Saddleback Church

Monday, November 15, 2010

Dear Saddleback Family,

This is a significant week! In homes all across southern California, we are all praying, discussing, and deciding what our Decade of Destiny faith commitments will be.

Jesus said, “According to your faith it will be done to you.” YOU get to choose how much God will be able to bless you during the next three years.

Every day this week I’m sending you a link to a five-minute Faith-Builder video I’ve taped to encourage you and strengthen your faith. These short daily devotionals will be a study of one of the aspects of the faith God blesses from Hebrews 11.

MP3 Download

November 4, 2010

Decade of Destiny Update #12

Dear Saddleback Family 

I want you to know that I PERSONALLY write every word of News & Views. It’s my personal connection to you as your pastor. I type every one of these letters myself.

THIS WEEK WITH DECADE OF DESTINY:

1.   THREE REASONS TO BRING YOUR FRIENDS THIS WEEKEND!

* My message, God’s Prescription for Great Health, is a topic of great interest.

* Interviews with Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Daniel Amen & Dr. Mark Hyman! Come watch my interviews with these three New York Times best-selling doctors who have agreed to help Saddleback with a one-year program to get healthy!

* Saddleback’s Community Health Expo this weekend! Click here to check out the map for the Lake Forest campus.

2.   SADDLEBACK IS FOR YOUNG FAMILIES!

Our first Decade of Destiny outreach to young families, Blocktober, on Halloween was a huge success!  Over 10,000 children… plus their parents and adult friends swarmed the Saddleback campus for a great community party!  

Enjoy of few of the notes kids have sent me

·        Pastor Rick, meeting you at Blocktober was like meeting Mickey at Disneyland!   Erin

·        I feel great when I am at this church, so thank you for building this church for us. Mark

·        Great job changing my parents Pastor Rick!  Megan

·        Pastor Rick, how did you get so nice?  Hope

·        All my friends know I go to the big church with big pastor who gives big hugs.  Alex

·        Pastor Rick, U R the dizzle!  Tabby

·        Pastor Rick, my mom has turned into a really great person ever since you came into her life. We can’t wait until each Sunday for Decade of Destiny.  Megan

·        Dear Pastor Rick, you may not know, this but you are pretty famous.  A lot of people know about Jesus because of you and our church. That is a good thing.  Mia

·        Thank you for bringing Jesus into my dad’s life.  It changed my family.  Brian

·        I think it is cool that our pastor goes on trips around the globe to help others, including presidents.  Love, Megan

·        When I heard your eyes got injured, I thought, there was no way that being blind is going to stop Pastor Rick. You are like Chuck Norris!  Joey

·        I haven’t been to this church before, but I have heard a lot about you. You seem like a really cool guy. 

·        My dad loves you, so I think you must be really awesome!  Marissa

·        You’re a really good teacher that makes it fun to learn. Could you also teach at my school? Jessica

3.   THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO FOLLOW GOD’S FINANCIAL PLAN

Over 100 people told me that last weekend’s message was the most important and life-changing message they’d ever heard.

* To WATCH God’s Plan for Financial Blessing
* To WATCH Ronnie Andrew’s amazing testimony of how he started a company six years ago based on God’s financial principles that sold to GE last week for $589 million!

* To WATCH the historic Decade of Destiny vision message.

4.   I NEED YOUR NAME TO RECEIVE YOUR AWARD!

Next weekend, (Nov 13-14) I will present a PEACE Ambassador Medal of Service to every person who has served on a Saddleback Missions Project (national or international) or was a prayer partner for someone who went, or helped financially support someone on a trip. BUT I MUST HAVE YOUR NAME!  Click here to put it on the list.

Nov.13-14:  We will honor all Veterans next weekend. Wear your uniform!

Nov 20-21: Faith Commitment Weekend!   Are you praying with your family and asking God   to lead you?

Decade of Destiny is a 3-year plan (2011-2013) to make the next 10 years the best years of your life. It will prepare you for success… spiritually, emotionally, financially, physically, and relationally… for the glory of God!

The Kickoff Campaign is a 2-month (Oct-Nov) weekend & a small group emphasis to explain the biblical basis for succeeding in the key areas of your life.  Nov 21-22 is the weekend we will each make our 3-year faith commitments to participate in a spiritual growth process.

October 29, 2010
Decade of Destiny Update #11

Dear Saddleback Family,
 
FIRST THE NEWS
1.  THE NEXT 4 WEEKENDS are vital to your success over the next 10 years!
I’m going to teach you from God’s Word the biblical principles and practical steps for…

Oct. 30-31:  Your Financial Health: God’s Plan for getting out of debt & succeeding financially.
     - You will hear the most amazing and encouraging testimony this weekend.
     - Enjoy the article below about advice from Warren Buffet and me!
     - Our BLOCKTOBER PARTY for family fun is this Sunday, Halloween evening.

Nov. 6-7:  Your Physical Health: God’s Plan for being a steward of your body & energy.
     - I’ve interviewed 3 internationally respected doctors: Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Mark Hyman, & Dr. Mehmet Oz, and you’ll hear their expert advice.
     - Our HEALTH EXPOis on this weekend after the service – with over 60 services to help you get healthy!

Nov. 13-14: Your Spiritual Health: God’s Plan for becoming like Christ.
     - Our “TO EVERY NATION” Peace Documentary will premiere on this weekend!
 
     - A beautiful PEACE AMBASSADOR MEDAL OF SERVICE will be presented on this weekend to everyone who has served on a PEACE project (locally or internationally) or financially supported a person to go, or prayed for those who serve.  BUT YOU MUST MAKE SURE YOUR NAME IS LISTED ON LIST of PEACE Ambassadors.  Click here to make sure your name is on the list.
 
