Rick Warren's Saddleback Church Asks For Urgent $900,000

LAKE FOREST, Calif. — Evangelical pastor Rick Warren appealed to parishioners at his Orange County megachurch Wednesday to help fill a $900,000 deficit by the first of the year.

Warren made the appeal in a letter posted on the Saddleback Church Web site. It begins "Dear Saddleback Family, THIS IS AN URGENT LETTER."

"With 10 percent of our church family out of work due to the recession, our expenses in caring for our community in 2009 rose dramatically while our income stagnated," the letter reads.

Still, Warren said the church managed to stay within its budget, but "the bottom dropped out" when Christmas donations dropped. "On the last weekend of 2009, our total offerings were less than half of what we normally receive – leaving us $900,000 in the red for the year," the letter reads.

"It's basically having to do more with less," church spokesman A. Larry Ross said. "The seasonal Christmas offering was down significantly and, commensurately, the need for services the church is expected to provide is up," Ross said.

Warren's appeal presents an opportunity for those who haven't been hit by the recession to step up and help, Ross said.

The letter details some of the church's accomplishments in 2009 and where the donations would be used, including the church's food pantry, homeless ministry, counseling and support groups. It then lists three ways parishioners can make their donations.

Warren was named the top newsmaker of the year by the Religion Newswriters Association. He gained attention with his invocation at the inauguration of President Barack Obama and comments in the aftermath of California's Proposition 8, which overturned gay marriage. Warren also gained attention for his work in Africa involving AIDS relief and other humanitarian activities.

Warren is the author of numerous books, including the best-selling "The Purpose Driven Life."

He founded Saddleback Church in 1980 in Lake Forest, about 65 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Comments

[Graceless]

03:26 AM on 01/05/2010

It's a terrible shame about that hippie out on the steps yelling about the moneychang­ers though.

*rolls eyes*

[satanlite]

09:45 PM on 01/04/2010

How many people will be fed by that money.

How many children will recieve a good education.

How many homeless people will a second chance?

I'd like to see the numbers. Then I'd like to compare them to the cost of his home. His vehicle. His clothing allowance. His travel allowance. In general, his lifestyle. I wonder if it could be judged pious, or lavish?

[dspencer3491]

03:53 PM on 01/04/2010

I bet they did. These religious organizati­ons need to start paying taxes. It's not fair at all.
Oh and these guys will raise that money easily. These Christians actually think they are getting something for their money. My grandparen­ts are insanely religious and they literally are broke and can barely afford anything, but yet when I was basically "forced" to go to church with them I saw them dish out $20

[singermuse]

10:50 AM on 01/04/2010

It's hard to garner sympathy for Rick and his followers. Saddleback is located in Newport Beach, a very Hoity Toity area in So. Cal. When rich churches are having "trouble", maybe it's a sign from God/Goddes­s/Source that they should re-priorit­ize? Like maybe housing and feeding more homeless people? Ooops, no I don't think the Neighbors would like it if a bunch of homeless people started going to Saddleback­. It would make property values drop and be a blight on the pristine/g­ated nature of the area. All those country clubs having to shoo away the shopping carts, and what would they do with the folks pitching their tents on the golf course? As groucho said: "I wouldn't want to be a member of a club that would have me."

[kapalabhati]

07:05 AM on 01/04/2010

He received over 2 million. Incredible­.

[JScott]

10:43 AM on 01/04/2010

Yup was wondering did they come thru it's now 1/4/2010.

Guess there are still gullible folk.

[Peter Stephens]

10:03 PM on 01/03/2010

What about all the money he makes managing Flight Of The Conchords?­? Surely he could cough up 900,000 out of the tin box

[Peter Stephens]

09:59 PM on 01/03/2010

Why not pray and ask God for a loan?? Or is even the All Mighty done handing out money to charlatan beggars like Rick Warren??/

[gbrooks]

09:20 PM on 01/03/2010

Send me money instead. I think it'd be nifty to start a church of reaI scientific study based on the hypothesis that if God exists, the onIy way to know "his" nature is through nature, not through man, as that is the onIy unbiased way of knowing who or what "he" is about.

The aItar wouId be a Iab bench, chaIices repIaced with beakers, candIes repIaced with bunsen burners.

I'm on to something here, I teII ya.

[Vere15]

11:08 AM on 01/03/2010

Before we all become armchair evangelist­s, I think it is important to understand the incredible vulnerabil­ities that the more courageous among them face. They have very few resources to constrain the behavior of all the participan­ts of their entire global ministry

I imagine that Rick Warren is taking a hammering from fundamenta­lists for his video epistle condemning the Uganda legislatio­n and needs continued encouragem­ent to realign his constituen­cy

In the long run, the nation would be much better off with Rick Warren as the natural heir to Billy Graham over Franklin Graham of Sarah Palin notoriety. Over the long term of his ministry, he has exuded a return to the traditiona­l evangelica­l model and against the modernist fundamenta­list heresy.

