Rick Warren

==Ministry==
Warren says he was called to full-time ministry when he was a 19-year-old student at [[California Baptist University]]. In November 1973, he and a friend skipped classes and drove 350 miles to hear [[W. A. Criswell]] preach at the Jack Tar Hotel in San Francisco.<ref name="wmu">{{cite web
 |title       = Interview with a Missions Leader
 |publisher   = Woman's Missionary Union Website
 |url         = http://www.wmu.com/rickwarren/
 |access-date  = 2007-12-18
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071214010511/http://www.wmu.com/rickwarren/
 |archive-date = 2007-12-14
 |url-status     = dead
}}</ref> Warren waited afterwards to shake hands with Criswell, who focused on Warren, stating, "I feel led to [[Laying on of hands|lay hands on you]] and pray for you!"<ref name=wmu/>

During his time at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Warren worked at the Texas Ranch for Christ, a ministry facility of Billie Hanks Jr., where he began writing books. He co-wrote two books, ''The Victory Scripture Memory Series'' and ''Twelve Dynamic Bible Study Methods for Laity'', with Hanks and Wayne Watts.<ref>Mair (2005), pp. 59-60.</ref>

In January 1980, Warren began a Bible study group with seven people and his wife at their [[Saddleback Valley]] condo in [[Orange County, California]].<ref>Robert D. Putnam, Lewis Feldstein, ''Better Together: Restoring the American Community'', Simon and Schuster, ''USA'', 2009, p. 119.</ref> In April 1980, Warren held Saddleback Church's first public service on [[Easter Sunday]] at the [[Laguna Hills, California|Laguna Hills]] High School Theater with 200 people in attendance.<ref>Justin G. Wilford, ''Sacred Subdivisions: The Postsuburban Transformation of American Evangelicalism'', NYU Press, USA, 2012, p. 9</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Erika I.|last=Ritchie|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2015/03/21/megachurch-megaplanners-rick-and-kay-warren-set-out-with-a-road-map-and-a-dream-35-years-ago/|title=Megachurch megaplanners: Rick and Kay Warren set out with a road map and a dream 35 years ago|work=The Orange County Register|date=March 21, 2015|access-date=February 8, 2022}}</ref> Warren's church growth methods led to rapid expansion, with the church using nearly 80 different facilities in its 35-year history. The church averages nearly 20,000 people in attendance each week.<ref>[http://www.sermoncentral.com/articleb.asp?article=Top-100-Largest-Churches "The Outreach Magazine Top 100 Largest Churches"]</ref>

In 2005, during the Centenary Congress of the [[Baptist World Alliance]], he affirmed that the withdrawal of the [[Southern Baptist Convention]] from the Alliance, was a mistake since theological differences should not prevent fellowship with other churches. <ref> Associated Baptist Press, [https://baptistnews.com/article/sbcswithdrawalfrombwaasillymistakesayswarren/ SBC’s withdrawal from BWA a ‘silly’ mistake, says Warren], baptistnews.com, USA, August 8, 2005 </ref>

Warren has been invited to speak at national and international forums, including the United Nations, the [[World Economic Forum]] in [[Davos]], the [[African Union]], the [[Council on Foreign Relations]], [[Harvard Kennedy School]], TED, and [[Time Magazine|Time]]'s Global Health Summit. He has been a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) since 2005.<ref name="stnau">{{cite web|url=http://www.stopthenorthamericanunion.com/CFRMembers.html|title=CFR Members|work=stopthenorthamericanunion.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413112531/http://www.stopthenorthamericanunion.com/CFRMembers.html|archive-date=2010-04-13}}</ref>

In August 2008, Warren drew greater national attention by hosting the [[Civil Forum on the Presidency]], featuring senators [[John McCain]] and [[Barack Obama]] at Saddleback Church.<ref>{{cite news|title=Contrasting styles, views in sharp focus|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2008/aug/17/nation/na-saddleback17|publisher=Los Angeles Timees|date=17 August 2008|access-date=15 February 2014|first1=Maeve|last1=Reston|first2=Seema|last2=Mehta}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Chan | first = Kenneth | title = Church-Hosted Forum Reveals Hearts, Minds of White House Hopefuls | publisher = The Christian Post | date = August 17, 2008 | url = http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080817/church-hosted-forum-reveals-hearts-minds-of-white-house-hopefuls.htm | access-date = 2008-10-24}}</ref> The forum marked McCain and Obama's first joint appearance as the presumptive [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] and [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] presidential nominees and was broadcast live on national television.

