The Purpose Driven Church: Every Church Is Big in God's Eyes

Great practical advice. No nonsense, straightforward examples on how to have a healthy, growing church. Let the Holy Spirit minister to you through his insight. An effective book even in 2023.

Purpose Driven Church is an excellent matrix for thinking about and organizing a church. It is perfect for a new church development. It is filled with potential leg-and-arm losing mines for the historic church that has a lot of tradition holding it down. With wisdom and intentionality, this model, which is not new to the Presbyterian Church (USA), the denomination I am a part of. Presbyterians have historically been driven by "The Great Ends of the Church," a different name for "Purpose Driven" but whose content matches the 5 Purposes as set forth in the book. Rick Warren's 5 Purposes are not original, which Rick says in the book. They are the same purposes pastors have preached since Christ. Rick just puts them all together and communicates them through a felt need of modern people, the need for purpose. So it connects the historic purpose of the church with the felt needs of modern people and that's what makes it effective. The book is realistic and honest. It doesn't tout this model as the end all. It acknowledges the need for pastors to tailor the principles to thier context, which if you do not do you may be looking for a new job after experiencing tremendous conflict. For the Presbyterian churches that have restructured themselves utilizing the book as food for thought and have done so patiently and wisely, it has breathed new life into what many see as a "frozen" church. The book's value is in how effectively it communicates God's Word concerning the ministry of the church in the world. It highlights the need for balance and for not being a one demensional church (i.e. soul winning church, a mission church, a discipling church etc.) It offers a good model or matrix for thinking about and structuring the church that makes sense and connects to the average person. It is not a how to manual. You have to figure out how to apply what principles when.If it has a weakness it is in the area of failing to foster a diverse church. Some churches may use it as a justification for remaining just as they are and not reflecting thier community (a point raised in the book, the importance of reflecting your community) but that may be lost when "targeting" people who would feel comfortable in the church. Many urban white churches will not be challenged by the book to change and reflect the community in which they live. Other books will need to be used to develop an intentional process for many of oour wealthy, inner city churches who are mainly white to become more diverse and senstive to the needs of their community.Richard PfeilHead of StaffWhite Clay Creek Presbyterian CurchNewark DE

Forget all the hub bub, take the book at face value, and you'll find this is a great book with a lot of practical ideas for churches.Unfortunately, any time anything "Christian" gets extremely popular, people starting crawling out of the woodwork to warn us that it's satanic, decieving, or unbiblical, and I don't buy into that logic. Neither should you.Does "purpose-driven" sound very much like a business idea? Sure it does! Does that mean it's automatically unbiblical? Absolutely not. Think about it... we heard the same thing about contemporary Christian music. People worked hard to spread the alarm that it was satanic because it sounded like regular popular music on the radio. So what? Popularity does not equal satanic. Most of the critical reviews I've read on this website are a little ridiculous. For example, one reviewer criticizes Warren for stating that a healthy church should be growing. In the reviewer's opinion, the Bible clearly states that Jesus' teaching drove some people away. I would agree. However, the Bible also says that HUGE CROWDS showed up to hear Him preach. I'm no historian, but I'm willing to bet that a gathering of 5000 people back in Jesus' day was about the equivalent of a million-man march today. I'm also quite sure that besides the 22,000 attendees at Warren's church in Southern California, there are THOUSANDS more that aren't coming to hear God's word. My point is that the logic of many of these critics of the book just doesn't work.The bottom line for me is that Rick Warren loves Jesus and he has a passion for leading unchurched people to meet his Savior. You can see that in every paragraph of every chapter of this book. God has gifted him and blessed his ministry. Warren is a theologian who has a broad appeal because he doesn't sound like one; he sounds like a normal guy who loves Jesus. I like that.I didn't find anything unbiblical in this book. It is encouraging and full of great ideas to help churches understand their mission and reach unbelievers. If you don't want to do that, don't read this book.

I have been a church attender for over 30 years and I have been in the fog up until this time.I am not a deacon, elder, or a pastor. I read this book out of desperation over the lackluster way my church has been going on in the last 5 years (it's totally disorganized: I never could understand how the sermon topics were preached and how the Sunday school or the fellowship group picks its materials).Coming across this book is like hitting a gold mine. Even hitting a gold mine requires lots of digging. And I did. I devoted all my free time to read this book in the last few weeks. It is a gold mine not just for the pastors but also for people seeking a church to belong. After you have internalized this book, you will not be able to step into another church without knowing what to look for. And that is the true value of the book.This book can be applied to even people who work with youths, with the children's ministry, with running a "church" within your own family.I am fine with using various translations in the Bible passages that he quoted.Read this book. You will not have wasted your energy. My next project is to come up with a powerpoint presentation on what I have gleaned from this book.

I first read this book over 20 years ago, today with our church in disarray, it is even more relevant.

A thoughtful and careful analysis of how to build an effective and spirit filled community of God's people that will care for each other. worship together, build each other up and be both salt and light in their community.

I've found this book to be full of wisdom and clear about what a church needs to do. Some are worried that it's all about building a big church but Rick makes it clear it is the purpose of the church that he is discussing. Many of the ideas apply just as much to a small community church as a metropolitan mega church. But Rick does make it clear that there's no point in a community church aspiring to mega church status. That is why the leadership needs to be clear what the purpose of their church is.

Very American, too much focused on the big church experience, does not address the challenges faced by normal Christians in a dwindling church environment.

Well worth reading, arrived as stated, in excellent condition, would recommend every church to read it as it will give you a lot of insight into how to run and effective church, may the lord speak to you all through it