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What are your views on the course PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE?
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HumbleBee said:
I checked out the link you posted. The author sounds quite radical and angry. He calls the NIV bible a lying paraphrase bible. This would imply that 99% of Christian theologians, pastors, and churches in the world have it wrong and are deceiving people by using these bibles.
Is the author the only one who has it right? Is he a ancient hebrew and greek language scholar?
My Pentecostal bible study group really enjoyed "The Purpose Driven Life." Our pastor recommended we do it a second time.
God Bless
Quote from the site.
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I have an NIV Bible -- blessed me tremendously.HumbleBee said:
If the author is so obsessed with the right translation, he should read the Bible in Hebrew and Greek, but first he must be a Hebrew and Greek scholar.
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probinson
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It would seem that the author at this link is more concerned with the letter than the spirit:HumbleBee said:
2 Corinthians 3:6
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
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I would rather have my pastor get a fresh message from the Lord instead of "Buying" a sermon from someone else.
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KleinerApfel
When I awake I am still with You
Didn't like the book, didn't finish it in fact. Made me feel a bit...ummm.......
DRIVEN!
It was some years ago that I tried to read it, so maybe I have changed so much I'd see it differently, but the flavour lingers from that first attempt it didn't taste good.
My Lord doesn't drive me, He leads me as a gentle Shepherd, with His word, His voice. It's taken me some time to begin to grasp that fully, and I am not letting go!
For that reason, I won't be going back to the book to give it a second chance, just in case my first reaction was correct.
I may be wrong of course, that has been known.
God bless, love Sue
DRIVEN!
It was some years ago that I tried to read it, so maybe I have changed so much I'd see it differently, but the flavour lingers from that first attempt it didn't taste good.
My Lord doesn't drive me, He leads me as a gentle Shepherd, with His word, His voice. It's taken me some time to begin to grasp that fully, and I am not letting go!
For that reason, I won't be going back to the book to give it a second chance, just in case my first reaction was correct.
I may be wrong of course, that has been known.
God bless, love Sue
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Jillymac
God is my Strength
I bought the purpose driven life to read personally, however before i got the chance my church decided all to do it, in sort of a home group study way.
If i had been left to study it on my own it may have better, it was a very simple daily devotional, however our leaders thought it would be a good book to study weekly, so it lasted forever. To be honest it's really not suitable for a big study, i would say it more personal. I got bored with it.
Maybe that's why i'm not too fond of it. However I may have had a better opinion had I used it as a simple personal devotional.
If i had been left to study it on my own it may have better, it was a very simple daily devotional, however our leaders thought it would be a good book to study weekly, so it lasted forever. To be honest it's really not suitable for a big study, i would say it more personal. I got bored with it.
Maybe that's why i'm not too fond of it. However I may have had a better opinion had I used it as a simple personal devotional.
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Atlantians
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There are three types of Bibles:
Word-For-Word: These are mainly grammar changes to the original text to allow us to understand what is being said. English is far shallower of a language, thus a lot of the connotative meaning of the words is lost.
Thought-For-Thought: Slightly more open to the author's interpretive view, but generally a good compromise. The NIV has a few flaws, but it is certainly a very good Bible and usually very faithful. Less connotative meaning is lost, except in places where the connotative interferes with the translators biases.
Paraphrased: This is the worst kind of Bible. Paraphrased commentary is not so bad, but a Paraphrased version of the Bible is just a no-go.
The Message is a horrible translation (it is not actually a translation. It is a Paraphrased travesty.)
The New Living Translation (though not a true translation itself) is far more faithful.
The Message however is horribly deviant in its 'translations'.
I will give one example of the fact that it is not actually translating anything:
This is the Message's version of the Lords Prayer:
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
10Set the world right;
Do what's best--
as above, so below.
11Keep us alive with three square meals.
12Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
13Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.
How is 'Reveal who you are' the same as 'Holy is your name'?!
How is 'forgiven with you' even proper grammar!
The rest is hard to compare with proper translations, but they are sort of similar in meaning, though again only vaguely similar.
The Message also removes every single statement in the Bible where Homosexuality is called by its name wrong.
