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The Purpose Driven Life

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Purpose Driven Life Book Cover

The Purpose Driven Life (2002) is a Christian advice book written by by Rick Warren and published by Zondervan. The book has been on the New York Times Bestseller list for advice books for 149 weeks (as of November 2005). The book offers readers a 40-day personal spiritual journey, and presents what Warren says are the five Biblical purposes of life on Earth. As of November 2005, The Purpose Driven Life has been translated into 56 languages and was the bestselling book in the world for 2003, 2004, and 2005. It has won numerous literary awards.

Since September 2002, over 30,000 congregations, corporations, and sports teams across the United States have participated in a "40 Days of Purpose" emphasis. A May 2005 survey of American pastors and ministers conducted by George Barna asked Christian leaders to identify what books were the most influential on their lives and ministries. The Purpose Driven Life was the most frequent response. The Purpose Driven Church, Warren's previous book, was the second most frequent response. The book has sold over 24 million copies (as of November, 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 hit number one on several religion and advice best-seller lists - including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Publishers Weekly. However, this wholesome advertisement 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 methamphetamine.


Content

The book is intended to be read as a daily inspiration, with each of the forty short chapters read on consecutive days. Each chapter contains a personal application section at the end with a "point to ponder," a verse to remember, and a question to consider over the course of that day. 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 meaning can only be found in understanding and doing what God placed you on Earth to do. The book's forty chapters are divided into six (6) major sections, with the following titles:

  • What on Earth Am I Here For?
  • Purpose #1: You Were Planned for God's Pleasure
  • Purpose #2: You Were Formed for God's Family
  • Purpose #3: You Were Created to Become Like Christ
  • Purpose #4: You Were Shaped for Serving God
  • Purpose #5: You Were Made for a Mission


Criticisms of The Purpose Driven® Life

In spite of its widespread use and endorsement, including Reverend Billy Graham calling it a classic devotional, some in the Christian community have been critical of the book for various reasons. Jimmy Swaggart and John MacArthur criticized the book as "pop gospel." Others have expressed concern that Warren's methods do not adequately account for individuality, providing a one-size-fits all approach to spirituality. Many Christians have expressed concerns with The Purpose Driven® Life and the teachings of Rick Warren for their 'Walmart-esque' business models, their humanistic worldview, Eastern philosophy and Mystical influences such as walking the Labyrinth, Breath Prayers, Mantras, Chants, Hula Praise Dancing, Contemplative Repetitive Prayers and other practices considered by many Christian's to be un-Christian and/or even of the occult, entering the church. However many of these influences have been used by the church, most specifically, Eastern Orthodox, for centuries.

Another common complaint is that Warren fails to present the evangelical Christian gospel accurately--failing to accurately represent the nature of sin, repentance and hell, for example. Critics also frequently complain that The Purpose Driven Life contains many examples of inaccurate exegesis, and that it makes frequent use of inaccurate Bible translations or paraphrases.

Secular criticism can also be found. For example, a series of Business Week essays explain that the business models of the mega-churches. Given that 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, according to Business Week, is similar to when a Home Depot or Wal-Mart 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.

The following articles, essays and audios deal with these and other concerns regarding the Purpose Driven® Life movement particularly, and Rick Warren's teachings in general.

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. Articles on Rick Warren's use of "Pyromarketing" to sell his Purpose Driven® products: Pyromarketing and The Purpose Driven Life by Tim Challies; Purposeful Interference July 25, 2005; Purposeful Interference - An Update September 15, 2005; and God of Small Things.

See also: Megachurch

Other Books by Rick Warren

  • The Purpose Driven Church (ISBN 0310201063)
  • Answers To Life's Difficult Questions (ISBN 0966089529)
  • The Power To Change Your Life (ISBN 0966089510)
  • What on Earth Am I Here For? Booklet (ISBN 0310264839)
  • Personal Bible Study Methods (ISBN 0966089502)

External links

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