Last Minute News & Views! EASTER Edition

Thanks To All Who Are Watching Online at Http://www.SaddlebackFamily.com

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Pastor Rick Warren <pastorrick@saddleback.org>
Date: Fri, Apr 2, 2010 at 7:14 PM
Subject: Last Minute News & Views! EASTER Edition
To: "james@jameschristy.com" <james@jameschristy.com>

SPECIAL EASTER WEEKEND EDITION 2010 All you need to know at the last minute! 1. TICKETS 2,000 SUNDAY tickets are now available! These were graciously returned by unselfish members who want to give unchurched seekers the opportunity to attend on Sunday! What an amazing testimony of love and spiritual maturity – thinking of others. 9,000 SATURDAY tickets are still available! These tickets will be distributed at Saturday's Class 101 (Joining Our Saddleback Family) If any tickets are left over, they will be distributed on a first-come, first served basis at the MAIN Gate of Angel Stadium." 2. CLASS 101- SAT AM: LAST CHANCE TO BECOME A LEGACY MEMBER! Taught by Pastor Rick & Kay Warren (1st time together!) Pastor Tom, and Pastor Tommy. 8:15am in the Worship Center. Over 1,000 people have already signed up. Register 3. WHAT TO BRING TO EASTER Bring Your Bible. Bring a bag of groceries. Bring your guest. Bring a change of clothes to be baptized. Rick is baptizing only after Sunday service. 4. TELL OTHERS TO LISTEN OR WATCH LIVE! XM Radio Channel 245 - 10am PST Sirius Radio Channel 90 - 10am PST KFSH 95.9 FM Radio - 10am PST Saddleback Online: http://www.easteratsaddleback.com/ 5. BEGINNING OUR DECADE OF DESTINY! Below is an open letter to Orange County carried in the Friday Orange County Register

For three decades the people of Orange County have shown us far more grace and love than we could have ever imagined. Since we announced the beginning of Saddleback Church 30 years ago this week with a open letter, we wanted to write another open letter to express our deep gratitude to all of you. There is no other place on the planet quite like Orange County. Yes, we have amazing weather and unlimited opportunities to enjoy it, but the real treasure of our county is the people. You make Orange County special. We know this firsthand, from hundreds of thousands of one-on-one conversations with you over the years, sharing your good times and bad times, the births and deaths, the celebrations, and all the seasons and stages of life. We have seen the personal side of Orange County up close, and it is impressive. But we also want to thank those of you that we haven't met yet - you who make living in Orange County great because of your hard work, your community service, and your friendship as neighbors. We'd like to thank the Saddleback and Capo school districts for renting the church space for the 13 years we had no permanent building. We'd like to thank the Sheriff's departments and all the Fire departments we've partnered with during fires, floods, mud slides, earthquakes, and other disasters. It is a privilege to serve our county with such competent people. We'd like to thank all the other wonderful Orange County churches, and especially their pastors, who we've had the privilege of serving alongside. We have different labels and worship styles but we all serve the same risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You are dear friends to us. I could die a fulfilled, happy man today, but I am more excited about the next 10 years, than the previous 30. During our Decade of Destiny, (2010-2019) we intend to mobilize our 4,000 small groups already meeting weekly across Southern California to launch a Saddleback church campus in every Orange County city. If you don't have a spiritual home, stop by a Saddleback congregation near you. We believe in Orange County and we believe in you. May God bless you greatly. Happy Easter! He is Risen! Rick & Kay Warren

Rick and Kay Warren, age 25, moved to Orange County from Texas in January 1980 to begin a new church. Arriving with a 4 month old baby late one Friday afternoon in a U-hall truck, they stopped at the first real estate office they found. Warren introduced himself to the only realtor in the office: "My name is Rick, I'm here to start a church, and I need a place to live … but I don't have any money!" Realtor Don Dale laughed and said, "Well, let's see what we can do." Within two hours, the Warrens had rented a condo with nothing down and getting the first month's rent free. Warren asked Dale if he attended any church He said "No," so Warren replied, "Great! You're my first member!" The two families began Saddleback church meeting in that condo. The small group quickly grew to 15 people. To announce the first public service on Easter, 1980, Warren wrote an open letter to the community. The letter announced, "A new church for people who've given up on church." The small group of fifteen hand addressed and hand stamped 15,000 invitations to Easter. Ten days later, 205 strangers showed up at the first service at Laguna Hills High School. A church was born. At the first service, Warren announced his 40 year commitment to leading the new congregation and laid out a vision for the future. it is the dream of a place where the hurting, the depressed, the frustrated and the confused can find love, acceptance, help, hope, forgiveness, guidance and encouragement. It is the dream of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with hundreds of thousands of residents in South Orange County. It is the dream of welcoming 20,000 members into the fellowship of God's family— loving, laughing, learning and living in harmony together. It is the dream of developing people to spiritual maturity through Bible studies, seminars, retreats, small groups, and a Bible school for our members. It is the dream of equipping every believer for a significant ministry by helping them discover the gifts and talents God gave them. It is the dream of sending out hundreds of career missionaries and church leaders all around the world, and empowering every member for their personal life mission in the world. It is the dream of sending out our members by the thousands on short-term mission projects to every continent. It is the dream of starting at least one new daughter church a year. I stand before you today and state in confident assurance that these dreams will become reality! Why? Because they are inspired by God. Over the next 15 years, the church kept outgrowing rented facilities, requiring that they use 67 different locations to accommodate the growth! Members joked, "This is the church you get to attend IF you can figure out where we are meeting this week!" The churched used four different high schools, numerous elementary schools, theaters, restaurants office buildings, recreation and community centers, parks, and stadiums, eventually holding four weekend services in a 2,300 seat high-tech tent. Saddleback is the only American church to grow to over 10,000 in attendance without owning a building. "We wanted to make the point that a church is people, not a building," explained Warren, "so we put off building until we had no other choice." Today, as Saddleback Church begins its Decade of Destiny, Saddleback holds weekend services in many cities, and over 4,000 small groups meet weekly in every city of Southern California. Try one this week!

Saddleback Church Purpose Driven Network P.E.A.C.E. Coalition

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