YES, ROBERT SCHULLER REALLY SAID THOSE THINGS AND YES, PEOPLE WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER ARE GOING TO SPEAK FOR HIS CONFERENCE

Yes, Robert Schuller Really Said Those Things and Yes, People Who Should Know Better Are Going To Speak For His Conference

by Brannon Howse

We are re-posting this article on Robert Schuller after it came to light, from other national news outlets, that many evangelicals are running to speak at Schuller's national conference. This conference is called, "Rethink".  http://www.rethinkconference.com/

Why would these evangelicals run to speak for Robert Schuller at his church, the Crystal Catherdal? Why would these evangelicals share the platform with emergent church leaders?

Many emergent church pastors have no problem with abortion and gay-marriage. Many emergent pastors embrace socialism and question, if not outright deny, essential Christian doctrines.

The only reason for some of these very popular evangelicals to speak at Schuller's conference is to call Schuller, and his emergent guests, to repent and return to sound doctrine. I for one will be listening to see if that is why they are lending their name and that of their organizations to this event. I pray they are not going to this conference to give validity and credibility to Schuller's heresy and that of the emergent church.

At a time when some conservatives are looking to run from the Republican Party if they nominate Giuliani, why are some conservatives running to Schuller's event? Why are some people running from liberal politicians while they run to liberal pastors?

I am more worried about the state of the American church than I am the state of the Republican Party. I am more bothered by the heresy of Schuller and the emergent church than I am the liberal social polices of Giuliani. If Jesus were walking among us today do you think He would be more concerned about liberal politicians or false teachers?

With all that being said let me reveal to you the worldview of Robert Schuller with an article I wrote in 2005:

To attract the largest followings possible and because they have bought the lie of the new tolerance, many of America's churches, Christian publishers and Christian radio stations – whether they know it or not – have rejected biblical Christianity and adopted the more popular but bogus gospel of Christian happy-talk. As a result, churches brim with converts committed only to their personal self-actualization, publishers lavish feel-good pabulum on their readers, and the airwaves ring with an emotive rendering of Christianity that would fit nicely alongside the corruptions of faith Jesus chides in the second and third chapters of Revelation.

More than 30 years ago, Vance Havner, in his book "Playing Marbles with Diamonds," offered the following insightful:

Havner wrote at a time when the work of one of America's most influential pioneers of Christian happy-talk was fomenting what is still a powerful factor in the happy-talk world. A follower of Norman Vincent Peale, Robert Schuller has become the face and voice of today's "Christian" self-esteem movement. Of course, there is nothing Christian or biblical about Schuller's self-idolatry message. It is clearly more akin to New Age thinking.

Nevertheless, Schuller is one of America's most well-known TV preachers and authors, and is pastor of arguably the most famous mega-church of all time. In fact, as pastor of The Crystal Cathedral, Schuller claims to be the father of the mega-church movement. In the April 10, 2002, issue of The Christian Century, Schuller claims, "I launched the mega-church movement through the Institute for Successful Church Leadership in 1970."

Many look to Schuller and his church as the model for achieving mega-church status. Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Bruce Wilkinson and scores of America's best-selling authors and most well-known pastors have either spoken at Schuller's Institute for Successful Church Leadership or attended the conference. Perhaps this explains why so many of these authors avoid in-depth discussions of man's total depravity, the biblical doctrine of repentance, the moral law, or the need to die to self and reject the lie of self-love.

Mega-churches and many "Christian" books today conspire to make people feel good – to be comfortable with themselves. Preaching the cross and our need to die to self does not meet acceptable Christian happy-talk standards.


In an interview with Christianity Today, published on Oct. 5, 1984, Robert Schuller was quoted as saying:

            "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."

In his book "Self-Esteem, the New Reformation," Schuller argues that we now have a far more enlightened understanding of what is really going on in our souls:

"Lack of self-love or self-esteem, here is a scientific, scriptural doctrine of original sin."

What Bible is he reading from? According to mine, the original sin of Adam and Eve was a choice of desiring what they – the self – wanted over what God desired for them. Adam and Eve succumbed to Satan's lie of human supremacy, which is to love self to the extent of seeing yourself as god. They also believed the favorite falsehood of humanism that they could be the ones to determine truth and to control their destinies. It was the desire to serve "self," not God, that led to disobedience and the original sin.

Later in his book, Schuller reveals the core of happy-talk teaching:


"Let us start with a theology of salvation that addresses itself at the outset to man's deepest need, the 'will to self worth.'" 

