So what is CREST? The description on the CREST website says it is...
…an innovative leadership development program whose mission is “Impacting the hearts of mid-life leaders to fulfill their compelling dreams.”Dr. Dan Reinhardt is Crest’s founder and director. He was also a director on The Leadership Centre of Willow Creek Canada for 15 years (2). Crest is supposedly a Christian program. It’s acrostic is a 'Jesus’ method', which they call The CREST Paradigm (3):
Established in 2002, CREST has trained over 150 leaders through its various programs. Leaders trained include pastors, lay persons, business owners, and executive teams of major Canadian charities: Focus on the Family, Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Compassion Canada, 100 Huntley Street, Opportunity International, and Christian Business Ministries Canada.
-http://www.crestleadership.ca/pages/home/the-crest-team.php
- Chosen
- Relational
- Experiential
- Spiritual
- (with) Time
For example, in a recent report on Crest Encounter # 3, we read that the week ended with a focus on Spiritual Formation at the contemplative Providence Renewal Centre(4) where CREST members "experimented" with a conversation with a "spiritual director," or soul companion, under the ministry of (the late) Dr. Virgil Stauffer, Director of the very contemplative Kings Fold Retreat Center (Cochrane, Alberta - www.kingsfoldretreat.com ). (5)
Then there was the Crest Encounter # 5, which was reportedly(6) held at a small retreat center called Edenvale(7). The focus of this week was on Inner Issues such as emotional, spiritual and psychological strength of the leader. Oddly, the place they chose for this week of Christian leadership training is a New Age center notorious for hosting Buddhist meditation and yoga retreats.
In the Report on Crest Encounter # 7 we read (8) the following about what a CREST Encounter looks like, confirming all those red flags and warning bells we have seen so far:
RELATIONSHIPSOnce again, King's Fold and Willow Creek are huge promoters of contemplative spirituality, which CREST is helping to spread through their leadership program.
Relationships and camaraderie are an important part of the CREST Leadership experience. This being August, we enjoyed a couple of barbecues and several great days out at King’s Fold, a Christian retreat center just northwest of Calgary...
LEARNING
Every August we participate in Willow Creek's Leadership Summit. This is the premier Christian leadership conference available in North America each year. The Willow Creek Association brings in top name speakers - excellent presenters that we could never afford...
SPIRITUAL FORMATION
The leader’s inner life is crucial to his or her ability to cope with external realities. Each CREST Encounter incorporates a spiritual formation piece. Taking the prayer walk at King's Fold and ending at the crucifixion scene was a powerful encounter with the price Christ paid for each of us.
One final red flag might be CREST'S Leader’s Links page (9), which includes the contemplative Rocky Mountain College (10), John Maxwell’s Injoy (www.injoy.com), and Steven Covey (New Age Mormon author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People). (11)
Some might conclude that the leaders of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, through speakers like Dan Reinhardt and organizations like Crest, are okay with contemplative spiritual formation and New Age ideas infiltrating their denomination. We can only hope this is not true and possibly only a one time incident, however, the facts show that this is not the first time they have partnered together. As recently as last November, the C&MA promoted a Crest Leadership Seminar in Vancouver, B.C. (12). But the C&MA is not the only Christian organization affected by this slow, subtle poisoning of the evangelical church into the Silence. Perhaps these associations and things might also explain the link between contemplative spirituality and Focus on the Family (13). Who knows? One thing we do know is that spiritual formation seems to be slipping in unnoticed everywhere, and this is only one of many ways. We can only pray that discerning Christians will see these red flags, stay off this contemplative pathway, and warn others who are being deceived by these things.
ENDNOTES:
(1) Dr. Reinhardt also recently spoke at a Church of God (July 05, 2009 Pathways to know God) where he promoted contemplative Gary Thomas (Sacred Pathways). See here:
http://www.glamorganchurch.ca/media.shtml
(2) Willow Creek Canada website: http://www.growingleadership.com/
[See Contemplative Emphasis Continues at Willow Creek … Stronger Than Ever]
(3) The CREST Paradigm:
http://www.crestleadership.ca/pages/home/the-crest-difference/
E280A2-the-crest-paradigm.php
(4) Read Report on Crest Encounter # 3 here:
http://www.crestleadership.ca/pages/posts/
report-on-crest-encounter-312.php
See Providence Renewal Centre website here:
http://www.providencerenewal.ca/
(5) Find out about the spirituality of King's Fold Retreat Center here.
(6) Read Report on Crest Encounter #5 here:
http://www.crestleadership.ca/pages/posts/
report-on-crest-encounter-514.php
(7) Edenvale Retreat Center (www.edenvaleretreat.ca) is owned and operated by Emissaries of Divine Light International (www.emissaries.org), a "global network of people offering programs for spiritual awakening, transformation and leadership."
(8) Read Report on Crest Encounter # 7 here:
http://www.crestleadership.ca/pages/posts/
report-on-crest-encounter-716.php
(9) See Crest's Leader's Links page here:
http://www.crestleadership.ca/pages/leaders-links.php
(Note: CREST has a disclaimer on the bottom of the page, nevertheless, they are listed and therefore promoted.)
(10) Read about the contemplative spirituality of Rocky Mountain College here.
(11) Covey's book The Eighth Habit has been endorsed by Ken Blanchard, see here:
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blanchardreportfeb06.htm
(12) Note CMA's promotion of CREST Leadership Seminar, November 13th, 2009 in Vancouver, here:
http://www.cmacpd.bc.ca/events/crest-leadership-seminar
(13) Learn more about Focus on the Family (Canada) and Contemplative Spirituality here: http://morebooksandthings.blogspot.com/2009/09/focus-on-family-canada-and.html
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