Rick Warren’s Son Commits Suicide

Rick Warren’s son has taken his own life. Matthew Warren, 27, had struggled with mental illness before his death.

Evangelist Greg Laurie posted an e-mail the Saddleback Church pastor sent to this staff: “Only those closest knew that he (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. Today, after a fun evening together with Kay and me, in a momentary wave of despair at his home, he took his life.” Click here to read a prayer request Rick Warren e-mailed to his staff.

Prayers and condolences are flooding into Warren’s Facebook page. And Laurie also expressed his heartfelt pain over Warren’s loss.

“I too have had a son die, so I have a sense of the pain Rick and Kay are facing. But their circumstances are different and my heart goes out to them,” Laurie wrote on his Facebook page. “At times like these, there really are no words, but there is the Word. There is no manual, but there is Emmanuel. God is with us. I know the Lord will be there for all of the Warren family and Saddleback Church as they grieve together. Looking forward to that day when God will ‘restore all things’ (Acts 3:21).”