Instead it says things like Those who abuse sex' and 'all lust no love'.
And other vague phrases like that which give no true guidance as to their meanings.
Not to mention the fact that the Author often adds entire paragraphs of writing in one place that has very little in relation to the original text, while oversimplifies and removes a large chunk from areas that actually are in the original texts.
And one example of it not making a passage easier to understand in spite of the fact that it claims that ease of understanding is its main goal:
The Message is supposed to be easier to understand than proper translations. If so why is it so much more confusing and convoluted in simple areas like John 1:1-
1The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
2in readiness for God from day one.
3Everything was created through him;
nothing--not one thing!-
came into being without him.
4What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
5The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn't put it out.
6There once was a man, his name John, sent by God 7to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. 8John was not himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light.
9The Life-Light was the real thing:
Every person entering Life
he brings into Light.
10He was in the world,
the world was there through him,
and yet the world didn't even notice.
11He came to his own people,
but they didn't want him.
12But whoever did want him,
who believed he was who he claimed
and would do what he said,
He made to be their true selves,
their child-of-God selves.
13These are the God-begotten,
not blood-begotten,
not flesh-begotten,
not sex-begotten.
14The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.
This is analyzed carefully is clearly not a translation, but a rewriting of similar ideas into vaguely familiar phrases.
This is not a faithful version and therefore should not be read.
Unfortunately in the Church today (including the Church I go to) the Message is gaining acceptance by both Youth leaders and the older adults alike.
Such is our times.
PS: That sure turned out longer then I intended!
PSS: And yes I am in no way in agreement with the writer of that article linked to by the initial poster.
That guy in the link seemed to be a King James only type, which is a totally off the wall theology in of itself.
Word-For-Word: These are mainly grammar changes to the original text to allow us to understand what is being said. English is far shallower of a language, thus a lot of the connotative meaning of the words is lost.
Thought-For-Thought: Slightly more open to the author's interpretive view, but generally a good compromise. The NIV has a few flaws, but it is certainly a very good Bible and usually very faithful. Less connotative meaning is lost, except in places where the connotative interferes with the translators biases.
Paraphrased: This is the worst kind of Bible. Paraphrased commentary is not so bad, but a Paraphrased version of the Bible is just a no-go.
The Message is a horrible translation (it is not actually a translation. It is a Paraphrased travesty.)
The New Living Translation (though not a true translation itself) is far more faithful.
The Message however is horribly deviant in its 'translations'.
I will give one example of the fact that it is not actually translating anything:
This is the Message's version of the Lords Prayer:
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
10Set the world right;
Do what's best--
as above, so below.
11Keep us alive with three square meals.
12Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
13Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.
How is 'Reveal who you are' the same as 'Holy is your name'?!
How is 'forgiven with you' even proper grammar!
The rest is hard to compare with proper translations, but they are sort of similar in meaning, though again only vaguely similar.
The Message also removes every single statement in the Bible where Homosexuality is called by its name wrong.
Instead it says things like Those who abuse sex' and 'all lust no love'.
And other vague phrases like that which give no true guidance as to their meanings.
Not to mention the fact that the Author often adds entire paragraphs of writing in one place that has very little in relation to the original text, while oversimplifies and removes a large chunk from areas that actually are in the original texts.
And one example of it not making a passage easier to understand in spite of the fact that it claims that ease of understanding is its main goal:
The Message is supposed to be easier to understand than proper translations. If so why is it so much more confusing and convoluted in simple areas like John 1:1-
1The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
2in readiness for God from day one.
3Everything was created through him;
nothing--not one thing!-
came into being without him.
4What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
5The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn't put it out.
6There once was a man, his name John, sent by God 7to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. 8John was not himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light.
9The Life-Light was the real thing:
Every person entering Life
he brings into Light.
10He was in the world,
the world was there through him,
and yet the world didn't even notice.
11He came to his own people,
but they didn't want him.
12But whoever did want him,
who believed he was who he claimed
and would do what he said,
He made to be their true selves,
their child-of-God selves.
13These are the God-begotten,
not blood-begotten,
not flesh-begotten,
not sex-begotten.
14The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.
