The spiritual premise in The Purpose-Driven Life is that there are no accidents---God planned everything and everyone. Therefore, every human has a divine purpose, according to God's master plan. Like a twist on John F. Kennedy's famous inaugural address, this book could be summed up like this: "So my fellow Christians, ask not what God can do for your life plan, ask what your life can do for God's plan." Those who are looking for advice on finding one's calling through career choice, creative expression, or any form of self-discovery should go elsewhere. This is not about self-exploration; it is about purposeful devotion to a Christian God. The book is set up to be a 40-day immersion plan, recognizing that the Bible favors the number 40 as a "spiritually significant time," according to author Rick Warren, the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, touted as one of the nation largest congregations. Warren's hope is that readers will "interact" with the 40 chapters, reading them one day at a time, with extensive underlining and writing in the margins. As an inspirational manifesto for creating a more worshipful, church-driven life, this book delivers. Every page is laden with references to scripture or dogma. But it does not do much to address the challenges of modern Christian living, with its competing material, professional, and financial distractions. Nonetheless, this is probably an excellent resource for devout Christians who crave a jumpstart back to worshipfulness. --Gail Hudson

From Publishers Weekly
Pastor of Saddleback Church, a Southern Baptist mega-church in southern California with weekly attendance of more than 15,000, Warren now applies his highly successful "purpose-driven" framework, developed in the best-seller The Purpose-Driven Church, to individual experience. The same principles Warren has taught to thousands of pastors to help churches be healthy and effective can also drive lives, he says. The book argues that discerning and living five God-ordained purposes-worship, community, discipleship, ministry and evangelism-is key to effective living. His 40 short chapters are intended to be read over 40 days' time, giving readers small pieces of his purpose-discovering program to chew on. Warren certainly knows his Bible. Of 800-plus footnotes, only 18 don't refer to Christian Scripture. He deliberately works with 15 different Bible translations, leaning heavily on contemporary translations and paraphrases, as an interesting way of plumbing biblical text. The almost exclusively biblical frame of reference stakes out the audience niche for this manual for Christian living. It's practical yet paradoxically abstract, lacking the kind of real-life examples and stories that life-application books usually provide in abundance. The book has flaws editing might have fixed. People are quoted without being identified, and subheads simply repeat lines of text, which tends to make the prose sound too simple. This book is not for all, but for those needing a certain kind of scriptural rock, it is solid.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Description
Rick Warren helps readers to discover, develop, and fulfill God's purpose for their lives. Read by Rick Warren.

Download Description
Another Landmark Book by Rick Warren. You are not an accident. Even before the universe was created, God had you in mind, and he planned you for his purposes. These purposes will extend far beyond the few years you will spend on earth. You were made to last forever! Self-help books often suggest that you try to discover the meaning and purpose of your life by looking within yourself, but Rick Warren says that is the wrong place to start. You must begin with God, your Creator, and his reasons for creating you. You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense. This book will help you understand why you are alive and God's amazing plan for you-both here and now, and for eternity. Rick Warren will guide you through a personal 40-day spiritual journey that will transform your answer to life's most important question: What on earth am I here for? Knowing God's purpose for creating you will reduce your stress, focus your energy, simplify your decisions, give meaning to your life, and, most importantly, prepare you for eternity. The Purpose-DrivenT Life is a blueprint for Christian living in the 21st century-a lifestyle based on God's eternal purposes, not cultural values. Using over 1,200 scriptural quotes and references, it challenges the conventional definitions of worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. In the tradition of Oswald Chambers, Rick Warren offers distilled wisdom on the essence of what life is all about. This is a book of hope and challenge that you will read and re-read, and it will be a classic treasured by generations to come.

From the Back Cover
A Groundbreaking Manifesto on the Meaning of Life The Purpose-Driven Life will help you understand why you are alive and God’s amazing plan for you—both here and now, and for eternity. Rick Warren will guide you through a personal 40-day spiritual journey that will transform your answer to life’s most important question: What on earth am I here for? Knowing God’s purpose for creating you will reduce your stress, focus your energy, simplify your decisions, give meaning to your life, and, most importantly, prepare you for eternity. This recording offers a blueprint for Christian living in the 21st century—a lifestyle based on God’s eternal purposes, not cultural values. Using over 1,200 scriptural quotes and references, it challenges the conventional definitions of worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. In the tradition of Oswald Chambers, Rick Warren offers distilled wisdom on the essence of what life is all about. Full of hope and challenge, The Purpose-Driven Life will be a classic treasured by generations to come.

About the Author
Dr. Rick Warren, founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, is the author of the New York Times #1 bests The Purpose Driven Life. With over 10 million copies sold since its release in October, 2002, the book has twice received the ECPA Book of the Year Award in 2003 and 2004.

FROM OUR EDITORS

In 40 brief chapters (each of which can read as a daily devotional), Rick Warren answers the age-old questions: Why am I here? What is my purpose? Asserting that our responses to those quandaries must start with God, he explains how we can achieve fulfillment by enacting His plan.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The #1 New York Times Bestseller, with over 3 million sold, now available in a large print edition

The Purpose-Driven Life is a blueprint for a lifestyle based on God's eternal purposes, not cultural values. Well-grounded in Scripture, it offers fresh insights on worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism.

This is a book of hope and challenge you will read and re-read.

Author Biography: Dr. Rick Warren, founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, is the author of the New York Times #1 best-seller The Purpose Driven Life. With over 4 million copies sold since its release in October, 2002, the book received the ECPA 2003 Book of the Year Award. Warren also wrote the Gold Medallion Award-winner The Purpose-Driven Church, with over one million copies sold in 21 languages. Other books by Rick Warren include The Power to Change Your Life, Answers to Life's Difficult Questions, Planned for God's Pleasure, and Personal Bible Study Methods. Dr. Warren is also the founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community which serves and mentors those in ministry and features Rick Warren's Ministry Toolbox, a weekly email newsletter with 85,000 pastors subscribing. Rick and his wife, Kay, began Saddleback Church as a small group in their home in January 1980. The church now averages 17,000 in attendance each weekend, lists over 60,000 names on the church roll, and, through its numerous resources and Purpose-Driven Church seminars, is having a worldwide impact. The Warrens live in Trabuco Canyon, California. They have three children and a dog.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly