The "Purpose-Driven" Apocalypse: The Book of Revelation as a Diagram for Christian Growth

This is an outline for a Bible study I conducted in Autumn 2004.

While Revelation has been used, rightly and wrongly, as a picture of early Church history, ongoing history, and the future, near and far, Revelation is also packed with references to Hebraic and Christian worship, is outlined as a Covenant Document, and is applicable to personal spiritual development as well as a tool for intepreting the past and preparing for the future. I prepared this outline to show how the five points of Rick Warren's best-selling "Purpose Driven Life" align with the five-point Covenant structure discovered by Bishop Ray Sutton, the five aspects of Christian worship, and the five sections of The Book of Revelation.

Pastor Rick Warren (SBC) "The Purpose Driven Life"

1.) You were planned for God's Pleasure.
2.) You were formed for God's Family.
3.) You were created to become like Christ.
4.) You were shaped for God's Service.
5.) You were made for God's Mission.

Father Ray Sutton (Reformed Episcopal)
Author of "That You May Prosper"
(a study of the five-point Biblical Covenant structure)

1.) Transcendence- Who is in charge?
2.) Hierarchy- To whom do I report?
3.) Ethics- What is expected of me?
4.) Oath- What do I get?
5.) Succession- How long does this last?

Christian Worship Service:

1.) God (Father-Son-Spirit) meets with
2.) We the Church in our prayer, confession, praise & worship.
3.) The Word is ministered in Bible reading and preaching.
4.) The Ordinances/Sacraments of the Altar Call &/or Eucharist confirm us in the Faith.
5.) The Blessing is bestowed, sending us forth to live out our Faith in Christ.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ to St. John the Divine (i.e. Theologian)
(inspired by Orthodox Presbyterian Rev. David Chilton's "The Days Of Vengeance")

1.) Jesus Christ is our King-Priest. ~ Ch. I.
2.) Christ Challenges us to be His Church. ~ Ch. II-IV.
3.) Christ Charges us with His Commands. ~ Ch. V-XI.
4.) Christ Confirms us in His Communion Meal. ~ Ch. XII-XIX.
5.) Christ Commissions us to live out His Kingdom. ~ Ch. XX-XXII.

The Revelation unveils Jesus Christ, Son of God, Lord and Savior through liturgy- God indwells & moves through our worship; in the first century A.D.- Christ raises up the Church as Jerusalem & Rome fall; through history- Christ and His Church always contend against Bestial Tyranny and Harlot Compromise in every age; in the future- Christ shall ultimately defeat Satan and reign with us forever; and personally- in our lives, we either embrace the Seal of the Lamb to be His Bride or the Mark of the Beast to be its Harlot, and go into the Fire of God's Furious Love.

The Purpose Driven Apocalypse Five Point Alignment

COV-Covenantal Structure REV-Revelation PDL-Purpose Driven Life

COV1.) Transcendence- Who is in charge?
REV1.) Jesus Christ is our King-Priest. ~ Ch. I.
PDL1.) You were planned for God's Pleasure.

COV2.) Hierarchy- To whom do I report?
REV2.) Christ Challenges us to be His Church. ~ Ch. II-IV.
PDL2.) You were formed for God's Family.

COV3.) Ethics- What is expected of me?
REV3.) Christ Charges us with His Commands. ~ Ch. V-XI.
PDL3.) You were created to become like Christ.

COV4.) Oath- What do I get?
REV4.) Christ Confirms us in His Communion Meal. ~ Ch. XII-XIX
PDL4.) You were shaped for God's Service.

COV5.) Succession- How long does this last?
REV5.) Christ Commissions us to live out His Kingdom. ~ Ch. XX-XXII.
PDL5.) You were made for God's Mission.