3DM BACKGROUND Part 2

NOTES > 3DM

A Word of Caution Concerning 3DM & The Order of Mission

PART TWO

What every church leader and member should know before their local church gets involved with 3DMovement and The Order of Mission.

(3DM Warning Part TWO covers the background of 3DM and the Order of Missions along with Mike Breen's approach to Thelology and interpreting the Word of God.)

Notes & Observations

The following are various notes and observations about the 3DMovement and Mike Breen. They are only the tip of the preverbal iceberg. I am convinced that 3DM is founded on non-biblical application of scripture as set forward by Mike Breen and those closest to him. I have tried to reference the most obvious and often disputed arguments. On several occasions I have either met with or talked with people involved in 3DM over the phone or in person. I reference one of these conservations in part ONE.

The Church of God Anderson, IN[i] was founded with a strong tie to the scriptures. At the founding of the movement we threw out almost everything else, but we clung to the Bible with disregard for all else. This was our strength and what we brought as a movement to the world. One of the favorite hymns of our founding is The Church’s Jubilee.[ii] The second verse begins, “The Bible is our rule of faith and Christ alone is Lord.” Those who have allowed 3DMovement into their churches must consider that Mike Breen is not a Bible scholar but one who, when his teachings are examined they, twist, extort, and set forward meaning not intended and never before seen. He does this openly and without apology in his blogs, videos and books. Yet, when these teachings are examined they do not stand up to the light of day. His teachings are exactly that. They are Mike Breen’s teachings and should not be used in any churches “rule of faith.”

Keys to understanding and examining the 3DMovement and Mike Breen are:

Scripture application and interpretation

How the church is viewed and modeled by 3DMovement

The foundation background of 3DMovement, TOM (the Order of Mission) & Mike Breen

Ministry tools such as lifeshapes

Warning signs or tendencies of the 3DMovement

These are only briefly referenced here but they are enough to at least be a warning.

Mike Breen’s approach to theology and interpreting the Word of God

Here are several examples of how Mike Breen interprets scripture. He does not support his statements and in fact if checked they are many times absolutely not true. Basing his books upon his personal teaching, interpretation and assumptions he is able to proof text this new movement into existence with remarkable ease. The following examples should be enough to make anyone question the entire 3DM model and teachings.

Breen builds his teachings upon his own misinterpretation and misrepresentation of the Word of God. An example of this is when Breen takes the promise of God to Abram in Genesis 15.1-2[iii] where it says “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, and your very great reward. But Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD…” Breen writes “”Shield” and “Sovereign” are the same word in Hebrew.”[iv] He proceeds to show this as the foundation of his teaching about ‘Covenant.’ He makes a great emphasis about this. (Genesis 15.2) Breen writes, “Using the same word the Lord had used for himself, Abram replies: “Oh Sovereign Lord…”[v] I checked and it is NOT the same word. In Genesis 15.1 the Hebrew word for shield is ‘magen or maginnah,” which means a shield and comes from the word to cover or surround or defend yourself. The word ‘magen or maginnah’ appears 60 times in scripture and never means sovereign. It is translated two times as ‘armed,’ one time as ‘buckler,’ one time as ‘large,’ one time as ‘ruler’ when referring to a shameful ruler in Hosea 4.18, one time as ‘scales,’ and fifty-seven times as ‘shield or shields,’ but never is it translated nor does it ever mean sovereign. This while the word used in Genesis 15.2 for Sovereign is the Hebrew word, “Adonay,’ which appears 459 times in the Old Testament and is translated ‘Lord’ 456 times, ‘lord’ one time and ‘lords’ two times. It is not the same word used in Genesis 15.1 for shield and is never ever translated shield. They are two distinct and different words except in the writings of Mike Breen.

Such a blatant misstatement should have caught the eye of every preacher and Christian who reads his writings but instead it is seen as the foundation for how the believer is to see his or her relationship with God. Here is another example of Mike Breen making it up as he goes along.

