“Now It’s Time for The Purpose-Driven Church”
by Tom Goodman
November 11, 2004

On this Veteran’s Day, we say a big “Thank You!” to all of you who served and still serve our country!

Today is “Day 40” of our Purpose-Driven Life Campaign.  Drop me a line and tell me how the campaign has impacted you!  I want to read as many of your comments and stories as I can on Celebration Sunday, November 21.  Write me at tom@hbcaustin.org.

Now that you’ve completed Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose-Driven Life, why not pick up a copy of his earlier book, The Purpose-Driven Church.  I read it back in 1996 when it was only a year old, and I took the Hillcrest ministry staff to The Purpose-Driven Church national conference at Saddleback Church this past May.

Across the past 40 days, you read about the five purposes God expects you to fulfill.  In his earlier book, he challenged church leaders to design their church work around these five purposes.  In addition, he gave advice on how to draw unchurched people and move them through the process of becoming fully-developed followers of Jesus.

Despite the fact that such traditional pastors as Adrian Rogers, Jerry Falwell and the late W.A. Criswell have enthusiastically endorsed Warren’s work, some traditional churchgoers have had misgivings.  They fear that if their church adopts the strategy outlined in The Purpose-Driven Church, their church might well become a very different church than the one they’re used to.

It will.  That’s why you should read his book.

Frankly, far too many churches are Christian clubhouses than discipleship centers.  I don’t think Hillcrest wants to be a clubhouse.  We need to build a program that attracts the unchurched and develops them into full-devoted followers of Christ.  Warren’s book is one of a handful of books that offers practical help in becoming that kind of church.

So, now that you’ve spent six weeks learning how to live a Purpose-Driven Life, why not spend a couple of weeks learning how to lead a Purpose-Driven Church.  Drop by Lifeway or another Christian bookstore and pick up a copy.  It will sharpen you as a Hillcrest leader!

—Tom