The wolves that our LORD warned us about, dressed up in sheep’s clothing, are now appearing very much as themselves, with little to substantiate their authentic Christian walk other than their say so, some dubious endorsements from others, a smattering of Scripture and mention of the name of Jesus.
This is the final segment in this series, which will be
presented in two more articles. We have already examined two wolves: Leonard
Sweet in Parts 1 & 2; Wayne Dyer in Part 3 and now we shall look at Ken
Blanchard (Parts 4 & 5). Before we do so however, some observations about
the modern Western church:
The structure of church government in the modern Western
world has typically been based on the pyramid type of order, where the senior
pastor is at the top and directly under him are his assistant pastors, and then
a board of elders, along with other elders, deacons and so on until one gets to
the lay people. This is a borrowed structure, but where did the church get it
from?
This same pyramid structure can be found in the
corporate world where the one in charge is the senior president (and, or CEO)’
then the vice president, a board of directors and so on.
Among the various churches and denominations, Calvary Chapel fellowships among them, across the country and the world, the method of leadership is based on what is referred to as ‘the Moses – Aaron hierarchy’ structure; Moses being the senior leader and Aaron being his right hand man that does nothing on his own, but adheres strictly to the orders he receives by his superior.
When one examines Scripture however, where ever the church is concerned, this structure doesn’t exist. Pastors and elders are viewed as one and the same, insomuch that they are the spiritual leaders of the church, they are the ones to feed the flock, they are the ones to offer counsel and make decisions for the church, in accordance with the Word of God.
Growing up in the church, I assumed that the ‘senior pastor and following order’ was entirely biblical, but someone once challenged me to find the Scripture that referred to, or suggested the position of ‘senior pastor’ (or even the idea of Sunday School – according to grade, or youth ministry or youth pastors). I couldn’t.
On the aside, the following article from Got Questions conveys much the same idea of plurality of leadership, rather than a singular leader that controls everything.
Another word for ‘Senior’ would be ‘Chief’ and another word for ‘pastor’ would be shepherd; so the Bible does speak of a ‘senior pastor’ that is entirely acceptable: Jesus Christ Himself!
1 PETER 5:3-4
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
The church is referred to as the BODY of CHRIST, an organic entity that grows and matures; it is not a business or an organization, but we see churches and fellowships increasingly governed in this manner today.
Business gurus and financial tycoons are being used as models for churches in regards to how they run their businesses. Two such examples are the late Peter Drucker* and Ken Blanchard (who also happened to have been associates in the Leader to Leader Network); Drucker made no claim to being a Christian, and yet while Blanchard does make such a claim, we shall see that he certainly is not – if he actually believes what he says.
* Getting TTUF
on Drucker
Among the various churches and denominations, Calvary Chapel fellowships among them, across the country and the world, the method of leadership is based on what is referred to as ‘the Moses – Aaron hierarchy’ structure; Moses being the senior leader and Aaron being his right hand man that does nothing on his own, but adheres strictly to the orders he receives by his superior.
When one examines Scripture however, where ever the church is concerned, this structure doesn’t exist. Pastors and elders are viewed as one and the same, insomuch that they are the spiritual leaders of the church, they are the ones to feed the flock, they are the ones to offer counsel and make decisions for the church, in accordance with the Word of God.
Growing up in the church, I assumed that the ‘senior pastor and following order’ was entirely biblical, but someone once challenged me to find the Scripture that referred to, or suggested the position of ‘senior pastor’ (or even the idea of Sunday School – according to grade, or youth ministry or youth pastors). I couldn’t.
On the aside, the following article from Got Questions conveys much the same idea of plurality of leadership, rather than a singular leader that controls everything.
Another word for ‘Senior’ would be ‘Chief’ and another word for ‘pastor’ would be shepherd; so the Bible does speak of a ‘senior pastor’ that is entirely acceptable: Jesus Christ Himself!
1 PETER 5:3-4
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
The church is referred to as the BODY of CHRIST, an organic entity that grows and matures; it is not a business or an organization, but we see churches and fellowships increasingly governed in this manner today.
Business gurus and financial tycoons are being used as models for churches in regards to how they run their businesses. Two such examples are the late Peter Drucker* and Ken Blanchard (who also happened to have been associates in the Leader to Leader Network); Drucker made no claim to being a Christian, and yet while Blanchard does make such a claim, we shall see that he certainly is not – if he actually believes what he says.
