Saddleback Church in California is a megachurch, with Rick Warren being the senior pastor, having founded the church with his wife Kay Warren when he was 26.
Also the author or 'The Purpose Driven Church', Rick Warren's news of surgery was announced on Thursday.
In an email to his congregation, he said: "At about 7 pm on Wednesday evening while at home by myself, I suddenly doubled over in an attack of excruciating abdominal pain."
He explained that his wife was on a plane to speak at a Vineyard conference in Northern Ireland but that his son happened to ring him.
"He rushed over to drive me to an Urgent Care facility, where the doctor administered shots of antibiotics and a painkiller and advised me to get a CT scan the next morning. But as Josh and I were leaving, my body started shaking uncontrollably, so the Urgent Care doctor insisted that we immediately go to a hospital ER."
"At the hospital, the staff got my CT scan which revealed that my intestine had perforated and was releasing infection into the abdominal area. So I quickly had emergency surgery and I am now recovering.
"Thank you, everyone, for your prayers and love. I love you all back! God has been so good to me. FYI. I've been told that I will need a second surgery after Christmas. Bless you all!"
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