The Warrens need our prayers. They are known publicly as the founders of Saddleback Church, international speakers and best-selling authors. With the media visibility it is easy to forget that they face challenges in their home like any other family in America – probably more than the average family in America.
Last Friday they faced one major challenge. They had just completed a fun evening with their son Michael. After leaving his parents, Michael went to his home and experienced “a momentary wave of despair” similar to other moments he had throughout his life. This time though, he reacted by taking his own life.
This is how Rick Warren announced the tragedy to his staff: “over the past 33 years we’ve been together through every kind of crisis. Kay and I have been privileged to hold your hands as you faced a crisis or loss, stand with you at gravesides, and prayed for you when ill. Today, we need you to pray for us. No words can express the anguished grief we feel right now. Our youngest son, Matthew, age 27, and a lifelong member of Saddleback, died today.”
The heart-wrenching email went on to say, “only those closest knew that Matthew struggled from birth with mental illness, dark holes of depression, and even suicidal thoughts. In spite of America’s best doctors, meds, counselors, and prayers for healing, the torture of mental illness never subsided...I’ll never forget how, many years ago, after another approach had failed to give him relief, Matthew said, ‘Dad, I know I’m going to heaven. Why can’t I just die and end this pain?’”
That pain ended for Matthew on Friday, but not for the Warren family. Days earlier, Rick Warren and his staff prepared for the services over the weekend of Matthew’s death - the theme – “Surviving Tough Times.” Little did Rick know that he and his family would need the message more than any of the 20,000 persons who worship at Saddleback every weekend.
Worship services continued as scheduled with Rick’s brother-in-law Tom Holladay filling-in. Rick asked Tom, one of the assistant pastors, to take over the weekend services when he came down with pneumonia after a busy Easter schedule. Before Matthew’s tragedy, Rick Warren promoted the weekend services on Facebook with these words: “It’s a message on what to do on the worst day of your life.” What a prophetic message.
Both Rick and Kay are prolific writers and encouragers. In addition, Kay has spent the last ten years as a tireless advocate for persons living with HIV and AIDS. She has travelled to more than 19 countries calling on faith communities to respond to the needs of others.
In her most recent book, Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough, she describes her own pain. She has had two bouts of cancer and has watched as life-threatening illnesses attacked her children and grandchildren. Those experiences obviously helped to prepare her for Matthew’s tragic death.
Matthew’s dad, Rick Warren wrote The Purpose Driven Life, which became the bestselling hardback non-fiction book in history, and is the second most-translated book in the world, after the Bible. The Purpose Driven Life has inspired and changed tens of millions of lives ... more than any modern book.
The Warrens need our prayers at this time. Millions have benefited from their ministry and it is now our turn to take them to the Lord in prayer. In a recent tweet to his almost one million internet followers, he said he and his wife were overwhelmed by the support they have received since Matthew’s tragedy.
Unfortunately, not everyone has responded to this tragedy with compassion. Heartlessness was expressed by both Christians and non-Christians. Here is a sampling:
“He knew his daddy was a fraud fleecing the masses and just could no longer live with the guilt and continue the charade.”
“He preaches about saving millions of lost souls, but couldn’t save his son. Just another phony preacher taking advantage of stupid sheep!”
“I can only think of one “believer” who committed suicide: Judas Iscariot. Did he suffer a mental illness, too?”
How sad, some have allowed their theological and ideological differences to stifle compassion. The Bible we claim to believe calls on us “to grieve with those who grieve and mourn with those who mourn.” When we cannot do that, we are as warped as the opinions we share.
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