HarperCollins Christian Publishing’s Zondervan imprint is publishing the first trade book in over a decade by pastor Rick Warren, the bestselling author of The Purpose Driven Life. The new book, Created to Dream: The 6 Phases God Uses to Grow Your Faith is slated for publication on April 11.
First published by Zondervan in 2002, The Purpose Driven Life is one of the bestselling books of all time, having sold over 35 million copies worldwide to date, according to the publisher. Warren, who is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Orange County, Calif., has written over 25 books, including titles for children, Bible studies, devotionals, and more—many of which are published by Zondervan.
In Created to Dream, Warren draws on scripture as well as his personal experiences to help readers who "are in the process of seeing God's dream for their lives come to fruition," according to the publisher. Warren tells PW that he feels people need encouragement following the pandemic, especially amid what he calls the five social storms: "global infirmity (Covid), economic insecurity (millions were out of work), social instability (riots and mass shootings), racial inequality (the rise of racism), and political incivility (demonizing opponents)," he says.
Warren adds, “The five social storms that have battered us for the past three years have left people fragmented, frustrated, and fatigued. Many are running on fumes. We need a total reset, not a resumption of pre-pandemic life. For that to happen, people need to learn to dream again. But they also need to know how to handle the inevitable delays, difficulties, and dead-ends they’ll face before their dream is realized.”
Webster Younce, v-p and publisher at Zondervan, worked with Warren's team, including his son, literary agent Josh Warren, on the world rights contract for the new book. The size of the first printing has not been announced.
“We are thrilled that Rick Warren is returning to publishing with a message that will provide readers with much-needed hope as they develop a deeper understanding of God’s dream for their lives,” Younce said in a press release. “In a time when many feel overwhelmed and over-burdened, the message of Created to Dream could not be more timely and important.”
Marketing and publicity for Created to Dream will include a national campaign to churches, pastors, and ministry leaders; promotion to national mainstream media and Christian media outlets; an op-ed and article placement in national and regional media; digital advertising across all major social media platforms; and finally, promotions targeting Warren’s over 11 million social media followers.
Warren, who has faced ongoing health problems related to a rare disorder for the past several years, is not slated for any appearances surrounding the new book at this time. During an interview with PW in 2012, Warren referred to himself as a “crazy writer” and hinted at future books that would follow his retirement from Saddleback. “Once I’m out from leading an enormous church, I’ll have a lot more time to move into my second love, which is writing,” he said. Warren announced his retirement in 2021.
This story has been updated to reflect a post-publication comment from Rick Warren.
