The founder and senior pastor of Saddleback Church, Rick Warren, was emotional as he preached his last sermon on August 28, to his Lake Forest, California congregation in the United States.
The 68-year-old preacher said, "You are going to make me cry. Have I told you lately that I love you? It has been my privilege to love you, pray for you, serve, and encourage you.
"I have decided to repeat and re-preach the very first message I preached when starting this church, word for word, 43 years ago."
He has been in active service for the past 43 years where he preached about 6,500 sermons. He encouraged his members to dwell on events that are worthwhile. More so, they should invest their time on issues that are important.
The first Sunday service of the church on March 30, 1980, was attended by about 50 people. According to Christian Headlines, that event was held at the Laguna Hills High School.
Warren continued, "We didn't know each other — they didn't know me, I didn't know them, they didn't know each other. These were just 50-60 people who had shown up in response to a letter that I had written to the community."
Warren is a graduate of California Baptist University in Riverside. He also has a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
The church, which started with a small number, has grown in thousands. It now has more than 20,000 people attend services each week. The church’s website reveals that so far, the church has over 200 ministries and 11 campuses in the U.S, China, Philippines, Germany, and Argentina.
Apart from being a preacher, Warren is also a best-selling author, who is notable for his book, ‘The Purpose Driven Life.’ The book has touched many lives to fulfill their purpose on earth.
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