In a passionate and emotional final message, Pastor Rick Warren who founded Saddleback Church 43 years ago and preached his final sermon this past Sunday. Warren preached his last sermon titled, “The Beginning of a Miracle,” the exact same sermon he preached during his first sermon when he started the church 43 years ago. Warren preached it as if he was preaching to the first 60 people who showed up when the church launched on March 30, 1980.
“What I am trying to say to you this weekend, is that God is a multigenerational God. He is the same God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In every generation, he raises up new voices and new leaders.”
Warren broke down God’s promises for a successful church and boldly believed God would do incredible things in Southern California, going so far as to believe God for a church of 20,000 people, which was fulfilled, and a beautifully landscaped church campus, which also fulfilled and impacting the nations through missions, also fulfilled.
Warren went on to explain the joy of serving God, and the exhilaration of being used by God is second to none.
“There is no greater joy, no greater feeling, no greater pleasure in life than the feeling of being used by God for a purpose greater than yourself.” I want so badly for you to be that person in the next generation.
Warren challenged the church to get on the train with the new pastors and not miss what God has planned and wants to do in the next leg of the journey.
“The first lap of the journey of Saddleback church has been quite a ride. Incredible. It’s been an adrenaline rush of faith, taking risks day in and day out for 43 years. But the next step of this journey is about to start and the train is ready to leave the station. I want you so badly to be on it. I don’t want you to choose to be left behind. You missed much of the first lap of the journey but the best is yet to come. How do I know that? Because this church is destined for greatness. Destined for greatness. This church is going somewhere whether anybody else goes or not, it’s going great places for the global glory of God.”
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