THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE

This book was written by Rick Warren, pastor of the famous Saddleback Church of Lake Forest, CA.  It is described as a forty day spiritual journey that will help the readers find the answer to "What Am I Here For?"  Warren is the dynamic and successful leader of a mega "Community Church" which has become the role  model for many of our churches.  Those preachers hoping to build for themselves a mega-church, are  especially attracted to the programs of the author.  Warren is a gifted writer and his book has many good ideas for personal spiritual growth.  The discerning teacher will find several useful lessons in its pages.

Unfortunately, as is generally true of denominational material, there is a generous sprinkling of error scattered throughout the book that can easily lead the unsuspecting novice astray.

For example:

• Warren espouses an extreme kind of Calvinistic predestination. "Good prescribed every single detail of your body. He deliberately chose your race, the color of your skin, your hair, and every other feature...He also decided when you would be born and how long you would live..." (p. 23).

• He writes, "God won't ask about your religious background or doctrinal views.  The only thing that will matter is, did you accept what Jesus did for you?" (p. 34). (Compare Matt. 7:15, 21)

• "Real life begins by committing yourself completely to Jesus Christ...all you need to do is receive and believe" (p. 58). (Christ saves those that obey him, Heb. 5:9).

• "I invite you to bow your head and quietly whisper the prayer that will change your eternity: ‘Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you'...welcome to the family of God" (p. 58). (This prayer is not found in Scripture).

• "When we place our faith in Christ, God becomes our Father, we become his children" (p. 118).

• "Baptism doesn't make you a member of God's family, only faith in Christ does that" (p.120). (Paul saw this quite differently, Gal. 3:26-27).

• "The Good News is that when we trust God's grace to save us through what Jesus did, our sins are forgiven...and we are promised a future home in heaven" (p. 294). (Faith without works is dead in itself (Jas. 2:26).

• "God loves all kinds of music because he invented it all" (p. 65). (Why then did he specify that we worship him with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs? Eph. 5:19).

• "Worship is a lifestyle" (p. 65).  "Every activity can be transformed into an act of worship when you do it for the praise...of God" (p.67).  (A godly lifestyle is important but God ordained an assembly for his people, Heb. 10:25).

Some of our promoters of change are using this book for Bible class material.  Given the author's standing and glowing reputation in evangelical circles, this book appeals to those who long to be a part of that circle of churches.  Many students, being spiritual novices and deficient in Biblical knowledge,  will never recognize the poisonous error mingled in the pages of this book.   The conclusions they will take away are just  those that change agents are trying to introduce.  When this book is used for class material, their mission is accomplished.

As a general rule it is a mistake to use denominational literature in church Bible classes.  This is true for the following reasons:

• Such use by the church gives sanction and credibility to the author, the book and the message it conveys.

• This leaves novice class members open to accept what is taught, not suspecting the danger involved.

• In the hands of a teacher whose faith is weak or shaky, errors common to such literature will likely be passed on without exposure.

• For teaches with a hidden agenda, such is a perfect tool for indoctrinating unsuspecting members.

• Young ungrounded members will conclude if we can use the teaching literature of the various denominations, then we could as well be members of their churches.
  
  Read this book as you would eat fish. Keep the good thoughts but spit out the dangerous bones.