Posted on 10/12/2007 10:33:38 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
COLUMBIA, S.C. (ABP) -- Giving Rick Warren’s best-selling The Purpose Driven Life to prisoners is nothing new for church volunteers.
In fact, O.J. Simpson reportedly received a copy of the inspirational book from ministers at Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, where he recently was incarcerated on armed robbery charges.
But St. Andrews Baptist Church in Columbia, S.C., is distributing the book on a much broader scale than most groups. On Sept. 25, church members gave a copy of The Purpose Driven Life to every prisoner in the South Carolina Department of Corrections. They gave away some 24,000 copies.
Greg Barr, pastor of St. Andrews, came up with the idea after his involvement with a 30-year-old bible study group at a prison in Columbia. They had studied another of Warren’s books, 40 Days of Purpose, together and wanted to expand it.
And expand it they did. In a single day, prison workers and Baptist volunteers transported thousands of books to the state’s 29 prisons.
“It was a surprise for some of our folks because in a lot of the prisons, they were expecting that we’d set up tables at the chapel and let inmates come to us, but it wasn’t like that,” Barr said. “They just sent us out to the dorms. It wasn’t a real sterile deal -- you were out there just interacting with the guys.”
Barr’s pet project had plenty of inside help. Leaders at the congregation Warren pastors, Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., sold the church special prison-tailored versions of the books for $1 a copy. South Carolina corrections officials, who normally limit the number of books inmates can have at a given time, agreed to waive the limit for 30 days so that Warren’s book wouldn’t count against it.
On the outside, volunteers from the two local Baptist associations and the South Carolina Baptist Convention worked with Prison Fellowship and Changing the Way, a group that helps ex-offenders readjust to life outside of prison. The groups have trained their volunteers to teach Bible studies based on the book, with the hope that prisoners will return to their cell blocks and lead additional studies there.
The connection between the Purpose Driven books and Prison Fellowship goes back some years. They’re both tied in with the Celebrate Recovery program, founded by a Saddleback member in 1991 and now in 3,500 prisons worldwide.
The goal is to help men and women avoid becoming repeat offenders. In New Mexico, less than 10 percent of the people who went through the Celebrate Recovery program were back in jail a year later, according to a news release from Saddleback Church. The average recidivism rate for those not involved in Celebrate Recovery is between 65 and 75 percent after one year, according to Saddleback reports.
A former inmate who works for Changing the Way Ministries, Chris Batson, said he cared deeply about the book-delivery project because it impacted him so personally.
“While I was incarcerated, I was given a copy of The Purpose Driven Life, and it changed my life by reminding me that God had not given up on me, and that he still had a plan for my life,” he said.
Walter Andrews, a member at St. Andrews, said the experience even affected his prayer life -- now he can “put faces to the needs that are there” on his list, he said.
“I must say I had mixed emotions about visiting the prison, especially after I realized we would actually go into the dorms and interact with the inmates,” he said. “It turned out to be a very positive experience for me.”
It’s a project that will continue, if Barr has anything to do with it. His church has purchased 35,000 books so far, and his next plan is to send thousands of them to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and other county jails.
He’s hoping the effort will “trigger something” in surrounding states, he said.
“I’m hoping people in other states will see this and think, ‘That’s not very hard. I can do that,’” he said. “I’m hoping that someone in Kentucky will hear about it or someone in Arkansas will see this and say, ‘Our church can do that.’”
Barr said he knows of several inmates who have already responded positively to the book, and he anticipates “hearing some great stories in the days ahead.”
Simpson, for one, had ample time to digest Warren’s message. Before his release on bail last month, he spent several days in a 98-square-foot cell under isolation for 20 hours a day -- plenty of time to get some reading in.
Why don’t they give away copies of God’s Word the Bible instead of promoting the the Post-Modern Pope, Rick Warren?
Great book, though some Freepers seem to despise it and Rick Warren. Excellent idea for a ministry — I hope it spreads and that every prisoner in the country gets a copy.
