The Purpose-Driven Life

Rating:
Summary: Good but could have been better.
Review: Our church recently finnished the 40 Days of Purpose campaign where everyone went through this book a chapter a day for 40 days. This was coupled with sermons on Sunday and a weekly small group meeting. The intent was to use this campaign as an outreach to the unchurched community. In that respect I would call it a success. God used this campaign to bring many people to church who otherwise might not have come.

The book had it's good points and it's bad points in my opinion.
First, the good points:
1) Rick Warren does an excellent job of describing each of our purposes in life. Things that God made us for. I can find no fault in the 5 purposes. (Worship, Fellowship, Dicipleship, Service, and Missions)

2) The book is theologically sound overall. I have been a Christian for over fifteen years and an avid Bible student for the past 5 and I can find nothing docurnally wrong with the material presented in the book. There is very little denominational slant in any part of the book. Even though Pastor Warren is Southern Baptist, he does a good job of avoiding the disputible matters that divide churches.

3) For the new Christian this book is wonderful. We have some friends who recently became Christians and this book was a wonderful introduction to the Christian faith.

Now for the bad points:
1) I did not care for the way Bible passages were represented in the text. All scripture quotes were italicized but no reference (book, chapter, verse) was given in the text. They weren't even footnoted. You have to look in the back of the book and then it is only a list so it's difficult to determine which is which. I enjoy studying the Bible and would like to have been able to look up the verses in my Bible as I went through each chapter. This would also allow me to understand the context of the passage presented.

2) As others have indicated there was too much use of the Message translation. Don't get me wrong. The MSG is fine if you like paraphrases. However, as a mature Christian I think the MSG is far too "dumbed down" for me. I understand Rick Warren's desire to present scripture in fresh ways. But there are other translations that do this and are still readable without being over simplified. (The NLT for example.)

3) The book was far too repetitive. I found myself noticing the same material being presented again and again. It almost seems as if this was necessary to stretch the book to 40 chapters. (ie: 40 Days) Repetition is fine for some but not all.

4) Finally, there seemed to be little real-life application. Particulary in the later chapters. This surprised me a bit since I've heard Rick Warren teach before and he's always been big on application. There was plenty of conviction on what we should do but apparently little on how.

All in all I think it was a good book for those new to Christianity and those seeking to learn about it. It would also be good for someone who has grown stagnant in their Christian growth. For my part, yes I learned some from it but it was nothing I couldn't have learned from any one of a dozen Christian books.

One final note:
The whole marketing campaign with everything under the sun for the Purpose Driven Life (T-Shirts, Bible Covers, Journals, Prayer cards, etc....) has gotten a little out of hand.

Correction:
My mistake. The passages are footnoted. They are still difficult to access if you're trying to look them up as you go but they are accessable. I still think that it would have been better to simply provide the reference within the text rather than at the end of the book. However, I was wrong about them not being footnoted. My apologizes to anyone who was misled by this.

Rating:
Summary: As a Catholic, it's very problematic.
Review: This theology is too incomplete. It overemphasizes the sugary side, and ignores suffering and redemption and the meritorious acts of a Christian. Unfortunately there is a real gulf between Catholicism and much of Protestantism. Yes folks, there really is a purgatory. Scripturally and through revelation of the saints, God makes this manifest enough. And given such a vital premise, much of the issues we struggle with can be explained. Jesus saved us by his death on the cross, but that does not promise us a free ticket to heaven. It very well keeps us from eternal damnation, however.

Matthew 5:23-26
"Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Reconcile with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid up the last cent.

[Jesus is not talking about some earthly sentence here. All of our transgressions are not paid for by us on this earth through some penance or suffering. But he is assuring us ("truly I say to you") that we will pay for our transgressions until we have paid the last penny if we do not forgive others or obey. The key word is UNTIL. It is clear that once we have paid for our sins, THEN we WILL be released from our prison. That is not Hell because Hell is eternal. That is purgatory.]

