I don’t like the hype surrounding this book, or the self-promotion within it, or the rather rigid way we’re supposed to read it. I don’t like the huge variation in Bible translations used, and that some of the quotations from Scripture are WAY out of context. Nor do I like the structured nature of the book, the way churches are supposed to drop everything else to study it, or the insistence that God only has five purposes for people (what about stewardship of resources, for instance?)

On the other hand… Rick Warran does make some good points, even if they’re fairly basic. About worship being an attitude of life rather than just singing on Sundays. About the need for direction. About finding our ministries within the church based on our personalities. About the importance of mission.

If I could take the good points and cut out the padding and irrelevancies, it would probably be about a third the length. Then I would recommend it to anyone who’s newish as a Christian, or who’s been going to church for years but feels a lack of purpose.

On the other hand, I don’t see it as much use for non-believers, nor for those who are already deeply committed as Christians.

My mom had this book lying on a bookshelf, so I thought I’d read it. I’m very skeptical of books like this, where a Christian author feels he has life figured out and is now passing on the wisdom, but I thought I’d give it a chance.

We’re in the midst of this book in a study group I participate in.

I’ve sort of gone off most self-help books (I know, I know, Rick Warren says that this isn’t a self help book, but that’s what I’m going to call it), but this one wasn’t bad. I find that a lot of self-help books tend to be sort of glib, as if it’s as easy as pie to change your life just by changing your mind. This one acknowledged that yes, it’s difficult to change, but it may also be worth it. That being said, it’s probably not going to be of much interest to people who aren’t at least nominally Christian. And, to be honest, I’m not any clearer about my specific purpose in life than I was when before I read it.

I find it really inspiring and practical. Each chapter gives better insight of what am I here for.

It’s a little basic and on the “sentimental bumper-sticker theology” end of things, but for every nitpicky thing that could be phrased differently, there’s a great truth Warren sheds new light on.