On Friday (August 26), Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, was evacuated after receiving an electronic threat. According to an Orange County Sheriff’s Department tweet, the county’s hazardous devices sections is conducting a search of the area.
“Deputies are at Saddleback Church after they received an electronic threat. The church is being evacuated while our Hazardous Devices Section conducts a search. Please avoid the area while we work to clear the facility,” the tweet said.
SoCal reporter Hannah Lykke tweeted that the Sheriff’s Department informed her that the Lake Forest campus has been cleared, adding, “Deputies & K9 teams found nothing on site, but also checking out San Juan campus as a precaution.”
A spokesperson told her that no arrests have been made in connection with the threat, but authorities are continuing to investigate.
“For investigative purposes, they are not discussing how the threat was made or received,” Lykke posted.
Saddleback Church is among the largest Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) churches in the nation and averages a weekly attendance of 23,000 across its 14 California campuses.
The megachurch has been led by pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren for the last 43 years. Warren and his wife, Kay, gave their last joint sermon together this past Sunday.
In that message, Rick shared about his physical struggles with speaking in public, which included preaching, saying, “I don’t love to preach, but I love the people I preach to, so I keep on doing it for their benefit. And I am addicted to changed lives. And I have endured the 43 years of pain because of love.”
This Sunday (August 28), Warren will deliver his last sermon as lead pastor before retiring. Andy and Stacie Wood have been chosen to replace Warren as Saddleback Church’s next lead pastors.
