Rick Warren

In twenty years of local church ministry this has been the most transformative book I have ever read and implemented. What is offered is not so much an off-the-shelf product, but a thinking process. When local churches engage with this process, it transforms every aspect of them. The book is not primarily about church growth, but church effectiveness, which leads to growth. I also write as someone who disagrees with some of Rick Warren's own doctrinal stance - but that is not the point! The show more point is local churches think about serving the present age. Otherwise they have no point. show less

Thanks to a combination of political correctness and crass commercialism the real reason that Christmas is celebrated each year around the world has been pushed into the background. THE PURPOSE OF CHRISTMAS is Rick Warren’s small, but powerful, contribution to putting Christ back into Christmas.



People have got so caught up in the whirlwind frenzy that is now associated with celebrating Christmas - decorating the house, shopping, one-upmanship present purchasing, cooking, attending parties show more and the such that they are no longer enjoying the Christmas season.



This simple book explains why Christ was born over 2,000 years ago, and why Christmas is a big deal to so many people who celebrate the spiritual aspect of it. Rick Warren is not saying we shouldn’t decorate our houses, cook and buy presents for each other; he just wants to remind us why we do this and what spirit we should be doing it. Hint – not the spirit of greed!!



The book is small and quick to read, but is huge in the message it covers. Rick Warren explains that Christmas is about celebration (it is Christ’s birthday after all), salvation (the gift that Christ brought us when he came to earth and died for our sins) and reconciliation. He looks at the different stresses that we humans experience at Christmas and how peace can be obtained through the promises of Christ.



There is not a lot of theological gobbledygook to confuse readers – even the Bible verses are quoted from modern translations. I have felt very tired and depressed at Christmas time in the last few years. I thought the spirit had been killed. THE PURPOSE OF CHRISTMAS shows me it hasn’t been killed and is still very much alive and to not let the “bah humbugs” and “politically correct police” take away my Christmas joy! show less

This last year has easily been the most painful year of my life. I found myself angry at God and angry in general. I was mean, bitter, irritated, heartbroken, and sad all the time. I’d be driving home from work and bawl my eyes out while literally screaming and crying in emotional pain. Then, one day, not long ago, a book was randomly mentioned on TV and the title of the book stuck in my memory for some reason. I decided to look it up on Amazon, it had good reviews and was only a few bucks show more so I bought it. It sat on my desk for about a week but after one particularly rough day I brought the book outside with me, sat in the shade, and began to read. I had no idea what to expect but I felt my heart begin to change with each chapter. After a year full of anger, pain, and suffering this book was deliberately put into my life to point me in the right direction. I still have so much more work to do but this book showed me where to start. If any of this sounds like you maybe it can help you too. show less

During the year 1980, in the Saddleback Valley of southern California, a legend sprouted. Rick Warren and his brainchild, Saddleback Church, would launch a movement of seeker-driven churches worldwide. This book documents and models Warren’s approach to church planting and pastoring. He lays outs and expounds his design for planting and growing churches. The book has some good principles for church planters, and those should not be overlooked. The principles and purposes set forward by show more Warren certainly have a great deal of value, and the details of his system are structured well. However, as others have pointed out, Warren got his cart before the horse. The use of the Scriptures is secondary to his philosophy throughout, to say nothing of the terrible hermeneutics he employs. The eye-roll moments are at least as plentiful as the light bulb ones. The serious church planter should consider the Saddleback way, but the elements of Warren’s design should not be implemented without serious Bible-based reflection.

Overall, this book is a net add to a gospel minister's reading and thought process, though not without severe and significant flaws. The book contains some sound principles and advice on the practical implementation of those principles. The models and structural elements are worth examining and adapting to whatever the reader’s ministry context is. However, the problems of elevating a philosophical ideal (attracting seekers) over the adherence to and lifting of the Bible should not be overlooked. The reader must be aware not only of Warren’s shifty underlying philosophy at the time of writing but also of what Warren and Saddleback have evolved to in the nearly thirty years since the writing of this book. The Purpose Driven Church is an okay book, though not a great one, and it certainly should not be read without a healthy dose of caution. show less