with that attitude, you'll miss Augustine, Spurgeon, Wesley, Calvin, Yancey, Lewis, Luther, Moody etc etc..
...youre certainly entitled - have fun
Of course the difference is that the truly great Christians authors do not need a marketing department to keep their work before the public. Theological fads some and go. Who will be reading "Purpose Driven" in 100 years, or 10 for that matter?
I should have said I would not give up time in His Word to read a man-centered view of God's Word. When you take a good, solid look at Warren's purpose, it is indeed man-centered. Read these paragraphs of about 9 in his introduction while Keeping 1 John 4:1-6 in mind, (testing the spirits to see if they are from God if their purpose is to drive home the point that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, once and for all - for our salvation and sanctification). Just for your own notations, jot down how many times the following words, or ideas are expressed and again, compare to the 1 John passage: Lord, Jesus, Christ, repent, blood, me, I, you, your, my, etc. Then look for sentences where it points talks about your reliance/trust on the finished work of the Cross, who reveals His Truth, or on your own efforts, or Warren's. Remember that the introduction of a book is introducing people to the main ideas that the book is all about. Then, again, read 1 John 4:1-6.
This is more than a book; it is a guide to a 40-day spiritual journey that will enable you to discover the answer to life’s most important question: What on earth am I here for? By the end of this journey you will know God’s purpose for your life and will understand the big picture—how all the pieces of your life fit together. Having this perspective will reduce your stress, simplify your decisions, increase your satisfaction, and, most important, prepare you for eternity.
Today the average life span is 25,550 days. That’s how long you will live if you are typical. Don’t you think it would be a wise use of time to set aside 40 of those days to figure out what God wants you to do with the rest of them?
One reason most books don’t transform us is that we are so eager to read the next chapter, we don’t pause and take the time to seriously consider what we have just read. We rush to the next truth without reflecting on what we have learned.
Don’t just read this book. Interact with it. Underline it. Write your own thoughts in the margins. Make it your book. Personalize it! The books that have helped me most are the ones that I reacted to, not just read.
As I wrote this book, I often prayed that you would experience the incredible sense of hope, energy, and joy that comes from discovering what God put you on this planet to do. There’s nothing quite like it. I am excited because I know all the great things that are going to happen to you. They happened to me, and I have never been the same since I discovered the purpose of my life.
Because I know the benefits, I want to challenge you to stick with this spiritual journey for the next 40 days, not missing a single daily reading. Your life is worth taking the time to think about it. Make it a daily appointment on your schedule. If you will commit to this, let’s sign a covenant together. There is something significant about signing your name to a commitment. If you get a partner to read through this with you, have him or her sign it, too. Let’s get started together!
If you analyze these paragraphs, it becomes very clear that it is a man-centered book of works, directing you to rely on his book (and other materials that you can purchase) rather than just simply resting in the Lord Jesus. Be wary of such burdens people want to market to you. Prayerfully ponder this passage for His Book:
The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly. The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body. The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.