I’ve never personally met Rick Warren or his wife…although I was very flattered when I learned he was “following” me on Twitter, but I’d ask all those who follow our blog to keep Rick, his wife Kay, and those close to his family in your prayers. Rick and his wife shared this prayer request with the people of Saddleback Church earlier today…On behalf of our Board, staff and volunteers at Key Ministry, we would pray the Warren family would experience God’s comfort and presence during this difficult time, and that God will use Matthew and the circumstances around his death for good, bringing God greater honor and glory and for the expansion of His Kingdom.

We live in a broken world with broken bodies and broken minds. I come across families all the time in my practice who live every day seeking to honor God who pray every day for their children struggling with some type of mental illness that they would experience healing and an inner peace. Sometimes God doesn’t answer their prayers in the way that we would desire or expect. I can’t imagine how any kid could have more godly parents than Rick and Kay Warren. There aren’t many families alive that have done more to advance the Gospel than the Warren’s. It’s reasonable to assume that they prayed continually for their son and did everything they possibly could to relieve his distress since the onset of his mental illness.

What I find reassuring…and highly motivating in this tragic story…is that by Rick’s account above, Matthew had come to know and believe in Jesus, and his family and friends can be assured today in the midst of their despair that Matthew is finally at peace and living in the presence of his Heavenly Father who loves him infinitely more than his earthly family above. About the only thing I can think of that would be more difficult than what the Warren family experienced this morning would be losing a child to suicide without the assurance that they’d be living forever in the presence of Jesus.

Several observations I’d like to share…

• Growing up in a loving family of great faith or coming to a personal faith in Jesus Christ is no guarantee of being spared of the pain and suffering of mental illness while living in a fallen world.

• As a physician practicing child and adolescent psychiatry, I fully appreciate the seriousness of mental illness. An argument can be made that outside of trauma surgeons and emergency room physicians, my medical specialty probably sees more teens and young adults in life and death situations than any other. According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. among persons ages 10-24, and the second leading cause of death (behind only motor vehicle accidents) in 25-34 year olds. Among 15-24 year olds, suicide is three times more common than death from cancer. Kids and young adults die from mental illness, and sometimes the best psychiatrists and therapists can’t do much about it.

• Finally, it’s absolutely unacceptable to me that there are far too many kids and far too many families struggling with potentially lethal mental illnesses who haven’t had the opportunity to learn about Jesus and come to faith in Him or be a part of a family of faith (like Saddleback). One way for those of us in the church…especially those of us in the disability ministry movement…to honor the memory of Matthew Warren would be to radically expand our efforts to reach out to and share the Gospel with kids, teens and young adults impacted by mental illness and their families.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.”

John 14:1-4 (NIV)

Photo from Christian Post

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Key Ministry’s mission is to help churches reach families affected by disability by providing FREE resources to pastors, volunteers, and individuals who wish to create an inclusive ministry environment. We have designed our Key Catalog to create fun opportunities for our ministry supporters to join in our mission through supporting a variety of gift options. Click here to check it out! For a sixty second summary of what Key Ministry does, watch the video below…