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Book Reviews

Church on the Rise

By May 1, 2008July 19th, 2014No Comments

Why I Am Not a Purpose-Driven Pastor

LARRY DeBRUYN

Moeller Printing (order from www.frbaptist.org), 280 Pages, Paper, $14.95

Much of this book is DeBruyn’s personal testimony of what he has observed and experienced, but he does a good job of backing up his premises with an abundance of quotes, references, and other documentary material. Interestingly, the book’s title is based on Jesus’ parable of the leaven in Matthew 13:33, and he explains in his first appendix why he chose the title.

DeBruyn focuses on many aspects of “purpose-driven” thinking. He discusses two debates: whether the message is remaining the same among devotees of this bandwagon, and whether the “mysticism” that is invading evangelicalism can be legitimized as spiritual meditation. As can be expected, he says no to both. But DeBruyn covers plenty of other issues as well.

In his appendix and essay material, DeBruyn covers such provocative topics as whether or not the apostle Paul was a mystic, dancing in the church, contemplative prayer, sensory religion (as currently seen in evangelicalism’s becoming enamored with Roman Catholicism), yogic practices in the church, “breath prayers,” and “the new spirituality.”

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