In December 2008, President-elect Obama chose Warren to give the invocation at his [[United States presidential inauguration|inauguration ceremony]]. The decision angered pro-choice and LGBT advocates and led to criticism of both Obama and Warren.<ref>{{cite news 
  | last = Paulson
  | first = Michael
  | title = Obama taps evangelical for inauguration
  | publisher = The Boston Globe
  | date = December 17, 2008
  | url = http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles_of_faith/2008/12/obama_taps_evan.html
  | access-date = 2008-12-31}}</ref> Obama defended his choice of Warren, saying that although he disagreed with the minister's positions on abortion and same-sex marriage, there should be room for dialogue on such difficult social issues.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/18/AR2008121804205_pf.html|title=Obama Defends Call on Invocation|date=December 19, 2008|first1=Jacqueline L.|last1=Salmon|first2=Peter|last2=Slevin}}</ref>  More controversy ensued when it was announced that Warren would be the keynote speaker at the [[Martin Luther King, Jr. Day|Martin Luther King, Jr.]] Annual Commemorative Service on January 19, 2009, the day prior to the inauguration.<ref>{{cite news
 |last        = Quinn
 |first       = Christopher
 |title       = King Day speaker's gay marriage stance attacked
 |publisher   = The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 |date        = December 23, 2008
 |url         = http://www.ajc.com/gwinnett/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/12/23/rick_warren_king_day.html
 |access-date  = 2009-01-01
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20081227055954/http://www.ajc.com/gwinnett/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/12/23/rick_warren_king_day.html
 |archive-date = December 27, 2008
}}</ref> He delivered the invocation at Obama's inauguration the next day, which was generally praised for its positive message.<ref>OC Register [http://www.ocregister.com/articles/warren-invocation-gay-2286573-church-first "Warren's invocation praised but some still call the choice inappropriate"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603193411/http://www.ocregister.com/articles/warren-invocation-gay-2286573-church-first |date=2009-06-03 }}</ref>

In January 2009, Warren and the Reader's Digest Association partnered in the launch of the ''Purpose Driven Connection'', a quarterly publication sold as part of a bundle of multimedia products.<ref>{{cite news
 | last = Adams
 | first = Russell
 | title = Top-Selling Pastor Goes Quarterly 
 | work= The Wall Street Journal
 | date = January 27, 2009
 | url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123301423089217559
 | access-date = 2008-01-22}}</ref> In November 2009, the partners announced that the magazine had not drawn enough paying members and would cease after publication of the fourth issue that month.<ref>{{cite news
 | last = Pérez-Peña
 | first = Richard
 | title = Reader's Digest Closes Rick Warren Magazine
 | work = [[The New York Times]]
 | date = November 4, 2009
 | url = http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/readers-digest-closes-rick-warren-magazine/
 | access-date = 2009-11-07}}</ref>

In 2010, Warren was chosen to lead a prayer at the inauguration ceremony of the President of Rwanda, [[Paul Kagame]].<ref> Pierre Boisselet, 
[https://www.jeuneafrique.com/165939/politique/rwanda-l-glise-vang-lique-attire-toujours-plus-de-fid-les/ Rwanda : l’Église évangélique attire toujours plus de fidèles], jeuneafrique.com, France, January 28, 2014</ref> Since that date, he has been part of the latter's Presidential Advisory Council.<ref> Theogene Rudasingwa, 
[https://rwandinfo.com/eng/who-are-kagames-friends-abroad/ Who are Kagame’s Friends abroad?], rwandinfo.com, Rwanda, May 26, 2011</ref><ref> Dan Gilgoff, 
[https://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/29/short-takes-gauging-the-impact-of-purpose-driven-life-10-years-on/ Short Takes: Gauging the impact of 'Purpose Driven Life,' 10 years on], cnn.com, USA, November 29, 2012</ref>

