Rick Warren

Founder, Saddleback Church

The Reverend Rick Warren, author of “The Purpose Driven Life” (2002), founded Saddleback Church in 1980 with one family. Today, the church has 83,000 members, of whom about 23,000 attend weekly services on its 120-acre campus in Lake Forest, Calif. The Purpose Driven Life sold more than 30 million copies in English and became an international best-seller, translated into more than 50 languages. The “On Faith” panelist addresses priests and pastors at cross-denominational Christian training events organized through the Purpose Driven Network. More than 700,000 church leaders in 163 countries have attended such gatherings. Warren also founded www.pastors.com as a resource for clergy, and in 1995 authored The Purpose Driven Church, which is used as a seminary textbook. Warren advises international leaders on poverty, health, education, corruption, leadership development, and faith and ethics in culture. He has spoken at the United Nations, the Global Health Summit, and the World Economic Forum in Davos. He originated the Global P.E.A.C.E. plan to Partner with local churches, Equip servant leaders, Assist the poor, Care for the sick, and Educate the next generation. He and his wife Kay donate 90% of their income to three charities: Acts of Mercy, which provides assistance to people living with HIV and AIDS; Equipping Leaders, which trains leaders in developing countries; and the Global Peace Fund, which facilitates congregations, businesses, and governments’ coordinated efforts to fight poverty, disease, and corruption. Close.