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Purpose Driven Blog

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I have started reading The Purpose Driven Life several times. So far I have not managed to finish it. I got to thinking that perhaps if I blogged my way through the 40 days of the book I could find motivation to keep reading it. So starting tomorrow I will attempt to blog my way through the book.

I have some preconceptions that it is only fair I lay down from the beginning.

  1. I have read The Purpose Driven Church. I also attend a purpose driven church loosely modelled on Warren’s model (we like to think we have adopted only the best parts of the model) and thus am quite familiar with many of the purpose driven principles.
  2. I am a bit nervous about Rick Warren. Though my fears are, thus far unfounded, I find it hard to believe that a book that sells as well as The Purpose Driven Life can contain Orthodox, Christian content. That may be pessimistic, but memories of the Prayer of Jabez are still fresh in my mind. It probably does not help that the back cover features Bruce Wilkinson’s praise for the book.
  3. I know that Warren uses every conceivable Bible translation and paraphrase in this book. I find it exceedingly difficult to work that way so will be cross-referencing every Bible verse with my trusty NASB (or possibly my equally trust NKJV). I may even pull my NIV off the shelf every now and then!
  4. I do not know what audience Warren is trying to reach. I am guessing that his audience is Christians, but for all I know he may be trying to reach unbelievers.

There we have it. Hopefully the next 40 days will prove interesting as I dive into the book. I intend follow through the course and learn what Warren (and hopefully God) would like to teach me. But to be fair I am going to read critically (as I always attempt to do) and will examine the book from a Reformed perspective.

To facilitate this series, I have created a new category specifically to contain my Purpose Driven Life blog entries.


  • weekend 3

    Weekend A La Carte (May 23)

    Work will always matter / The rise of techno-feudalism / The gospel according to Karl Marx / The challenge of Eastern Orthodoxy / My manifesto on AI and religion / Steve McQueen, born again, set free / Cornfield baptism / 5 things most people don’t know about writing books

  • Authority

    How Men Can Use Their Authority Well

    There are few topics that have proven trickier to navigate than the topic of authority. We know we need authority to function as families, churches, and nations, yet there is something deep within our sinful humanity that causes us to rebel against it wherever it exists. We both want it and despise it. 

  • fri 3

    A La Carte (May 22)

    The ancient world had no word for child abuse / What I wish I had learned in theological college / Pray to the Lord of the harvest / What God is healing while not healing my health problems / Are you willing to show up? / Artificial preaching / Sales and deals / and more.

  • thurs 3

    A La Carte (May 21)

    One step becomes a three-day walk / Tolkien, foolishness, and the ordinary means of grace / The staggering beauty and burden of church life / Denominational health / Three truths to combat your news anxiety / Don’t do the Devil’s work for him / and more.

  • The Most Neglected Element of Worship

    The Most Neglected Element of Worship

    There are some elements of public worship that receive a great deal of attention. These elements are taught, practiced, rehearsed, and perfected until they are as good as they can be. In most churches, this includes the music, of course, and often the preaching. Why do these receive so much attention?

  • wed 3

    A La Carte (May 20)

    The pastor who refuses to back down / The missionary with Ebola / Why we don’t trust pastors / Rushing our quiet times / The other side of seminary / The remedy, the problem, and the church / Why we need to interpret the Bible / Kindle deals / and more.