Rick and Kay Warren had their first media interview since their son Matthew's death with CNN's Piers Morgan, with whom they discussed depression, raising a mentally ill child, guns, grief, God, faith, and hope.
The founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, wrote in an email that they were surprised when the CNN crew were in tears and embraced them, saying their lives had been profoundly impacted by the hour-long interview. The interview took place at the Saddelback's Acts of Mercy family foundation office on Monday.
Warren summarized the discussion into the following topics:
- What it was like to parent a child who battled mental illness all his life.
- What it has been like to grieve our son's suicide as public figures.
- Mental illness, depression, guns, grief, and God.
- What needs to change in our culture, including removing the stigma from mental illness.
- How to support the mentally ill and the families who care for them.
- How our faith has been tested and has grown stronger.
- How we get our sins forgiven, purpose for living, and home in heaven through Jesus.
- The overwhelming love we've received from our church family and others.
- How God gives us HOPE in our darkest days.
Rick Warren urged viewers to tweet quotes and reactions using #WarrensOnCNN as a hash tag to see what others are saying and to pray that millions will watch and that many will come to faith in Christ as a result.
"One more for Jesus!" He concluded.
#WarrensOnCNN good insights from @RickWarren "I forgave for my benefit, I've been forgiven, and I'll need forgiveness in the future..."
— DJ Chuang (@djchuang) September 18, 2013
In God's garden of grace, even a broken tree bears fruit. - @RickWarren #WarrensonCNN — Lee Strobel (@LeeStrobel) September 18, 2013
Even in excruciating circumstance we can choose joy.@piersmorgan "The most inspiring interview I've ever done" #WarrensOnCNN
— Rick Warren (@RickWarren) September 18, 2013