Not only has the business philosophy invaded the church, but
New Age dogma has invaded both; and
in fact, some of what’s practiced in New Age came into the church via the business philosophy.
While gaining popularity among church-goers, particularly
because of his association with the likes of super-star ‘pastors’ Rick Warren
(Of Saddleback Church), and Bill Hybels (Willowcreek)* and others, Ken
Blanchard isn’t quite as well known. As he is heading the Lead Like Jesus ministry however, conducting seminars and workshops
across this nation, he is becoming more of a house hold name.
He certainly is very well known in the business world:
he has written over 30 books dealing with this and related subjects: from
Wikipedia we have the following piece.
* Blanchard, Warren and Hybels in association for ‘ministry’
purposes.
His book The One Minute Manager (co-authored with Spencer Johnson) has sold over 13 million copies and has been translated into 37 languages. He has coauthored over 30 other best-selling books, including Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach To Customer Service (1993), Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness Through Situational Leadership (1985) (in which he coined the term ‘seagull manager’), Gung Ho! Turn On the People in Any Organization (1997), Whale Done! The Power of Positive Relationships (2002) and Leading at a Higher Level: Blanchard on Leadership and Creating High Performing Organizations (2006).
Blanchard is the Chief Spiritual Officer of The Ken Blanchard Companies; an international management training and consulting firm that he and his wife, Marjorie Blanchard, co-founded in 1979 in San Diego, CA.
He is well adept in management and business relationships, and educating others in successful practices through his organization. Yet is such education without spiritual content (of the decidedly wrong sort)? Is he in fact, a genuine Christian or a New Ager?
From the Let Us Reason website we have this article.
Ken Blanchard – Leading Like Jesus or Being Managed by Other Forces (which we shall refer to throughout this article) and the following quote:
*We have mentioned Bob Buford in two TTUF articles.
His book The One Minute Manager (co-authored with Spencer Johnson) has sold over 13 million copies and has been translated into 37 languages. He has coauthored over 30 other best-selling books, including Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach To Customer Service (1993), Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness Through Situational Leadership (1985) (in which he coined the term ‘seagull manager’), Gung Ho! Turn On the People in Any Organization (1997), Whale Done! The Power of Positive Relationships (2002) and Leading at a Higher Level: Blanchard on Leadership and Creating High Performing Organizations (2006).
Blanchard is the Chief Spiritual Officer of The Ken Blanchard Companies; an international management training and consulting firm that he and his wife, Marjorie Blanchard, co-founded in 1979 in San Diego, CA.
He is well adept in management and business relationships, and educating others in successful practices through his organization. Yet is such education without spiritual content (of the decidedly wrong sort)? Is he in fact, a genuine Christian or a New Ager?
From the Let Us Reason website we have this article.
Ken Blanchard – Leading Like Jesus or Being Managed by Other Forces (which we shall refer to throughout this article) and the following quote:
*We have mentioned Bob Buford in two TTUF articles.
Buford was instrumental, along with Peter Drucker, in
getting The Leadership Network off
the ground, the predecessor of sorts to The
Emergent Church Movement.
His view of Jesus Christ is rather myopic however; to see Him as the greatest manager of all time is a far too limiting descriptive of one who is God Incarnate (JN. 1:1-3, 14) and LORD of all as well as the Christ (ACTS 2:36). While it might seem like nit-picking, the ‘bridge’ that must be crossed is not between Jesus and ourselves, but between the Holy God and our sinful selves: yet we cannot cross on our own merit or power, but by the Cross of Jesus Christ, and His shed blood poured out on behalf of us sinners.
Blanchard has shared platforms and been associated
with many people that are not in the least Christian: such as Norman Vincent
Peale who is famous for saying, “Of course you don’t have to be born again to
get to heaven! I got my way, you got yours!” Peale was also a 33rd
Degree Mason.
“There is countless evidence to show that Blanchard sits on the New Age/mystical/contemplative bandwagon. While this in no way proves that Rick Warren supports or endorses either New Age beliefs or any form of Eastern Religion or Philosophy, the question still has to be asked . . . What are so called Christian leaders doing in any kind of alliance with a man who has no trouble associating himself with Napoleon Hill’s “unseen watchers” and few, if any, qualms about borrowing from Buddhism and New Age ‘spirituality?’.”