He does this with the word ‘covenant.’ He says, “Covenant is the way in which the Bible describes and defines relationships: First our relationship with God and then or relationship with everyone else. “[vi] He even says “the word [covenant] means “to become one.”[vii] Yet the word ‘covenant appears over 270 times in the Bible and nowhere does it mean “to become one.” There are five variations of the word translated covenant in the Hebrew or Old Testament and two variations of the word in the New Testaments and their meaning or root words do not lend or support his definition of the word. Breen is stuck on his own interpretation of the word and continues to use his definition and explanation. He asserts that “a Covenant entailed two groups (families, households, tribes) actually becoming one.”[viii] The word ‘covenant’ has a variety of uses and meanings but it does not mean becoming one. In most cases it was a treaty preventing war and binding people to a commitment of peace. The covenants between God and man are treaties, contracts or promises, but it does not make us one. That required the death and resurrection of Jesus. Without Jesus we cannot become one.

I am not saying he gets it all wrong but he mixes in his own definitions and theology with the truth he has learned and it slowly begins to morph into a new theology devoid of the truth of the Word of God. Instead the Word becomes his proof text and is used as a backstop and proof text for those who are ignorant of what it actually says.

Mike Breen speaks of those in fellowship with God and says the original purpose was so “They and they alone would be the means by which God would govern the earth.”[ix] This alone is not telling but when he begins to explain what he is referring to it takes on an ominous note.

Breen is right when he says “Adam and Eve and all successive generations of human beings were designed and destined to be God’s representatives…”[x] As representatives of God, I contend, we are still subject to God and in no way equal to God. Yet, in an effort to define how he sees our relationship with God Breen writes, “there is no doubt that human beings were intended to be God’s coregents on earth.”[xi] He uses the naming of animals as man’s first act as a ‘co-regent.’ The word co-regent means simply “a joint regent or ruler.”[xii] This is a long way from being a representative or “Christ’s ambassadors.”[xiii] This is closer to the Mormon teaching of all becoming God’s after death. Here, Breen, has the believer filling in as God’s ‘co-regents’ right here on earth. He does appear to limit this statement when he says, “They would rule, and he would direct… God required that they depend on him for their ethical decisions.”[xiv]

Breen clearly sees the devil as taking our place as ‘co-regents’ and assuming the position of God himself by tricking Adam and Eve into sinning. Breen writes, “In the darkness of his evil heart, the devil conceived a plan to oppose God’s purposes by stealing the position designed for us.”[xv] In his footnote Breen states that “The devil is known as the “god” of this world…”[xvi] The implication is we as God’s co-regents had lost our place as god’s co-regents and Satan stepped in and took charge. This is a long way from the Biblical concept that Satan took control of what belonged to Jesus and Jesus took it back. Paul calls Satan, “the ruler of the kingdom of the air.”[xvii] It is here Jesus proclaims ““I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”[xviii]

I am a slave of Christ, a friend if I progress to that point, but I am not a co-regent. This co-regent status sounds a lot like when Satan tempted the first couple in the garden. Adam and Eve were assigned to tend the garden, not set up thrones and rule over it. When Satan tempted them, one of the things he said would happen was they would “be like God, knowing good and evil.”[xix] Mike Breen sees us becoming like God as “co-regents.” The temptation Satan offered Adam and Eve is one Mike Breen has accepted and is teaching to unsuspecting individuals who follow his teachings.

Understanding the way Mike Breen sees the Church

According to Mike Breen it is important we know “That word oikos, which refers to “household” or “family,” is the description he uses for the church in the New Testament.” He builds his entire 3DM system around this concept of Oikos. Breen continues, “And if we were to dig into the annals of church history, we’d find that almost every time we see a missional movement of God, we also see a missional vehicle being used about the size of an extended family. Coincidence? I’m not sure.”[xx] Yet, this broad statement has no biblical or historical foundation. Breen’s personal background is in the monastic groups within the Church of England. That could be why Breen sees these oikos or mini-churches as groups of 15-20 people with the max of 50 in any group[xxi] as the standard to gauge churches by. He believes that “In the early church, discipleship and mission always centered around and flourished in the oikos.”[xxii] He sees this as the foundation of the gathering of the believers. Ignoring the over 100 times the New Testament refers not to oikos but to ekklesia. This ekklesia is the assembly or as Jesus called it the church he was going to build.

Breen is emphatic when he writes, “We are absolutely convinced that oikos is what the church needs to reclaim if it is going to become the kind of movement the church was in its earliest days.”[xxiii] Breen is looking at the church through his neo-monastic background. The Bible is basically void of information about polity and size of a church. This being left to culture and circumstances. It is what people believe that shapes them more than the size of their fellowship.

