The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast - Episode 754

Guest: Rick Warren
Date: September 16, 2025
Main Theme:
Moving Churches from “Come and See” to “Come and Die;” The Rise of the Global Church; A Call for American Churches; and Finishing the Great Commission Task

Episode Overview

Carey Nieuwhof sits down for an extensive, wisdom-packed, unfiltered conversation with Rick Warren, renowned pastor, bestselling author, and leader of the global “Finishing the Task” movement. This episode peels back the curtain on how most churches miss intentional discipleship, the extraordinary shift of Christianity to the global South, and what American and Western churches must learn (and unlearn) in this new era. Warren shares fresh insights, practical acrostics for leadership and conversations, a big vision for 2033, and his heart for unity across denominations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Questions & Self-Reflection

Timestamps: 05:18-13:53

• Quality of Questions Determines Quality of Life:
  Rick speaks about the importance of asking great questions, both to others and yourself.

  “The secret of an effective life will be determined by the quality of questions you’re willing to ask yourself and others.” – Rick Warren (05:18)

• Questions for Self-Reflection:
  Rick’s primary self-question:

  “What is it like to be on the other side of me?” (09:05)
  He encourages asking for honest feedback, even when it’s uncomfortable.

• Acrostic for Engaging Conversations—S.P.E.A.K.:

  • S: Story – “Tell me your story.”
  • P: Passion – “What’s your passion?”
  • E: Encourage – Encourage them based on what you hear.
  • A: Ask – “What’s your biggest problem right now?”
  • K: Know – “Who do you know or what do you know that I need to know?”
    (See 09:44-13:53 for detailed practical examples.)

2. Vulnerability Over Impressing

Timestamps: 14:00-17:01

• Rick emphasizes that real influence comes not from impressing people at a distance, but by engaging up close with honesty about your weaknesses.

  “Your strengths don’t build bridges. Your strengths always build walls. … We always help more people out of our weakness than we do our strengths.” (15:37)

3. Leadership with People of Influence

Timestamps: 17:14-23:55

• Don’t Be Intimidated by Titles or Status:

  “The two most important confessions in scripture… ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,’ and, ‘We are but men.’ … God is God and I’m not.” (18:55)

• Affirmation’s Universal Power:

  “It doesn’t matter how famous you are. Everybody is dying for affirmation.” (21:27)

• Positivity:
  Rick distinguishes between positive thinking and wishful thinking, extolling affirmative relationships while acknowledging limits:

  “Positive thinking only works on stuff you can control.” (23:55)

4. Global State of the Church

Timestamps: 26:41-34:48

• Christianity’s Expansive Size:
  2.3 to 2.5 billion people claim to follow Christ worldwide—one in three people.

  “The church is bigger than China. The church is bigger than India. … We have no reason to be ashamed.” (29:56)

• Shift from Northern to Southern Hemisphere:

  • 100 years ago: 95% of Christians in the West; now, 95% are in the Global South (Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia).

  “That’s the future of the church.” (34:00)

• Growth Rates:

  • World population grows at 1% per year; Christianity at 2% per year; Pentecostals and Evangelicals at 4% per year.

5. True Pastoring & Radical Hospitality

Timestamps: 36:19-41:06

• Many want to preach to crowds, but not truly pastor people.

• Radical hospitality, simple love, and practical caring (even hugging) were key in the early church’s credibility and appeal.

  “The greatest apologetic is clearly hospitality.” (37:58)

• Structure must change as the church grows; regular renewal is necessary.

6. Cultural Adaptation in Evangelism

Timestamps: 41:06-47:25

• Churches should remove unnecessary cultural barriers to the gospel.
• In today’s climate, distinctiveness (even countercultural living) is attractive.

7. The Jesus Method: Moving From "Come and See" to "Come and Die"

Timestamps: 41:06-61:52

• Sequential & Incremental Discipleship:
  Jesus starts with the lowest commitment—“Come and see”—then gradually raises the call to deeper levels:

  • Come and see (curiosity, no pressure)
  • Love each other (community)
  • Continue in my word (study, application)
  • Bear fruit (results)
  • Love Jesus above all else
  • Total consecration—“Take up your cross”
  • “Come and die”—self-denial, full surrender.