Napoleon Hill was an advocate and author for the New Thought Movement (parallel to the New Age Movement): "What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve" is one of Hill's hallmark expressions.
Here is an 11 minute video with John Ankerberg, Johanna Michaelson and Dave Hunt on Napoleon Hill and addresses the question, Is Think and Grow Rich occultic?
His view of Jesus Christ is rather myopic however; to see Him as the greatest manager of all time is a far too limiting descriptive of one who is God Incarnate (JN. 1:1-3, 14) and LORD of all as well as the Christ (ACTS 2:36). While it might seem like nit-picking, the ‘bridge’ that must be crossed is not between Jesus and ourselves, but between the Holy God and our sinful selves: yet we cannot cross on our own merit or power, but by the Cross of Jesus Christ, and His shed blood poured out on behalf of us sinners.
Peale’s religion is really that of Mind Science; that we can
change our world by ‘Positive Thinking’. This is not biblical faith at all;
biblical faith is believing and acting upon the truth of God’s Word (ROM.
4:1-3; GAL. 2:16 ; ROM.
10:9-10, 17). He is clearly wrong on the point of it being unnecessary to be
born again as well (JN. 3:3-5; 1 PTR. 1:2-3).
Also he shared speaking engagements with Mikhail Gorbachev
who endorsed the Pope as the leading spiritual authority on Earth and is
himself, still a committed Socialist; Bill Hybels whose trademark is ‘Social
Justice’ – a euphemism for Socialism – (along with his wife) in partnership
with Jim Wallis (of Sojourners) who
is also a passionate Socialist.
From TTUF
we have this commentary about, among many other things, Jim Wallis by Anne Kisly in her article: Plunging Towards Apostasy:
Blanchard has also endorsed dozens of books that are blatantly New Age in their teachings; even after he was reined in by those who received criticisms about his apostate affinities, he continued to endorse them.
From the In
Plain Site website we have the following extensive information:
“Background….Mr. Wallis who was head of the Students for a
Democratic Society at Michigan State University up until the present time, has
been moving in the left wing, collectivistic, communistic crowd for all of
these years…and now he is the new spiritual advisor to the President of the
United States. The President of the U.S. has given Jim Wallis his marching
orders…telling him that now he is going to be the “Green Shepherd” to lead the
Evangelical Church into the Whitehouse’s program of Climate Change under the
guise of justice and injustice.
The question conservative Christians should ask is why is a
pastor so popular among secularist liberals who routinely vilify Christians for
their involvement in political issues? The answer is to be found in Jim Wallis’
consistently radical—and even Marxist—worldview. FrontPageMagazine.org has published a lengthy expose on Jim Wallis’
far-left background, including his anti-capitalist views and his support of
Communist or terrorist regimes throughout the history of Sojourners. While Wallis was in seminary, he founded an
anti-capitalist magazine called Post-American.
In it, Wallis called for the redistribution of wealth and government managed
economies. This anti-capitalist worldview is expressed in religious terms as a
quest for “social justice.”
Blanchard has also endorsed dozens of books that are blatantly New Age in their teachings; even after he was reined in by those who received criticisms about his apostate affinities, he continued to endorse them.
“There is countless evidence to show that Blanchard sits on the New Age/mystical/contemplative bandwagon. While this in no way proves that Rick Warren supports or endorses either New Age beliefs or any form of Eastern Religion or Philosophy, the question still has to be asked . . . What are so called Christian leaders doing in any kind of alliance with a man who has no trouble associating himself with Napoleon Hill’s “unseen watchers” and few, if any, qualms about borrowing from Buddhism and New Age ‘spirituality?’.”
Napoleon Hill was an advocate and author for the New Thought Movement (parallel to the New Age Movement): "What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve" is one of Hill's hallmark expressions.
Here is an 11 minute video with John Ankerberg, Johanna Michaelson and Dave Hunt on Napoleon Hill and addresses the question, Is Think and Grow Rich occultic?