It’s a book mostly filled with subtle deception and lots of outright lies. Both of Warren’s “Purpose Driven” books are man-centered with very little of merit in them. Best selling is a key indicator of flesh pleasing rather than Biblical Truth.
I’ve read and critiqued both books - you can find them here: http://www.brogdensmuse.menofhonorministry.org/Apologetics.htm
Don’t be deceived as was Eve.
For starters, Bibles are freely available in every prison. Warren's book will drive plenty of people to read the Bibles.
Why is Rick Warren despised by you and so many other Freepers? Have you read the book and gone through the study? I led 2 studies of the book in our house and all of the attendees -- who were already strong, conservative Christians -- said that it changed their lives. It changed my life and my wife's life as well.
The book is not a substitute for the Bible. However, it does lead people to the Bible.
Matthew 7:20 says, "Thus you will recognize them by their fruits." Warren's book has produced a lot of good fruit. Many, many Christians who weren't equipped with the Word now know it better. Many non-Christians have come to know Christ because of the book. If you judge the book by the fruits that it has produced, then you have to judge that it is good book.
The scary part is how many Christians found PDL "life changing." More evidence that churches do not adequately disciple new believers. Christians should already be IN the Bible.
“While I was incarcerated, I was given a copy of The Purpose Driven Life, and it changed my life by reminding me that God had not given up on me, and that he still had a plan for my life,” he said.
Yeah, but what's the plan?
I agree with you that many churches do not adequately disciple new believers. However, I don't know why you think that it's scary that many Christians found PDL life changing? Do you think that it's scary that so many people who have heard a Billy Graham service found it life changing?
I believed and was baptized at age 8 and there have been many Christian books I've read that were life-changing because they led me to a greater understanding of God's word. Have you read C.S. Lewis? What about G.K. Chesterton? What about modern writers such as Max Lucado? Should I throw out those books as well? Should I throw out my collection of Jack Hayford sermons because they have led me to a deeper knowledge of God?
It shouldn't scare you that so many have found PDL life-changing. Jesus said in Matthew 7:20 (I think that's the verse) that "You shall know them by their fruits." PDL has produced very good fruit indeed. That's an excellent reason to embrace the book.
is it deception, or is it just spiritual baby milk, and not meat? On my first read of The Purpose Driven Life, I was annoyed at the inch deep, mile wide scope. Constant use of The Message and the Amplified Version bugged the snot out of me. There was a lot that smacked of cheap grace.
Upon reflection, I wonder if I was the problem. The book is quite shallow, but it is not intended to be deep. It is intended to start people on their walk in Christ, not serve as a guide to the spiritually mature. You are quibbling over the title. Why can’t one be “driven” by a desire to follow the Spirit? Still, I agree with much of what you wrote about the arrogance and presumption in the book, not to mention the weird “God always uses 40 days” bit. That was goofy the first time I read it. Warren also seems to quote some Scripture a little out of context. Still, the book has led many to believe. I guess the fruits of it are still to be determined.
Despite the fact I don’t entirely agree with you on The Purpose Driven Life, the site is excellent. The essays I read were quite good. Plese keep up the good work.
"Buy Rick's next book!"
I’ve read and critiqued both books - you can find them here: http://www.brogdensmuse.menofhonorministry.org/Apologetics.htm
The Bible continues to be a best-seller. By your reasoning the Bible is flesh-pleasing. I guess Billy Graham's crusades were flesh-pleasing as well because they drew so many people. Same with the books of C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton.
I read your review and, out of charity, won't make too many comments on it. You didn't read the book as a whole but rather took excerpts out of context and made strained criticisms of it. You stretched reason past the breaking point. I can take that Bible, take verses out of context, do the same thing to it that you did to Purpose Driven Life, and construct a claim that the Bible was the work of a demon, not of God.
I pray that you will come to know God in a deeper way. I've no doubt that you're a brother in Christ, but you're where I was back in my 20s. Don't be so hyper-judgmental. Purpose Driven Life has led a lot of people to Christ, has directed people to read the Bible with new understanding, and has changed the lives of many thousands of people. Judge it by its fruits, not by your pre-conceived notions.
You would be shocked at how many people don't believe that God could love and forgive them. You don't know how many Christians amble through lives without a purpose whenn they could be doing great works that God created them to do. The Bible says that God created us to do good works. Purpose Driven Life uses scripture to show people that they aren't just taking up space but have a real purpose from God here on earth.
You're right -- I am always reading a book or two or three that are much deeper than Purpose Driven Life. But those books would not be appropriate to non-Christians, new Christians, or Christians whose strong suit is not intellectual reading.However, the book meets people where they are. Jesus did the same thing with his parables. They were simple, easily understood, and led people to a greater understanding of God. Jesus met the masses where they were, not where they were supposed to be at some distant point in the future.
Yes, there were some things in the book (like the 40-day thing that you mentioned) that knock it down a notch or two. But, overall, it is a very good book and has produced very good fruit. That's how we ought to judge it.
“Why don’t they give away copies of God’s Word the Bible instead of promoting the the Post-Modern Pope, Rick Warren?”
‘Zactly!
I'm no Warren fan but I have no problems with The Purpose Driven Life. I think he went off the reservation after he wrote that book. The lure of worldly success was too much for him to resist.
You make blind assumptions - I read both “Purpose Driven” books twice; making notes as I went. The Bible is NOT flesh pleasing, however “The Message” (which Warren is do fond of) is NOT the Bible. Christ tells us to die to self, make no provision for the flesh - that ain’t flesh pleasing.
Yes, the Bible sells very well, but there is no evidence that the majority or buyers (volume wise - motels) read and adhere to it. Whereas people rave about Warren’s book - many of whom are clearly worldings, rather than Christians.
“The Purpose Driven Life” is mostly about the reader, telling him - virtually - that God created Himself for the reader. Yes, people are saved unto good works - but Warren makes no clear presentation of the Gospel and has no regard for it.
“The Purpose Driven Church” tells people who would be pastors how to manipulate people, “ride the wave” of what “God is doing”, and call it God’s work.
Warren is a disciple of Robert Schuller and proponent of the gnostic heresy known as “The Emerging Church”.
If Warren’s doctrine is your cup of tea, it’s your soul. As for me, I endeavor to follow the God of the Bible and not any human.
Because they aren’t real churches. They’re feelgood social (socialgospel) clubs.
Lots of Christians despise it because it is a counterfeit of the true Gospel. I seem to remember Brian Nichols being so moved by it that he released his hostage and allowed himself to be captured... and then converted to Islam.
If you have no problem with the book, what is the version of the Gospel that you've been told? (include all the essential points). I'm seriously asking.
I ask you the same question that I just asked Joebuck. I am curious- - what is the gospel that you have been told? (outside of PDL - include all essential points)
My issue with Purpose Driven Life is that it’s shallow message could be mistaken for the truth. Hopefully, it may lead some to the source of all truth - scripture.
It is very man-centered rather than God centered. While he says it is not about you, take a look at the content and see if isn’t about what God can do for you. Is that the message of the bible?
I guess I didn't read as much into it as you did. I thought it came off as just another devotional and not a particularly great one for I recall it getting tedious. I just didn'really take the offense others did, it didn't seem like a big deal. I certainly don't recall it being a "prosperity gospel" which I equate with Osteen or some of the the other hucksters out there. I think the prosperity gospel points one in the totally opposite direction Jesus was trying to direct us. They are not even aiming at the right target. A pity to see some end thier spiritual journey before it ever really began.
I would say I'm in accord with the Westminster Confession. And I generally use the Westminster Larger Catechism as my daily devotional.
ACtually I didn't either until I went back and read it from the point of view of someone who is completely ignorant of the gospel.
If you can, go back and read just the first few chapters and assume you know virtually nothing about the gospel, Christ, judgement, sin, etc. And note how much you've been told when he welcomes you into the family of God. And then compare that to (as you say in the second post) your beliefs according to the Westminster Confession.
And again, if someone was dying before you on the sidewalk and you had three minutes to present the gospel to them, the westminster confession and catechism isnt going to come in handy except if you can reiterate the pertinent points of how to get to heaven for the person.
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