The new pastor typically sports a goatee, casual clothes and sneakers as he takes the stage.ĭuring a recent 40-minute sermon about courage, Wood seamlessly wove in personal stories, Biblical tales and plenty of humor. Wood’s easy, welcoming manner and bright smile during sermons are reminiscent of Warren’s iconic preaching style. “If anything, SBC needs Saddleback because the denomination has been recording declines for the last 12 years.” “I don’t see that changing under the new pastor,” Thumma said. He said Saddleback’s relationship with the SBC has been “tenuous at best” because Warren didn’t take an active role in denominational politics. “The key here is to probably not make too many waves right away, but allow the people of Saddleback to know him as a human being.” “Following some of the patterns at other megachurches like having multiple sites and embracing diversity are good steps,” he said. Wood’s interest in honoring Warren’s legacy is a positive sign, said Scott Thumma, professor of the sociology of religion at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace who has studied megachurches. “I’d really like to be a unifier of people – to help, love and support pastors in the SBC.” “I’m not looking to engage in denominational battles,” he said. He said he’ll encourage men and women to preach - an approach at odds with the male-leadership policies of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the country, with which Saddleback has been aligned since its inception. Speaking with The Associated Press, Wood outlined his grand vision to build on Warren’s legacy and take Saddleback to the biggest cities in the U.S. Despite the difference in age and experience, what Warren and Wood have in common is their commitment to a global church and nurturing female pastors. Today, it’s a multi-site ministry reaching about 40,000 people worldwide. It has been about a month since Andy Wood, 41, succeeded Pastor Rick Warren, author of the blockbuster bestseller “The Purpose Driven Life” and one of the most renowned figures in evangelical Christianity, who founded Saddleback in California’s Orange County nearly 43 years ago – before Wood was born. (AP) - On a recent Sunday morning, in the sanctuary of Saddleback Church, Lead Pastor Andy Wood opened with a shout-out to the congregation’s newest female teaching pastor – his wife Stacie Wood.
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