I think that what all you have to say is very interesting. Everyone has a point to make and everyone has a truth to what they say, just as Rick Warren. True, some of the ways he does things and brings them over arent right, or true, but what I felt as I was reading the book was that the book was more for someone that is already a Christian and not for someone that has no clue what being a Christian was about. Every Christian knows that along with being a Christian will come persecution and hardships, along with judgement. But some Christians need to be built up in there faith by other means at the time. Some have pain in their lives and need to hear exactly what he had to say. Once a person is built up, he can then truly start the Christian life.

What most of you are saying, or at least what it sounds like, reminds me a lot of the story of Job. Job knew about judgement and punishment and all that stuff. What he needed was to be built up and not to here from his friends that he messed up and that 'he was going to hell' because he wasn't. He was a Christian and he knew about all that stuff.

A church needs to be built up and shown the goodness of God because I believe many people and churches in todays world have lost that. People dont truly understand Gods goodness anymore and are confused in their faith and with God.

As the books title says, 'The Purpose Driven Life,' not the judgement driven life. Our purpose on earth, is not to be judged. Our purpose is love, peace, fellowship, etc. All of which the book talks about.

First people have to understand those things like love, before they can begin to love. They have to understand their purpose, not there sin, or their judgement.
We all sin and most of the time we feel miserable for that. No one has to tell me that I need to be sorry for something that I feel miserable for. I already know that Im sorry! But what we dont always feel, is Gods love and we need to be shown that He is always there.

I think that is what most people missed as they were reading the book.

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Christian Rivera

First of all welcome and hello!

You are new to the site and have not stated wether you are male or female, how long you have been a Christian etc. Still, welcome.

As you have said, you have read the book. Good.

However, that book is not the Bible. And when a book, any book, has a lopsided view of God, then they have a lopsided view of His word, and His glory and honour, for which we should live, I then cast that book aside. It doesn't matter about 'our feelings' or 'our emotions' or 'our needs'.

We were created for God's glory, and for His glory alone.

Rev 4v11 says 'You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power, for You created all things and by Your will they exist and were created'.

I just listened to a sermon on hell. Hell is not mentioned anywhere in the purpose driven life.

Our purpose, cause, reason, or whatever you want to call it, should be for God's glory and God's glory alone. If it isn't then it is worthless.

God is love. However, He is also a God of wrath and punishment.

His word declares He will punish even so called 'Christians'.

Matthew 7v21 says 'Not everyone who says to Me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven'.

It goes on to say about people doing things in God's name, but God says 'Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'.

Let's not kid ourselves. Let's judge ourselves by the word of God, and not a man-centred book. God bless.

River A welcome.
I really do appreciate what you say concerning hurting and needing to be built up etc.
About the necessity of love first.
Love rejoices in the truth (1 cor 13)
Also we are called to test all things and hold fast to that which is good.
When Paul preached to the Bereans they searched the scriptures to see if these things were true what paul had said.
And paul declares in 1 cor 1:15 "But he that is spiritual judeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man"
Lastly for now Jesus declared in the Gospel of John judge not according to appearance but judge righteous judgment.
I say all that to show that we must judge what teacher evangelist, which is what Rick Warren is, say,"test the spirits wether they be of God". Mr warrens material has been put forth for quite a few years and has been tested by many solid christians and it ha sbeen found to be wanting and actualy desensitizing christians to the whole counsel of God.
I guess I am trying to convey that it's more than just us being focused on judging but rather it more of his worki failing very important test from the scripture.

I know you may not readely agree with what I wrote. Mr warren has been aproached several times by ministries desiring to go over the concerns and for the most part Rick has ignored the wisdom of a multitude of counslers and pressed on with his on teaching agenda.

I hope that inspite of these posible disagreement concerning this that you will feel comfortable continuing to fellowship on this forum. God bless, John

God's love cannot truly be understood apart from the cross. And the cross makes no sense apart from God's judgement on sin. What makes the purpose driven life and such so lobsided is that it attempts to get us to find "our purpose" in life, apart from God's eternal and cosmic purpose in Christ.

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Jimmy H

Thank you for all that you have said. While I dont fully agree with everything you have said, I do agree with most, I do beleive. You have helped me understand your opinions a little more. That is what we are here for...to help each other understand the word of God.

God bless

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Christian Rivera