Pastor and author Rick Warren has said his X account was hacked by “unscrupulous criminals” promoting a false bitcoin and mocking him for changing his views on women in leadership.

A post to Warren’s official account at 8pm EDT on Wednesday read:

“This is exactly why I decided to launch the $LORD coin. I didn't want to watch traditions and cultural interpretations override the truth any longer.

“The $LORD coin on Solana, just like this journey, is a symbol of seeking truth, questioning assumptions, and embracing transformation."

The message went on to mock Warren for altering his stance to say that women could lead churches, reading: “My biggest regret in 53 years of ministry is that I didn't do my own personal exegesis sooner on the four passages used to restrict women. Shame on me.”

The post was deleted within an hour.

The post quoted Warren's June 2023 statement explaining why he changed his mind on women in leadership - a decision which saw Saddleback Church, which Warren founded in 1980, removed from the Southern Baptist Convention.

Warren took to Instagram to warn his followers against the scheme.

“Dear Friends, my X account has been hacked by a cryptocurrency SCAM claiming that I am supporting some get-rich-quick scam," he wrote.

“I am concerned since I have over 2 million followers on Twitter and I don’t want any of them to get ripped off.”

Warren insisted he has “never promoted a business and never asked for money on any of my social media accounts" and urged his followers to help “get the word out that unscrupulous criminals have hacked my Twitter".