W. A. Criswell

==Influence==
Well-known pastor and author [[Rick Warren]] recounts his call to full-time ministry as a 19-year-old student at [[California Baptist University|California Baptist College]], when in November 1973 he and a friend skipped classes and drove 350 miles to hear Criswell preach at the [[Jack Tar Hotels|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/ <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2007-12-14}}</ref> Warren stood in line to shake hands with Criswell afterwards.<ref name=wmu/>

{{blockquote|When my turn finally arrived, something unexpected happened. Criswell looked at me with kind, loving eyes and said, quite emphatically, "Young man, I feel led to lay hands on you and pray for you!" He placed his hands on my head and prayed: "Father, I ask that you give this young preacher a double portion of your Spirit. May the church he pastors grow to twice the size of the Dallas church. Bless him greatly, O Lord."<ref name=wmu/>}}

Warren went on to found the [[Saddleback Church]] in [[California]], one of the most recognized ecumenical churches in the country, with weekly attendance in excess of 20,000. In his book, ''[[The Purpose Driven Church]]'', Warren referred to Criswell as the "greatest American pastor of the twentieth century."

Audio recordings of Criswell's preaching began in December 1953, and over 4000 of his expository sermons are available free of charge in audio, video, and searchable transcript form at the [http://www.wacriswell.com/ W. A. Criswell Sermon Library] website, one of the largest online collections by a single pastor in the world. It is sponsored and maintained by the non-profit W. A. Criswell Foundation which also supports Criswell College.