Members of Rick Warren‘s Southern California church began Sunday services with a prayer for the popular evangelical pastor, as he and his family coped with the apparent suicide of his 27-year-old son.
Tom Holladay, teaching pastor at Saddleback Church in Orange County, opened the 9 a.m. worship service by saying the congregation would face the tragedy together, “as a church family.”
Holladay led a prayer for Warren and his wife, Kay, and their two other children.
The lead pastor was not in attendance Sunday, the day after the church announced that Matthew Warren took his own life at his Mission Viejo home.
The church said the younger Warren struggled with mental illness, deep depression and suicidal thoughts throughout his life.
He was the youngest Rick Warren‘s three children.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP‘s earlier story is below.
Popular evangelical Pastor Rick Warren asked members of his Southern California church for prayers as he and his family coped with the apparent suicide of his 27-year-old son.
The church said on Saturday that Matthew Warren took his own life at his Mission Viejo home.
Matthew Warren struggled with mental illness, deep depression and suicidal thoughts throughout his life, Saddleback Valley Community Church said in a statement, after his body was found Friday night.
“Despite the best health care available, this was an illness that was never fully controlled and the emotional pain resulted in his decision to take his life,” the church said.
Allison O’Neal, a supervising deputy coroner for Orange County, declined to release the cause and manner of death pending an autopsy of the young man.
Rick Warren, the author of the multimillion-selling book “The Purpose Driven Life,” said in an email to church staff that he and his wife had enjoyed a fun Friday evening with their son. But their son then returned home to take his life in “a momentary wave of despair.”
Over the years, Matthew Warren had been treated …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
The Southern California church headed by popular evangelical Pastor Rick Warren said his 27-year-old son committed suicide today. Warren’s Saddleback Valley Community Church near