Comments on: Issues with “The Purpose Driven Life”

By: andy

andy — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 02:55:40 +0000

well, that will be my site soon. I have the domain, just not the content up…waiting on CHad for that one. I am planning on having a forum, though and want to have one of the areas as this kind of discussion. I think it would be a lot of fun. At the same time…I want to have general talk about stuff that would not scare non-believers away at the same time! …maybe sports (Spurs and Colts…yes I will be biased on my team opinions there, but everyone else can be, too! Ha!), LOST, slurpees, LOTR:BFME (ohhh, I miss it!), etc. The site and idea of this all came from the John Fischer book “Finding God where You Least Expect Him.” I recommend you read it…then we can discuss it!!! IF the site is finally done and up by then! Ha! P.S. Still don’t have my camera yet. Maybe I’ll have it by Christmas. Sheesh!
smell ya later
aj

By: slestak

slestak — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 16:30:09 +0000

I also went through the book with my church. Was not one of my favorites. Could never lay my finger on what bothered me so, but it was a forced march.

By: wess

wess — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 16:20:42 +0000

chris, you are not crazy. i am not a real big fan of the book on a number of fronts, your issue is one of them, another is that the book doesn’t take into account the necessary conditions for spiritual growth in people other than the white middle class suburbia. Spiritual vitalit does not come from a formula or a 40 day step by step, it comes from a group of people working out their faith in their own context, wrestling with God and struggling to make heads or tails of the Gospel and the leadings of the Spirit where they are. So maybe it helps some, it isn’t a blanket fix for everyone. This is why the God tests us thing doesn’t work. It easy for me an educated middle-class white male to think of God as testing me, I have a nice home, a car, sweet stuff in my home, money to pay my bills and good food to eat. But what about others, my friend who was sexually abused by her brother? I am going to have to say God was not testing her on that one! Rather, God is more horrified by such as act than we are, he is scandalized by that, and in my mind was even being sexually abused with that little girl. This is true, if the Scripture really means that Christ faced every kind of pain and temptation here on earth, and I belive that Christ really does enter into the pain we deal with in order to struggle with us in it, help carry us through not test us. This view of a “crucified God” or “abused God” the “God who hurts with and for us” would not work well in a 40 days of purpose book, but it would be more truthful and honest for all people everywhere. Hope this is useful for you.