In June 2021, Warren announced he would be retiring from the senior pastor position at Saddleback, but that he would stay on until his successor is appointed.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/wireStory/rick-warren-retire-lead-pastor-california-church-78140663 | title=Rick Warren retiring as lead pastor at California megachurch | website=[[ABC News]] }}</ref> In January 2022, he became director of Finishing the Task, a mission coalition. <ref> Gabriel Ong, [https://thirst.sg/rick-warren-wants-you-to-join-hack2022-the-largest-christian-hackathon-yet/ Rick Warren wants you to join #HACK2022, the largest Christian hackathon yet], thirst.sg, Singapore, 11 October 2022 </ref> In August 2022, Warren stepped down as lead pastor while maintaining a founding pastor role.<ref>Salvador Hernandez, [https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-08-29/pastor-rick-warren-retires-final-saddleback-church-sermon Pastor Rick Warren’s final Saddleback Church sermon is a lot like his first one in 1980], latimes.com, USA, August 29, 2022</ref>

In May 2023, Warren was installed as the first honorary chancellor of [[Spurgeon's College]].<ref>Leah MarieAnn Klett, [https://www.christianpost.com/news/rick-warren-appointed-first-ever-chancellor-of-spurgeons-college.html Rick Warren appointed first-ever chancellor of Spurgeon's College in London: 'Deep, personal connection'], christianpost.com, USA, May 15, 2023</ref> The following month, during the annual [[Southern Baptist Convention]], after [[Saddleback Church]] was excommunicated from the Convention for hiring a female pastor, he championed the [[Ordination of women in Christianity|ordination of women]]. <ref> Kate Shellnutt, [https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2023/june/saddleback-sbc-women-pastors-appeal-rick-warren-southern-ba.html Southern Baptists Reject Rick Warren’s Saddleback Appeal], christianitytoday.com, USA, June 14, 2023 </ref>

===Purpose Driven===
Warren taught the material that would one day become the Purpose Driven philosophy of ministry to individual pastors who called or wrote him in Saddleback's early days.

Warren gained experience teaching the material through his participation in the Institute for Evangelism and Church Growth, affiliated with Fuller Theological Seminary.

In 1995 [[Zondervan]] published Warren's best-selling book, ''[[The Purpose Driven Church]]'', which distilled many of the lessons he had learned while starting Saddleback Church and honed during years of training other pastors.<ref>Dr Alan Rathe, ''Evangelicals, Worship and Participation: Taking a Twenty-First Century Reading'', Ashgate Publishing, USA, 2014, p. 149</ref> After sharing the "Saddleback Story", the book makes a case for building a church around five purposes (worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism) through what Warren called a "crowd to core" method of church growth.<ref>Randall Herbert Balmer, ''Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism: Revised and expanded edition'', Baylor University Press, USA, 2004, p. 721-722</ref> He encouraged churches to reach their community, bring in a crowd, turn attendees into members, develop those members to maturity, turn them into ministers, and send them out on a mission.

In 2004, more than 10,000 churches of various denominations attended a seminar or a conference led by Warren.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Sonja|last=Steptoe|url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,603246,00.html|title=The Man With The Purpose|magazine=Time|date=March 21, 2004|access-date=February 8, 2022}}</ref>

===P.E.A.C.E. Plan===
In 2003, [[Saddleback Church]], Kay and Rick Warren founded the [[P.E.A.C.E. Plan]], a [[Christian humanitarian aid|humanitarian]] development program for churches.<ref>{{cite web|first=Nicola|last=Menzie|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/saddleback-pastor-rick-warren-visits-rwanda-to-advance-peace-plan.html|title=Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren Visits Rwanda to Advance PEACE Plan|work=The Christian Post|date=August 29, 2013|access-date=February 7, 2022}}</ref><ref>Justin G. Wilford, ''Sacred Subdivisions: The Postsuburban Transformation of American Evangelicalism'', NYU Press, USA, 2012, p. 115</ref>