Nov. 20-21: Your Mental Health: The skills you must have for a successful family & career.
     - Our CAREER & VOCATIONAL SKILL EXPO is on this weekend after the service!
     - On this weekend we will sign our FAITH COMMITMENT CARDS to join together in supporting each other in growth over the next 3 years.
            
2. You can help us feed thousands of needy families at Thanksgiving and Christmas through our HOPE for the HOLIDAYS partnership with 32 Albertson stores! Sign up this weekend or at saddleback.com/serve.

3. For all your questions, visit our Decade of Destiny website.

NOW THE VIEWS:
I thought you’d enjoy seeing this article that someone emailed to me since I’m speaking on it this weekend.



Wisdom from the “Warrens”
Rick Warren and Warren Buffet can help us in the global recession

       Recently, I read  some gems of wisdom on dealing with the recession from two disparate sources: Rick Warren, the famed pastor and author of the all-time bestselling book in American history and Warren Buffett, the richest man in the world.
 
       Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life, first pointed out how life works.  He noted that life is not really a series of hills and valleys , ups and downs, or highs and lows,  as is often portrayed.  Instead, he explained, “Life is actually more like two rails of a railroad track, with one rail representing the bad things that happen in your life, and other rail representing the good things. We always have both at the same time- never just one or the other. Life is never all good or all bad. Both come at you simultaneously. No matter how good things are, there’s always something you need to be working on, and no matter how bad things are, there is always something good you can thank God for."
 
       Warren’s wife, Kay, battled cancer in ’03-’04 right in the middle of the international triumph of The Purpose Driven Life phenomena. With both success and suffering occurring at the same time, the couple kept their perspective by focusing on their unchanging purpose, and chose to not allow either success or suffering to alter their faith or values.  Warren urged business leaders to focus on opportunities, rather than the obstacles, and on God’s resources rather than the recession.
 
       In spite of financial success, the Warrens still live in the same house they’ve lived in for 17 years and the thrifty pastor still drives a 10 year old Ford. Years ago, he stopped taking a salary from his congregation, paid them back 25 years of salary, began tithing 91% of their income and started 2 charities to give away the millions to those in need. They also initiated a humanitarian effort called  “The P.E.A.C.E. Plan” to attack the five global problems by Planting churches that promote reconciliation, Equipping ethical leaders, Assisting the poor, Caring for the sick, and Educating the next generation.
 
        Pastor Warren said, “You’ll never be secure, whether during this recession or after it ends, as long as you put your security in things that can be taken from you like salary, savings, status, success, or even your family. You must find your security in that which can never be taken from you, and the only thing that fits that bill is a personal relationship with the God who created you.” Some of Warren’s financial wisdom:
   
Value: Never confuse your valuables with your value. Your net-worth is not your self-worth.
Budgeting is telling your money where you want it to go rather than wondering where it went.
Contentment: Use it up, wear it out; make it do, or do without.
Giving: Do your giving while you’re living, then you’ll be knowin’ where it’s goin’.
Saving: The reason we don’t save is envy. We buy things we don’t need, with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t even like!
Financial freedom isn’t determined by how much you make but by how you spend it!
Priority: God uses money to test your spiritual maturity & how much he can trust you.
 
       The other wise Warren - Mr. Buffett -  is just as thrifty and also still lives in the same house he bought before his financial success. He  paid $31,500 for the home he has lived in since 1958. Mr. Buffett offered the same down-to-earth advice for managing your finances during the current recession:
 
Accounting: Beware of little expenses; a small leak can sink a large ship
Earning: Never depend on a single source of income.
Saving: Never save what is left after spending; Spend what is left after saving.
Giving: I’m giving 99% away. Enjoy the process far more than the proceeds.
Spending: If you buy things you don’t need, you’ll soon sell things you need.
Investing: Be interested in stocks only when no one else is. You can’t buy what’s popular and do well.
Legacy: Leave your kids only enough to do something but not enough to do nothing.

       I doubt these two “Warrens” are related, but they are definitely of the same mind when it comes to financial management. END

Bring a friend who is struggling financially this weekend. It will change their life!

October 22, 2010

Decade of Destiny Update #10

Dear Saddleback Family,

How can I be sure what God wants me to do with my life?

This is one of life’s most important questions. I’ll give you the answer in this weekend’s message How Do I Know My Destiny? We learn the four keys from the life of Esther, the most amazing woman of destiny in the Old Testament; a woman who saved the entire Jewish race with her destiny. I urge you to read the short, ten chapter Book of Esther before coming. It will blow your mind.

I’m going to help you succeed in the key areas of your life: spiritual, relational, financial, and physical (health) over the next decade.

Together, we’ll face the next 10 years in phases. We’re now doing the two-month (Oct- Nov) preparation campaign for Phase 1. Decade of Destiny: Phase 1 is a three year program of faith-building that’s designed to help us all from January 2011 to December 2013. It will include dozens of helpful events, studies, resources, and tools; including a personal Life Planning Retreat I’m designing for you to enjoy at our new Rancho Capistrano Retreat Center.

November 8-14 (Mon- Sun) is OPEN HOUSE at our Rancho Capistrano Retreat Center, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 pm.
I want you to see how we’ll use this beautiful place to reduce your stress, focus your life, and grow your career and family. I want you to hear the vision of all the ways you’ll be able to benefit. I want you to experience the presence of God in that peaceful setting. You’ll be able to bring your small group or family anytime during the day that week, take a tour of the campus, and hear the vision for Rancho Capistrano from me!

Have you seen our incredible Decade of Destiny website? Check it out here.

You can help us feed thousands of needy families at Thanksgiving and Christmas through our HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS partnership with 32 Albertson stores! Sign up this weekend or TODAY!