Tonight at Exponential Rick Warren joined the NewThing Team for a free pizza dinner. We invited anyone and everyone interested in learning more about NewThing to come. 200 people showed up. I would imagine that Rick being there probably had something to do with it.
So, I walk into the hotel where we were holding the dinner, and off to the right I hear this voice, "Hey guys!" And who is it? A large man with with sun glasses on who looks remarkably a lot like Rick Warren. And it was Rick Warren. He has an amazing ability to make just about anyone he meets feel like the most important person on the planet.
I am a huge fan, and here's why:
1. He gives every thing he's got to helping people find their way back to God. In almost thirty years of ministry at Saddleback hundreds of thousands of people have found their way back to God. And he started with just himself and his wife, Kay.
2. He is incredibly generous. He reverse tithes. Gives away 90% of what he brings in. I don't care about the fact that he's no doubt a millionaire many times over, he is setting a great example for what it means to be generous.
3. He believes in small groups. He couldn't have made it more clear tonight that the real stuff of church and discipleship happens within the context of small groups. His 40 Days of Purpose have helped thousands of churches group hundreds of thousands of people.
4. He's all about reproducing churches. Saddleback has been part of launching hundreds of new churches as well as reproducing a number of campuses throughout Southern California.
5. He loves alliterations and acronyms. Say what you want, make fun of them, I don't care. They work. People remember memorable things, and Rick has an amazing ability to make things memorable.
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