  “If you don’t get anything else, I want you to get this. The whole business of Christianity and church and disciple-making is moving people from ‘come and see’ to ‘come and die.’ 99% of churches have no plan to do that.” – Rick Warren (00:01 and 61:24)

• The Need for an Actual Discipleship Process:
  Most churches lack a sequential, intentional pathway to mature believers the way Jesus did.

• Saddleback Example:
  Baptized 54,000 new believers; classes and covenants at each stage—membership, maturity, ministry, mission.

  “We didn’t just leave them there…We moved them from unbeliever to apostle in three and a half years.” (54:50)

• Fivefold Ministry Pattern—P.E.A.C.E.:

  1. P – Preach the Good News (evangelism)
  2. E – Equip Disciples (teaching)
  3. A – Alleviate Suffering (healing/ministry)
  4. C – Continually Pray
  5. E – Establish Churches (church planting)

8. Finishing the Task Movement & Vision for 2033

Timestamps: 62:52-76:14

• 2033 Marks the 2,000th Anniversary of Christ’s Resurrection, Pentecost, and the Great Commission.

  “The 2000th birthday of the body of Christ… What do you give Jesus, a God who has everything, for his birthday? He wants his lost children found.” (63:16)

• Major movements are uniting as “Great Commission Allies” to ensure access to the gospel for everyone by 2033; focus is on unity, collaboration (not organizational mergers).

• Resources & Global Invitation:
  Rick offers free leadership resources and courses for church leaders globally— the only requirement: teach someone else.

  “We don’t charge for anything. It’s all free. The only requirement: you have to agree and promise to teach it to somebody else.” (77:41)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Discipleship:

  “The whole business of Christianity and church and disciple making is moving people from come and see to come and die. 99% of all the churches in the world have no plan to do that.”
  (Rick Warren, 00:01 & 61:24)

• On Feedback:

  “What is it like to be on the other side of me?”
  (Rick Warren, 09:05)

• On Affirmation:

  “Everybody is dying for affirmation. It doesn’t matter how famous you are.”
  (Rick Warren, 21:27)

• On Kingdom Focus:

  “The last instructions of Jesus must be our first priority.”
  (Rick Warren, paraphrased, 63:16-65:50)

• On Simplicity and Counterculture:

  “Today, I believe the more counterculture a church is, the more attractive it’s going to be. … They’re just trying to live a life that's not stressed when everybody else is stressed … not depressed when everyone else is depressed.”
  (Rick Warren, 41:06)

• On Hospitality:

  “The greatest apologetic is clearly hospitality.”
  (Rick Warren, 37:58)

Key Timestamps

• 05:18: The importance of questions in leadership.
• 09:44: S.P.E.A.K. acrostic for engaging conversations.
• 14:00: Why self-reflection and feedback are vital for leadership growth.
• 17:52: On engaging people of influence with humility.
• 26:41: The astounding global scope and growth of Christianity.
• 34:00: The great shift: Christianity moving south.
• 36:19: Loving crowds vs. loving people—true pastoring.
• 41:06–61:52: The “Jesus Template”—incremental discipleship.
• 63:16: Significance of 2033—2,000 years since resurrection and Pentecost.
• 77:41: Free global leadership resources—multiplication required (“teach someone else”).

How to Get Involved / Resources

• Contact: rick@finishingthetask.com for partnership, information, and access to free resources.
• Website: finishingthetask.com – resources and tools in 200+ languages.

Conclusion

Rick Warren challenges global church leaders to rethink their discipleship processes, acknowledge the unstoppable growth and shift of the global church, and unite for finishing the Great Commission by 2033. His simple-yet-brilliant frameworks, humility, and relentless focus on love and hospitality bring hope and clarity for all believers hungry for deeper impact and global unity.

This summary captures the unfiltered wisdom, humor, and urgency of Rick Warren’s vision—especially for leaders wanting to drive both local and global change. For those who haven’t listened, this serves as a rich roadmap to the vital topics, tools, and calls to action discussed throughout the episode.