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Summary: Why are you here?
Review: This book, The Purpose Driven Life may very well answer that question for you. Based on some of th e reviews that I have read, it appears that many people have missed the whole point of this book and perhaps don't know why they are here.I am not here to preach, only to advise. Our time on this spinning planet is so preciously short. Why not make the most of that time? The Purpose Driven Life is a great start.
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Summary: Purposeless Christianity?
Review: Is it possible that Christ also calls us to have a purpose life? That is, one with silent obedience, not much fanfare. The group of people who come to my mind are the erstwhile monastics and some of the prophets themselves. Witness Jonah. Did he accomplish want God set forth for him to do? Indeed, the Big Fish story apart, is it not possible to see the book of Jonah without a purposeful end? Ultimately, can we command ourselves to be in obedience if Christ calls us to walk in the bylanes not the highways of life? While I commend Pastor Rick Warren for his vision, I am troubled by the need to sanctify every aspect of our walk with God.
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Summary: The book that suits its purpose
Review: I'm reading the critical reviews with some exasperation: "Simple," inaccurate and out-of-context quotations, distortions of the Biblical message, etc. Oh, please. I'm a recovering atheist who stumbled upon the book by accident (though it's no accident, according to Warren), and I have enjoyed it greatly so far. Yes, it is simple--and thank God for that (no pun). Who said that spiritual wisdom has to be arcane and difficult to relay? There are many paths to God, and, as inexperienced in those matters as I am, I would dare say that sometimes a simple path is the most difficult to find. Warren reminds us that it does not necessarily have to be so. This is not a Ph.D. dissertation in theology--it is a work designed to inspire hope and devotion to God, understood in Christian terms; and, in the process, to help a reader lead a decent life. And as such, Warren's book fulfills its mission. Being a person without a Christian affiliation, I still find it helpful--its underlaying message is universal. A good, useful book. Thank you for writing it.
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Summary: Thought-provoking, Biblical examination of why we're here
Review: I liked this book a lot. I think it could be especially valuable for new Christians. Like The Prayer of Jabez, it's been incredibly hyped and it's not quite as good as advertised, but no book could be as good as PDL is purported to be. I typically read a chapter a day during my devotional time and I could see myself going through the book many times that way. If you look hard enough you will find something that you will not agree with. Looking at some of the reviews I've read, lots of people have looked very hard and have gotten themselves all worked up over just these type of picayune details. But what you'll remember out of this book is the five purposes, and it's impossible to quarrel with those on doctrinal grounds. The pastor of our Bible-believing church is encouraging all of us to read this book, and I'm glad he has. If Christians took the message of this book seriously we'd be a living demonstration of WWJD.
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Summary: Review from where? Me or...?
Review: I read the first chapter of this book. I found where the book was going so I gave up and decided to read it later for research. To be honest, I never knew until now that books like this were allowed to be published. I don't like this book because the first chapter is obviously hipocrital and just plain stupid. To break it down, The Purpose Driven Life explains that it is "beyond" wrong to help yourself when the intended purpose of this book is to "help" others find God. Now, that "unconscious" purpose is exactly what it means to "help yourself." Few people, it seems, fail to understand what psychologist and loving people mean by helping yourself. Helping yourself does not mean, giving yourself presents or reaching your humanly goals, helping yourself is another synonym for "trying to understand." In other words, trying to understand why your friend is suffering is same as helping yourself so you can understand why your friend's suffering. We need to help ourselves and know ourselves because thats how true expression and true knowledge is acquired. If you go to church, "you are helping yourself understand God." I don't see that its not helping yourself, "how is that possible?" If you disagree, your welcome to send me an email: ghostdman@yahoo.com
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Summary: LIFE ALTERING
Review: I found this life changing on many levels. Give it a chance and see what god wants you individually to get out of this book. It will be different for all of us. May it remind us all how much god loves us and is there for us. Some days it is hard to feel close to god--and this is a gentle reminder. Read the book a little at a time and ponder its words---you will see how powerful the book truly is.
