Purpose Driven Life

Evil Chick · Post by **Evil Chick** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 3:18 pm

Have any of you ever read that book or any other books by Rick Warren? I've heard a lot about it, from different people in the last while, in fact while some of my very good friends strongly reccomended that I read it, my pastor, and a preacher's magazine my dad gets, said it wasn't good.

So, I was wondering, if any of you here can help me out.

Mandy Straussberg · Post by **Mandy Straussberg** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 3:22 pm

I didn't like it at all. I felt like Mr. Warren would say a lot just to get his point across. It's been a while since I've read it, so I can't give exact examples. I felt he used any Bible verse he could find in any version simply to get his point across. I haven't looked for myself, but I've heard from trusted sources that he used a few verses slightly out of context for his points. I felt the language was very, very condescending. And I felt for a few of his points, he didn't elaborate far enough. I felt that, were a new Christian to read it, they could take it to mean things it shouldn't mean. I didn't even finish the book, it made me so mad.

Mandy

What MissAiofan said reminded me of something. The over-commercialization and oportunistic-ness of the "Purpose-Driven" movement lowered my respect for the book. After a certain point, I just felt that it was to make money, rather than for a God-honoring purpose.

AIOfan11 · Post by **AIOfan11** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 3:22 pm

I have not read it, and I don't know if it is good or not. He sure did make alot of money off of it though.

Bennett · Post by **Bennett** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 4:30 pm

Coincidentally, I'm reading it now...

I'll say what I have to say later.

BC

Laurie · Post by **Laurie** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 4:52 pm

I have not read it myself, but I have heard mixed reports.

Me · Post by Me » Mon Aug 22, 2005 4:59 pm

Mandy Straussberg wrote:I didn't like it at all. I felt like Mr. Warren would say a lot just to get his point across. It's been a while since I've read it, so I can't give exact examples. I felt he used any Bible verse he could find in any version simply to get his point across. I haven't looked for myself, but I've heard from trusted sources that he used a few verses slightly out of context for his points.

You have hit the nail right on the proverbial head. While he did make a few good points, the way in which he went about making them was totally unexceptable (wow, I can't spell today). He took verses entirely out of context, and used what ever version suited his purposes best for a particular example. Unfortunately, the leadership at my church is rather obsessed with it.

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 5:18 pm

I must confess that my church was obsessed with it too... I didn't think that it was the greatest book...really vague and stuff. It's interesting how we put soo much stock into this book written by a man. We should all work harder on reading the Bible. $\:D/$

AIOfan11 · Post by **AIOfan11** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 7:44 pm

Frank wrote:I must confess that my church was obsessed with it too... I didn't think that it was the greatest book...really vague and stuff. It's interesting how we put soo much stock into this book written by a man. We should all work harder on reading the Bible. $\:D/$

Frank speaks words of wisdom. We need to read the Bible more than man written works.

COWBOY OF TEXAS · Post by **COWBOY OF TEXAS** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:17 pm

Rick Warren.

Well, I know that he doesn't believe in absolutes. He's in to whatever you "feel" is right, go for it.

Jonathan · Post by **Jonathan** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 4:37 pm

While I haven't read the book, what I have seen from it has left me unimpressed. It's currently on my shelf (it was a gift) and haven't read it yet.

Miss AIOfan11 wrote:
Frank wrote:I must confess that my church was obsessed with it too... I didn't think that it was the greatest book...really vague and stuff. It's interesting how we put soo much stock into this book written by a man. We should all work harder on reading the Bible. $\:D/$
Frank speaks words of wisdom. We need to read the Bible more than man written works.

Indeed. It bothers me that many churches have done this "40 Days of Purpose" program. Unless the Bible is their main text, the study is irrelevant.

COWBOY OF TEXAS wrote:Rick Warren.

Well, I know that he doesn't believe in absolutes. He's in to whatever you "feel" is right, go for it.

Unfortunately this 'feel good' movement is popular in Christianity today (which is why I don't like Joel Osteen, but that's a whole 'nother discussion).

-Jonathan

EDIT-

Go here for some reads on it, and why it's controversial.

AIOfan11 · Post by **AIOfan11** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:19 pm

Jonathon, I agree. The feel good movement is definetly big in out society, and it shouldn't be. This is has nothing to do with PDL, but I am going to go ahead and talk about it. We need to do what the Bible tells us, and what God tells us. Our society is getting farther and farther away from relying on the Bible, and following it.

Wow...that is depressing!

MDB17 · Post by **MDB17** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:29 pm

my church did the Purpuse driven life

mr. mellow · Post by **mr. mellow** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 12:22 pm

MDB17 wrote:my church did the Purpuse driven life

same. I was about to die of boredom

MDB17 · Post by **MDB17** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 1:10 pm

i wsn't going to say anything

AIOfan11 · Post by **AIOfan11** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 1:22 pm

Mr mellow wrote:
MDB17 wrote:my church did the Purpuse driven life
same. I was about to die of boredom

Is it a boring book? Did the pastor preach the book or just read it? Did you all think it was a good book, just boring?

Evil Chick · Post by **Evil Chick** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:29 pm

Thank you guys so much for your insight on the matter. I think that I might just get the book and read it, to form my own opinion on the matter, but I will definitely be cautious.

AIOfan11 · Post by **AIOfan11** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 8:04 am

Evil Chick wrote:Thank you guys so much for your insight on the matter. I think that I might just get the book and read it, to form my own opinion on the matter, but I will definitely be cautious.

Thats a good idea, EC. You never know, you might like it!

Jonathan · Post by **Jonathan** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 10:52 am

Snaggly Maggly wrote:
Evil Chick wrote:Thank you guys so much for your insight on the matter. I think that I might just get the book and read it, to form my own opinion on the matter, but I will definitely be cautious.
Thats a good idea, EC. You never know, you might like it!

Liking it or not isn't really the issue; it's the content which is controversial.

-Jonathan

Elf of Rivendell · Post by **Elf of Rivendell** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 11:04 am

Our family has it, although I have only read the first two chapters or so. It already seems very "dumbed down" to me... like surrounding the truth of the Bible with fluffy, cotton candy-ish content(can't think of analogies at the moment, my apologies) and making a whole book out of that. I already feel like even the first two chapters would be drastically shortened if all the extraneous stuff was taken out. I don't know- I just feel like reading the Bible itself and relying on God would be a much better way to discover God's purpose for my life and be reminded of how to live.

mr. mellow · Post by **mr. mellow** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 11:46 am

Snaggly Maggly wrote:
Mr mellow wrote:
MDB17 wrote:my church did the Purpuse driven life
same. I was about to die of boredom
Is it a boring book? Did the pastor preach the book or just read it? Did you all think it was a good book, just boring?

well the paster gave a copy to each family in the church and we were spossed to read like a chapter a night at the dinner table...but it ended up taking us like a year to finish the stupid book cause we would read a lot less then one chapter... and the paster was way ahead of us anyway.... the funny thing is I cant remmber one thing about the sermens or the book exept that the writer would constantly use the phrase "Ought not" and it drove me crazy!