The Purpose Driven Life

===In popular culture===

NFL legend [[Ray Lewis]] gave the book to 23-time Olympic gold medalist [[Michael Phelps]] when he went to rehab.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baltimore-sports-blog/bal-ray-lewis-tweets-strange-thing-about-michael-phelps-medal-count-deletes-it-20160810-story.html|title=Ray Lewis tweets strange thing about Michael Phelps' medal count, deletes it|publisher=Baltimore Sun|access-date=2016-09-09|website=baltimoresun.com|archive-date=2016-09-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913085548/http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baltimore-sports-blog/bal-ray-lewis-tweets-strange-thing-about-michael-phelps-medal-count-deletes-it-20160810-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Phelps was deeply touched by the book. He read it while in rehab, even to other patients, earning him the nickname "Preacher Mike".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2016/august/purpose-driven-life-saves-olympian-michael-phelps-from-suicide|title=Olympian Michael Phelps: 'This Is the Best Place I've Ever Been In My Whole Life'|date=14 August 2016|access-date=15 November 2019|publisher=CBN News|website=cbn.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://aleteia.org/2016/08/11/for-michael-phelps-all-that-gold-couldnt-glitter-until-he-found-god/ |title=For Michael Phelps, all that gold couldn't glitter until he found God |date=11 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190907130342/https://aleteia.org/2016/08/11/for-michael-phelps-all-that-gold-couldnt-glitter-until-he-found-god/ |archive-date=7 September 2019 |access-date=6 December 2019|url-status=live|website=aleteia.com}}</ref>

The book occupies an important place in the film ''[[Captive (2015 film)|Captive]]'' released in 2015.<ref>Joe McGovern, [http://ew.com/article/2015/09/22/captive-ew-review/ 'Captive': EW review], ew.com, US, September 22, 2015</ref>  This fact-based film tells the story of Ashley Smith, a young single mom of [[Atlanta]], being held hostage by [[Brian Nichols]], in her apartment for seven hours. Smith reported to news outlets that during this time she read chapter 32 of ''The Purpose Driven Life'' to Nichols, which she credited as influencing his decision to release her from captivity.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ex-hostage: 'I wanted to gain his trust'|url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/14/smith.transcript/index.html|publisher=CNN|accessdate=1 December 2012}}</ref> In 2012, Smith also stated that she had been struggling with drug addiction at the time, and she gave Nichols drugs to calm him down. Smith had to decide whether to do the drugs with Nichols. Smith chose not to, and she hasn't touched drugs since.<ref>{{Citation|last=Saddleback Church|title=Day 2 – What On Earth Am I Here For Pt. 1|date=2012-10-15|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWIEyQTlqNA&t=3185|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> Sales of ''The Purpose Driven Life'' rose greatly, with the book becoming Amazon's second-best-selling book after news of Smith's captivity and release was announced.<ref>{{cite news|title=Purpose Driven Life sales pick up pace in Upstate|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=c9YpAAAAIBAJ&pg=4609,491106&dq=ashley-smith+purpose-driven-life&hl=en|accessdate=1 December 2012|newspaper=Herald-Journal|date=Mar 17, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Rick Warren: The Purpose-Driven Pastor|website = NPR.org|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99529977|publisher=NPR|accessdate=1 December 2012}}</ref>