Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), is stepping down from his position as lead pastor of the megachurch.
“For 42 years, Kay and I have known this day would eventually arrive and we’ve been waiting for God’s perfect timing,” Warren announced in a video to the church. “That’s always been my goal, to serve God’s Purpose in my generation. God has given me the privilege to serve multiple generations.”
The 67-year-old Warren will continue to serve as the Saddleback’s head pastor until a replacement can be found. He founded the Saddleback Valley Community Church in 1980, and it has grown into a global ministry with an estimated 40,000 participants. Warren is recognized as one of the nation’s leading pastors. He has guided countless young leaders and inspired many of today’s prominent pastors to pursue their own callings to ministry.
His book, “The Purpose Driven Church: Every Church Is Big in God’s Eyes” is said to have encouraged pastors to lead a healthy and purposeful church. Warren built the Purpose Driven Network, a global alliance of pastors from more than 160 countries and hundreds of denominations, that focuses on the people of the church and less on the building.