Rick Warren: Three Things That Usually Go Up When the Economy Goes Down

Since he was criticized and condemned from all sides for being invited and for accepting the invitation to pray at the inauguration of Barack Obama, Pastor Rick Warren has largely avoided the media. But on Tuesday, April 14, he did an interview with Sarah Pulliam of Christianity Today. The interview confirms that Pastor Warren does not apologize for his decision to associate with people that do not share his evangelical views. Though he defends marriage as a union between only a man and a woman, he freely speaks of having friends who are leaders in the gay community. He calls President Obama a friend, though they couldn't disagree more on the issues of abortion, sex education, and homosexuality.

The Saddleback Church pastor also attends Muslim and Jewish religious services. But when it comes to "interfaith dialog", Rick Warren says he's not interested. He says such gatherings are talking events that produce little results. Christians, Muslims, Jews, and others in attendance are not likely to convince one another on any subject of importance.

Instead of interfaith dialog, Pastor Warren prefers "interfaith projects". He'd rather people of different faiths work together to deliver health to the sick, to relieve the poor, to educate the next generation, to reduce corruption, and to reconcile people in conflict.

In response to the downturn in the economy, Rick Warren says he has canceled most of his speaking engagements, so he can be at home with his church family.

What catches my attention in the interview is what Pastor Warren says about people's behavior in a down economy. He notes that three things that go up during a recession:

• Church attendance – more people seek meaning in life; they want the things that really matter
• Bar attendance – people seek connection; they want to touch other human beings
• Movie attendance – people want to find relief from the pressures of economic stress

One of Pastor Warren's strength is his ability to correctly read social trends and maximize them to promote the message of Christ. That's how he has built a global community of admirers and followers over the last 30 years he's been the founding pastor of Saddleback Church. This discerning talent is perhaps responsible for the mega success of Pastor Warren's best-selling books, The Purpose-Driven Church and The Purpose-Driven Life.

During this global recession, spiritual leaders like Warren who find ways to minister to people's needs for meaning, connection, and relief will see their churches, cell groups or classes trend upward, regardless of how long the economy bites the dust. No wonder Rick Warren says the finances at Saddleback are higher this year than last year. He and his church are putting services in place to meet the three key recession needs of the cash-strapped masses – meaning, connection, and relief. Even critics of Rick Warren have to admit the man knows how to apply the message of Jesus Christ to the felt needs of real people.