PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y., and LAKE FOREST, Calif., Nov. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The
Reader's Digest Association, Inc., and Dr. Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback
Valley Community Church and the author of the worldwide best seller, "The
Purpose Driven Life," today announced a partnership to produce an
inspirational multimedia platform called The Purpose Driven Connection.
Together the organizations will pool their international resources to
produce and publish this Purpose Driven platform to help people who are
seeking their purpose in life and wish to interact with others on their
spiritual journeys. The platform will provide a suite of bundled multimedia
tools: "The Purpose Driven Connection," a quarterly magazine; Small Group
study materials delivered in DVDs, workbooks and downloadable discussion
guides; and a state-of-the-art Christian social networking website.
"We are excited about this new partnership and its unprecedented potential
for international impact," said Warren, who will serve as Editor-in-Chief and
be heavily involved in the conception of each element. "The Purpose Driven
Connection represents more than simply integrated multimedia resources; it
will become a platform for a movement of people to change the world."
"We are delighted to be working with Rick Warren and the Saddleback team,"
said Alyce Alston, President of RDA's Home & Garden and Health & Wellness
affinities. "This is one of our company's most important and far-reaching
ventures ever. Together we will create a category-busting multimedia suite
that will help millions of people in their daily lives, including those who
already follow the Purpose Driven principles as well as seekers everywhere
looking for greater fulfillment."
The Purpose Driven Connection revolves around the theme, "Your Life
Matters," and mirrors Warren's book, which has sold more than 30 million
copies since being released in 2002 and has been read by 60 million people and
translated into nearly 100 languages. It also relates to Saddleback Church's
PEACE Plan, initiated by Warren, which mobilizes Christians to combat global
problems affecting billions of people, including spiritual emptiness, corrupt
leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic diseases and illiteracy. To date, the
PEACE Coalition has advanced the program among the public, profit and faith
sectors in 68 countries.
The magazine, to launch early in 2009, will include stories of everyday
people who have found God's purpose for their lives. The framework for the
platform will be designed to provide five practical tools to communicate five
spiritual purposes -- Knowing, Relating, Growing, Serving and Sharing -- each
through a combination of teaching and testimony.
"The magazine will be consistent with our highest editorial standards,"
said Frank Lalli, RDA's Vice President of International Editions and Magazine
Development. "In the best traditions of RDA, we are commissioning
extraordinary photographers, illustrators and writers to travel the world and
capture real-life stories that will change how readers think and inspire them
to take action to improve society."
The multimedia elements include an online community, daily Bible text
messaging, church curriculum and Small Group discussions. The website will
provide readers with additional content including Purpose and PEACE Plan
updates, national and international news, and forums through which visitors
can share their own Purpose-Driven stories and ideas, and connect with others
through the online community.
"Social networking facilitates worldwide connections with unprecedented
ease," said Alston. "The website brings together expert and reader-generated
content to create a powerfully engaged community. It's a place where people
will connect with other individuals, groups, churches and organizations around
the world and learn to grow, pray and share what God is doing in their lives.
Christians can find and connect with new and old friends, join with others to
take action and make a difference, engage with Rick Warren's teachings, use a
unique Bible search feature, support each other in rich and meaningful ways
through prayer circles, support groups and personal stories, as well as enjoy
videos that inspire and enlighten."
Small Group ministry will be supported through the DVDs, Lesson Plans and
workbooks and downloadable discussion guides.
"It is rare to be able to call something 'revolutionary' in our
highly-developed world," said Mark Affleck, Executive Director of Purpose
Driven Connection. "This is just that -- an entirely new and
never-before-seen model for how people can not only discover their purpose in
life, but also interact with others through the online community, small group
network and the global PEACE initiative."
The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., is a global multi-brand media and
marketing company that educates, entertains and connects audiences around the
world. The company builds multi-platform communities based on branded content
in areas like Food & Entertaining, Health & Wellness, and Home & Garden. With
offices in 45 countries, it markets books, magazines, and music, video and
educational products reaching a customer base of 100 million households in 79
countries. It publishes 92 magazines, including 50 editions of Reader's
Digest, the world's largest-circulation magazine, operates 65 branded websites
generating 18 million unique visitors per month, and sells approximately 68
million books, music and video products across the world each year. Its
global headquarters are in Pleasantville, N.Y.
As a global strategist, Warren advises leaders in the public, private and
faith sectors on poverty, health, education, corruption, leadership
development, and faith and ethics in culture. He is a pastor, author and
innovator, called "America's Most Powerful Religious Leader" and listed among
the "100 Most Influential People in the World" (TIME); "15 People Who make
America Great" (Newsweek); "One of America's 25 Best Leaders" (U.S. News and
World Report); "Most Credible" among the "100 Most Powerful Celebrities"
(Forbes) and "America's Pastor" ("USA Today").
Warren founded Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., with one family
in 1980, and today it is one of America's most influential congregations with
over 100,000 names on the church roll, a 120-acre campus. The Church has more
than 300 community ministries to families as well as prisoners, CEOs, Down
syndrome children, addicts, single parents, those with HIV/AIDS, and many
other groups. Purpose Driven Communications helps church leaders establish,
transform and maintain healthy, growing congregations built around the
God-given purposes of worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and
missions. Note to Editors: For more information about Rick Warren, please
visit www.RickWarrenNews.com.