Now from scripture it is plain that churches often met in the local homes or households aka oikos. A few examples are, “Rom 16:5 says the church meets in their oikos (homes or households). 1 Cor 16:19, the church meets in their oikos (homes or households). Col 4:15, church meets in an oikos (homes or households). 1 Tim 3:15: “you may know how one ought to behave in the household (oikos) of God, which is the church (ekklesia) of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.” Phm 2: church meets in an oikos.” These oikos or homes were often the only buildings available for meeting of Christian believers. Meeting in an oikos or a house/home and teaching this as the foundational structure intended by Christ for the church is stretching the use of the word outside of its intended meaning.[xxiv]

Breen’s approach to oikos as the foundation of the church is shortsighted and is not supported scripturally. In an excellent article on Ben Sternke’s blog[xxv] titled Both/And: Temple and Oikos a more Biblical and balanced approach is presented. Showing that both were needed. He shows how they work together to balance and strengthen the church. “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes [oikos] and ate together with glad and sincere hearts” (Acts 2:46).

I am convinced it is not as much about structure as it is about content. Every great move of God has had within it three key elements. First, there is the renewed commitment to the Word of God Second, there is a commitment that includes small groups of believers gathering together and finally there is the revival of worship often expressed in a new form or in contemporary music. 3DM misses these terribly. First, their commitment to the Word of God is based upon the flawed and often dishonest interpretation of Mike Breen. He seems to be making it up as he goes along and no one appears to be checking his facts. He does get it right occasionally but much like the old axiom of a million monkeys typing on a million typewriters would eventually be able to write a great novel by accident, this seems to apply more times than not to his theology. Second, he sees his oikos as the only method acceptable to build the church. Yet there is no scriptural foundation for such a statement. Finally, his worship paradigm is based upon a pattern designed around a monastic model better suited to monks in the fourth century than to the modern church.

Throwing out the Baby with the Bath water

The rush for a new structure while abandoning the old seems to be a pattern we in the Church of God, Anderson, IN, are willing to repeat. The Church of God, Anderson, started by rejecting buildings, ordained ministers, formal education for ministers, discarding all creeds and faith statements and basically started over declaring all of the past church history wrong. It took our movement almost 100 years to recover from some of our early mistakes. One thing we did right was cling to the accuracy of the Word of God. Mike Breen and 3DM are putting forward another version of this by saying they have rediscovered the original structure of the church and we need to start over doing it their way and then we will be successful. We have made this mistake on a grand scale once why are some churches willing to repeat it again?

When is a Movement a Movement?

When it first started it was called 3DMissions but changed its name to 3DMovement. I believe this was no small decision and reflects the overall purpose and direction Mike Breen and 3DM are headed. A movement is more than sharing ideas it is an organization that feeds and grows. It has its own ways and requirements. It is a separate from other organizations, groups, or in this case churches. Those in 3Dmovement would dispute this. I must say from the point of view of a member of the Church of God Holiness Reformation MOVEMENT it raises great suspicions when one examines the big picture of 3DM teachings and outreach.

Background of the 3DMovement

It should be noted that 3DM ministries are directly related to TOM (The Order of Mission) and are not a completely separate ministry as will be shown from their own websites. All you have to do to verify this is to visit the TOM website. [xxvi]

They proudly proclaim “3DM is closely connected with The Order Mission. Many of the 3DM Central Team and those in the wider 3DM family are members of TOM.”[xxvii] This statement was posted on The 3DM web page. On his blog, Mike Breen clearly links together, “the movement that is 3DM and The Order of Mission.”[xxviii]

The Order of Mission (TOM) defines its roots “As an apostolic missional Order grounded in the global Anglican Communion. . .”[xxix] Thus 3DM is an extension of the Anglican Communion and the Church of England. Remember it is Breen who said it was “the movement that is 3DM and The Order of Mission.”[xxx]

“The Order of Mission (TOM) is a covenant community of Missional Leaders officially acknowledged by the ‘Advisory Council on the Relations of Bishops & Religious Communities’ as a religious community within the Church of England. We make promises before God to be part of and live according to the values of this community.”[xxxi]

The promises or vows are stated as being directly related to the Church of England. If the People running 3DM have made such vows, why are we allowing them to supervise and train our local church leaders?