This book fails in such critical ways. I only brought up one. I am condemning no man. Just speaking the truth as I know it.

Rating:
Summary: Theologically flawed, but look at the lives being changed!
Review: Say what you will about evangelicals/fundamentalists. I was saved through them, their books, and their churches. End-times mania and dispensationalism was a favorite topic of mine in my first year being saved. Then I discovered reformed theology and was throughly changed again as I accepted much of Calvin's teachings and outgrew the others.

My mother bought me this book (not realizing what my theological views are, but it was still a nice gesture). I was quickly repulsed by it for many of the reasons others mentioned. The pick-and-choose bible tranlations, the repetition, etc. After ten chapters, I couldn't take it anymore, and passed it on to my mother who needed it more than I did (she's unsaved).

I don't believe my mother got far in it either, but it's still possible some light got through and will someday. She's in my prayers.

Then she passed it on to my best friend back home who was raised with Sikhism. Having heard the gospel before but still missing something, he just told me it has greatly changed his Christian life and how much it inspired him to action. It incited him to get rid of his cds, dvds, and clothes that were unholy. And now he wants to be a minister! I wish him well and know he will do great things for the Lord. If you knew the darkness, and emotional trauma this guy is coming from as I do, you would thank God that a miracle has occurred.

What more can I say? Whoever isn't against us is for us. I look at the fundamentalists as a gateway into the Christian community. There is much they need to learn, but all Christians that disagree with them at least can be assured these people are saved and have eternity to be conformed to God's image and know the truth. It seems their churches are growing like fire while traditional denominations are struggling. I've got scientific convictions that biblical literalists can't accept, but I admit I haven't got a theology that integrates them with Christianity in a way suitable for the masses. It takes time. That's just the way God is working right now and I'm glad for it.

Rating:
Summary: Worth the Read
Review: This book is a wonderful way to help people old and young alike to help find what is truly important in life. As a Christian, I am always looking for ways to improve my walk and though this book is certainly not, as one reviewer called it, a "groundbreaking manifesto", it is a wonderful broad based overview of what makes a purposeful life.

This book does not set out to be a great theological work, nor does it seek to draw from whatever beliefs may be available out there. It is simply a tool to help you regain the focus on what is most important in our lives.

Drawing from his years as a Pastor, Rick Warren does an excellent job of sharing what the Bible teaches us about our everyday lives. In a time when many people have little or no practical knowledge of the Bible beyond what they have heard others say about it, Mr. Warren lays out some of the most basic, yet most important tenets of Biblical faith. Mr. Warren has not set out to create something new or earth-shattering, he has simply drawn our attention back to some things that have been overlooked over the years.

As we move into the Christmas season and as we see many people caught up in the aquisition of things, it is refreshing to find a book that seeks to redirect our selfishness into genuine love and worship both for God and for others.

If you are not a believer, this book may help to answer some of the questions about what Christianity is really about. If you are already a believer, you can benefit from the well written, heartfelt insights from a man who has seen the benefits of a life and ministry lived in accordance with the directions given by the Creator.

I have seen young and old alike benefit from this book. I see it as a starting point on what can become a wonderful lifelong journey of hope and dedication to something ultimately more important than ourselves.

Please consider taking the time to read this book, preferably with a spouse, a friend or co-worker. If it has been awhile since you have felt a sense of importance to your life, this book may help you to rediscover your lost purpose.

Rating:
Summary: impressive
Review: What's the meaning of life? Why are we here? Is there an afterlife? Is there a higher power, and is that higher power God? These are all the questions that we ask and wonder about. There are many answers and philosophers including Plato himself, have tried to answer these questions.

The Purpose-Driven life gives answers and talks about the meaning of life for every human being, from the Christian perspective. And I must say that the author did a very good job on it, no wonder its been a best seller for weeks. Right from the beginning the author writes as if he's talking to the reader, as if its some kind of personal conversation between friends.

