The Last Ever Purpose-Driven Post

As I've mentioned before, I admire Rebecca's promise never to blog about the war in Iraq, the election in America, or "anything purpose driven." That last item is actually a more recent addition to the list. And I completely understand. I think it must be a very tired subject to some. And yet . . . and yet . . . it's too late in my case. I've posted several things about it, because I've found myself in the thick of it, as they say. I very unwisely agreed to host a small group to read and discuss the book and watch the accompanying video series. So that's been, well, an experience.

So here is, I promise, my last post on the subject. After this, I will join Rebecca in purpose-free blogging. I had once thought to do a thorough review of the book, but it's just too tiresome. As it is I'm skimming the book now, scanning the week's-worth of daily readings in one sitting, just getting the gist of it and moving on. The great thing is, there's only one week to go!

So they'll be no review. All I wanted to do here was perhaps make brief note of a few things I've learned from the whole sorry business.

1) Don't commit to leading a discussion-group before you've assessed the material. Silly me!

2) Church bandwagons are not the same as Church-unity. Or, in other words, peer pressure is no substitute for discernment. Or, in other words, if the whole church is going to jump off a bridge, that doesn't mean you have to join them. Even if they assure you that they're "getting a lot out of it" as they go down.

3) The book that quotes the Bible the most is not necessarily the most Biblical.

4) Good writers never presume that their readers are mostly ignoramuses.

5) Finally, some books seem to have been written around a marketing-plan, as if the marketing-plan came first, and then the book was written to suit the plan. PDL is one of these. Never trust a book that promises to be "life changing", or that bills itself a classic even in the first edition.

Okay, that's five. A good number. I know I have learned a few other things, but that's all I can think of at the moment. Now I'm going to get on with my life, which shall not be purpose-driven at all, I promise. And neither shall my blogging. I'm with ya, Rebecca!