Thoughts on “A Purpose Driven Life”

Question: What do you think of Rick Warren’s popular book, The Purpose Driven Life?

Answer: Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life, and Purpose Driven Church have been widely lauded. Unquestionably there are some good things in the material. But a warning flag needs to be raised. Consider the fact that the “40 Days of Purpose” campaign has received public endorsements from the Evangelical Free Church, United Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Assemblies of God, the Church of God, Vineyard churches, Nazarene churches, and Seventh Day Adventists–as well as some corporations and sports teams.

While this wide appeal may be seen as an asset to some, it ought to concern us that charismatics and cultists, Premillennialists and Amillennialists, Calvinists and Arminians, those who teach the need for a second blessing experience, and those who practice infant baptism, all find a home here. In the words of Jesus, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you” (Lk. 6:26).

We need to be cautious of our associations and what they imply about us. To put it another way, are we suggesting by becoming “Warrenites” that there is no significant difference between us and the other groups in that camp? Are we implying that we agree with them all? A member of our family attended one of the Purpose Driven classes to see what it was like. Her comment was that the participants seemed to be encouraged to assume they were all Christians, when this was dubious to her. Another couple I know investigated a different group. There, the leader raised the question, “How does a person become a Christian?” A group member responded, “By being baptized.” And the leader said, “That’s right.”

Admittedly, to some extent, the Purpose Driven books are only as good as the leader makes them. There is no book (or lesson material) that is inspired (God-breathed) and infallible, as the Bible is. There may be times using any material when we have to say, “The author missed the mark here. This is what the Bible says…” So it might be possible to use a book by Mr. Warren and handle it that way. But to my mind he is often too far off the mark to make that profitable. There are other curricula that are better.

Warren’s books are laced with quotations from Roman Catholics and theological liberals, as well as psychologically based principles for which he struggles to find biblical support. One author describes his material as “Religious Humanism.” In common with such ventures as Promise Keepers and the Alpha program, Warren offers a kind of commercialized pop-christianity that sometimes seems far more consumer-oriented than Bible-oriented.

While he makes use of over a thousand Scripture verses in The Purpose Driven Life, it is important to see how he employs them. He quotes from a number of newer Bible Versions (such as the New Living Translation, the New Revised Standard Version, God’s Word Translation, The Message, and others) which take great liberties with the precise meaning of the text. This bothers Mr. Warren not at all. In fact, he leans upon it, seeking out versions that best support his point, rather than the one that most accurately reflects what God has said.

Here is an example–one of many. Second Corinthians 5:18 says, “God…has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (NKJV). Paul goes on to describe believers as “ambassadors for Christ” who implore sinners to “Be reconciled to God” (vs. 20). However, Rick Warren wants to make the point that we should be peacemakers, helping to restore broken relationships between individuals.

While this is true enough, it is not what the text says, unless we use the versions the author carefully selects. The Message says, “God…settles the relationship between us and him, and then calls us to settle our relationships with each other.” And the (misnamed!) God’s Word Translation says, “He has restored our relationship with him…and has given us this ministry of restoring relationships.”

Warren’s casual treatment of the Scriptures is also seen in this deplorable claim: “[God] depends more on circumstances to make us like Jesus than he depends on our reading the Bible” (p. 193). How this contrasts with Christ’s refusal to take one step (in His “circumstances”) apart from the Word and will of His heavenly Father (Matt. 4:4)! And what then does Warren do with Second Timothy 3:16-17? ( Or what about Ps. 19:7-11; 119:98-99; Rom. 15:4; Heb. 4:12; or II Pet. 1:19?)

There are other flaws as well. Noticeably absent, is an emphasis on personal holiness, on the Bible’s emphasis on fearing God, and on purity of doctrine. In the church, Warren advocates a kind of subjective, anything-goes worship, using the carnal bedlam of rock music, “hula praise,” and more.

Finally, the author sometimes seems to confuse the biblical purpose for which we were created with some of the actions involved in achieving it. His five stated life-purposes are: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. This is all very well. But it misses the great and overarching purpose of all that God does, and of everything He desires man to do.

The purpose of all God’s works is to reflect glory and honour to Himself. Here is a quick sampling of many passages which indicate this: Ps. 104:31; Matt. 5:16; Jn. 15:8; Rom. 11:36; 15:5-6; I Cor. 6:19-20; 10:31; Eph. 1:6 ,12, 14; 3:21; Phil. 4:20; I Tim. 1:17; II Tim. 4:18; I Pet. 4:11; II Pet. 3:18; Jude 1:25; Rev. 1:6; 5:13; 7:12. Whether we are fellowshipping or witnessing, cooking a meal or driving a tractor, these are merely to be various means to that greater end.