Rick Warren: podcast appearances and interviews

Richard Duane Warren is an American evangelical Christian pastor and author. He is the founder of Saddleback Church, a large evangelical Baptist megachurch located in Lake Forest, California. Since 2022, Warren has served as the executive director of the Finishing the Task mission coalition. Born in San Jose, California, on January 28, 1954, Warren was raised in Ukiah, California, by his father Jimmy, a Baptist minister, and his mother Dot, a high-school librarian. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from California Baptist University, a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1979, and a Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary. In 1980, Warren founded Saddleback Church, initially starting with a small Bible study group that grew into a congregation averaging nearly 20,000 weekly attendees. He developed the Purpose Driven philosophy of ministry, which emphasizes growth through five purposes: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. Warren is the author of The Purpose Driven Church and The Purpose Driven Life, with the latter selling over 30 million copies. He co-founded the P.E.A.C.E. Plan, a humanitarian initiative for churches, and has spoken at international forums including the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and TED. Throughout his career, Warren has engaged in political and social issues, often attracting controversy, notably opposing same-sex marriage and supporting Proposition 8 in California. He has been recognized as one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People and has been active in humanitarian and mental health initiatives, especially following personal tragedy.