The truth is, man's deepest need is not "self worth" but forgiveness of sins through repentance and belief in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Unless we die to our own will and the desires of self-love and become alive to Christ and His will, there is no salvation.

When describing salvation, Jesus' words never sounded remotely like those of Robert Schuller. That belies the fact that the messages of Robert Schuller and Jesus Christ are in direct conflict. Jesus spoke about self-denial and dying to self, while Schuller promotes self-worship.

In Luke 14, Jesus describes the actions of a true believer and not once does He commend the need to love one's self. To the contrary, He even calls us to hate our own lives:

Luke 9:23-26 is even unhappier in its talk. Jesus enumerates the requirements of His followers, including the need to reject the love of self:

Elsewhere, the Bible variously calls the works of self "filthy rags," notes that apart from Christ "I am as a little worm," describes people as "children of wrath" before trusting in Jesus Christ, and claims "we were dead in trespasses and sins." The Bible clearly is not high on the virtues of mankind. It says there is "no one good, no not one." Only God and His Son Christ Jesus are without sin.

To teach self-esteem or man's basic goodness is to say that mankind really was not 100 percent in need of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross. The self-esteem movement says people are perhaps good enough to pass through judgment on their own merit. Even if mankind is bad, we're not all that bad – certainly not totally depraved – only in need of a bit of work on the cross to make up for a few little failings, shortcomings and flaws.

To justify their self-love theology, many cite the biblical admonition that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. They point to Leviticus 19:18 (which Jesus Himself quoted): "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." How, they argue, are we to love our neighbors as ourselves if we do not fully love ourselves? But if you look at Leviticus 19:9-18, the entire list of things God is telling us that we must and must not do falls in the context of how we should treat each other in our daily conduct. The list of requirements never moves from the physical and emotional realm into adjectives or descriptions that involve an inner worship of one another, the affirmation of one another as good, or even as being lovely, lovable or worthy of love. When the admonition is read in context, it is clear that we are to look out for the best interest of others and not simply think only of our own best interests – contrary to the natural, sinful, reflex of every human being.

Robert Schuller, like many of today's liberal pastors, have a strong desire to avoid using the "S" word. In "Self-Esteem, The New Reformation," Schuller writes:


"Salvation is defined as rescue from shame to glory. It is salvation from guilt to pride, from fear to love, from distrust to faith, from hypocrisy to honesty."


Schuller never uses the word "sin" and says nothing about repentance. This kind of misleading verbiage actually leads people away from salvation, for without acknowledging sin and repenting of that sin, there can be no salvation.

This is quite clear in I John 1:8-10: "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us."

Actually, I should acknowledge that Schuller doesn't' forsake the "S" word entirely. He offers a rather creative re-invention that still shields us from the dark reality of our needs when he writes:

"So lack of trust or a lack of self-worth is the central core of sin."

Uh … no. The central core of sin is disobedience toward God and our being in rebellion against His character and nature. The more we focus on self and self-worth, self-importance or our rights, the deeper our offending sin.

Schuller also writes:

"Jesus Christ employed a strategy of evangelism where he never called a person a 'sinner.' They were sinners, of course, but he never told them they were."

I repeat: What Bible is that? Jesus not only told His audience He was calling sinners to repentance, but He called some of them names even less flattering than "sinner." How would today's happy-talk audience like to be addressed as "vipers," "serpents" or "tombs"?

In II Timothy 4:3-4, Paul predicted that we would see false teachers like the happy-talk crowd and that many in the audience would eagerly accept their false teachings:

Jesus soundly warns us of the punishment that awaits those who add or take away from the Scriptures. He notes that we would be better off to tie a millstone around our necks and jump in a lake rather than to doctrinally deceive children or those that are new to the faith.

Alas, Christian happy-talk has become very profitable. But then what will it really profit anyone to gain the world and lose the soul?

By Brannon Howse Email: Brannon@worldviewweekend.com Click here for bio and archived articles

