Few pastors are as widely recognizable as Rick Warren, at least in North America. The leader of SoCal megachurch Saddleback, Warren is most famous for his book The Purpose Driven Life, which begins with the line "It's not about you."
To many, these words seem somewhat disingenuous. They're words any Christian should be able to affirm, but when followed by chapter upon chapter of man-centered teaching about finding one's purpose and fulfilling one's destiny, it's true that the phrase rings hollow.
This isn't to say that Warren hasn't backed up what he preaches by his own behavior. He's championed just about every major cause upheld by postmodern philanthropists: poverty, clean drinking water, the AIDS crisis, weight loss, and more. He seems to work tirelessly against injustice and bad living conditions, and is in favor with leaders and do-gooders around the world.
It is good and worthwhile to fight injustice and poverty, and we would never suggest otherwise. However, we do believe these things are only truly worth our time if done in the right context and for the right reasons.
What are those reasons, and who gets to decide what counts?
As Christians, our only real purpose is to do everything for God's glory. This includes our worship, our recreation, our work, our missionary endeavors, and our public service.
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