Rick Warren to Interview Tony Blair at Saddleback Church
Megachurch pastor Rick Warren will speak to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Egypt and peace in a globalized economy next month at Saddleback Church.
Blair is "very excited" about being a guest lecturer at the seventh Saddleback Civil Forum to be held March 6, said the California megachurch pastor on Sunday.
"We're going to take five letters of the Global PEACE Plan and the five global giants and talk about spiritual emptiness, corrupt leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic diseases, and illiteracy and education. These are the five problems the PEACE Plan is designed to [address]," Warren told his congregation.
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The acronym for the PEACE plan is based on the five actions Jesus modeled: Promote reconciliation; Equip servant leaders; Assist the poor; Care for the sick; and Educate the next generation.
Blair, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1997-June 2007, is the official envoy on the Middle East peace process, representing the United States, the United Nations, the European Union, and Russia.
"I'm going to talk to him about Egypt and all the inside information," said Warren.
Warren is expected to award Blair with the annual International Medal of PEACE. The award is given to individuals who exemplify outstanding contribution toward alleviating the five global giants.
Last fall, George W. Bush was a guest of the Saddleback Civil Forum on leadership and service shortly following the release of his memoir Decision Points. Bush was a recipient of the PEACE medal in 2008 for his administration's work in combating AIDS.
Launched in 2008, the Saddleback Civil Forum features influential leaders who speak on pressing issues in the world in order to promote personal responsibility, social civility and spiritual maturity.
The most notable civil forum to date was the one that hosted then presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain in 2008. The candidates were asked questions on issues that concern Christians, including religious persecution, AIDS, abortion, marriage and stem cells.
Tickets are usually provided at no cost for admission to the event.
