Customer Reviews

Prophet of Purpose: The Life of Rick Warren

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I thought this was book was great, very interesting and compelling all the way through. Jeffrey Sheler discusses Warren's parents and his father's call into the ministry. He portrays Rick as a charming child from the get-go, a child who always had a flair for the dramatic and who always had an awareness of the divine.

You will follow Rick into high school and to the time he dedicates his whole life to serving Christ. You will follow him into pulpits across California, and you will marvel at the opposition he gets from his own pastor, who does not think that Rick should be licensed as a minister (the home pastor literally tosses the license at Rick across the pews!).

Rick rushes into engagement and marriage to Kay Lewis, and the book is frank about the discord in his marriage and how he put $1500 on a Mastercard to pay for the counseling that saved his marriage.

You also read about the rare disorder that causes Warren to pass out or get dizzy whenever he has adrenaline rushes. Yet God's grace was sufficient for him through the years he ministered in the pulpit.

You also read of the starting of Saddleback, the rapid rise and growth of the congregation, the struggle to acquire land for his church to build a sanctuary/campus, and the stress associated with all the changes.

Sheler also covers the fabulous success and influence of Warren's books: The Purpose Driven Church and especially The Purpose Driven Life. He also discusses Warren's assuming the mantle of evangelical influence that Billy Graham once had in America.

Sheler also writes of Warren's critics from the left as well as from the right, and those who opposed him praying at President Obama's inauguration.

The book was fabulous, but more needed to be mentioned about Rick's theology and hermeneutics. One of the major criticisms of Warren's sermons and books is how often he takes Scripture verses out of context and how he uses biblical paraphrases that say what he wants the text to say rather than what the text probably says. Rick wrote a valuable resource on Bible study methods, and it is occasionally astonishing to see how he departs from these methods in his own sermons and writings.

More should have said about Warren's understanding of the gospel. John Macarthur and others have noticed that in the one place that the Purpose Drive Life mentions the gospel, nothing is said about repentance, little is said about the shed blood of Jesus Christ to wash away our sins, and very little is said about the significance of Christ's resurrection and ascension. In short, Sheler ignores the considerable consternation that some have about Warren's watering down of the gospel message.

In spite of this, I still thought the book was great, and a biography of this great Christian pastor was long overdue.

I wasn't overwhelmed with this book, but it wasn't a horrible read either. It seemed to be rather long in spots, while not detailing other issues enough. As with any biography, there is a tendency to paint Warren as a guy who made the all the right decisions. Not to speak ill of a tremendous leader, but he obviously didn't. It would have been nice to have dealt with some of the struggles and crisis of faith he had in his road to maturity.

The author does a fantastic job of detailing the history of the modern church in America and how it spawned church division and demoninational splits.

I enjoyed the book, I did leave with a feeling that it could have been more, but can't quite define what else it needed. I left a bit hungry. Don't get me wrong, all in all, a good book for good read.

Once someone becomes famous and starts appearing on TV chat shows, my cynicism reflex kicks in, and I actually thought that I had about enough of Rick Warren in my life until I read this book. I found the story so engaging that I was unable to put the book down. The book tells the whole story of Rick's life, from his parents' marriage through to his prayer at the inauguration of US President Obama.

There are many useful lessons to be learned from Rick's life. One is that a floundering marriage can be made to work if both parties are prepared to put a lot of effort into communication. Another is the importance of doing plenty of research and groundwork when planting a new church. Another is the necessity of trusting in God during the hard times that will inevitably come. Another is the advantages that networking can bring to your ministry.

Rick Warren is an extraordinarily creative person and capable leader. There is much to be admired about his church and his global PEACE plan. Even if you do not agree with everything he says and does, there are many great lessons to be learned from studying what he has done and why. I think this book should be compulsory reading for every church leader.

I enjoyed Sheler's book on Rick Warren especially seeing how Warren's church background and ministry involvement as a teenager were formative in his vocation as a church planter and pastor. Rick Warren and I share the same birth year and we are both pastors and as I read the book I reflected on my own life and ministry during the same time period. I heartily recommend this biography to students of American religious history and those especially interested in the evangelical movement.

I love biographies. I love adventure biographies, and the best ones are of spiritual people. I love reading about restoration history, and the journeys of some of the frontier preachers. So when I saw this book about Rick Warren, I wanted to hear his story. There are a lot of people who dislike this man in the Christian world. And yes, I disagree with some of the stuff he does and teaches, but there is an amazing story to be told about his work. You have to appreciate all that he has accomplished. So far, the president has not asked me to pray for him. This is really an excellent book. The loved the story of him planting Saddleback. There was a ton of faith involved, and there was numerous struggles. It did not grow, and there was numerous trials in his life. He experienced marriage problems and burnout problems. He was even afraid to preach. It was nice to see that he is just a man like me. I loved the story because it was inspirational to me. I must admit I do not dream of being just another preacher, but doing great works for God. I have big dreams and was motivated by Warren's story. This man has a gift of casting vision and making communication truly clear. The last part of the book dealt with his international ministries, which were not as interesting to me, but this shows the influence that this one man has in the world. If you like stories, and if you like preacher stories, this is a wonderful read about the triumphs and trials of the prophet of purpose.

I'm a journalist as is biographer Jeffrey Sheler, who formerly covered religion for U.S. News and World Report and earlier wrote a great nonfiction book about evangelical America: Believers: A Journey into Evangelical America. So, as journalists, we don't say it lightly that Rick Warren is America's most influential religious leader in 2010. Whether Warren remains at that influential pinnacle remains to be seen.

Sheler's fascinating biography of Warren ends with an honest assessment of the forces that propelled Warren to this status--including occasional elements of sheer luck like a breaking-news story about a woman reading his "Purpose Driven Life" to calm her deadly abductor. Then, Sheler also points out the challenges Warren faces from both more progressive Americans--and from foes he's made among the Religious Right.

Beyond that timely political and cultural analysis, this is simply a great read about a fascinating American. Like Warren or hate him, the guy's story grows on you as you read about early fits and starts in his life. While he seems so self-assured, regularly addressing tens of thousands of men and women in such a confident way, the fact is that he's faced quite a few dilemmas himself.

Finally, I think it's fascinating to read how "The Purpose Driven® Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?" went from a good idea for an inspirational book--to best-seller status that ranks up in the stratosphere of Harry Potter.

Obviously, Rick Warren's life is far from finished, but if you're looking for a great book to understand this influential American, this is the best you're going to find. And, I know you'll enjoy the experience of meeting him through Sheler's lens--whatever your personal attitude toward Warren's work.