A Book For Christmas

My husband and I didn't exchange Christmas presents this year, not really. But we decided to buy a book that we wanted, and label as a gift from the other person. Lame, I know. But we don't trust each other to pick out books for ourselves. I'd end up with a Clive Cussler espionage-type book and Eric would get a theology book. This way we don't have to switch books.

I love to get a book for Christmas so I can hunker down and read for an extended period of time. That time is today, since Christmas Phase I ended last night, and Christmas Phase II (in Virginia) doesn't commence until later in the week. A head cold will keep me inside for much of today, so assuming my headache doesn't prevent it, I'll get some quality book time.

I bought myself Prophet of Purpose-The Life of Rick Warren.

Let me digress briefly. I've noticed lately that Christian-types seem to be viewing Rick Warren with friendly distain, more so that before. I've read that he's too simple in his theology or fluffy in his application of theology.

Christians, me included, can tend to want an academic challenge after they believe they have "mastered" a simpler theology of, say, a guy like Rick Warren. When I start to think that, I've conditioned myself to hear alarms, see flashing red lights, and envision "WARNING" signs.

When that happens, it is time to remember the first line of Warren's most famous book: "It's not about you." It's not about my intellectual fulfillment, or whether I am encountering a bored phase with religion. It's about Someone else. And if the intellectual snobs among us will suspend our distain long enough to read A Purpose Driven Life, we will be focused on truth that is simple enough for all of us and challenging enough to never be mastered this side of Heaven.

Ok, enough defense of Rick Warren. The book Prophet of Purpose is pretty good so far. The beginning is a bit of history of Protestantism in the United States, which is not bad given that it is straight history. Now I'm reading about Warren's early life.

I'm intrigued by anyone who can do what he has done. You can think of Rick Warren what you will, but no one can deny that he has turned millions of people towards Jesus Christ. That can be a good thing or a bad thing in your book, but regardless, it is surely an amazing thing.