Saddleback Pastor Continues the Message of Renewal Found in The Purpose Driven Life with National '40 Days of Love' Campaign

/PRNewswire/ -- Following in the footsteps of the popular "40 Days of Purpose" campaign that thousands of churches participated in worldwide, Saddleback Church is launching a national "40 Days of Love" campaign. The campaign, which launches across the country February 1st, is based on the book The Relationship Principles of Jesus (Zondervan, 2008) by Tom Holladay, teaching pastor at Saddleback.

Focused on relational renewal, the book, begins where Rick Warren's best-selling The Purpose Driven Life (Zondervan 2002), which focuses on personal renewal, ended. More than 1,000 churches across the country are signed up to participate.

"With conflict, divorce, violence, prejudice, abuse, division, and polarization around us daily, it's obvious we all need some lessons in building healthy relationships," says Rick Warren, senior pastor at Saddleback. "This is my dream: If every group and church that participated in '40 Days of Purpose' worldwide would also study The Relationship Principles of Jesus as a part of '40 Days of Love,' it could bring about a revival of love that would change the cultural climate of our world," adds Warren.

Beginning in February, churches nationwide will take part in the "40 Days of Love" campaign which walks participants through the book's 40-day study guide that teaches six key principals to loving people based on the words and actions of Jesus. Built into each day's reading is a reflection on one of the principles, the scripture it is built on, real life examples, and practical suggestions to implement Christ's example into relationships. This 40-day journey is designed to bring new health and richness to participants' marriages, families, friendships, and all the relationships in their lives, producing deeper connections and renewing rocky relationships.

The six relationship principles explored in the book include:

-- Place the highest value on relationships
-- Love as Jesus Loves you
-- Communicate from the heart
-- As you judge, you will be judged
-- The greatest are the servants
-- Treat others as you want them to treat you

Holladay writes, "God wants us to depend on him for the power to love. So he challenges us to love in a way we can only accomplish through dependence on his power." Holladay bases these principles on an extensive study of what Jesus lived and taught about relationships and actions towards others, a study which was filled with challenging and surprising truths for life.

Information on the 40 Days of Love campaign can be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/88f82f

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FOX News Channel to Broadcast Saddleback Church Christmas Service: Pastor Rick Warren Delivers Message of Hope for Changing Times

/PRNewswire/ -- FOX News Channel will broadcast four special airings on Dec. 24 and 25 of Saddleback Church's Christmas service featuring an inspirational message titled "When God Changes Your Plans" from Dr. Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in southern California and author of "The Purpose Driven Life" and "The Purpose of Christmas."

"What do you do when your plans don't go the way you want them to, like the economy drops out of the bottom?" Warren asks in his timely sermon. "What do you do when all of a sudden your future seems uncertain and you don't know which way to turn or what to do? When things don't go the way you plan you need to remember three things -- God is trying to get your attention; God has a better plan; and God wants you to trust Him."

During the current economic state, many Americans are looking for a sense of peace amidst troubled times. Warren observes that people have been on a similar quest since the first Christmas day more than 2,000 years ago, when one man sought a place for his young fiancee to give birth; shepherds searched for a baby in a manger; and wise men traveled from afar to find a newborn King. Warren's message brings hope by looking past the commercialization of the Season to recognize the true meaning of Christmas.

Saddleback Church will hold a total of 16 Christmas services for the 2008 holiday. The church began services Dec. 20 and will conclude with six on Christmas Eve at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. PST. FOX News Channel recorded one of the earlier programs that will be broadcast nationwide in real time on Dec. 24 at 10 p.m. EST, repeating overnight into Christmas on Dec. 25 at 1 a.m., 4 a.m. and 2 p.m. EST. Check local listings, as all times are subject to change.

"God's plan is bigger than your plan and God's plan is often harder than your plan but God's plan is also better than your plan," Warren continued. "Whenever you cooperate with God's plan and purpose for your life, you get something that you can't get any other way -- significance and meaning."

This is the third year FOX has chosen to broadcast the Saddleback Christmas services, which in previous years have drawn more than 40,000 people. Various musical selections from the Saddleback orchestra, choir and congregants will be interspersed throughout Warren's inspirational message focusing on the "unexpected change" surrounding Christ's birth and the lessons God teaches through it to help us cope with change in today's society.

"Some of you, since September, have lost a lot of income," Warren added. "Some people have been laid off. Some of you have seen your retirement income, your savings, your investments just go way, way down and all you can do is trust. And God is saying that's exactly what I want you to do."

Founded in 1980 by the Warrens, Saddleback Church is located in Orange County, Calif. With an average weekly attendance of 22,000, it is one of the five largest churches in America. For more information about the Saddleback Christmas services, visit http://christmas.saddleback.com/.

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