The Purpose Driven Church

I read the book a couple of years ago and I think it's a good book overall. There are some issues in it that I disagree, that perhaps I misread him.He seems to water things down a bit too much for me, asking the unregenerate what they want, almost to entertain them into the Kingdom of God.Yes, some of his strategies are excellent, but when I read him I take some with a grain of salt.Another book written is a criticism in my view, although I don't remember if it was written as such: Ashamed of The Gospel by John MacArthur. This is an excellent book which he quotes Chas Spurgeon who fought the Entertainment Evangelism in his day.I think the old fashioned mode still works, confronting people with the Gospel, even door to door! ( I don't remember what R.Warren said about this).Thank You!

 

I thought it was a pretty decent "management" book, although it missed a major point: It's not enough to just convey the vision/mission. You also have to instill in believers how they fit into that mission, what their part is.
I also thought it ironic how Pastor Warren compares greeting visitors to the church to arriving at an airline. He states that no one cares about the president of the airline, because they know they'll never meet him/her. I find it ironic because, in a church of 10,000, most people feel the same way about the pastor.
But I give the book high marks overall as an effective management guidebook.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Don:
I thought it was a pretty decent "management" book, although it missed a major point: It's not enough to just convey the vision/mission. You also have to instill in believers how they fit into that mission, what their part is.
I also thought it ironic how Pastor Warren compares greeting visitors to the church to arriving at an airline. He states that no one cares about the president of the airline, because they know they'll never meet him/her. I find it ironic because, in a church of 10,000, most people feel the same way about the pastor.
But I give the book high marks overall as an effective management guidebook.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Interesting take, Don, about the book being management oriented. While I am not a Warren fan per se, I don't get that image from my reading of the book. In fact, I get just the opposite. Warren's intent was to produce a nuts and bolts, practical guide for churches to discover and implement the NT purpose of the church.

 

Actually, Tom, I know that's what the book was intended for; blame it on all the management courses I've had, but Pastor Warren uses a lot of "manage-ese" in his book.

 

RevKevin77,

I think you misread what Warren wrote in his book about reaching the lost. He's not for asking the lost what they want rather for searching for a way to communicate to them in a language and style they will understand. In this I believe one could and should use Paul along with the gospels as a good example. Someone else in this thread wrote they believe the old way could still work. It can, it did for Paul, Warren is recommending we use this really old way (see the New Testament as an example.)

 

An interesting negative review of The Purpose Driven Church may be found at:
www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/BookReviews

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by rlvaughn:
An interesting negative review of The Purpose Driven Church may be found at:
www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/BookReviews<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Don't get me wrong - I'm not necessarily a Warren fan. But your statement above is only half right. The review IS negative

 

I think I was ALLright! The review is negative, it is interesting, and it may be found at that address!

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by rlvaughn:
I think I was ALLright! The review is negative, it is interesting, and it may be found at that address! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I was taking issue with the interesting part. It was anything but, IMHO, as are most of the articles on this site. This is my view despite my agreement with much of what is had to say.