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Rick Warren names his successor(s)

John Fea   |  June 2, 2022

The evangelical megachurch pastor and author has just named his successor.

Here is Bob Smietana at Religion News Service:

After more than four decades, the pastor of one of the nation’s largest and most influential churches is ready to step down.

And he has named a young couple to take his place.

“This afternoon, at our all-staff meeting held at the Lake Forest campus, I was finally able to publicly announce that we have found God’s couple to lead our congregation, and that they have agreed to come!” Saddleback Church pastor Rick Warren told his Orange County, California, congregation in an email on Thursday (June 2).

The email included a link to a video featuring Warren and his wife, Kay, along with Andy and Stacie Wood of Echo Church in San Jose, California. Andy Wood, 40, is currently Echo’s lead pastor, while Stacie Wood is a teaching pastor. They will have the same roles at Saddleback.

Read the rest here.

And watch:

Of course the fact that Stacie Wood will serve as a “teaching pastor” is going to drive the complementarian Southern Baptist Convention crazy! (Saddleback is a member of the SBC). It will be interesting to compare the level of outrage they have for this with the outrage over the recent sexual abuse scandal.

And here we go:

Andy Wood is currently pastor at Echo Church. He and his wife both preach and are called pastors. They are one of the @NAMB_SBC churches I highlighted last year.

So Saddleback will have a woman who is a preaching pastor. Past time to remove them from the SBC. pic.twitter.com/oGfUtW4ge5

— Tom Buck (Five Point Buck) (@TomBuck) June 2, 2022

This entire article speaks to the false doctrine in Saddleback Church. They should be removed from the SBC now.https://t.co/dl2fGaVB7g

— Jim Whaley (@jimwhaley) June 3, 2022

2/3 Make Baptists Baptist Again. BF&M2K, “While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.” https://t.co/QQfnG5qSa8

— Dusty Deevers (@DustyDeevers) June 3, 2022

3/3 Make Baptists Biblical Again. God through the Apostle Paul: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet” (1 Timothy 2:12). #changethedirection Like @tomascol says, “We have a Book!”

— Dusty Deevers (@DustyDeevers) June 3, 2022

Who's going to make the motion to give Saddleback the boot? https://t.co/4JWstI0GjN

— Michelle Lesley (@MichelleDLesley) June 3, 2022

While we should pray for his repentance and for whoever takes over at Saddleback to preach the biblical gospel, i can only imagine how bad the teaching will be.

— 𝕵𝖎𝖒𝖒𝖎𝖊 𝕽𝖆𝖞 (@intensepreacher) June 3, 2022

Yes. We should disfellowship any church that condones or hides abuse, or racism, or other gross violations of our shared Biblical standards as expressed in the BFM2000.

Saddleback can have women pastors if it wants: this is America. But it can’t be part of the SBC.

— Rod D. Martin (@RodDMartin) June 5, 2022

Why do @SBCCP COOP dollars go to the Baptist Press? BP deliberately flaunts the BFM2000. Saddleback ordains women pastors and their new Pastor celebrates homosexuality, while co-preaching with his wife & Warren names him Pastor. @BaptistPress pic.twitter.com/qVFmg2MNki

— Scott Patton (@ScottPatton33) June 4, 2022

If you ever want to pastor Saddleback, make sure your preaching stays shallow and moralistic. Apparently, you’ll also need your wife to sign up for co-pastor. What a weird time..,

— pagemasta (@AdamPage85) June 4, 2022

I mean just this week our last SBC president, JD Greear, commended Rick Warren (an SBC pastor) for a job well done. How did Rick end his race? By appointing a man and woman pastor team for saddleback.

The water is heating up fellas.

— Allen S. Nelson IV (@cuatronelson) June 4, 2022

“At the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting the following month, Saddleback was reported to the Credentials Committee, which is charged with deciding whether or not a church is in “friendly cooperation” with the convention…”

/2https://t.co/xUrEsRYsfT

— Denny Burk (@DennyBurk) June 4, 2022

"The email included a link to a video featuring Warren & his wife, Kay, along with Andy & Stacie Wood of Echo Church… Andy Wood, 40, is currently Echo’s lead pastor, while Stacie Wood is a teaching pastor. They will have the same roles at Saddleback"

/4https://t.co/YPanJOgp3N

— Denny Burk (@DennyBurk) June 4, 2022

For two years I have been sounding the alarm about women holding office or performing functions of a pastor. I was constantly ignored and accused of being divisive. But the reality is women pastors is becoming an increasing problem in the SBC.

— Tom Buck (Five Point Buck) (@TomBuck) June 4, 2022

Apparently there are other concerns as well:

.@Saddleback's @RickWarren says he'll retire in Sept. Replacing him are Stacie & @andywood of @echochurchlive. Echo is member of scandal-plagued @arcchurches. It hosts a leadership conf that last yr featured Mark Driscoll. Wood also has worked w/ @NAMB_SBChttps://t.co/DJ98yVxdKe

— Julie Roys (@reachjulieroys) June 2, 2022

Wood brought in Driscoll in 2021, after overwhelming evidence of Driscoll's abuse and lack of repentance was publicly known. Also, Echo remains a member of ARC today, despite everything that's been reported. Those are the facts. https://t.co/QVTpnDYtIg

— Julie Roys (@reachjulieroys) June 2, 2022

Filed Under: Way of Improvement Tagged With: evangelicalism, megachurches, Rick Warren