PDL Now

[TaterTot]

Well, its easier to see a plan on paper and know the purposes behind them than to go throughout daily life b/c we dont always plan out everything we do ahead of time. I try to be involved in the 5 "purposes" in daily life, but life isnt always so cut nd dried as seeing plans on a paper. Does that make any sense?

 

[tinytim]

Ok, I see what you are saying.

Like I could say "I've got to go grocery shopping", what is my spiritual purpose in that?

Although I like what Rick said in the message tonight about going to the DMV for God to teach us patience.

Yeah, I guess planning youth events with purpose is a whole lot easier than finding a purpose to go grocery shopping. (Unless it is buy ingredients for my awesome chili!!!)

 

[TaterTot]

LOL. Not small things like that - I mean, we plan things like family dates, dinner with friends, etc without ever thinking of a purpose behind them other than "we just want to".

 

[tinytim]

Maybe that is what the 40 days of purpose is for. I mean, after I am through, I will be able to look at things like dinner with friends in the light of fellowship. Or if it is visiting lost friends - evangelism.

Or going to the store - ministry. (If I think of something I could buy for someone else that needs it.)

Maybe that is the whole purpose of it.

 

[Hope of Glory]

Many of the churches here in town got together to do the 40 days thing last year. Our church got 3 new families because of it, and I know some other churches that benefitted from people leaving.

Personally, I only listened to the book on audio CD and read some chapters in the bound book, but I made some notes that I intend to transcribe at some point.

 

[tinytim]

What were some things that jumped out at you when you listened to it?

 

[Linda64]

Linda, can you tell me how the gospel was wishy washy. From Rick's sermon tonight it wasn't.

Tinytim--

First of all, I don't listen to Rick's sermons, so I don't know what he said in his sermon tonight.

Second, when I looked through the PDL book at my son's home 2 years ago (they live in California), I didn't even see the gospel in the book at all. I kept on reading and reading, and I could not find anywhere in that book where it said that all have sinned and need to repent and be saved. All this I discussed with my daughter in law. I also emailed my son with an article about the Purpose Driven Life, 40 Days of Purpose--my son said it sounded more like a "marketing plan" than an "outreach" to reach the lost.

 

[tinytim]

Thank you Linda, I will be on the look out for it and will tell you where it is if it is in there.

 

[standingfirminChrist]

"But [God/ wanted to make you in order to express his love. God says, ‘I have carried you since you were born; I have taken care of you from your birth. Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you.’" (p. 25).

According to the PDL, this verse, taken from Isaiah 46:3,4 of the New Century Version proves that God wanted to create mankind in order to express His love. Yet this is God's message to Israel, not to mankind in general nor to believers in today's modern churches. PDL is clearly misinterpreting and misrepresenting the true meaning of the written word as the Israelites—the original recipients of this verse—understood it.

 

[Hope of Glory]

Well, Linda hit some of the big ones. It's also very big into self-esteem and psycho-babble. The people that I know that personally left their churches because of it were turned off because they were informed that they were not welcome to bring their own Bibles with them.

If I ever get around to transcribing my notes, I have several pages of examples to post.

 

[standingfirminChrist]

"Wonderful changes are going to happen in your life as you begin to live it on purpose. God says, ‘I know what I am planning for you ... I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.’ " (p. 31).

PDL uses this text (Jeremiah 29:11 from the New Century Version) many times throughout book, but this verse is not informing the believer that wonderful changes will happen in his or her life once he or she lives out his or her purpose, as the PDL would have one to believe. This text contains God's personal message to the Israelites who were enduring captivity in Babylon.

 

[standingfirminChrist]

"You may have been unaware that God holds you responsible for the unbelievers who live around you. The Bible says, 'You must warn them so they may live. If you don't speak out to warn the wicked to stop their evil ways, they will die in their sin. But I will hold you responsible for their death’ " (p. 283).

The PDL's statement that God holds believers responsible for the death of unbelieving friends, neighbors and acquaintances is contrary to the teaching of Scripture. The PDL attempts to find justification for this statement by quoting Ezekiel 3:18 in the New Century Version.

However, in this text, God is directly speaking to Ezekiel, whom God had given a task of communicating His Word. Using Ezekiel 3:18, the PDL gives the reader the picture that if the friend, neighbor or acquaintance of a believer dies in unbelief, the believer is at fault! Of course, personal evangelism is vitally important to the spiritual life of every Christian, but the believer is not held responsible for the unbeliever's condemnation. He that believeth not is condemned already. John 3:18

 

[tinytim]

Well, I'll decide for myself after I go through the 40 days. But right now I am looking forward to it.

Going to bed.
Goodnight all.

 

[tinytim]

Originally posted by tinytim:
Is anyone going through the 40 days of purpose right now? Or have you went through it recently.

One more before I drift off to sleep...

What part of the OP don't you understand?
SFIC, Have you gone through the campaign?
I am looking for fellow Christians that have benefited from PDL.

If you haven't gone through it, you should not condemn it. Try it.. You just might like it.

Now if you have, then I want to hear what you have to say.

If not then please quit posting your interpretation of the various PDL verses.
That would waste a lot of space here.


(FYI-leafing through the book is not the same as doing the whole process)

 

[standingfirminChrist]

I won't say no more, cuz even if I read the whole book, you would not receive it seeing I have revealed fallacies in just a few paragraphs of the book and I am quite sure there are a whole lot more.

