Rick Warren is attempting to bridge the gap between the evangelical and Catholic communities.
At a recent evangelization conference near Rome, the themes of unity and collaboration took center stage as leaders from across the Christian spectrum began a decade-long conversation aimed at the year 2033—marking 2,000 years since the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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Among the voices calling for greater cooperation was Pastor Rick Warren, who shared why he believes Christian unity is essential for the future of evangelism.
“Because no single denomination can complete the Great Commission on their own,” Warren explained during an interview with EWTN’s Andreas Donhauser. With 2.5 billion people worldwide identifying as followers of Jesus, Warren emphasized the urgent need to work together to reach the rest of the world. “1.3 billion are Catholic,” he noted. “It’s about half of the Christian church. And so this is what I call the sleeping giant.”
Warren’s presence at a Catholic conference might raise eyebrows among some evangelical and Catholic communities. But he dismissed fears of rivalry or theological overreach, pointing instead to the prayer of Jesus in John 17. “Jesus prayed, ‘I pray that they will be one so that the world may know… so that the world may believe.’”
While acknowledging that structural and doctrinal unity across all Christian traditions may be unlikely, Warren passionately argued for a unity of purpose: evangelization. “We’re never going to have cultural unity. We’re never going to have structural unity… but we can all agree on one thing—every Christian understands we’re called to go.”
This shared mission is building toward what Warren called “the 2000th birthday of the church.” Pentecost Sunday in 2033—June 5—will commemorate two millennia since the Holy Spirit birthed the Christian church. Around the world, Christian leaders are already beginning to ask: how can we honor and celebrate this milestone?
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Warren said that hope—more than anything—is what the world needs. “It’s the last thing to lose. When you lose hope, it’s over.”
Beyond denominational lines and doctrinal differences, a global mission is unfolding—one rooted in shared faith and a deep urgency to bring the hope of Christ to a world in desperate need. Perhaps there truly will be a demonstration that unity is found in a collective surrender to the mission of Christ.
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
