Book Review: The Purpose Driven Church By Rick Warren

As part of a reading assignment for Purpose Institute, I read the Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren.  As sometimes you do go into a book with pre-conceived ideas about the book.  Well, I did that with this book, but begin to change my outlook after about the second chapter.  There were several insights that I drew from this book.  As the anology that Rick uses in his book, I have used many times in describing books like this, "you must consume the fish and throw away the bones."   

I must admit that I figured the book was going to be look at me, I have this huge church and if you do it just like me you will have one too.  Which I knew that wasn't the case at all.  I have tried to copy many programs, but they have failed miserably when tried by my ministry.  However, Rick didn't take that approach.  He simply discussed the ministries that were offered through his church and some of the ways they came about to be, but more times than not emphesised that if you just copy this it won't work.  There were many principles in this book that can be adapted to any church.  This is what I intend to do with some of the meat of the book. 

He discussed myths that have been held for some time by churches how to grow churches.  I have ready alot of church growth material and there were some of the myths he talked about being regurgitated by the church growth industry.  He did briefly talk about the beginning of his ministry at Saddleback to where it is today.  The book was written several years ago and some of the references can be dated due to recent technologies etc. 

He shifts in discussing becoming a Purpose Driven Church.  One of the hardest things for a church to do is find their individual purpose in their community.  You say that should be easy, but it isn't as easy as it sounds.  You need to find out what drives your church.  Different ministries drive different churches and we need to find what is the driving force behind what we do and captivate it.  Once you have determined what you purpose it you should define it and place it before the church continually.  Once you have named your purpose use it to organize everything that you do.  Then put your purpose in action.

Find out who your target in ministry is.  You say, "well the lost of the world."  This is a very broad target.  Ultimately, we'd love to save the world, but each church has a unique group of people that God wants to reach through your church.  For example, a prophetic voice spoke to our ministry when coming to Olney that God would build his church here on the people that no one else wanted.  I'm thankful to be a part of that, because I was once one of those people.  Once you find out who your target audience is develope your ministry to go out and get those people.

The focus of our church is to be on the world.  We spend so much time ministering inwardly that we fail to minister to those who are unsaved.  I know this as pastor.  I get discouraged constantly because I am dealing with internal issues and I can't reach a dying world around me.  The world is our focus and we should concentrate all our efforts on reaching the lost.  Selection of music, preaching, minstries and the list goes on of the things that we should be using to target the audience God has called us to minister to.

Once we have gathered in the crowd as Jesus did when he preached it is time to get the level of committment from them and move them into salvation.  Then it is our job to move them into a realm of belonging and into ministry.  We should encourge them to be members and then a part of the ministry team when they are ready. 

I would recommend this book on the basis there is a lot of good material in it.  I would recommend that you be causious as to not just jump in and try to copy everything they do.  For one thing beliefs and doctrine may differ and this will lead to issues if doctrine is compromised in order to copy an idea.