December 21, 2007

Know Surrender

Kay Warren, wife of mega-church pastor Rick Warren, writes a new book about her journey from suburban housewife to international AIDS activist.

“I believe that AIDS is one of the most devastating atrocities I will ever witness in my lifetime,” says author Kay Warren. “The disease ravages not only the vital organs of a human being, but their entire body, their entire being, their families, their communities, and now entire countries.”

Warren should know. She has spent considerable time during the last four years traveling the globe to see the effects of AIDS in nations on different continents—and to consider what role the church can play in helping to address the pandemic, and its side effects, both globally and in the United States. Warren, a seemingly unlikely advocate for the AIDS community, is from a fundamentalist Christian background and has chronicled her journey with AIDS in a new book, titled: Dangerous Surrender: What Happens When You Say Yes to God (Zondervan).

It seems fitting that someone who would come to write about AIDS was first introduced to the full force of the pandemic while reading. Four years ago, Warren picked up a news magazine lying on her coffee table and was moved by the images and numbers of AIDS orphans worldwide. She says that until she realized how many children were dying of AIDS, she hadn’t focused on the disease. She “admits that [I] did not pay attention to the looming AIDS crisis…I was ignorant; I was self-righteous; and I was prejudiced.” Today, she says she “has been humbled and broken and recognize that until I reach out and do what I am capable of, then I will continue to be a part of the problem. I don’t want to be a part of the problem; I want to be part of God’s solution.”

She is keeping her word, having become, in the time since she first started fighting AIDS, an internationally recognized advocate for those living with and those affected by HIV/AIDS, regularly consulting and communicating with heads of state, business leaders, humanitarian aid foundations and researchers from the medical field. She also talks to tens of thousands of evangelical Christians worldwide, encouraging them to rethink their position on HIV/AIDS.

Warren, a bible teacher who started the Saddleback Church with her husband, pastor Rick Warren (author of the best-selling book Purpose Driven Life), in their home in 1980 with just seven people, is also the driving force behind Saddleback Church’s Global Summit on AIDS and the Church—an annual gathering of the faith-based community, including pastors and church leaders with domestic and foreign governments, medical leaders and an extensive roster of HIV/AIDS and humanitarian aid advocates from around the globe. This year marked the third annual Global Summit on AIDS and the Church. POZ’s editor-in-chief Regan Hofmann interviewed Warren the week after the Global Summit in New York. (Click below to watch the video.)



Today, the Saddleback Church, based in Orange County, California, has an average weekly attendance of 22,000 people and has sent more than 7,400 of its members into 68 countries to participate in the P.E.A.C.E. Plan—a plan that addresses humanitarian issues like HIV/AIDS around the world.

Says Warren: “I knew that I could no longer ignore the travesty playing out on the world stage in front of me. But I was one person, and there were millions of people living, suffering and dying with HIV/AIDS. Unless God was behind this prompting to get involved, there was no way that I was equipped to even go one more step forward.”

Fortunately, for many living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, God seems to be on Warren’s side and she’s marching ahead with her plan to help destigmatize HIV/AIDS and teach the church to support those trying to survive the disease.

For more information on Warren and her new book, visit kaywarren.com.

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Previous Comments:

L. Andrews, , 2008-01-04 13:12:55
I hope Kay Warren's journey connects her to many outstanding people and that she continues to transfer her knowledge and growing compassion to all those living with HIV, both abroad and within her own country. A very noble and mammoth task - welcome to the table of humanity

John, White Plains, 2008-01-01 11:34:49
I am very encouraged by Kay Warrens remarks. She has challenged the evangelical church to walk the talk about love. "love your neighbor as yourself" ....why couldn't they get it earlier? It is so basic...it is so simple.

Kirk, Fort Worth, 2007-12-27 03:27:35
It was very encourageing to see Mrs. Warren trying to educate other evangelicals, many of whom are conservative, that we are people as well. I believe this is just the beginning of something great. I wholeheartedly thank POZ for having the "guts" to interview her. I want to help her.