Robert Schuller/False Teaching Posted On: 01/12/08 04:22:40 AM Age 40, NEW ZEALAND We are not to condemn our brother. We are to love him covering a multitude of sins. We are not to speak of the evil that others do. We are to think on things lovaly and pure... We are to think less with our worldly cluttered brains disecting truths rather be casting down strongholds and imaginings. We are to keep ourselves mindful that the Lord Jesus himself has already covered our sins the sins of the Churches in revelations. We are to love one another because that is what our Lord will faithfully witness to others when the spirit of the Lord is upon you and me. How merciful is our God. We must pray and offer up our own sinful nature to the Heavenly Father through the burnt offering. Yes write it all down and then offer it up to Lord as a burnt offering it shall be a sweet fragrance to him, because what it is you have to say shall not hurt or devour another brother or sister or interfere in the witness of the Lord... you will be loving like you've never loved before...through and in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ... Thank you our Heavenly Father for all that you give to us...here on earth as it is in heaven...Amen. Re: Yes, Robert Schuller Really Said Those Things and Yes, People Who Should Know Better Are Going To Speak For His Conference Posted On: 12/02/07 08:40:29 AM Age 48, CA Good article! Here are some supporting scriptures for your very accurate observations. "Are there few to be saved, Lord?" "Strive with earnestness to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say to you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and has shut the door, and you begin to stand without, crying, Lord, Lord, open to us! he shall answer to you, saying, Verily I say to you, I know you not." "But Lord, (paraphrased), didn't we do this and that in your name, and many wonderful works of power? Didn't you teach in our streets? We saw and heard Christians witnessing. We listened to sermons and choirs on the radio. We felt so good about ourselves; we tithed regularly..." But the Lord will only answer, I tell you, I know you not from what place you are. Depart from me, all you workers of the lawlessness." In Matthew 24, the Lord spoke of the "many" as being finally traitors, and deceived, and scandalized on account of the Holy Glad Tidings; but, "HE THAT ENDURES TO THE END, THE SAME SHALL BE SAVED." There surely is the famine of hearing the Word Of God today, which the prophet Amos foretold; ch 8:11-13; which is exactly the way they have preferred it to be, with their shamefully watered down NIV's, and their religious rock-star devil worshippers. Yes, devil worshippers! I, I, I...self, self, self! Satan's seat, right in the middle of them all, congradulating them on their "heaven on earth" success! There is a very pertinent verse in the book of Ecclesiastes, 9:12, which reads, "FOR MAN ALSO KNOWS NOT HIS TIME: AS THE FISHES THAT ARE TAKEN IN AN EVIL NET, AND AS THE BIRDS THAT ARE CAUGHT IN THE SNARE; SO ARE THE SONS OF MEN SNARED IN AN EVIL TIME, WHEN IT FALLS SUDDENLY UPON THEM." Also, so many, many places throughout the Prophets, the Psalms, THE NEW TESTAMENT!!! where the Lord plainly says it shall be so, "HE SHALL CHOOSE THERE DELUSIONS"... indeed, "HE SHALL SEND THEM A STRONG DELUSION, THAT THEY SHOULD BELIEVE A LIE... BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH, THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED, BUT HAD PLEASURE IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS." 2 Thess. 2:1-12. "With there mouths they show much love, but there hearts go after there covetousness." Ezekiel 33:31. But one thing I do say to you, Brother, They have chosen what they want. The Glad Tidings was preached to them as well as to the rest of us, but the word does not profit them, because they do not believe! I think we have enough on keeping ourselves and our own hearts through our adversities and provings day to day. It doesn't do a lot to cheer me up in the Lord, or give me an encouraging word for others, if I'm dwelling too long on the fakes. But this nothing to speak against what you wrote; and if we know somewhat of these things, the Lord knows all of it. We are commanded by the Lord to reject the heretic after the first and second warning. Let them go! Their folly and shame will be manifest before all men. "...wicked men and imposters shall advance to worse, deceiving and being deceived;" What utter nonsense! What foolishness! Why have a lamp, and pretend to be waiting for the Bridegroom, but not fill the lamps with the oil? Do they think it's a game with their souls and eternity? Do they honestly think that the Almighty God, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, who came in flesh to lay down His life as a ransom for lost mankind...Whose PRECIOUS BLOOD was the price of our eternal salvation, is going to wink at their filthy hypocricy, or give them a pass, because they have a well managed portfolio and send their children to money grabbing so-called "Christian" schools? O Lord, Help us! Re: Re: Yes, Robert Schuller Really Said Those Things and Yes, People Who Should Know Better Are Going To Speak For His Conference Posted On: 11/13/07 12:03:34 PM Age 47, IA While it is true God's love for His own is tender, somtimes pictured as a bridegroom being tender towards his bride. Lets us not forget that that love came at a great price. I suggest you view again "The Passion of the Christ." For all its flaws, and there are many. The movie does begin to capture the brutality that Jesus suffered at the hands of men for OUR sin. I imagine that is was far worse than the movie. Examine yourself with the Commandments while He is being