“On January 19,
2008 , Blanchard was one of the speakers at a one day seminar in San
Diego called The
Secret to Having Your Best Year Ever. The seminar was based on the New Age
movie The Secret*, and, among other
goals, was touted as prospectively causing the attendee to ‘get healthy &
stay healthy forever... Double or triple your income ...Infuse your life with
positive spirituality’. And all this was supposed to take place ‘in a single
afternoon’.
* For more on The Secret, and its New Age teaching look here.
The Secret was given to author Rhonda Byrne by spirit guides known as The Abraham Group! These are none other than the Doctrines of Demons! 1 TIM. 4:1.
From The TRUTH Under FIRE article TTUF Profile: A Look At Alice Bailey.
Here ends information about Ken Blanchard as copied
and gleaned from Carol Brooks’ article from www.inplainsite.org.
Here also ends the first of two parts of this last article on Ken Blanchard; part V of the series will be posted soon! Until then, remain rooted and grounded in the Word of Truth!
The Secret was given to author Rhonda Byrne by spirit guides known as The Abraham Group! These are none other than the Doctrines of Demons! 1 TIM. 4:1.
“Among the speakers were John Assaraf, Lisa Nichols and
Michael Bernard Beckwith all three of whom were featured teachers in The Secret movie. Additionally Beckwith
is cofounder of the Association for
Global New Thought, and founder of the Agape
International Spiritual Center devoted to the study and practice New
Thought–Ancient Wisdom. He also teaches meditation and “scientific prayer”, has
appeared in Dalai Lama Renaissance, a
feature length documentary about the Dalai Lama and (of course) appeared on the
Oprah Winfrey Show.”
Blanchard’s proclivities and affection for apostate
philosophies isn’t limited to Byrne’s/Abraham Group’s work however! There are
many others that are listed below in this composite of corruption, such as
Robert Scheinfield’s The 11th
Element.
Printed on the inside flap of the cover we read:
“Your success is shaped by a powerful set of unseen forces that are rarely discussed. The 11th Element shows you how to tap into those forces–commonly mistaken for luck–to open an avalanche of new potential and prosperity in your life.”
Printed on the inside flap of the cover we read:
“Your success is shaped by a powerful set of unseen forces that are rarely discussed. The 11th Element shows you how to tap into those forces–commonly mistaken for luck–to open an avalanche of new potential and prosperity in your life.”
Yet, Ken Blanchard, who claims to be a follower of Jesus,
has this to say about the book:
"The 11th Element
teaches you the valuable skill of asking for assistance from your ‘Inner CEO’
to improve your decision making. Napoleon Hill explored this principle in Think and Grow Rich, and Scheinfeld
takes it to a new level."
What Scheinfield called ‘unseen forces’ Blanchard refers to as ‘your Inner CEO’ or what New Agers commonly call ‘Your Inner Guide’ – it’s the very same form and substance of demonic power and yet Blanchard is regarded as a Christian leader who is teaching pastors and church leaders how to lead like JESUS?! Incredible deception!
What Scheinfield called ‘unseen forces’ Blanchard refers to as ‘your Inner CEO’ or what New Agers commonly call ‘Your Inner Guide’ – it’s the very same form and substance of demonic power and yet Blanchard is regarded as a Christian leader who is teaching pastors and church leaders how to lead like JESUS?! Incredible deception!
Those unseen forces, aka unseen watchers, aka unseen
masters, aka The Great School of Masters are those spiritual entities well
known among occultists and especially Theosophists and pertain to that realm
known as The Shamballa which is
spoken of in complete and familiar fashion by Alice Bailey, Theosophist leader
and prolific author, who herself received her writings from a spirit guide,
Djwhal Khul (demonic power):
“Shamballa force - the force from the invisible dimensions
led by the Lord Maitreya - will be "destructive." It will also, she
said, eject unbelievers from the earth:
The decision to release the Shamballa force during
this century into direct contact with the human kingdom is one of the final and
most compelling acts of preparation for the New Age. The Shamballa force is
destructive and ejective ... inspiring new understanding of The Plan....It is
this force ... which will bring about that tremendous crisis, the initiation of
the race into the mysteries of the ages. (Alice Bailey, The Externalizing of the Mysteries, pt.1 p.171)From The TRUTH Under FIRE article TTUF Profile: A Look At Alice Bailey.
