Purpose Driven
From Free net encyclopedia
Current revision
Template:Mergeto Template:NPOV
Purpose Driven, a term first coined by Rick Warren, is a philosophy of building one's life, family, career, and church around the five biblical purposes given by Jesus Christ: to know and love God (worship), to love others (fellowship), to grow spiritually (discipleship), to serve others with your talents (ministry) and to share the Good News (evangelism).
Purpose Driven Network is a network of over 400,000 Christian congregations around the world, that includes churches from over 200 denominations. The movement emphasizes intentionally structuring a congregation around the 5 biblical purposes of the church as established by Jesus. The movement originated with Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, under the leadership of the founding pastor Rick Warren.
The network has grown rapidly since 1985, but leaders intentionally kept its profile low, preferring to work out of the spotlight. However, that all ended with the publication of Rick Warren's blockbuster, mega-seller The Purpose Driven Life. Today. the focus of the Purpose Driven Network is to empower local congregations to carry out their mission with a strategy Warren calls the global P.E.A.C.E. Plan: Plant congregations, Equip servant leaders, Assist the poor, Care for the sick, and Educate the next generation. Over 4,500 Saddleback members have served in 63 countries testing prototypes of the P.E.A.C.E. Plan.
Some opposition has arisen regarding whether the Purpose Driven materials are in accordance with Biblical teaching. However, the opponents, such as Jimmy Swaggart, are generally the same ones who oppose all megachurches. Hundreds of thousands of pastors belong to the Purpose Driven network.
External links
Bibliography
- The Purpose Driven Church (ISBN 0310201063)
- The Purpose Driven Life (ISBN
- Answers To Life's Difficult Questions (ISBN 0966089529)
- The Power To Change Your Life (ISBN 0966089510)
- What on Earth Am I Here For? Booklet (ISBN 0310264839)
- Personal Bible Study Methods (ISBN 0966089502)
Links to Critiques of the Purpose Driven® Movement
Articles, essays and audios dealing with concerns raised regarding The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren and the teachings and associations of the Purpose Driven/Seeker Sensitive/Church Growth movements.
- Seeker Sensitive, Purpose Driven Churches
- The Purpose Driven Church and Life - Review of The Purpose Driven Life referencing the NewsNight with Aaron Brown discussion of Rick Warren and Purpose Driven related controversy. Site includes a book review, reader comments and links to other websites.
- The Gospel: A Method or a Message? How the Purpose Driven Life Obscures the Gospel by Bob DeWaay
- Biblically Speaking Essays on the Church Growth Movement - Further essays that critique the teachings of the Purpose Driven/Seeker Sensitive movements
- Spirit-Led or Purpose-Driven?
- Earthly Empires - How evangelical churches are borrowing from the business playbook
- Purpose Driven Madness
- Rick Warren: Three Primary Concerns
- Rick Warren Promotes Contemplative Spirituality