After making a heart-felt plea for donations to make up for his megachurch’s $900,000 shortfall at year’s end, pastor Rick Warren’s sheep—ahem, I mean flock—filled his coffers with over 2.4 million in contributions within 48 hours.

Warren had sent out the appeal via an online communication to Saddleback Church members Dec. 30. The money was needed, he said, to offset a deficit resulting from hard economic times. Giving among church members had declined at a time of greater need for church’s aid.

Now, the church will enter the year with an unanticipated surplus, officials said.

“I wasn’t surprised by this offering, as Saddleback is famous for radical generosity,” Warren said during tonight’s service.

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Warren launched the appeal online with these words: “This is an urgent letter,” he wrote in all capital letters, “unlike any I’ve written in 30 years. Please read all of it and get back to me in the next 48 hours.”