Comment from Understand the Times:

Rick Warren has a plan to lose 90 pounds in 52 weeks. His partner in Rwanda, President Paul Kagame, who is for a purpose driven nation, had a plan to kill millions of humans. This goes to show that if you are purpose driven you can do good or bad. What do you think of that if you are a member of Saddleback?

January 12 - Rick Warren to Lose 90 Pounds in Saddleback Fitness Plan

Article: Misc.

Rick Warren pledges to lose 90 pounds during a 52-week church fitness plan, developed by Dr. Oz and two other medical experts, that will launch on Saturday at Saddleback Church. The Daniel Plan, based on the prophet Daniel who chose healthy eating instead of the king's rich foods, is a yearlong, churchwide program to help the Saddleback parishioners get physically healthier.

Renowned physicians Dr. Daniel Amen, bestselling author and psychiatrist, Dr. Mark Hyman, a metabolism expert, and Dr. Mehmet Oz, a cardiac surgeon and host of The Dr. Oz Show, will join Warren at the church's main campus in Lake Forest, Calif., to kick off the initiative. Warren will speak about spiritual health while the three doctors address topics under their area of expertise.

Around 6,000 people signed up for the program when Warren introduced it during a sermon last year. The church will launch a website, www.danielplan.com, to help members track their progress through an interactive profile and tips on meals, food shopping and exercising.

At the Saturday event, medical professionals will record health numbers and attendants will have the chance to take a "before and after" photo. Warren said there will also be a monthly conference call to encourage those in the plan. Small groups will also be able to follow along in a six-week curriculum.

The fitness plan is part of Saddleback's Decade of Destiny, the church's spiritual growth and expansion plan for the next 10 years. The campaign aims to equip church members in seven key areas: spiritual, physical, financial, relational, vocational, emotional and mental.

Hoping that the event will also serve as a "non-threatening" platform for outreach, Warren has asked his congregation to invite their friends and neighbors to attend.