Wednesday, May 9, 2012

The Slave’s Purpose-Driven List of 'Encouragement'

On page 307 of Pastor Rick Warren’s book The Purpose-Driven Life, Pastor Warren advises
I strongly urge you to gather a small group of friends and form a Purpose-Driven Life Reading Group to review these chapters on a weekly basis. Discuss the implications and the applications of each chapter.
I never did get around to following his advice, mainly because I felt what Pastor Warren had to say was predominantly Law, that when distilled down to its essence, amounted to false doctrine. I did, however, keep pretty close tabs on the implications and applications as I went along, writing them all down on a piece of paper. Here’s the list (with page references), which if followed, will certainly lead you away from Christ and to a life of slavery, all the while preening in front of a mirror.  Relying on this sort of advice places you under the burden of the Law, instead of the freedom of the Gospel: "My burden is easy and my yoke is light."
Three insights into your purpose (20)
Five of the most common things that can drive your life (27)
Five great benefits of living a purpose-driven life (30)
Two critical questions God will ask us (34)
The two choices offered by eternity (37)
Two kinds of people (37)
Three metaphors that teach us God’s view of life (42)
The two creations of God that fail to bring glory to Him (54)
Five purposes for your life (55)
Five acts of worship that make God smile (70)
Three problems that could have caused Noah to doubt (71)
Three barriers that block our total surrender to God (78)
Six secrets of friendship with God (87)
Four characteristics of the kind of worship that pleases God (100)
Nine ways people draw near to God (103)
Five things God’s people will inherit in eternity (119)
Three important truths learned through fellowship (124)
Three reasons to make love your top priority (124)
Six reasons why you need a church family (133)
Your five deepest needs (136)
Four differences between real and fake fellowship (139)
Five steps to cultivate real fellowship and community in your small group (146)
Nine characteristics of biblical fellowship (151)
Seven biblical steps to restoring relationships (154)
Six ways to ensure unity (161)
Four things that instantly happen when I judge another believer (164)
A simple three-step process for conflict resolution (165)
Three responsibilities in becoming like Christ (175)
Three things God uses to mold us (176)
Two parts to changing your thoughts to think like Jesus (182)
Three activities included in abiding in God’s Word (186)
Five ways to be transformed with the truth through the Bible (188)
The four-step process followed by temptation (203)
Three specific steps you need to overcome temptation (204)
Four biblical keys to defeating temptations (209)
Several reasons it takes so long to change and grow up (219)
Several ways to cooperate with God in the process of spiritual maturity (221)
Five of the factors that God gives you to use for His glory (235)
Two signs you are serving God from your heart (238)
Six kinds of experiences from your past to examine to determine your shape (246)
Two reasons you should never compare your shape, ministry, or results of your ministry with anyone else (253)
Five attitudes real servants serve God with (265)
Four steps needed to allow God to work through our weaknesses (273)
Several reasons why your mission is so important (282)
Four parts to your life message (289)
Four parts to your testimony (291)
Four ways to think like a world-class Christian (299)
Four important activities for purpose-driven living (306)
Three basic issues in life many people struggle with (312)
Five parts of your Life Purpose Statement (313)
Life’s five greatest questions (314)

Rick Warren, The Purpose-Driven Life, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kind of an ecclesiastical "paint by numbers", isn't it? What is sad is that so many LCMS pastors teach this stuff, not only in Bible Classes but in their sermons.

Here's one (1) suggestion: don't read "The Purpose-Driven Life"--you will indeed by driven, but not in the right direction. You're infinitely better off reading Gene Veith's "God at Work."

Joe Strieter

Anonymous said...

That is 193 things, items, guides. In other words, 193 new laws.