"Transformation" in the new evangelical rhetoric is a code word for dominionism. This can have disastrous implications for the true Gospel.
Below is an example of the switch in focus from evangelism to dominion kingdom-building. This key quote is taken from a speech given by Dale Neill, president of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), at an International Coalition of Workplace Ministries (ICWM) banquet, Oct. 2004:
“The Church must grow past the ‘Gospel of Salvation’ message and understand that it is only when we begin to implement the principles of the ‘Gospel of the kingdom’ that we will really begin to see change in lives and cities and nations.” "The Church has no understanding of this realm," he said. Neill gave examples of how we are losing the battle because of a lack of understanding in how to defeat spiritual forces that are often unseen. "The Church must grow up," he said.
In other words, the Gospel of Salvation message must be supplanted by kingdom-building activities, which are portrayed as more "mature." Such a serious heresy! And yet this different gospel is rapidly being disseminated via various mission agencies and leaders.
Alistair Petrie, author of the book Transformed!, addressed the participants of this ICWM summit. "He cited that God is using marketplace leaders as a core ingredient to transformation because of the authority they have to make changes in cities and nations." [http://tinyurl.com/a9db2 ] [emphases added]
Elsewhere Luis Bush of AD 2000 described this as "Pioneer marketplace redemption":
"The marketplace -- the combination [of] business, education and government -- constitutes the heart of a nation. To change an individual his or her heart must be changed, and similarly, [for] a nation [to be] transformed the marketplace must be transformed." [http://tinyurl.com/b5v5y] [emphasis added]
Bush is defining marketplace as Peter Drucker's three-legged stool -- Business (Corporate), education (Private Sector) and Government (State). This different gospel is talking about transforming a nation -- literally the infrastructure of a nation, including its government -- via this marketplace.
The Luis Bush quote above was linked to from Transform World, in a Market Place focus group chaired jointly by Graham Power and Ed Silvoso and facilitated by Brett Johnson. The Advisor was C. Peter Wagner. The focus group claims that believers are to use "business to gain authority over cities by using Kingdom principles." [http://tinyurl.com/dyv8w] [emphasis added]
In other words, what these men are advocating is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but kingdom-building activities via marketplace "transformation," i.e. dominionism. The marketing of the corporate business world is supplanting true evangelism with dominionism.
The Truth:
Scripture tells us of a time when there will be a Great Harlot, a spiritual and economic Babylon, whom the merchants (marketplace) will mourn when God's judgment destroys her in one hour. Read Revelations 17 and wonder at the formation of these marketplace pseudo-ministries on a global scale happening before your very eyes.
"How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. . . . Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her." (Revelation 17:7, 8, 20)