![]() ![]() In 2013, the Warrens’ lives were shattered when their son, Matthew, died by suicide. In 2009, Warren delivered the inaugural invocation when Obama was sworn in as the 44th president. John McCain for a forum at Saddleback Church. Bush for his efforts in the AIDS fight and presented him the first International Medal of PEACE. In 2006, the church held its first Global Summit AIDS and in 2008, Warren held the first Civil Forum on Global Health in Washington D.C, where he lauded then-President George W. That year, the couple also launched the PEACE plan in a massive effort to mobilize 1 billion members of congregations to attack five “global giants” – the five giant problems of extreme poverty, pandemic disease, deficient education, conflict injustice and spiritual emptiness. In 2003, Kay Warren traveled to South Africa for a World Aids Tour, kicking off the church’s effort to fight against the disease. In 2018, the church baptized its 50,000th member. 15, 1995, the Lake Forest worship center opened with 10,000 members after the church kicked off a two-year funding campaign that raised $12 million. Warren held his first public service on Easter 1980 and 205 people attended. In 2005, Time magazine named Warren one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World.” Warren, who has more than 11 million social media followers, has written eight books, including “The Purpose Driven Life,” which has sold nearly 40 million copies in English, according to Publisher’s Weekly. There are four international campuses: in Hong Kong, Germany, the Philippines and Argentina. With its main campus in Lake Forest, Saddleback Church has grown to 14 locations in Southern California, with an average weekly attendance of 30,000 and more than 7,000 small groups meeting in homes. “I will not allow anyone to become pastor of the church that doesn’t love you as much as I do,” Warren said. Key criteria for the lead pastor is that the individual has “Biblical qualifications” and is doing a “purpose-driven ministry.” A task group of members from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities and ages will work with the elders. The new lead pastor will be selected by church elders, but they won’t be making the decision in a vacuum, Warren said. It creates bad headaches.”ĭuring the pandemic, Warren said his condition worsened, and he found it more and more difficult to do multiple services. Every time it hits me, my vision goes very blurry. “And I have spasms and tremors and shaking when that hits. “When adrenaline hits my brain, adrenaline is like poison and it makes me shake like Parkinson’s,” he said of the impact public speaking has on him. He also explained the workload of multiple sermons was taking a toll on his health and a lifelong neurological condition – a rare version of spinal myoclonus – for which he has been to 17 experts, including consultations at the Mayo Clinic. Warren added that once he spends less time doing sermons, he will have an opportunity to travel to the church’s other campuses to “encourage leaders.” “It is time for a new chapter for a younger leader with a new vision,” he said. ![]() Just take the first step in faith,” he said in his video message. “You don’t have to see the ultimate goal to take the first step. ![]() There is no timeline for the search, which will look at candidates from within the church as well as outside Warren declined Monday to talk about his retirement plans, saying he just wanted to give his congregants the head’s up. “As we began to see the light at the end of the tunnel of the COVID pandemic, we felt God was saying now was the time to start the process.” “It would have been practically impossible for a new pastor to hold our church family together without being able to hold public worship services for over a year,” he said. “Now, looking back, I can see the wisdom of why God didn’t want me to step down three weeks before the pandemic happened,” Warren told church members as he outlined a bit of the future process. ![]()
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