"The Purpose Driven Life," published in 2002, helped create this reach. "It not about you," Warren writes in the opening of the book, which has sold 35 million copies.
"The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. . . . If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God."
The senior managing editor of ChristianityToday, Mark Galli, said Warren "has that gift of being able to popularize ideas that are in some ways commonplace." Galli's magazine in 2002 described Warren as "just a regular guy who may be America's most influential pastor."
Warren now wants to mobilize 1 billion Christians to attack what he calls "five global giants": spiritual emptiness, corrupt leadership, poverty, disease and illiteracy. His church has already dispatched more than 7,000 volunteers to dozens of developing and Third World countries. Rwanda's president, Paul Kagame, has spoken of his country becoming "the first purpose-driven nation."
Following the lead of his wife, Kay, Warren has also championed the fight against AIDS in Africa, rallying support for U.S. relief programs. Warren interrupted a recent monthlong South American tour to watch President Bush sign a bill reauthorizing the AIDS funding. Kay Warren joined him.
Warren is playing an increasingly prominent role on the international stage.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is scheduled to speak at Saddleback Church next month. And Warren plans to visit Kenya, at the invitation of its parliament, to conduct a training session.
His growing portfolio has attracted criticism.
"It's not our business to make friends with all of the political leaders of the world," said Bob DeWaay, an evangelical minister from Minnesota whose book, "Redefining Christianity: Understanding the Purpose Driven Movement," critiques Warren's work.
"We have a message about how people get right with God, not about how the world is going to get rid of its problems," DeWaay said.
Warren insists that he is doing God's work, if on a scale that most churches can only imagine. "As a pastor, if you love people, they will follow you," he said. "I believe that Jesus Christ changes lives."
--
duke.helfand@latimes.com
Saddleback's Civil Forum will be carried by CNN at 5 p.m. Saturday.
--
(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
35 million
Copies sold of Rick Warren's "The Purpose Driven Life"
500,000
People who receive "The Purpose Driven Life Daily Devotional" e-mail
25,000
Churches that have taken part in his "40 Days of Purpose" group-study course
3,000
People who can fit inside the church's "worship center"
1
Families attending Saddleback Church when Warren and his wife, Kay, founded it in 1980
--
Source: Saddleback Church, Rick Warren
