The Purpose Driven Life

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The Purpose Driven Life (2002) is a Christian book by pastor Rick Warren and published by Zondervan. It has topped the New York Times Bestseller list for nonfiction for the past 115 weeks (as of April 2005). The book comprises a 40-day course of biblical study, and presents what Warren believes to be the five biblical principles for a fulfilled life: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. The book as of July 2005 has been translated into twelve different languages and continues as the #1 best-selling book under the New York Times Advicer section.

The book is intended to be read as a devotional, with each of the forty short chapters read on consecutive days. Each chapter contains a brief at the end with a 'point to ponder', a verse to meditate on, and a question to ask oneself over the course of the day. Many people have found this an engaging method of study and devotion, as the mind is naturally directed to look for answers when a question is posed.

Rick Warren described his book as an anti self-help book. The first sentence of the book reads, "It's not about you", and the remainder of the chapter goes on to explain how the quest for personal fulfillment, satisfaction, and even the otherwise godly desire for the 'abundant life' promised in the New Testament must be secondary to the purpose of our existence on earth: to bring glory to God.

Beginning September 2002, churches across the United States participated in a "40 Days of Purpose" campaign, which has since brought Rick Warren to national media attention.

Some in the Christian community have been critical of the book. Dr. John MacArthur criticized the book as pop gospel: "What you've got is a feel-good kind of approach. This is telling people exactly what they want to hear, telling people that God agrees with you.... But that is not the Christian message."

MacArthur, however, seems to be in the minority. A recent survey of protestant pastors conducted by George Barna (May, 2005) asked pastors to identify what recent books they had found to be most helpful to their ministries. The Purpose Driven Life was the most frequent response. Dr. Billy Graham endorsed the book upon its publication, ""Make sure you're not missing the point of your life-read this book! The Purpose Driven Life will guide you to greatness-through living the Great Commandment and the Great Commission."

The book has sold over 22 million copies (as of April 2005).

After hostage Ashley Smith read Chapter 32 to her captor Brian Nichols (who allegedly shot four people in Atlanta on March 11, 2005), the book achieved an unprecedented Quadruple Crown by hitting number one on all four major best-seller lists (The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly). However, this wholesome advert for the book was undermined in September of that year, when Smith admitted in her memoirs that she had also pacified her captor with Crystal Meth.

In 2005, Zondervan senior marketing editor Greg Stielstra published Pyromarketing, which in part described how The Purpose Driven Life was marketed. This led to a dispute with Rick Warren, who felt that it was inappropriate to associate the success of his book with marketing, rather than with spiritual explanations.

Criticisms of Purpose Driven/Seeker Sensitive

Many Christians have expressed concerns with The Purpose Driven Life and the teachings of Rick Warren. The following quotes raise issues with certain aspects of the Purpose Driven/Seeker Sensitive methods, from their 'Walmart-esque' business model, to their humanistic worldview, unconventional worship styles and Eastern mysticism influences.

"According to the recent Business Week set of essays explaining the business models of the Mega-Churches in the seeker/church growth movement, the church in America is not growing overall. In fact the overall growth of evangelicalism in the US is flat. So what is all the talk about God doing a magnificent work or revival in America, especially as boasted by many of the Rick Warren clones? The reason is similar to when a Home Depot or Walmart moves into a small town. All your needs can be met in one place so the mom and pop shops close up. The same kind of market driven philosophy is taking place in the church." - Seeker Sensitive, Purpose Driven Churches

"Worldliness is departing from God. It is a man-centered way of thinking; it proposes objectives which demand no radical breach with man’s fallen nature; it judges the importance of things by the present and material results; it weighs success by numbers; it covets human esteem and wants no unpopularity; it knows no truth for which it is worth suffering; it declines to be a ‘fool for Christ’s sake’. Worldliness is the mindset of the unregenerate. It adopts idols and is at war with God." - Iain H. Murray Evangelicalism Divided

"Lists of purpose cause us to lose our delight and our enjoyment of God. We are to ultimately delight ourselves in what God has already done for us in Christ, not constantly delight ourselves in what we have done for God." - Charles R. Biggs The Person of Christ-Driven Life

"Of all the trends I've observed, the explosion of the "seeker"-centered megachurches is one of the most disturbing. Mega- churches in America have become absurd to the point where satire is almost impossible. Starbucks franchises and Christian tattoo parlors are now on church property. Rappers, hula praise dancers, contortionists, acupuncturists, liposuctionists, the side show of evangelicalism has an ever expanding cast of performers. The future of evangelicalism is here and it comes as an Elvis impersonator. Worse, in a quest for what's real, false teaching is entering through the traditions of the East, like meditation and yoga in the new Emergent church movement." - Slice of Laodicea

External links

Pyromarketing

Links to critiques

Articles, essays and audios dealing with concerns raised regarding The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren and the teachings and associations of the Purpose Driven/Seeker Sensitive/Church Growth movements.

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