You don't have to be a scholar or to have grown up in the church to understand this book. That's what I liked about it, anyone can understand what the author is saying. This is unlike any book that I've read. Its about life and people's purpose from a Christian perspective. I'd definately reccomend it, whether your Christian or not. No matter how mature you are as a Christian, you'll definately get something out of this book.

Sure the thing doesn't talk about everything that's relevant to the Christian faith but just talks about the basics. It would be useful to have a handy Bible by your side as you read this, I prefer the Message Bible since its easy to read and is written in 21st Century language.

Rating:
Summary: This is what it's all about
Review: Rick Warren does a marvelous job of reminding us, using scripture, of what this whole crazy world is all about. The first week is dynamite, and grabs your attention. Why am I here? How should I live my years on earth, and for what purpose? It's all very simple. Rick Warren writes in a style for the masses (that doesn't seem to appeal to many intellectual snobs) - which in my mind is perfect. The only negative comment I have is the use of so many different Bible translations. I would often open my KJV or NIV, and read a verse differently than the meaning Rick Warren was getting out of a different version.

Rating:
Summary: A VERY USEFUL AND HELPFUL Bible-study for Christian growth
Review: This is a clear case of "christian-lite." For something far
more substantial: I would highly recommend Dr.A.W.Tozer's classic, IN PURSUIT OF GOD. - it is a 1000 times more in
depth and of real substance than this "ever-popular"
popularizer of Christian faith and "user-friendly"
christianity, so-called.

Rating:
Summary: Oustanding Starting Point For Growth and Study
Review: This was a well written book. If it did nothing else, it got my family focused on reading Gods Word, Praying and Focusing on how to be better Cristians. I am surprised at some of the critics of the book. Of course there is "nothing new" in the text. The Pasters work is not a New Revelation. Like any Good Paster, Warren helps individuals to understand scripture and challenges them to study for themselves. There is no perfect way to present a plan of salvation so why get mad. If one person accepted christ (and I'm sure many have) because of his writing, to God be the Glory. The book is a study "Guide". You are supposed to use it to study the Bible not treat it as Gospel. Chist warned his Epostles about chastening others doing Gods work even when they were not directly apart of there little clique. He told them not to stop them because they are still apart of them (Mark 9 38-40). Hope the critics are not too offended by the paraphrase. Let's face it, Warren is more interested in individuals understanding truth as opposed to just quoting truth. He made that clear at the beginning of his book. Take the Book, Read it and study your Bible. It's that simple. I think most readers have been blessed by his work.

Rating:
Summary: Lacking, at best
Review: I found this book lacking in spirituality, scriptural insight,
and about as "Baptist" as it gets. (I am a Pentecostal!)

My church did the "40 days of purpose" thing. I kept wondering
what was wrong with me, as I found the book boring, repeatative
in the extreme, and pedantic. Others in the church were more
excited about it. I had to force myself to read through it
once, while our pastor says he's read it at least three times.

Many people are impressed by the first sentence "It's not about
you". But the whole book IS just that, about the reader, and
worse, about the author and his church, his ministry, and the
variety of "40 days of" this or that, that you can buy from
him.

I found his over-use of "The Message" (as opposed to more
reliable and precise translations) rather distressing.
His quoting of C.S. Lewis to an extreme was not my cup of tea
either.

If I could rate this lower than one star, I would.

Rating:
Summary: Good but needs more in depth Scriptural backing
Review: This is a great book, and it is exciting to see an Evangelical book doing so well on Amazon. But it is a tad formulaic and veers towards relying on the method rather than on the power of the Cross. You will find John MacArthur, or Martyn Lloyd-Jones, much better as guides for how a church can grow. However, if you want a really easy to read book that will transform your life, go for the SUPERB book by Carolyn Custis James, WHEN LIFE AND BELIEF COLLIDE. Now if only THAT book could sell as well as Rick Warren, then American Evangelicalism would be in a MUCH better spot!