On the opening night of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) General Assembly, Pastor Rick Warren issued a heartfelt challenge to church leaders around the world: “Don’t just preach the message of Jesus; learn His model—share the gospel with the poor, the sick, and the broken as He did; pray as He prayed; and build the church as He built it.”

The 14th WEA General Assembly, held in Seoul under the theme “The Gospel for Everyone by 2033,” envisions that by the 2,000th anniversary of Christ’s death and resurrection, the gospel will have reached every person on earth. With eight years remaining toward that goal, Pastor Warren urged the global church to follow “the ministry model of Jesus.”

As founding pastor of Saddleback Church and best-selling author, Warren was invited to lead daily Bible studies throughout the five-day gathering. Each day focused on a key theme: Living the Gospel, Proclaiming the Gospel, Representing the Gospel, and Celebrating the Gospel.

On the first day’s study, Warren began by reminding pastors of God’s universal love: “God has never made a person He didn’t love, and there’s never been anyone He didn’t want to know Him.” He said this truth is also what drives WEA’s 2025 vision.

Warren also expressed gratitude to the organizers and hosts of the event—including Dr. John Oh, Dr. Goodwill Shana, Botrus Mansour, and members of the executive committee—for providing a platform where evangelical leaders from around the world could unite in prayer and strategy.

“Don’t Just Share the Message—Learn the Method”

Addressing how to accomplish the 2033 vision, Warren emphasized that the church must follow Jesus’ model of ministry.

“I’m not interested in American, European, or any nation’s methods,” he said. “If there’s a principle that’s truly biblical, it will work anywhere—it’s transcultural. God’s Word is perfect; it is our best model.”

He explained that Scripture presents only three ministry models for proclaiming the gospel: the model of Jesus Christ Himself, the model of the early church in Jerusalem, and the model of the Apostle Paul.

Quoting John 12:49, Warren highlighted Jesus’ own words: “For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.”

“This,” Warren said, “is the main reason we haven’t yet completed the Great Commission after 2,000 years. We know what to say—the gospel message has been clear since the Reformation. But we don’t always say it the way Jesus said it.”

Five Aspects of Jesus’ Ministry: Preaching, Teaching, Healing, Praying, and Building the Church

Warren outlined the five key activities that defined Jesus’ earthly ministry and encouraged pastors to remember them in their own languages.

In the United States, he summarized them with the word PEACE:

• Pass on the Good News (Preaching)

• Equip Disciples (Teaching)

• Alleviate Suffering (Healing)

• Continually Pray (Prayer)

• Establish New Churches (Church Planting)

“Preaching, teaching, healing, praying, and building the church—these are the things Jesus modeled repeatedly,” he said. “And every church, regardless of size, can do them.”

Warren urged pastors to dedicate the next eight years to practicing this perfect ministry model. “If we learn not only His message but also His method,” he said, “we will see the gospel spread across the world in ways we’ve never imagined.”

The Example of the Early Church: From 120 Believers to Transforming an Empire

Warren reminded attendees that the fastest growth in Christian history occurred during the first three centuries. From A.D. 33, the year of Christ’s resurrection, to A.D. 360, the church grew by roughly 50 percent every decade.

“The early church began with only 120 believers praying in the upper room,” he said, “but by A.D. 360, half of the Roman Empire—about 30 million of its 60 million citizens—had become Christians. Even the emperor himself became a believer.”

“How did they grow from 120 people to half an empire?” he asked. “They followed the way Jesus discipled His followers.”

A Call to Follow Jesus’ Model and Fulfill the Great Commission

Warren closed his message with a challenge: “Don’t just preach the message of Jesus—learn His model. Share the gospel as He did, pray as He did, and build His church as He did.”

He called pastors and leaders to renew their commitment to the Great Commission and to follow Christ’s example wholeheartedly.

“If you know something more important to do with your life than to follow the model of Jesus,” Warren said, “stand up and tell us. As for me, I decided long ago not to waste my life. I gave it to Christ, serving and trying to follow His model. Join me in being an ally of the Great Commission.”