A question from a reader:
I was listening to Christian teacher who was criticizing the Purpose Driven Life. Do you have an opinion on the book?
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Every time I get asked about one of the books or programs that have swept the church, I quickly find myself swept up in controversy and the target of much criticism. I get hammered with anecdotal evidence of how this book or that program “changed my life”. Rarely, in fact NEVER, does anyone write and actually Biblically refute the facts of what I’ve stated… they just impugn the overall conclusion with emotional argument. However, the Truth is the truth and I continue to stick my neck out anyway.
There is no doubt that author of Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren, believes and teaches a Biblical Gospel message. I count him as a fellow Believer. That he has not watered down his message and wandered off into a social Gospel (social good is the major emphasis of faith, all faiths work together while not evangelizing anyone) is a matter of public record.
Purpose Driven Life 1) contains a lot of the usual humanist psychology passed off as Bible teaching and 2) is concerning because of its employment of prooftexting (ripping Bible verses out of context to support a predetermined point or lesson being taught). It’s use of THE MESSAGE by Eugene Peterson is surprising, since THE MESSAGE is 1) a paraphrase not a translation, 2) a paraphrase by one person, and 3) a paraphrase heavily distorted by humanistic psychology. On the other hand, given the humanist psychology in both books and the need for Warren to find verses that support the ideas in his book, it’s really not all that surprising that THE MESSAGE is used.
Purpose Driven Life stripped of Scripture and it’s Christian label would just be another self help book based on tired, ineffective and unScriptural psychology. It could have been written by Zig Ziglar or Tony Robbins just as easily as Rick Warren (if stripped of Christian references).
A note about THE MESSAGE: I make no apologies for adamantly insisting serious Christians discard and avoid THE MESSAGE. It is simply a BAD Bible version, a dangerous combination of fluffy and often blatant humanist psychology, not to mention routinely inaccurate interpretations of the original text. Not all of it of course… in fact, not MOST of it (as the saying goes, most false teaching is 98% truth); enough for sure to make it a Bible version Christians should categorically reject. It’s flowery prose and easy reading have made it a mass favorite of unwitting or unwilling Believers. There is not nearly enough benefit to outweigh the detriment of THE MESSAGE.
As for Purpose Driven Life, if taken as sound Bible teaching it misses the mark substantially. It’s use of prooftexting is inexcusable given Warren’s Biblical knowledge. It presents itself as having unmistakable Biblical support when in fact, even the concept of “40″ so heavily pronounced in the book is blatant prooftexting and a pattern that is both insignificant and irrelevant in Scripture (when compared to how it is presented by Warren). As well, the whole idea of “purpose driven life” while not bad as a single life application point in some sermon or book, is taken to an extreme with Purpose Driven Life making it seem like that concept is a pervasive thread in Scripture and should be a dominating theme of Christian life. When measured against Scripture, it simply does not enjoy such status.
Purpose Driven Life , if taken as light, motivational, life application teaching with some good points and reasonable advice, is a decent enough book though 1) you aren’t going to suffer spiritual lack if you never read it, and 2) it can mislead many Christians into thinking the Bible ACTUALLY TEACHES what Warren writes rather than it simply being a good idea Warren came up with. As a Bible teacher, it concerns me greatly because it presents a wildly popular and accepted example of prooftexting, thereby leading other Christians to employ prooftexting in teaching.
Think about it. If I write an exposition or commentary on the Book of James, it’s a yawner… no one cares. If I come up with some catchy phrase, feel-good theme and easy to read slick message on how to be more spiritual… then write a book liberally dressed in Christian lingo with so much prooftexting no one can question it’s Biblical support… BAM! I’m a national bestselling author and the next Christian superstar. See anything wrong with that kind of fad/trend based spiritually that routinely sweeps the Church?
Big deal, right? Who cares about a little prooftexting. All Christians should. It’s the reason why we have massive amounts of false teaching, over 2500 “flavors” of Christianity, and the ability to find anyone anytime teaching any viewpoint that tickles our ears.
As with most fads that sweep the Church, it’s revealing that this book has replaced serious Bible study for masses of professing Believers. The overwhelming cult status of books like Purpose Driven Life and The Shack expose a shallow level of discernment, sound teaching and Biblical worldview in the American church today.
Throw away your copy of THE MESSAGE. Skip Purpose Driven Life… spend time reading your Bible. It’s pretty Scripturally accurate and written by a well respected author! 
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I am sorry some folks lambast you for speaking the truth when your answer does not agree with what they think. But you are right on with this one (and many others).
