On the inaugural evening of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) General Assembly, Pastor Rick Warren passionately challenged church leaders from across the globe. He urged them not only to proclaim the message of Jesus but to adopt His approach by sharing the gospel with the impoverished, the ill, and those in despair, praying as He did, and building His church through His example.
The 14th WEA General Assembly, held in Seoul, is themed “The Gospel for Everyone by 2033,” with the ambitious aim of ensuring the gospel reaches every individual by the 2,000th anniversary of Christ’s death and resurrection. With only eight years left to this goal, Pastor Warren called on the global church to emulate Jesus’ ministry model.
As the founding pastor of Saddleback Church and a renowned author, Warren is leading daily Bible studies throughout the five-day event, focusing on core themes such as Living the Gospel, Proclaiming the Gospel, Representing the Gospel, and Celebrating the Gospel.
During the first day’s study, Warren reminded the attendees of God’s universal love, emphasizing that, “God has never made a person He didn’t love, and there’s never been anyone He didn’t want to know Him.” This fundamental belief also motivates WEA’s 2025 vision.
Warren expressed his gratitude to the event organizers and hosts, including Dr. John Oh and Dr. Goodwill Shana, for creating a space where evangelical leaders could come together in prayer and strategy.
To achieve the 2033 vision, Warren stressed the importance of following Jesus’ ministry model. He stated, “I’m not interested in American, European, or any nation’s methods. If there’s a principle that’s truly biblical, it will work anywhere—it’s transcultural. God’s Word is perfect; it is our best model.”
He pointed out that Scripture provides three key ministry models for sharing the gospel: that of Jesus Christ, the early church in Jerusalem, and the Apostle Paul. Quoting John 12:49, Warren highlighted Jesus’ declaration that He spoke on divine instructions, underscoring a critical reason the Great Commission remains incomplete after 2,000 years.
Warren elaborated on five central aspects of Jesus’ ministry: preaching, teaching, healing, praying, and building the church. He used the acronym PEACE to help pastors remember these principles in the U.S.:
– Pass on the Good News (Preaching)
– Equip Disciples (Teaching)
– Alleviate Suffering (Healing)
– Continually Pray (Prayer)
– Establish New Churches (Church Planting)
“Every church, regardless of size, can do these things,” Warren asserted. He encouraged pastors to dedicate the next eight years to living out this ideal ministry model, declaring, “If we learn not only His message but also His method, we will see the gospel spread across the world in unprecedented ways.”
Reflecting on the early church’s expansion, Warren noted that it experienced the fastest growth in Christian history. From the resurrection of Christ in A.D. 33 to A.D. 360, the church grew by about 50 percent each decade, transitioning from just 120 believers in an upper room to half of the Roman Empire’s 60 million citizens converting to Christianity, even influencing the emperor himself.
Warren concluded his address with a heartfelt challenge, urging leaders to commit to following Jesus’ method of ministry. He beckoned them to renew their dedication to the Great Commission, reiterating the importance of serving and following Christ’s model.
“If you know something more important to pursue in your life than following Jesus’ model,” he said, “please share it. For me, I chose long ago to dedicate my life to Christ, striving to follow His example. Join me in actively supporting the Great Commission.”