 3:10-18).
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"
(Romans 3:23). (Emphasis ours).
Paul was not worried about the self-esteem of a lost soul, he was
interested in the eternal destiny of that soul. Schuller says that it is,
"crude, uncouth, and unchristian," "to make people aware of their lost
and sinful condition." You might wonder why he does not read his Bible. I
am sure that he has, but he does not believe the Bible.
Please note Schuller's definition of sin. "What do I mean by sin? Answer:
Any human condition or act that robs God of glory by stripping one of his
children of their right to divine dignity." "I could offer another
complementing answer, `Sin is that deep lack of trust that separates me from
God and leaves me with a sense of shame and unworthiness.'" He further says,
"Sin is any act or thought that robs myself or another human being of his or
her self-esteem" (Schuller, Self Esteem, p. 14).
"I can offer still another answer: `Sin is any act or thought that robs
myself or another human being of his or her self-esteem.' And what is `hell'?
It is the loss of pride that naturally follows separation from God . . . A
person is in hell when he has lost his self-esteem." (Schuller, Self Esteem,
p. 14, 15).
Can you imagine anything more heretical and more deadly for the souls of
men? Sin is loss of self-esteem. Hell is loss of self-esteem. Of course he has
no Scripture to prove these heretical statements. Schuller is his own
authority, so what does he need with the authority of the Scriptures?
Schuller's Definition of "Self-Esteem"
Here is his own definition of what he means by self-esteem, "I must admit
that I am not totally happy with that word, `Self-Esteem.' Years ago I tried
the word, `Self-Love.' I found the pervasiveness of a negative self-image so
saturated the minds of persons that most people couldn't handle that term
`Self-Love." I have tried others, `Self-Worth,' `Self-Dignity,' `Self-Value,'
`Human Dignity,' `Positive Self-Image,' `Ego-Needs,' `Human Pride,' and none
are perfect." You can see from Schuller's own words that Self-Esteem is really
just Self-Love. This is so contrary to the Bible that it hardly needs any
refuting. However, I will give one passage that completely disproves his false
theory. "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall
come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without
natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,
despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of
pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the
power thereof: from such turn away" (I Tim. 3:1-5). (Emphasis ours) Here
is God's warning for the last days, and self-love is set forth as one of the
vile and wicked sins that will be evident.
Other Unscriptural Doctrines
What is Schuller's definition of the new birth? Listen to his own words:
"To be born again means that we must be changed from a negative to a positive
self-imagefrom inferiority to self-esteem, from fear to love, from doubt to
trust" (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 68).
According to this heretic, Jesus never called a person a sinner. "While
Christ was on earth, he remained sinlesshe never shamed himself or others. He
never called any person `a sinner'"
(Schuller, Self Esteem, p. 100). The following Scripture refutes his words.
"And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and
Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good
cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee" (Matt. 9:2). Why did this man
need his sins forgiven, if he was not a sinner? I guess he must have lost his
Self-Esteem. Paul addresses the sin question in many places, but we shall
quote only on verse. "For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God" (Rom. 3:23).
We always thought that Jesus Christ was the incarnate Son of God, but
Schuller has a different idea. "Christ is the Ideal One, for he was
Self-Esteem Incarnate" (Schuller, Self Esteem, p. 135).
Schuller Admires The Pope and Catholicism
His admiration for the Pope of Rome and for the Roman Catholic Church is
amazing indeed. Maybe he is hoping to be the Pope's successor, or perhaps he
hopes to turn the Crystal Cathedral into Vatican II (just kidding). Listen to
his words. "I found myself immediately attracted to Pope John Paul II when,
upon his election to the Papacy, his published speeches invariably called
attention to the need for recognizing the dignity of the human being as a
child of God" (Schuller, Self Esteem, p. 17).
Schuller often participates in ecumenical efforts with Catholics. David
Cloud sent an email which included the following: "Schuller frequently speaks
at conferences with Roman Catholic priests and bishops. He spoke at the
`Washington for Jesus' rally on April 28, 1980, with priests John Bertolucci,
John Randall, and Michael Scanlon. In October 1987, Schuller spoke at a Roman
Catholic conference called the Jesus Day VII, in Chicago. Catholic priests
Matthew Fox, John Powell, and Richard McBrien also spoke (National &
International Religion Report, Sept. 21, 1987). In August 1988, Schuller
participated in the ecumenical Congress '88, in Chicago. The Archbishop of
Chicago, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, brought the opening address of the
Congress. This faithful son of Rome was introduced as a `warm, caring,
Christ-honoring, Christ-like brother' (Frank Bumpus, `New Evangelicals United
with Catholics and Liberals,' (F.B.F. News Bulletin, Nov.-Dec. 1988)."
Cloud further stated: "Schuller participated in the publication of a series
of books on evangelism co-sponsored by Tyndale House and the Paulist National
Catholic Evangelization Association. The first book in the series, What
Christians Can Learn from One Another about Evangelizing Adults, included
articles by Schuller, Pope John Paul II, Archbishop Joseph Bernardin, as well
as others."
"In March 1998, Schuller visited Pope John Paul II en route to a Church
Growth conference in Sicily. It was `the fourth time Schuller and the Pope had
met, hand-to-hand, heart-to-heart at the Vatican' (Foundation, May-June 1998).
The Pope expressed interest in how their churches could work together in the
Vatican's preparation for the Year 2000 Jubilee celebrations" (Calvary
Contender, 8-15-98).
Why Is Hybels Cozy With Schuller?
It must be that they are in agreement. "Can two walk together, except they
be agreed?" (Amos 3:3). The followers of Hybels claim that he is a sound Bible
believing evangelical. I could never believe that, as long as he associates
with Robert H. Schuller. No real Bible believer would ever be associated with
an apostate such as the man from the Crystal Cathedral.
Someone needs to ask these people a good Bible question. "And Jehu the
son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat,
Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD?
therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD" (II Chron. 19:2).
It is hard for me to understand why any Bible believer could follow men
such as Bill Hybels, John Maxwell and Rick Warren, when they are speaking for
a man like Schuller. Many Baptist (?) Churches are adopting the methods of
Bill Hybels, John Maxwell and Rick Warren. This is strange indeed that they
would follow people who are in bed with Schuller. After all, Schuller is in
bed with the Pope of Rome. Many Baptist churches have followed the advice of
these men and dropped the name Baptist. Of course when they are no longer
Baptists, they should drop the name Baptist. Many Southern Baptist Churches
are following the "purpose driven church" philosophy of Hybels and Warren.
What is really bad, is that some Independent Baptist pastors are running
off to these conferences where all this heresy is introduced. Soon their
churches will be going down the same road that new-evangelicals have already
followed. "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil . . . " (Ex.
23:2).
Tabernacle Baptist Church
E. L. Bynum, Pastor
1911 34th Street
Lubbock, Texas 79411
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