You can’t pull scripture out of context and expect it to mean the same as the Lord’s inspired writting was ment to be. Your right about the “message” also. It is not a translation but a paraphraised (man inspired) writting. Keep up the annoited teaching my brother, God will bless you at the “Great White Throne”
Prayers, Strength and Blessings
Helen Sneed
(sister in Christ)
WELL SAID! I agree completely! Thanks for writing this.
Monica
Thanks for telling it like it is! You are right on in this article and I so appreciate your sharing with us.
Brent, I agree entirely with you that there is NOTHING to substitute for The Bible. I agree that prooftexting can lead to serious false teaching. That is why it’s so important to compare every message given (in all Scripturally-based messages, including sermons) directly with His Word. It is only when we dig deep for ourselves in His Word that we are able to discern false teachings from Scripturally sound messages. If we do not compare Scripture-based messages (in books, sermons, conversations, etc.) directly with His Word, we will never know if we’re being led astray. I personally feel that there are many excellent points made in Purpose Driven Life, some points that are of Tozer quality, some of CS Lewis quality, others that are slanted and twisting of His Truth. I believe almost all man-interpreted, man-breathed messages will always be lacking in atleast one area, if not more, and that is why it’s so important to dig deeper into His Word for His truth. I also believe that many Scripturally-based books can be used quite successfully as a means of study, when we use The Bible as the main reference to compare and contrast man’s messages. In my opinion, Purpose Driven Life has many messages that many of America’s selfish citizens need to hear. Their eyes need to be opened to how we’re living our lives, for self. Unfortunately, many of these people are the way they are BECAUSE they do not study God’s Word. Therefore, one is more likely to convince them to read a Christian book than to get them to delve deeply into God’s Word. Our lives were created for God’s purpose, and the majority of people today are missing that purpose. We have fallen into the trap of living selfish lives. Our lives our not our own, and I believe that Purpose Driven Life can be used as a means of removing the scales from our eyes. It is always our ultimate desire to have every person deeply studying God’s Word, but the reality is that too many people rely on others to teach us. God was able to use The Purpose Driven Life to bring much healing to our hurting daughter, who was adopted at age 11 after suffering a childhood full of trauma beyond our imagination. God told me to use that book with her, after Christian counselors and other Christian books, including Bible studies, were not able to accomplish God’s desire. God used PDL to breathe hope into our daughter, to confirm for her that she was created for a Purpose, His purpose, and we have been able to use the teachings from PDL to dive deeper into God’s Word, together, to see what Scripture actually says in context, what His message truly is, etc. It’s been an amazing tool of healing for our daughter, and it has been a good springboard of conversation, Bible study, and prayer for our entire family. We love comparing and contrasting Scripture quotes and messages from PDL with our favorite personal Bibles, and asking God to reveal His Truth to us individually and as a family as we meet for family devotional time every evening. On several occasions, we have found that we could spend an entire week chewing on, tearing up, picking apart, comparing and contrasting just one day’s message of PDL to God’s Word, which is a wonderful way to study His Word and for Him to reveal His Truth and His message to us regarding a specific subject. I think Purpose Driven Life is an awesome teaching tool, when used MERELY as a tool for deeper Bible study, and not as a substitute for The Bible.
I’m always grateful and amazed that God uses our flawed human efforts, especially mine. I don’t hold any man-written book to the standard as Scripture. Depending on how far I feel like it strays from Scripture or misuses Scripture dictates how much of a public opinion I state. As well, sometimes the popularity of a book or trend causes me to respond because I get truckloads of questions about it. PDL and The Shack are two examples of that. Those books are so pervasive in the Church today that I can hardly avoid the endless inquiries about them. So I present my honest assessment as a Bible teacher then I take my lumps which never fail to materialize.
I applaud and give credit to any genuine good that comes from these books. As I said, PDL is a decent self help book with some good life application tips and thoughts. My objections come from the implication that the Scripture used in it actually is what the Scripture is teaching in those verses. Too often it is not. As a Bible teacher it’s my duty to point out prooftexting not necessarily to categorically declare you should NOT read that book, but just so a Christian is armed and alert.
Most Christians do not study the Bible enough to know prooftexting when they see it. So when Rick Warren, or Brent Riggs, jerks verses out of context to prove a point, most people simply accept the implication that “this is the meaning of that verse”.
If more people knew their Bible’s, there wouldn’t be a need for a Brent Riggs to point out the obvious.
Thanks Lorraine… love you guys… appreciate your family… can’t wait to come visit some time… hey, you need to just write some blog posts for me… your comments are better than my post.