This is analyzed carefully is clearly not a translation, but a rewriting of similar ideas into vaguely familiar phrases.
This is not a faithful version and therefore should not be read.
Unfortunately in the Church today (including the Church I go to) the Message is gaining acceptance by both Youth leaders and the older adults alike.
Such is our times.
PS: That sure turned out longer then I intended!
PSS: And yes I am in no way in agreement with the writer of that article linked to by the initial poster.
That guy in the link seemed to be a King James only type, which is a totally off the wall theology in of itself.
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Hisgirl
Loved into Heaven by a Violent Act of Grace
In reference to the original OP question. My husband read TPDL and enjoyed it. He didn't, however, agree with a lot of what Warren said.
Every church and it's mother had TPDL on it's sign out front advertising the church's forty day read. I took the bait and tried it. I lasted four days. Felt too much like homework to me.
I've never seen such 'sheep' mentality as what happened over this book. I'm guessing the author got a new car or two out of it.
Every church and it's mother had TPDL on it's sign out front advertising the church's forty day read. I took the bait and tried it. I lasted four days. Felt too much like homework to me.
I've never seen such 'sheep' mentality as what happened over this book. I'm guessing the author got a new car or two out of it.
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lismore
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The Lord is my banner said:
hi
I agree with the distinction between driven and led.
I was thinking about this and although it is good for Christians to have a sense of urgency to redeem the time (time is short, many people have not heard the gospel) driven is not a good way to describe it. Driven brings to mind harassed and confused sheep. Have you ever seen a harrassed crowd of sheep? I was actaully on the Island of Lismore when there was a sheep stampede because they were harassed by a dog and just panicked. Its not nice to see and I had to vault a dyke to get away from them
. But there was a water filled ditch on the other side! Chased by sheep, jumping like a gazelle and landing in a pool of dirty water is not fun and those sheep can run Im telling you!Led is good, but driven does sound a bit unpleasant.
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I didnt like the book very much at all.
I was part of the same study group as Jillymac and she's right when she says we had the wrong approach. We tried using it as a 40 - week approach instead of a 40 - day devotional.
It's certainly not a comprehensive study by any means.
Further than that, I found it all...well....a bit fleshy. It seemed to make things sound a bit 'pretty' and 'polished'. Whilst I was challenged with some of the points raised in the group, I was not challenged by the book itself and I find myself a lot more challenged and fed from reading any part of the NT, and books like this cannot become a substiture for the Word of God.
Whilst I dont entirely agree with what the guy from Paw Creek is saying, I casn see where he's coming from.
I'm seeing more and more mixing of New Age and Humanism with the teaching of the church and it alarms me greatly.
I believe that a lot of the content in this book falls into that category.
The fact that this book has been such a massive best seller is also cause for concern, as this subtle blanket of deception has been thrown far and wide over a large part of the Body of Christ.....this is just one of the vehicles for that.
Remember, the enemy masquerades as an angel of light. We must listen to the Holy Spirit and trust His leading on material of this kind.
God Bless!!
I was part of the same study group as Jillymac and she's right when she says we had the wrong approach. We tried using it as a 40 - week approach instead of a 40 - day devotional.
It's certainly not a comprehensive study by any means.
Further than that, I found it all...well....a bit fleshy. It seemed to make things sound a bit 'pretty' and 'polished'. Whilst I was challenged with some of the points raised in the group, I was not challenged by the book itself and I find myself a lot more challenged and fed from reading any part of the NT, and books like this cannot become a substiture for the Word of God.
Whilst I dont entirely agree with what the guy from Paw Creek is saying, I casn see where he's coming from.
I'm seeing more and more mixing of New Age and Humanism with the teaching of the church and it alarms me greatly.
I believe that a lot of the content in this book falls into that category.
The fact that this book has been such a massive best seller is also cause for concern, as this subtle blanket of deception has been thrown far and wide over a large part of the Body of Christ.....this is just one of the vehicles for that.
Remember, the enemy masquerades as an angel of light. We must listen to the Holy Spirit and trust His leading on material of this kind.
God Bless!!
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Andyman_1970
Trying to walk in His dust...............