Maitreya, Sanat Kumara and Djwhal Khul are among these
Ascended Masters, this Great School of Masters; and yet Blanchard is endorsing
books written by people who speak of these entities via these alias names with
great favor; these beings that have channeled their knowledge through these willing
vessels. The Bible has a different designation for these entities and beings of
‘higher knowledge’: “principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high
places” (Eph. 6:12 )!
Some other books Blanchard endorsed by New Agers:
What Would Buddha Do At Work – by Franz Metcalf. Blanchard says: "Throughout this book, 'Buddha's insights and words help us create a kinder and gentler workplace. Jesus would approve. ...
What Would Buddha Do At Work – by Franz Metcalf. Blanchard says: "Throughout this book, 'Buddha's insights and words help us create a kinder and gentler workplace. Jesus would approve. ...
"Buddha points to the path and invites us to begin our
journey to enlightenment.... K.B."
Mind Like Water –
by Jim Ballard. Blanchard comments on his collaborative effort with Ballard:
“We begin all our writing sessions with prayer asking the Great Writer to help
get our egos out of the way.
“For their guidance and inspiration, I wish to acknowledge
the great line of masters; Jesus Christ, Bhagavan Krishna ,
Mahavatar Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, Swami Sri Yukteswas and Paramahansa
Yogananda. Jai gurus!”
Little Wave and Old
Swell - also written by Jim Ballard, endorsed by Deepak Chopra, with the
foreword written by Ken Blanchard, who says that over the more than thirty
years of their friendship, Jim Ballard and he have “been inspired and enriched”
from their separate spiritual journeys. Blanchard says that while he has been
“drawn to the feet of the Master of Galilee, Jim has followed the meditation
path taught by Paramahansa Yogananda, the great Indian teacher”.
He adds that “in a simple folktale-type allegory, he
(Ballard) uses Yogananda’s metaphor of human life as a wave that rises and falls
on the Ocean of God
"Some people might ask why a follower of Jesus is
writing the foreword for a book inspired by an Indian guru. The fact is,
Yogananda loved Jesus, and Jesus would have loved Yogananda.”
In the Sphere of
Silence – by Vijay Eswaran, Executive Chairman of the QI Group of Companies; this is a book on Vedic (Hindu) meditation,
which Blanchard claims in his endorsement: “is a wonderful guide on how to enter
the realm of silence and draw closer to God.”
The Hoffman Process
- Tim Laurence, the present director of The
Hoffman Institute. “The Hoffman Process brings forth spiritual leadership
in a person. It made my spirituality come alive. Through the Hoffman Process I
actually brought my faith into my daily actions.” Ken Blanchard.
He also happens to be a graduate of the Hoffman Quadrinity Process: “The Process itself uses a variety of techniques, including visualization, bio-energetics, Gestalt exercises, journaling, silent meditation, and group discussion” (Tim Lawrence; The Hoffman Institute Director). All of this at the cost of only $3,600 per person; apparently spirituality doesn’t come cheap! Incidentally, Blanchard also sits on their Advisory Board.
He also happens to be a graduate of the Hoffman Quadrinity Process: “The Process itself uses a variety of techniques, including visualization, bio-energetics, Gestalt exercises, journaling, silent meditation, and group discussion” (Tim Lawrence; The Hoffman Institute Director). All of this at the cost of only $3,600 per person; apparently spirituality doesn’t come cheap! Incidentally, Blanchard also sits on their Advisory Board.
Other endorsements of this book come from Sonia Choquette,
Margo Anand, and Joan Borysenka: all prolific and highly respected (among their
own circles) New Age teachers and practitioners.
The Corporate Mystic
– by Gay Hendricks, who also was the executive producer of the film Conversations with God. Blanchard
comments: “If you want to lead your enterprise into the twenty-first century,
read this powerful book”.
The 7 Spiritual Laws
of Success – by Deepak Chopra, himself a disciple of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi,
founder of the Transcendental Meditation
Movement; endorsed by Ken Blanchard.
Death and Letting Go
– by Ellen Tadd and Ken Blanchard. Tadd is a clairvoyant and clairaudient,
regularly communicating with her spirit guides, which began after she was first
contacted by ‘her deceased mother’.
Here also ends the first of two parts of this last article on Ken Blanchard; part V of the series will be posted soon! Until then, remain rooted and grounded in the Word of Truth!
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