During a significant gathering of global Christian leaders, Rick Warren, an esteemed pastor and author, emphasized the importance of actively living out the teachings of Jesus rather than merely knowing them. His message was delivered at the World Evangelical Alliance’s 14th General Assembly at SaRang Church in Seoul, where thousands assembled to hear his insights.
Addressing over 850 international Christian leaders and more than 4,000 Korean pastors, Warren underscored the necessity of adopting what he described as “God’s method,” a strategy he believes is unparalleled. Warren’s church, Saddleback, holds the distinction of being the “only church in Christian history” to establish congregations in 197 different countries.
The event aligned with the World Evangelical Alliance’s goal of fulfilling the Great Commission by 2033, marking two millennia since Jesus Christ’s resurrection. The central theme, inspired by Ephesians 2:13–18, focuses on ensuring that every individual globally hears the Gospel within the next eight years.
Rick Warren expressed gratitude towards SaRang Church, a congregation of over 60,000 members, for their commitment to spreading the Gospel worldwide. He contrasted this with other megachurches that, in his view, lack an interest in global evangelism.
Warren urged the attendees to follow Jesus’ example by highlighting “one of the most overlooked verses in the entire Bible,” John 12:49, where Jesus acknowledges His teachings come directly from God. He emphasized that knowledge of these teachings requires action to truly receive God’s blessings.
In his extensive ministry, Warren baptized over 54,000 new believers. He outlined five key actions derived from Jesus’ ministry, encapsulated in the PEACE acronym: passing on the Gospel, equipping disciples, alleviating suffering through preaching, teaching, and healing, continuous prayer, and establishing new churches.
“If you want the blessing of God on your life, if you want the power of God in your life, if you want the anointing of God on your life, you must care about what Jesus cares about most. He wants His lost children found,” Warren said, as he stressed the importance of continually reaching out to those who do not know Jesus. He cited relevant scriptures from John 4:34, John 5:36, and John 6:38.
Warren also emphasized the importance of emulating Jesus’ holistic approach to ministry, as shown in John 13:17 and John 17. He stressed the necessity of being “doers of the Word,” referring to Jesus’ frequent urging to “Go and do likewise.”
Highlighting the historical impact of Christian missions in education and healthcare, Warren reminded attendees that the first hospitals and universities were often founded by Christians. He concluded his address by challenging the leaders to not only preach but to model their ministries after Jesus to truly transform the world within the next eight years.
Warren is set to further elaborate on this theme, sharing insights from the early Christian church in Jerusalem and the teachings of Paul later in the assembly.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
