Rick Warren promises that by following the 40-day program in The Purpose-Driven Life, you will understand "how all the pieces of your life fit together." If only it were that easy!
Warren
identifies five purposes for the Christian life — worship, fellowship,
discipleship, service and evangelism. While we agree with many of his
assertions, such as "it all starts with God," we are troubled by
several of the book's assumptions and implications.
The most troubling part of the Purpose-Driven
program, for us, is precisely its drivenness. Despite Warren's claims
that his program is countercultural, it fits in snugly with our
quick-fix, success-oriented culture. His program puts the individual in
charge of giving his or her spiritual life an extreme makeover — in the
short span of 40 days that "will transform your life." This promise
sounds more like a weight-loss infomercial than an encounter with the
Almighty.
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