scrouged. Have I put God above all else at all times? NO! Have I lusted for others? YES! That is why He is made to suffer for me, in my place. Yet far worse than the physical torture, the spiritual torture was infintely worse. to be in a perfect love relationship the the Father and the Spirit from eternity past, and then to have it broken by YOUR and MY sin will take an eternity to understand. This doesn't come from some dark hole religion created by man this is the Word of God telling us the price of love. Gods love is indeed tender but, it comes through the gate of suffing. Let us never forget the gate of suffering. The contrast is what makes that love so magnificent. JESUS WAS NOT A PACIFIST Posted On: 11/12/07 08:50:22 AM Age 64, OH Dear brother you are older than me for I am only 64. I also attend a Quaker church and we have a older brother there that speaks with much wisdom. I will try to consider what you have said. But consider the words of The Lord Of Mercy Himself; one of His Names He calls Himself is "A Warrior who comes to save". The Revelation 6: 1I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" 2I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. (is not this Jesus who rode out as a conqueror) 3When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" 4Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword. (was not this horse sent from heaven by The Lamb Himself and was not this horse War) 5When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart[a] of wheat for a day's wages,[b] and three quarts of barley for a day's wages,[c] and do not damage the oil and the wine!" 7When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" 8I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. 9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" 11Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed. - when I read this it is NOT death to me but life. Lou NOT ALL QUAKERS ARE PACIFISTS Posted On: 11/12/07 08:32:22 AM Age 64, OH Amen brother John, I too will consider the words of this older brother. I too attend a Quaker church but I am not a pacifist. When I study the passover it is a really violent thing that is done to the lamb. The lamb had to be roasted over the fire and any meat not eaten had to be burnt up in the fire. Jesus was the Lamb and we are all told to follow Him. Matt 11:12 "And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force". - These are also words to ponder and The Lord of all creation spoke these. Lou Re: Re: Re: Yes, Robert Schuller Really Said Those Things and Yes, People Who Should Know Better Are Going To Speak For His Conference Posted On: 11/10/07 08:03:07 AM Age 59, SC I ask myself if I were a prominent pastor asked to speak at this conference, would I do so, and the answer is, "Yes." Granted I agree with all the "anti" comments about The heresy in the Crystal Cathedral and emergent churches, but isn't speaking the Truth in the midst of heresy and unbelief exactly what we are called upon to do? Where else in America will one find such a large gathering of sinners, lost and confused souls, agnostics, and nominal Christians to whom you could share the pure gospel of Christ. We aren't called to preach to the choir, but to take the gospel outside our churches to the confused and needy world. Will any of these Christians take the opportunity to do so, or just kowtow to the world? I don't know, but I hope so. Re: Re: Yes, Robert Schuller Really Said Those Things and Yes, People Who Should Know Better Are Going To Speak For His Conference Posted On: 11/08/07 08:04:37 AM Age 47, MO Friend: I too look up at the sky and marvel at God and the power of sin. Also I like what you wrote, and will give your words thought. However, I have a thought for you as well. When Jesus met Paul on the road to Demascus, Paul went blind from the glory of God. Later when Paul received his sight, (Acts 9:16), Jesus didn't welcome Paul with love as a father to a child but Paul was told that he would suffer for Christ. If Paul, the greatest polithic apostle must suffer for Christ, why do we think we are coddled? I don't know about you, but Jesus's word speak powerfully to me. John Re: Re: Re: Yes, Robert Schuller Really Said Those Things and Yes, People Who Should Know Better Are Going To Speak For His Conference Posted On: 11/07/07 02:39:32 PM Age 20, NC Why waste the time to go speak at a conference led by someone who has been spreading teachings that are erroneous at best and heretical at the absolute worst anyway, especially if the host has been spreading these false teaching for all these years? Re: Re: Yes, Robert Schuller Really Said Those Things and Yes, People Who Should Know Better Are Going To Speak For His Conference Posted On: 11/07/07 11:57:53 AM Age 47, MO I wonder if anyone has thought to ask those in question why they are attending the event. I am sure it wouldn't be hard for Brannon to contact Strobel and ask him. Re: Re: SCHULLER'S PALACE IS MADE OF GLASS Posted On: 11/07/07 10:28:18 AM Age 64, OH Amen brother, I do not listen to Schuller but once while hunting through the channels I heard with my own ears Schuller proclaim that his ministry had surpassed Pauls ministry. What kind of fool could even think of such a grievous comment. What was the size of all of the churches Paul planted. How many followers did The Lord Jesus have. How can any man be so arrogant to think they could surpass Paul let alone The Lord Himself. Jesus said the Ones who followed the narrow path to life would be FEW. Jesus also said the ones who followed the broad path to destruction would be MANY. Considering these words of the Creator of all that exists I would be shaking in my boots if I was any of these men with so many who follow them. Lou