These vows include the one listed here.

“In the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit,

I solemnly promise before God

to devote myself

to a life of simplicity, purity

and accountability

within The Order of Mission.

I vow before God and in the presence of the Senior Guardian (Guardians)

and the members of the Order,

to live and work according to its Rule.

I ask for the grace of Almighty God

and the prayers of all those present.

Amen”[xxxii]

The foundational leadership of 3DM is directly related to a religious organization that when examined stands in direct opposition and in conflict with the beliefs held by most protestant congregations. In the end the promises are made to “the Order” and “its rule.”

LIFESHAPES, HUDDLES

Breen writes, “Lifeshapes is a set of practical tools for missionary living grounded in biblical insights that enables Order members to live the TOM way.”[xxxiii] These are one in the same lifeshapes 3DM uses with the local churches in training their leadership. By extension, the local church congregations using lifeshapes are living The Order of Mission way. This statement alone should make any church reconsider before getting involved with this organization.

“In coordination with 3D Movements, we have produced a book on this pattern of life entitled Building a Disciplining Culture.”[xxxiv] The “we” here, is The Order of Mission, which is thickly entwined with the development and implementation of 3DM in various churches and denominations.

It is clear that 3DM and The Order of Mission are tied together and anyone using Lifeshapes is following and practicing the teachings of Mike Breen. Several individuals I have spoken to have said TOM and 3DM were not linked together. Now, who should I believe? Someone saying “trust me, I know they are not linked” or should I believe what The Order of Missions, 3DMovement and the founder, Mike Breen, have proudly published on their website.[xxxv]

“Huddle is the structure by which every temporary and permanent member of The Order of Mission (TOM) engages with ongoing support and accountability.”[xxxvi] These same “huddles” are part of the 3DM practices used in establishing new churches.[xxxvii] Coincidence, I don’t think so. These two organizations are linked at the hip and pouring these teaching into outside churches using the 3DM teachings.

According to Breen, “The Order of Mission is inspired by the monastic movements of previous eras that have so often been the tip of the sword for revival and awakening in the church at large.”[xxxviii] This is a historically inaccurate and self-serving statement.

Mike Breen describes himself as the “Senior Guardian of the Order of Mission.”[xxxix] Vows are made directly to him by members of the Order of Tom.

3DM learning communities are financially invested in or required to pay a monthly fee for weekly coaching. A TEAM of up to 3 people cost $330 per month or $3,960.[xl] “coaching includes each month: face-to-face, peer-to-peer, written, audio, video and online.”[xli] Larger teams cost more and come with the greater financial responsibility. Some churches have reported spending over $30,000 per year on coaching alone.

Some 3DM churches are also known as “Soma Communities” and are seen as part of the “Gospel Community on Mission Collective.” “They live life together as a family on God’s mission, seeing each other often and gathering together in homes at least weekly.”[xlii] This is in keeping with the Order of Missions Monastic background and lifestyle.

FLUID MOVEMENT

North Heights Lutheran Church in Minnesota has had a very public and documented experiences with 3DM. The pastoral leadership took the church into 3DM without full disclosure. In the end the Lay-Leadership withdrew the church from 3DM and gave the pastoral leadership a directive to either break ties with 3DM or resign. The leadership at 3DM responded in a letter to the church which is posted online. In this response they give a telling statement into the fluid nature of their interaction with churches. According to the letter; “Churches come into and leave our process every week.”[xliii] This pyramidal approach will only continue to work as long as the number of new churches exceeds the number of the ones leaving.

I have avoided the negative of people’s personal experiences based on feelings but, there are plenty of them out there. I prefer to look at discernable facts that allow the individual and church leadership to make informed decisions concerning 3DMovement. A simple web search for 3DM, Mike Breen and The Order Of Mission, or any combination of these will allow you to see my opposition

What’s In A Name?

