News

Pulpit Made Rick Warren Sick

Christianity Today April 14, 2009

Mega church pastor Rick Warren canceled an appearance on ABC’s This Week after he took heat for remarks on same-sex marriage.

“For those of you tuning in this morning expecting to hear from Pastor Rick Warren, we were too. But the pastor’s representatives canceled moments before the scheduled interview, saying that Mr. Warren is sick from exhaustion,” George Stephanopoulos told the audience on Easter Sunday.

Amy Sullivan responded with: Is Rick Warren Scared of George Stephanopoulos?

But Dan Gilgoff reports and a spokesperson confirmed with me:

Talking to a close Warren associate yesterday, I learned that the megapastor was not only too exhausted to tape a scheduled weekend interview for ABC’s This Week – because of fatigue, Warren preached just six of a dozen planned Easter services on Saturday and Sunday – he was also a little nauseous.

That’s because Fox News Channel, which carried a couple of Warren’s Easter services, insisted that his Saddleback Church apply a fresh coat of varnish to the pulpit lectern before broadcast. The varnish was still drying when it was time for Warren to preach his next service, and the fumes got to him.

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