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Summary: Abuses The Bible
Review: There are many reviews here which summarize much of what I discovered about this book, so I will summarize some of my greatest concerns. Thesis Page 25 seems to summarize the thesis of the book. It says "We discover that meaning and purpose only when we make God the reference point of our lives." This seems to say that if the reader finds God he will also find himself and his purpose. This is not the gospel! Multiple translations Rick Warren quotes the Bible over 1,200 times in the text of The Purpose Driven Life. To do so, he uses fifteen different translations and paraphrases. Appendix 3 contains his rationale for this and he provides two reasons for the number of translations. The first is that in any single translation "nuances and shades of meaning can be missed, so it is always helpful to compare translations." The second is "the fact that we often miss the full impact of familiar Bible verses, not because of poor translating, but simply because they have become so familiar." He believes this will "help you see God's truth in new, fresh ways." The author's logic is faulty as the two reasons he provides contradict each other. If a translation introduces something in a new and fresh way it will necessarily introduce new nuances and shades of meaning. The way to remove nuances and shades of meaning is to use as literal a translation as possible so that the words are God's alone and are not interpreted by the translator. The author can then exposit the text, clarifying what might require clarification. This is nothing more than the traditional means of teaching what the Bible says. Audience The author aims this book at two distinct audiences - believers and unbelievers. He shows that he is, initially at least, writing for unbelievers by inviting them to pray a short prayer, asking them to say "Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you." He then welcomes them to the family of God. I fear, though, that he uses too many Christian terms and phrases to really connect with unbelievers. Similarly, if he is hoping to reach new Christians, I think the same holds true - the "Christianese" terms and many of the Biblical references may alienate them. On the other hand, if he is hoping to reach mature Christians, much of the book will be too simplistic for them. We know from the Bible that there is a vast difference between believers and unbelievers. Those who have come to a saving knowledge of Christ have had their very natures changed. They have become adopted children of God and have become heirs to His promises. They have special privileges and they have knowledge and faith that unbelievers do not. This is not to say that a book can or should not be written that attempts to reach both audiences. What it does mean is that an author must be sure to distinguish between audiences, being careful not to mislead either audience. Warren often fails to differentiate between audiences. For example, in the second chapter he quotes Ephesians 1:4 which reads "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him." The context of this verse shows that the author is referring to only Christians, yet Warren makes no distinction. The Gospel The author does not at any time provide a clear explanation of the gospel message. On page 58 he says, "Real life begins by committing yourself completely to Jesus Christ" but never comes closer than that. He never writes about such crucial doctrines as man's sinfulness and need for a Savior or the work of Jesus. He never mentions the importance Christ's life, the cross or the empty tomb. Yet on page 58 we find him leading the prayer of "Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you" and then saying "Welcome to the family of God!" How can a person become a Christian without any understanding of his own sinfulness or of Christ's sacrifice on our behalf? Warren's gospel seems to be one of purpose. He teaches that man's greatest problem is purposelessness and this book will remedy that situation by helping the reader discover his purpose. Needless to say, this is not the gospel as taught by the Bible. The Bible teaches that man's greatest problem is that he is a sinner and is alienated from God. Purposelessness is insignificant compared to the possibility of an eternity in hell. Life Application The aim studying the Bible is application. We are to study the Bible so we can apply what we learn to our lives, with the ultimate aim of conforming ourselves to the image of Christ. Application, though, depends on proper teaching and sound knowledge. It stands to reason that a person cannot apply to his life something he does not understand. Teaching stands as the foundation that application is built upon.
Since Warren does not explain the gospel and the real means of salvation, how can people truly apply what he teaches? If everything is application, what do they really believe in? Bible Use We have already seen how the author has used multiple translations as well as his justification for doing so. Of even greater concern is his carelessness in his use of the Bible. He continually removes Scripture passages from their proper context in order to make them suit his purposes. He carelessly applies promises to the reader that clearly do not apply. He also distorts or changes the meanings of certain passages to make them say what he wants them to say. This is well-documented in other reviews on this site. I can recommend this book only to discerning readers. There is certainly some value in the book, but in my opinion the bad outweighs the good. I would certainly not use this as an introduction to Christianity or as a means of reaching unbelievers.
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Summary: Some of these reviews are very disappointing.
Review: I've read where some people say this book is "too simple", or doesn't talk about the Holy Spirit, or people should read the Bible instead. This book encourages you to do all those things. The author talks about the SHAPE method. Well the first item in the acronym is "Spiritual Gifts" which come from ... you guessed it.. the Holy Spirit. I have memorized numerous scriptures referenced from the Bible in this book because of the relevance of those verses in my life at the moment. This book is not the Bible, but it sure has numerous quotes from the Bible in it. The summary of this book is just this: You were made by God for God. No matter what your situation, no matter how hard your life has been, no matter how unimportant or unmeaningful you think your life is, God knows you, loves you and paid a price to be with you. This book encourages you to use your experiences and talents in a ministry in furthering God's kingdom and helping others. You are important to God. If you read this book thinking it's a replacement for the Bible or for the Holy Spirit inside you, then you will be highly disappointed. No writing can replace those aspects of God in your life. But, if you need a reminder or an introduction to what God would have for you in your life, then this book is for you. (Thus the title) I'm very disappointed in anyone who would say that this book is "too simple". Just because it was too simple for you, does not mean that it's too simple for someone else. Your bias would discourage others who need to read this book. I have been a Christian for years (almost 20), but sometimes it's nice to have a reminder of how much God loves me and knows me. This should NOT be the last book you read on your faith. Live each day you have like it's paid for, not given, because God paid a price for each day you walk with Him. God bless!
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Summary: Great book
Review: This is a great book. Everyone should read this book and remember what is truly important in life. All of our choices have eternal consequences. Live for God, live for eternity. This is a book to keep and read over and over again.
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Summary: What Is Important In Life?
Review: I'm not a devout Christian, but I did enjoy how this book attempts to help you focus on what is important in life, even though it tries a little too hard to make it a formula that can be applied to any person in any family situation. But getting people to stop and think about what's important is so valuable in our overburdened lives. Also, as a mom of five children who also works part-time, I also feel that "I Sleep At Red Lights: A True Story of Life After Triplets," by Bruce Stockler, is the most inspiring book about the joys of parenthood I have read. Not a bestseller like this book, but very real, sweet, funny, passionate, worth a try.
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