Rick Warren Embarks on Follow-Up to 'Purpose Driven Life'

By Eric Young|Christian Post Reporter

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Megachurch Pastor Rick Warren is working on his next book – the follow-up to the bestselling Purpose Driven Life, which launched the Southern California preacher into national prominence.

“I’m in book writing mode right now,” Warren reported in a broadcast to his church members Thursday. “I’ve gone back into hibernation to write the follow up to Purpose Driven Life now, eight years later. It’s going to be called The Hope of the World, and my plan is to release that on Easter Sunday – our 30th anniversary – next year.”

Warren had announced during the 2009 Purpose Driven Network Summit in May that he was going to take some time off soon to work on his next book, which will be about the Church and its role in today’s times.

On Thursday, the evangelical leader asked church members to pray for him as he’s writing.

“[P]ray … that God’s Spirit will guide me in writing this next book just as He did with Purpose Driven Life so that it can change hundreds, thousands, and even more than of lives all around the world,” he said.

Since its release seven years ago, The Purpose Driven Life has sold over 52 million copies and has been described as the bestselling nonfiction hardback book in history. The 2002 devotional book was also most identified in a Barna survey of American pastors and ministers as the book that was most influential on their lives and ministries.

Last year, Warren released The Purpose of Christmas, his first book since Purpose Driven Life. The 125-page gift book, which Warren called “the most evangelistic book I’ve ever written,” hit the New York Times’ list of top 5 bestselling Hardcover Advice books after two weeks on the bookshelves.

All net proceeds of The Purpose of Christmas have gone to benefit Warren’s PEACE Plan – a global initiative created to mobilize millions of Christians in the fight against the five global “giants” of spiritual emptiness, self-centered leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic disease and illiteracy/education.

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Daniel Paul »

Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:56 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

"The Purpose Driven Life, in my opinion was just fair at best. Warren did not deal with sin, and that needs to be delt with to complete Gods purpose for our lives"

It wasn"t intended to go that deep. We have a large part of our society that is spiritually numb. They don't feel, think or understand in those terms. There are those who are nothing but little babies in Christ who need to grow.

The purpose of "Purpose Driven" was basic milk. It"s a slow process but it does work. To be honest, my wife and I didn't like the book as books go. Still, it has made Godly big changes in many in our church.

When I was in high school my pastor asked my dad about why he let me listen to Christian rock 'n roll. My dad (who was a leader within the denomination) said he doesn"t condone the music because he doesn"t like it. Still, the Spirit is using the music to draw people to the Lord and it is not his place to impose on the Spirit what He can and cannot use.

The book is not as deep as many books. The question is if anything in it is not Biblical in and of itself. Perhaps this new book will be a deeper book.
Yavoh »

Tue Jul 28, 2009 6:32 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 0

reformation
All I can say is AMEN!! While I am not a full fledged Calvinist, I do believe in predestination and election, among some of the other tenants of Calvinisim.
I also agree that the Left Behind Series should be --LEFT BEHIND!! They are wrong on so many points I cannot begin to number them all. First of all, the actual Great Tribulation is 3.5 years, not the full 7 years of the time of Jacob's trouble. Daniel is perfectly clear that the first 3.5 years will be a time of false peace, a time when the antichrist willbe a benevolent character, but at the mid way point he will stop the sacrifices and declair himself to be God (2Thes 2). That is when the actual tribulation begins. Secondly (and I know I will take it on the chin for this), I do not embrace the pretrib theory. I have studied the end time events extensively, and can find no backing for it whatsoever. In my experience, pretribbers are asked for Biblical references stating the pretrib theory, all I get is rehtoric, mens opinions and a whole lot of anger and nasty remarks. My fear is that when the trib starts, many will fall away because they will feel that God lied to them, or that the whole Bible is fiction. They have believed what men have said, and not searched it out for themselves with a mind swept clean of preconveived ideas. Perhaps this is the great falling away spoken of in the Bible.
reformation »

Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:33 pm Agree: 3 Disagree: 0

Purpose Driven Garbage.
UKSaint »

Tue Jul 28, 2009 10:06 am Agree: 2 Disagree: 0

The whole PDL bandwagon left me cold.
The total absence of real Gospel message made me angry.
This Global Plan makes me suspicious.
I would love to be able to support such a successful ministry. Unfortunately I cannot see it as a ministry of the biblical Gospel.
All that is before I get to the conspiracy theorists. some of which are basically ludicrous. Some are misguided and others....(well their purveyors should keep taking the tablets!)
Bassomatic76 »

Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:35 am Agree: 3 Disagree: 1

The fact that there is so much discord about The Purpose Driven Life only serves to emphasize how the Bible can be used to back up whatever message the author wishes to peddle. I have read The Purpose Driven Life and it seems to be quite well referenced with scripture. The thing is, Warren focused on those portions of scripture that bring encouragement rather than those that condemn. Those that were looking for encouragement found the book to be good. Those who want leaders to speak about the harsh portions of the Bible were, not surprisingly, disappointed. Either way you see it, it is difficult to make the claim that his book was not Bible based.
danpat1_2000 »

Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:50 am Agree: 2 Disagree: 0

"Warren did not deal with sin."

Yes, a great book is that of Karl Menninger - famous Psychiatrist of the Menninger Clinic in Kansas (he and his brother William), and it is called "Whatever Became of Sin?" (one of the few Psychiatrists that has ever admitted that sin plays quite a role in mental problems {many are in denial} I read all of their works when I was "banged out."
reformation »

Mon Jul 27, 2009 3:39 pm Agree: 3 Disagree: 2

It is sad that I see so many Christians wrapped around such books as Purpose Driven Life and other books such as the Left Behind series as if they are sound theology. It is sad that so, so, many confessing Christians neglect the greatest Book ever written, but yet so highly treasure such material as these type of books.
xizwyck »

Sun Jul 26, 2009 2:35 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 3

What is giving at Saddleback down?

At what point to believers stop charging to improve the lives of others (or at least the attempt and intent)? Especially if it is concerning the full gospel message?
farout63 »

Sun Jul 26, 2009 12:31 pm Agree: 3 Disagree: 3

The Purpose Driven Life, in my opinion was just fair at best. Warren did not deal with sin, and that needs to be delt with to complete Gods purpose for our lives. The many different translations of the Bible he used to make his points fall into what he wanted to say was close to twisting words to say what he wanted.

Billg Grahams bood "The Journey" is a hundred time better, but this book just was not advertised like Warrens huge budget book.

I have deep concerns with Warrens direction and being our "Nations Pastor" Liberal and Social is what I have seen so far, and I am not there at all!
smurfdogg »

Sun Jul 26, 2009 12:27 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 0

Acushla ,

could you dig out this record you speak of to support your claim. Many thanks.
Acushla »

Sun Jul 26, 2009 5:06 am Agree: 1 Disagree: 3

Rick Warren is on record that he is not interested in preaching Bible Gospel message of Salvation through Jesus Christ ALONE. As far he is concerned Islam & other religions people in them can stay there he is only interested in those who are not in a religion. So he emphasizes the Social Gospel while many others demonstrate it & preach The Everlasting Gospel of Salvation only through Christ The Jewish Messiah.
gatetreeelder »

Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:00 pm Agree: 7 Disagree: 9

I pray the book will be as good as "The Purpose Driven Life." PDL was incredible.
melancthon »

Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:58 am Agree: 6 Disagree: 6

I pray the book will be better than "The Purpose Driven Life." PDL was awful.

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