Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will appear with Pastor Rick Warren at Saddleback Church in March, the mega church pastor announced to his congregation.
"Write this down: March 6," Warren told his congregation over the weekend. "We will hold the next Civil Forum and present the annual International PEACE medal. My guest will be former Prime Minister Tony Blair."
"We're going to ... talk about spiritual emptiness, corrupt leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic diseases, and illiteracy and education. These are the five problems the PEACE Plan is designed to (address)," Warren told his congregation.
The PEACE plan was established by Warren in 2005 as a program of local and international missionary aid. The acronym stands for: Plant churches, Equip servant leaders, Assist the poor, Care for the sick, and Educate the next generation.
Warren also is expected to award the former Prime Minister with Saddleback Church's International Medal of PEACE. The award is given to individuals who exemplify outstanding contributions toward alleviating the issues addressed by the PEACE plan, Warren said.
The event is an element of the church's seventh Civil Forum. Saddleback launched its Civil Forum in 2008. The forums - intended to promote personal responsibility, social civility and spiritual maturity - feature world leaders in science, religion, health, business, education, the arts, entertainment and government, according to the forum's website.