It should be noted what started out as 3DMissions was renamed 3DMovement. This should be both telling and enlightening to those of us in the Church of God or have we forgotten that we are the Church of God Holiness Reformation MOVEMENT! As such we hold to a standard and set of teachings that from the beginning we have believed should change and remake the larger church. This too is the 3DMovements goals. 3DM is not just another program like Rick Warren’s 40 day adventure but 3DMovement is based upon the theology and teachings of Mike Breen and is closely tied to the Church of England and a neo-monastic base structure. To deny this is to ignore the words and writings of Mike Breen himself. As shown earlier in this document he openly boasts this on his websites.

I have not read all Mike Breen has written, and see no need to do so. He has shown again and again in blogs, books, youtube and vemio videos where he stands and what he believes. Again and again as I talk to those involved in the 3DMovement I am told it is about the results and how it all feels. Yet it was the Protestant reformation that reestablished Sola Scriptura or ‘Scripture alone’ as the foundational truth for doctrines and practices of the church. Mike Breen violates this basic truth of scripture as foundational through his adding and creating new meanings for words in the Bible. It is important churches, denominations and movements step away before it is too late and before any more damage is done.

OBSERVATIONS

3DM is billed as just another system developed and to grow the church. That may not be the words used but in the end that is what it comes down to. Saying it is based on Monastic traditions and claiming it is a return to New Testament roots is not new or really valid. Monastic orders did not develop until the fourth century. The first one is recorded “around 318 Saint Pachomius started to organize his many followers in what was to become the first Christian cenobitic or communal monastery.”[xliv] It should be noted that there is no biblical size for churches or organizational structure set forward in the New Testament, no matter what Mike Breen says about oikos.

People should not be required to pay to be disciple of Jesus. I can just see Jesus at the beginning of each month stopping and collecting $110 from each of the disciples so they could be coached for one hour each week. This is very different from voluntarily giving in support of the ministry of the local church.

The expression ‘person of peace’[xlv] is also exclusive and judgmental. It is used as a justification to refrain from fellowship with other believers who may question or not accept the 3DM Lifeshapes and the requirements of Mike Breen. This is in violation of what Paul taught the church at Corinth. In Luke Jesus used ‘person of peace’ in reference to non-believers, 3DM uses it to exclude believers. It is also the basis used by some churches to help transition people out to other churches who do not agree with the 3DM way.

The NEW common language (including lifeshapes) that Mike Breen says the church needs and which he made up appears to separate and isolate believers from the very world they are supposed to be reaching with the message of Jesus. What makes Mike Breen the new guardian of the language that will lead a person to a deeper relationship with Christ?

“I also have a problem with the fact that Breen insists on the necessity of a common language with which to do discipleship, but then instead of using the language that the Bible already gives us, he substitutes his own. I envision communities of people who go on and on about Kairos circles and Up, In, and Out triangles, but are biblically illiterate. How is creating an insider lingo going to expand the Kingdom of God?”[xlvi]

There is a 3DM pyramidal approach to church discipline, growth, and learning. The foundation of this approach is the teachings of Mike Breen and not the Bible. Mike Breen uses the Bible to proof text his teachings, often taking them out of context or stretching beyond any form of sound exegetical or hermeneutical understanding. Much like a money pyramid this will only work as long as the new churches exceed the number leaving 3DM. Those rejecting it appear to be growing and spreading the word as they leave about what 3DM and The Order of Missions is really doing to their churches.

The difference between the objectives of 3DM and The Order of Mission are only cosmetic. They operate with the same staff. They have operated out of the same office. They have the same stated goals. Their websites so overlap, that material for The Order of Mission is used to define and explain the 3DM model. They use the same leaders, books, and language. The biggest difference is that 3DM was designed to serve as the money raising arm for TOM and a way to infiltrate various other denominations with the teachings of Mike Breen.[xlvii]

Vows, like those required by The Order of Mission, are both not Biblical and are dangerous. The commitment should be to Christ and His Church not to the leadership of The Order of Mission.

Apostolic leadership[xlviii] attributed to Mike Breen by Mike Breen should be a red flag to everyone.

The shapes are taught as a “Pattern of life.” When people join The Order of Mission their vows are to “live by” this, supposedly, pattern of life. The actual ‘pattern of life’ is Jesus. These are the same shapes used by local churches using the 3DM process. This is placing the DNA of the Order of Mission into local churches around the world.

Finally the old adage is true, one picture is worth a thousand words. The following page is from the 3DMovement website.[xlix] The circles are added for emphasis.

In case you cannot read it the circles say: