A Scaled-back "Purpose Driven Life"

While it lasted, it was a sensation. But now the organization known as Purpose Driven ministries has had to scale back, reducing its staff by a third and making significant cuts in its services. The organization was founded by Rick Warren, senior pastor of Saddleback church, a megachurch in California. Warren's recent book, The Purpose Driven Life, has now sold 25 million copies, which would seem to indicate that quite a few people are reading it.

The purpose of "Purpose Driven" was to train people in the principles of the church growth movement, a movement which has put a premium on numbers at the expense of a solid confessional Christian foundation. One of the book’s assertions implies that God is not concerned about people's doctrinal views. And one of the questions in the book (“What did you do with your life?") receives special importance, since the answer "will determine what you do in eternity—your responsibilities and rewards in heaven." The book and the movement are short on the Gospel motivation, while promoting a sort of self-help sanctification. The comment by a national book reviewer is quite insightful: "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.’”

Religious movements that seek to "grow the church" by emphasizing methods and minimizing doctrine eventually end up defeating their purpose. Numerical growth is only a sham if there is not an accompanying spiritual growth. And spiritual growth can only come through faithfulness to the teaching of Scripture. It is the work not of man, but of the Holy Spirit who works through the Word to call people to believe on Jesus as their Savior.

The Cross And The Airlines

Nothing offends politically correct sensitivities quite as much as the Christian cross or crucifix. This time it was a crucifix worn by a worker at London's Heathrow Airport. Nadia Ewadia, a Coptic Christian (Egyptian), has been employed at British Airways for seven years. When airline officials told her she couldn't wear that symbol at work anymore, Ms. Ewadia pointed out the unfair treatment which she as a Christian received: "British Airways permits Muslims to wear a head scarf, Sikhs to wear a turban, and other faiths religious apparel. Only Christians are forbidden to express their faith." She added that the small cross she wore on a chain around her neck was a symbol of her deeply held Christian faith.

We have had occasion on this page to mention a couple of other incidents that involved offense being taken because of the presence of a cross. It seems that this happens now more frequently. Just to add to the incident mentioned above, the Chicago Sun-Times recently reported that the historic college of William & Mary has removed the cross from its chapel where it had been for over 300 years. And the reason given for its removal? To make the chapel less "faith-specific." That is a sad commentary on our times, and particularly as it has reference to religion in Europe and America: It’s all right to be a Christian so long as one does not get too specific. However, our Lord wants us to be specific about our faith. St. John writes: "We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God" (I John 4:15).

Pop Star Pops Off

This next item also comes from the British Isles. According to Religious News Service the well-known British pop star, Elton John, called for a total ban on all organized religion. His reason for such a flamboyant demand was that the church promotes hatred towards gay people (his opinion). He, of course, was venting his frustration over the church's opposition to homosexuality, the kind of life the pop star is living and which he would like the church to condone. This is the tactic of the unrepentant. He wants permission to sin, rather than to take God at His word.

Successful as Mr. John might be in the world of pop music, his lifestyle does not find approval with God (Romans 1:21). A musician from another day and singer of far superior lyrics, the Psalmist David, has expressed the true course for a blessed life: "Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day" (Psalm 25:5).