Warren Explained Illness Not Fatal, But Very Painful
Pastor Rick Warren on Easter Sunday 2022 announced his retirement as Senior Pastor of Saddleback Church. Grown now to 18 campuses on four continents, the announcement came on Saddleback’s 42nd anniversary. Warren shared that the plan is to have his successor resume his responsibilities at Saddleback later in the year.
Warren Sidelined with Pain
Warren also opened up about the painful health struggle that has kept him sidelined for the last 9 weeks.
“I have missed you, I’ve been flying up to a clinic near Stanford.
“It’s not fatal but it is painful.”
Warren shared he has been in the Stanford University area getting treatment for the last 2 months. This was his first service back in 9 weeks. He reaffirmed his deep love for the church he started and has pastored for over 40 years.
Saddleback Celebrates 43 Years
“Saddleback Church started on Easter in 1980, so Happy Birthday. We’ve grown a little bit since then.” Last year we announced the search for the new young pastor who would replace me.”
Warren shared that hopefully by the end of this year that person will be in place.
“God is working in this whole process,” stated Warren. “This is going to be my last Easter sermon as your senior pastor.”
As the church mourned the retirement of their founding Pastor, Warren said, “I’m not dying” alluding to the fact that although he may be retiring from his position he will still be accessible.
Warren shared later in his Easter message that he was organizing the largest coalition of pastors, denominations, and Christian organizations in the world to fulfill the Great Commission by 2033.
Warren Reveals His Next Assignment
“In a future message, I am going to give you all the details of what I am going to be doing personally after I step down as your senior pastor.”
Warren continued, “I will be leading the largest coalition in the history of Christianity including Catholics, and Pentecostals, and Orthodox, Calvinists, Charismatics, and every other, all churches denominations and agencies combined in Christian committed to completing the Great Commission by AD 2033.”
“What’s the significance of AD 2033? well, Nothing really except one little thing. If this is the year 2022, it means we are 2022 years from the birth of Jesus. We know that Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected when he was 33. The first Easter was AD 33. He died on the cross and was resurrected. He gave the Great Commission in AD 33. The church with birth in AD 33 at Pentecost. The first Easter was AD 33, The church began in AD 33. So 2033 is the 2000th birthday of the church. So why not use that date? It’s not in Scripture it’s just a date to pick.”
More details to come but it looks like Pastor Rick Warren is not backing down and will be busy over the next 10 years continuing to bring the Great Commission to the world. His mentor Billy Graham started a work similar to this at The First International Congress on World Evangelization met in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1974.
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