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Rick Warren's plan to mobilize one billion foot soldiers for the Gospel.
More than 400,000 pastors and church leaders have attended "purpose driven" life training, based on Pastor Rick Warren's, "The Purpose Driven Life." Now Warren, who is founding pastor of Saddleback Church in the United States, is preparing to lead all "purpose driven churches" around the world to embark on a strategy that will have a significant impact for global evangelism.
Warren has outlined a bold initiative called the PEACE plan, according to Andy Hein, Mobilization Pastor at Saddleback church. Hein says: "The objective is to mobilize every believer to live on mission in a strategic way by attacking what Rick has identified as the five global evil giants."
These 'giants' include spiritual emptiness, a shortage of servant leaders, poverty, disease, and illiteracy/ignorance. "These are the five biggest problems on the planet, affecting billions," says Warren.
Hein said P.E.A.C.E. is an acrostic for Plant churches, Equip leaders, Assist the poor, Care for the sick and Educate the next generation. It's part of a vision Warren has for a New Reformation in churches and a New Spiritual Awakening through churches around the world.
According to Hein, PEACE is a local church initiative, mobilizing millions of small groups to help believers start reaching out at home and around the world.
"Once a small group has begun reaching out in their own Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, that small group can go to another country and connect with a church in that country," Hein explained.
"We believe average people can train and equip other believers to do the PEACE Plan in their own church and context, " said Warren.
Among other principles, the plan is built on what Warren calls "exponential thinking."
"We only do what can be reproduced by normal folks in normal churches. That way the plan will keep multiplying and never stop. Once PEACE is released through other local churches, it will continue to reproduce around the world in an exponential fashion. It is going to be amazing to watch. But it all must start with prayer," Warren said.
Hein says the PEACE plan will give Christians the training they need to obey both the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.
"In the past we have relied heavily on full time missionaries to get the job done. Our vision is to also add a billion Christian foot soldiers that are engaged in the battle in a strategic and intentional way through their own local churches," Hein said.
Warren said the goal of the PEACE plan is "the global glory of God."
"Our prayer is for the fulfillment of Habakkuk 2:14, 'For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea,'" Warren added.
Saddleback church has been testing the PEACE plan quietly for nearly two years.
During this time, thousands of other churches have been preparing their people for PEACE using the "40 Days of Purpose" and "40 Days of Community" local church campaigns. The PEACE plan will be launched through other churches in 2006 when training tools and curriculum are expected to be released.
By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
17 May 2005
Useful link: www.assistnews.net
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