Has anyone done 40 days of purpose?

One of our Sunday sch classes did it. They have since nearly doubled, and have formed a new class to bring in middle age couple who may not be in a class now. Theres not a single one of thier class who isn't serving God in some way now. So for them it's been very good. Hope so, our church will start it next month. I won't know more about it till then.

 

I have read the book, I have not done the 40 day lessons. I have talked about doing it in our Adult Bible Fellowship class, but we have a couple more studies we are doing right now. It should be good, the Purpose Driven Life is a good book.

 

I just completed my last class last night and I will be taking it again beginning April 23rd with some of my co-workers. I have read the book twice already, and will be reading it for the 3rd time when this next class begins.

I can not begin to explain how wonderful this book is and how much it has helped me and others realize what we need to be doing with our short time on earth. I would recommend the 40 Days of Purpose to every believer.

 

Participating in the 40 Days of Purpose was one of the best decisions I have ever made as a leader. It revolutionized our ministry.

 

My church is currently doing it at the classroom-level and the response has been positive for those participating. It's an excellent book that points the reader to the Scriptures.

 

Not yet, but I just bought the book and hope to have time to read it soon.

 

My church is currently involved in 40 Days of Purpose...it's AWESOME!! We'll be done soon tho. It is church wide, even the kids Sunday School classes are participating! I personally love it!

Kathy
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My church did 40 Days of Purpose last fall. It was outstanding! We are now involved in 40 Days of Kindness as a follow-up. We are doing "random acts of kindness" for friends, neighbors, and our community to show the love of Christ.

CJ

 

Hey CJ ...where can I get more info on the 40 Days of Kindness?? Thanks!

Kathy
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Kathy, I'm really not sure where the idea originated and if there is information about it available.

The idea is to do "random acts of kindness with no strings attached" (meaning free) to the people in our community. We printed up business cards with our logo, church address, phone number and website to hand out with the "acts of kindness."

Some of the Sunday School classes have taken coloring books and crayons to clinics in the area and given them to children who are waiting for doctors or tests. Some have taken food to hospital ICU waiting rooms. Some of the students went to the food courts at the malls and offered a free meal. Some have offered free car washes; some have gone door-to-door in various neighborhoods offering to mow lawns or do any other minor "home maintenance" that needs to be done. Some classes have made special visits to nursing homes, taking small gifts to the people there...things like sample bottles of lotion, socks, etc.

We are having an Easter Egg hunt and carnival on the Saturday before Easter. The egg hunt is for preschoolers, and we will have other things for the older kids. It is a community-wide event, and we got permission to take flyers (with a plastic Easter Egg with one piece of candy and a scripture verse) to the elementary schools in the immediate vicinity of our church. All the S.S. classes are involved with the carnival. We will have a table set up with info about our Easter Sunday services.

It has been a great experience for our church! It was originally set up as the 40 days before Easter and will "officially" end on April 11th; however lots of people have said they want to continue even after Easter. We have gotten several letters from people in the community thanking us for what we are doing and how they appreciated what we did! One letter was from the parents of a child who was in the hospital and said how much our "kindness" meant to them!

We printed a devotional book for our church family with 40 days of devotionals written by laypeople in the church. Each week focused on devotionals for a specific "fruit of the spirit".

My church family has really enjoyed doing this, and the impact probably can't be measured...in this life anyway! It has been a joy both to the giver and the recipient, but probably MOST to the giver!!

CJ

 

I've tried twice to go through the "40 Days". I will try it again sometime. What I read through thus far was awesome.

In Christ,
Trotter

 

Coming from you , Brother Trotter, that is a glowing review. Perhaps I will read the copy I have had for about 3 months

 

Wow CJ!!! What an awesome testimony!! I would love to get involved in something like that!! Maybe I can suggest it in my Life Group (aka Sunday School)!!! Thank you!

Kathy
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Why must it be done at one chapter a day for 40 days???

What's the significance of the number 40???

Does it have some magical purpose???

 

Our church did it.

The book alone is worth doing it.

 

Maybe Warren has a sequel in the works. Chapters 41 to 80. He could call it "You Have a Purpose 2"

I read it and loved it. didn't have the patience to wait 40 days. It is now circulating in my youth group.

 

Forty seems to be a significant number in the Bible.
the flood - it rained 40 days and 40 nights
Israel in the wilderness 40 years
Moses was 40 days on the mountain when he recieved the 10 commandments
Jesus was tempted 40 days in the wilderness.