Christians 101

Purpose Driven Man

Dr. Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, is one of the most influential Christian leaders in America. He founded Saddleback Church in California in 1980 with only one family; today, the church averages 22,000 weekly attendees. They have ministries to assist prisoners, addicts, single parents, and those with HIV/AIDS.

Rick Warren also leads the Purpose Driven Network of churches, which is comprised of congregations in 162 countries. The Network has trained more than 400,000 ministers and priests worldwide, and has a toolkit which is delivered weekly to around 157,000 church leaders.

In The Purpose Driven Life Warren addresses what he believes are God's five purposes for each of us:

We were planned for God’s pleasure, so your first purpose is to offer real worship.
We were formed for God’s family, so your second purpose is to enjoy real fellowship.
We were created to become like Christ, so your third purpose is to learn real discipleship.
We were shaped for serving God, so your fourth purpose is to practice real ministry.
We were made for a mission, so your fifth purpose is to live out real evangelism.

Dr. Warren states his own priorities as "spiritual emptiness, egocentric leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic disease, and illiteracy/poor education." And he and his wife give away 90 percent of their income to three types of organizations: one fights poverty, disease, and illiteracy; one serves those affected and infected with AIDS; and one trains church leaders in low-income countries.

posted by Elizabeth @ 1:37 PM