What Is A Purpose-Driven Life to Americans?

May 17, 2005

(Ventura, CA) – Religious books have become a publishing phenomenon in the past decade, and no religious book (other than the Bible) has generated more attention – or sales – than Rick Warren’s bestseller, The Purpose-Driven Life. More than 20 million copies of the book have been sold, and millions of people have been exposed to Purpose-Driven church programs, classes and resources. After all the reading, teaching, and conversation on the topic, exactly what do Americans perceive their purpose in life to be?

That was the question posed to a random national sample of 1003 adults surveyed by The Barna Group. One particular response was provided by nearly half of the population, and only two other options were mentioned by at least one out of every ten people.

Read the rest of the article here.

My response:

First, Barna’s group should do a little more research. “Pilgrim’s Progress” has been the most read book in the world after the Bible since 1678.

Second, the article should have been titled, “The American-Driven Life.” One could not help but notice in reading the above-mentioned article that of all the responses given by those polled, not a single one of Warren’s suggested “purposes” are mentioned by Americans. One wonders how the poll was constructed based on the answers . . . were Warren’s “purposes” even on the list?

The responses tell me that people are still pursuing the “American Dream”, to be healthy, wealthy, have a family, to live in peace and occasionally do the American thing: go to church. Assuming the poll actually included any one of Warren’s “purposes”, the responses also tell me that of those polled, few must have read the book or actually paid any attention to what it said. This is obvious because the responses given in the poll would logically not have been any different if they were asked what their perceived purpose would be if every child had a little red wagon.

What I saw in the poll was both a relief and a two distresses.

The relief came when I deduced that not many of those polled (assumingly) remember (by now) anything about reading Rick Warren or their church having followed the 40 days of Purpose. Case in point: raise your hand if you remember David and Karen Mains and their 40 Day Adventures from the 1980’s? Of course I am arguing from silence.

My distress is based on a confusion of terminology:
The dictionary defines “priority” thusly:

1. a. (1) : the quality or state of being prior; (2) : precedence in date or position of publication
1. b. (1) : superiority in rank, position, or privilege; (2) : legal precedence in exercise of rights over the same subject matter
2 : a preferential rating; especially : one that allocates rights to goods and services usually in limited supply; “that project has top priority.”
3 : something given or meriting attention before competing alternatives

That which has “priority” is the same which comes first, is that which precedes all others in time, order and importance as the highest or most prominent part, before and in preference of something else, etc.

The same dictionary also renders “foremost” as a noun and an adverb:
(noun)
1 : first in a series or progression
2 : of first rank or position : PREEMINENT
(adverb)
1 : in the first place
2 : most importantly “first and foremost”

The poll results say “Family first, faith foremost.” How can that be? Which is it? There are two options: 1) the poll writers and reporters need to open the dictionary; and/or 2) Americans don’t know what is first in their lives. Is it "faith" or "family"?

Bottom line: those polled reveal they don’t know what their purpose is! There is no such thing as “priorities.” By definition, there can be no more than one priority in anyone’s life!

The Second distress: no hearts where changed by Rick Warren’s ministry because people are still thinking about themselves and what they want for their own happiness. Where is the Christ? Where are the changed lives of those who have forsaken everything for the cross? Where is the hope of the resurrection and the expectation of the coming of the LORD?

I would say that the polls reveal the Purpose Driven life did'nt work--at least to those polls. The people obviously did not learn anything. Just another proof that man's way cannot replace God's ways.

Isaiah chapter 1.