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I enjoyed the book. It's a bit "basic" but I think it's good for a new Christian, it gets them in the habit of studying and outlines some basic Christian ideas.
Actually Rick Warren takes no money from the sale of any of his PDL stuff, any profits from those sales go to charitable organizations. The only salary he gets is what his church pays him.
Hisgirl said:I'm guessing the author got a new car or two out of it.
Actually Rick Warren takes no money from the sale of any of his PDL stuff, any profits from those sales go to charitable organizations. The only salary he gets is what his church pays him.
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C
catlover
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Morning_Star said:
The book has a good concept,serving others, relying on God, but it is written in a very boring manner.
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KleinerApfel
When I awake I am still with You
lismore said:I was actaully on the Island of Lismore when there was a sheep stampede because they were harassed by a dog and just panicked. Its not nice to see and I had to vault a dyke to get away from them
Rofl!
Oh Lismore, what a picture!
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CrazyforYeshua
Blessed by the Best!!
Alot of people say the book was too basic, but my question is, what's wrong with going back to the basics? Do we grow so much, we forget?
We are using this book in group, and I can truly say we are finding out alot of stuff that we thought we had grown beyond, we haven't. We have a mixed group, those of us mature in the faith, those that are new, and those that have walked away and come back. Just last night we were able to minister to somebody that was having a problem, that we would not have known about otherwise, had we not been going thru the book. So, those of us that have been in that mindset, were able to minister to this person thru our own experiences.
As far as being "driven", he is talking about our purposes that God has set up His church to do. There is nothing wrong with being driven to do the things God has shown you He wants you to do-that is our purpose.
We are using this book in group, and I can truly say we are finding out alot of stuff that we thought we had grown beyond, we haven't. We have a mixed group, those of us mature in the faith, those that are new, and those that have walked away and come back. Just last night we were able to minister to somebody that was having a problem, that we would not have known about otherwise, had we not been going thru the book. So, those of us that have been in that mindset, were able to minister to this person thru our own experiences.
As far as being "driven", he is talking about our purposes that God has set up His church to do. There is nothing wrong with being driven to do the things God has shown you He wants you to do-that is our purpose.
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peacechild4
My ♥ is hidden in GOD~ want to find me ~ find GOD
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Purpose driven life... was great for me..
I don't mind the basics actually.. I want them drilled into me so much that they are a part of me!!
This book brought our church together.. because the whole church was doing and reading and studying the same things at the same time.. And now we are right in the midst of the 40 days of Community too!!
Our numbers have grown amazingly too..
We have had more baptisms (4 the weekend gone) .. more love flowing.. and God is moving in peoples lives and small groups..
Our church is also growing in numbers!! Last week.. I came in ten minutes late with 5 children and 1 cousin.. and I could not find a seat..
I also not long after reading Purpose Driven Life.. recieved the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
I cannot wait to see what God does for me through this new study of 40 days of Community.. I do acredit all that happened above to what God is doing because of this book and the teaching.. It is filled with Scriptures.. ((Oh yes.. and our sermons have become more filled with preaching from the Word))
When you have a seeking heart.. a soft open heart... a desire to see God move.. And You are praying for Your Church to have a spiritual outpouring.. God listens and responds!!
God can use anything and everything!!
I don't mind the basics actually.. I want them drilled into me so much that they are a part of me!!
This book brought our church together.. because the whole church was doing and reading and studying the same things at the same time.. And now we are right in the midst of the 40 days of Community too!!
Our numbers have grown amazingly too..
We have had more baptisms (4 the weekend gone) .. more love flowing.. and God is moving in peoples lives and small groups..
Our church is also growing in numbers!! Last week.. I came in ten minutes late with 5 children and 1 cousin.. and I could not find a seat..
I also not long after reading Purpose Driven Life.. recieved the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
I cannot wait to see what God does for me through this new study of 40 days of Community.. I do acredit all that happened above to what God is doing because of this book and the teaching.. It is filled with Scriptures.. ((Oh yes.. and our sermons have become more filled with preaching from the Word))
When you have a seeking heart.. a soft open heart... a desire to see God move.. And You are praying for Your Church to have a spiritual outpouring.. God listens and responds!!
God can use anything and everything!!
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