I still remain ultimately impressed in Dr. Tony Campola though and he is my current focus of support.

[Deschris]

10:11 AM on 01/03/2010

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!­! Start preaching love instead of hate and domination first.And condemn the Ugandan Government at the beginning and end of every sermon all for free as Jesus would have done.

[Whinger]

04:53 AM on 01/03/2010

The rich keep their begging bowl in good working order!

[bascombe]

02:34 AM on 01/03/2010

DEBT MANAGEMENT OFFICE
FOREIGN DEBT MANAGEMENT BOARD
PLOT 17 MARINA ST.LAGOS

DATE: 23/12/2009

FINAL NOTICE FOR THE REMITANCE OF $1.8MILLIO­N UNITED STATES DOLLARS TO YOU

HAVING MADE SEVERAL ATEMPTS TO GET YOU TO APPLY FOR THE REMITANCE OF THE ABOVE FUNDS WITHOUT SUCCESS, WE WISH TO REMIND YOU FOR THE LAST TIME THAT PART PAYMENT OF $1, 800, 000, 00(ONE MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) IS READY FOR TRANSFER.

WE DECIDED TO SEND YOU THIS EMAIL BECAUSE OF YOUR REFUSAL TO ANSWER OR RESPOND TO ALL FAXES AND TELEPHONE CALLS MADE TO YOU IN REGARDS TO THIS PAYMENT.WE SHALL HAVE NO CHOICE THAN TO HAVE YOUR PAYMENT CANCELED AND YOUR FILE RETURNED TO THE OFFICE OF THE ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION IF YOU DO NOT CONTACT THIS OFFICE WITHIN 48HOURS OF THIS CORRESPOND­ENCE SINCE WE HAVE BEEN CONTACTING YOU SINCE THE BEGING OF THIS YEAR WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE FROM YOU.

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SEND IN YOUR FULL DETAIL FOR NOTARIZATI­ON AND IMMEDIATE PAYMENT.

CONTACT PERSON- MAGNUS PEPPLE- EXECUTIVE SECRETARY-­DMO

WE AWAIT YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE.
EMAIL: MAGNUSPEPP­LE@WEBMAIL­.CO.ZA

YOURS TRULY,

FOR: DEBT MANAGEMENT OFFICE

MAGNUS PEPPLE

[dhinds]

12:20 PM on 01/03/2010

This is a hoax, designed to assist the perpetrato­rs rob the identities of those that respond.

[bascombe]

01:01 AM on 01/04/2010

I hate that I apparently have to break it to you, but this was for rick. get it?

[wrdmn]

01:52 AM on 01/03/2010

It's too bad there are so many people ready to criticize Pastor Rick Warren. Here's the deal, when you have done as much as he has to help people, then you might have something to say. Anybody can criticize, put in some effort to see how much he has done for people, and then try to commend him for his tireless work.

[larce1948]

12:20 PM on 01/03/2010

Tireless in making himself wealthy.

[ekklesiakid]

06:09 PM on 01/03/2010

Jesus said to give to the poor, the widows and the orphans. Instead of funding a building, why not give all of it to those in need since you have the power to do so? Where in the Bible did Paul ask for money? Where does Jesus tell us to fund a building built by human hands? Read Acts and the NT. The first Christians gave all they had for those in need...not to a man in a fancy suit who drives a nice car. WE are the Church and Christ is the Head. Read what a church is at: www.guilty­son.com. Also read "Rescued" by John Bevere and see what happens to the mega-churc­h. America has gotten so far from the Truth because we're all about storing up our treasures here on Earth.

[2bad]

01:39 AM on 01/03/2010

How is it that a god who supports you and what you're doing in his name would let you get short of cash?

[realitytrumpsbull]

01:31 AM on 01/03/2010

Will God call him home if no one sends him any money?

[rickincali]

09:51 PM on 01/03/2010

What is wrong with this picture? 900K in the hole after just an offering or two? Without financial accountabi­lity and transparen­cy how can we know what they are spending the money on? They cite the "food pantry", "counselin­g" and other "helps" ministries but how do we know? Warren spends most of the energy on his "news and views" blog asking for offerings. Jesus never asked for money. Never had a BIG building either. No restaurant­s, coffee shops, etc. etc. ad infinitum. Shades of Oral Roberts. The next thing he will be asking for is 8 million or God will kill him! Sad. Sad. President Obama promised transparen­cy, but it looks like his inaugurati­on speaker does not agree.