The fact is, people do not want to know that what God requires of them, they would rather require of God. The PDL plainly shows this. It uses several different translations of the Bible to glean out what the author wants one to beleive is gospel. Sadly, many buy it as so.

 

[Brice]

Originally posted by standingfirminChrist:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />"But [God/ wanted to make you in order to express his love. God says, ‘I have carried you since you were born; I have taken care of you from your birth. Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you.’" (p. 25).

According to the PDL, this verse, taken from Isaiah 46:3,4 of the New Century Version proves that God wanted to create mankind in order to express His love. Yet this is God's message to Israel, not to mankind in general nor to believers in today's modern churches. PDL is clearly misinterpreting and misrepresenting the true meaning of the written word as the Israelites—the original recipients of this verse—understood it. </font>[/QUOTE]So what you're telling me is that this truth isn't for today. He hasn't carried us from birth? He won't be the same when we are old? He won't take care of us when our hair is grey?

 

[Brice]

Originally posted by standingfirminChrist:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> "Wonderful changes are going to happen in your life as you begin to live it on purpose. God says, ‘I know what I am planning for you ... I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.’ " (p. 31).

PDL uses this text (Jeremiah 29:11 from the New Century Version) many times throughout book, but this verse is not informing the believer that wonderful changes will happen in his or her life once he or she lives out his or her purpose, as the PDL would have one to believe. This text contains God's personal message to the Israelites who were enduring captivity in Babylon. </font>[/QUOTE]Once again, he doesn't have good plans for us? He wants to hurt us?

 

[Brice]

Originally posted by standingfirminChrist:
I won't say no more, cuz even if I read the whole book, you would not receive it seeing I have revealed fallacies in just a few paragraphs of the book and I am quite sure there are a whole lot more.

The fact is, people do not want to know that what God requires of them, they would rather require of God. The PDL plainly shows this. It uses several different translations of the Bible to glean out what the author wants one to beleive is gospel. Sadly, many buy it as so.

It isn’t worth going on and on to discuss this subject. Tiny wants posts’ from people who have gone through the 40 days of purpose, not opinions from people who want to degrade other Christians. Worst part is, you have decided to degrade someone who is out there doing Gods work. His life is dedicated to the salvation of souls and the betterment of society, while yours seems to be to make sure no one has a glass of wine or reads the purpose driven life. Again, is your pastor 100% correct, for that matter are you? If you are not, then are you willing to tell everyone that they should not listen to you?

Debating this point-to-point is useless because neither side will relinquish their views, but why not use caution when urging people to stay away from something. If they stayed away from Warren, there would be a lot less souls in Heaven and that is our ultimate goal.

 

[Brice]

Originally posted by standingfirminChrist:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />"But [God/ wanted to make you in order to express his love. God says, ‘I have carried you since you were born; I have taken care of you from your birth. Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you.’" (p. 25).

According to the PDL, this verse, taken from Isaiah 46:3,4 of the New Century Version proves that God wanted to create mankind in order to express His love. Yet this is God's message to Israel, not to mankind in general nor to believers in today's modern churches. PDL is clearly misinterpreting and misrepresenting the true meaning of the written word as the Israelites—the original recipients of this verse—understood it. </font>[/QUOTE]By the way, using your theory we should just read the Bible as a history book. Paul wrote this to the Church at Corinth, so it isn’t applicable to us. God said this to Job so it isn’t applicable to us etc. I could go on and on, but hopefully you get the point.

 

[computerjunkie]

My church went through the book together several years ago. We did the entire program, churchwide. My pastor preached the sermons, all the S.S. classes used the lessons (from preschool through adult), and we ended with a huge "ministry fair" to find areas of opportunity to serve.

I loved it! And so did my entire church (about 1200 members). One of the neatest things was knowing everyone was studying the same thing at the same time. All those who were reading the book daily were reading the same thing. All the classes were teaching the same lesson on the same Sunday, and the sermon tied it all together.

People were really excited about it, and we had an unbelievable ministry fair at the end where lots of church members were made aware of (and signed up for) ministry opportunities they may not have previously realized were available.

About a year later, we did "40 Days of Community", and what an awesome experience! We all came together as a church to do "acts of kindness" in the community...and I was amazed at all the things people thought of to do to minister. Classes got together to do things, and what was especially neat was seeing the student group discover things they could do to serve others in our area. They came up with things they could do at school (and other places) just to show kindness to others.

I firmly believe that going through the study as a church body was what made it so successful for us. Everyone had the same focus, and it was outstanding!

The book is not a deep theological textbook, and I don't think it was written to be such. Personally, I read a chapter a day as a devotional, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Some of it was very basic for me and I enjoyed being reminded of the "basics" in a fresh way. But there were also things in the book that really made me "think deeper", and gave me a new perspective on some familiar passages and ideas.

I know there are many, many people who don't care for Rick Warren or his book, but I'm not one of them. I saw my church come together more in the 40 days than it had been in a long time. I saw people excited about serving. I saw new people coming to church and being saved as a result of what the study did for our members.

As Tater said, "Let God guide you and get out of this study what God will show you. Any time you are seeking, He will show you something." I know from experience, you will receive a blessing from churchwide participation, if it is bathed in prayer, and if it is approached "expecting" a renewal from the Lord.

CJ