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 Rick Warren in Rwanda in 2008. My Take: Church is world’s most powerful weapon against AIDS
By Rick Warren, Special to CNN On June 5, 1981, my wife Kay was late into her second pregnancy, just weeks away from giving birth. Absorbed in caring for our 2-year-old and preparing for a newborn, the farthest thing on our minds was news that day of a cluster of men in Los Angeles with a mysterious, devastating disease. But what began in Africa and was first observed in this small California group became an epidemic, then swelled to a pandemic - touching lives in every country on every continent Though late to the fight, in 2003 Kay and I heard God calling us to care for those infected and affected, to raise our voices on their behalf, and to figure out practical ways for local churches to serve them. Timeline: 30 years of AIDS moments We traveled to Africa, ground zero for this pandemic, and were brokenhearted by the pain and thrilled by the compassion we observed. Out of the bubble that is American life, we sat with dying men and women, held newly orphaned babies in our arms, and cried with shattered family members. In America, we’d heard public leaders, including pastors, make pronouncements about AIDS that implied that those infected were enemies, or at least deserved their illness. But at the grassroots level we witnessed Christ-followers by the thousands opening their hearts, their homes, their wallets and their churches to fellow human beings in their suffering. Clearly, local churches were at the forefront of this battle in Africa.  Kay Warren folding bandages in Rwanda in 2007. We returned home determined to model our church’s response to HIV and AIDS after the African church’s response. We began by inviting a member of our church – Saddleback, in Southern California - who was HIV positive to tell his story publicly for the first time. Our members responded with overwhelming love. And once people realized our church was a safe place, other HIV positive people began attending and opening up about their status. To help remove the stigma, I was publicly tested for HIV with network TV cameras rolling. We began support groups for anyone infected or affected; trained church members to be part of personalized teams for an infected individual; brought in experts in the field to educate our congregation; and hosted three “Global Summits on AIDS and the Church” to showcase the latest scientific, behavioral and psycho-social aspects of the disease. We reached out to local, regional, national and international organizations, offering our manpower and networks in the fight against AIDS. One of the great lessons of this fight is that the single fastest way to mobilize at the grassroots level around the world is through local congregations. Nothing comes close to the size and scope of this pool of compassionate volunteers. The church has the largest distribution network on the planet. There are more churches in the world than all the Wal-Marts, McDonald’s and Starbucks combined. The church was global 200 years before anyone else thought of globalization. We could take you to thousands of villages around the world where the only institution to speak of is a church. Plus, the Christian church is the only organization growing faster than the new infection rate: while 7,000 people are newly infected globally every day, and church growth experts estimate that the church is adding 35,000 converts daily in China alone. These church members have a non-profit motivation to serve. We are commanded by Jesus Christ to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Our church sent 14,869 of our members to all 195 nations in the world to beta-test a local church humanitarian program based on the model of Jesus. Called the P.E.A.C.E. Plan, volunteers Plant churches that promote reconciliation, Equip servant leaders, Assist the poor, Care for the sick and Educate the next generation. We’ve learned that any church can provide six essential services in the fight against HIV/AIDS, easily remembered by the acronym CHURCH: –Care for and support the sick. Caring requires no money, just a willingness to offer compassion and kindness. –Handle HIV testing. At the least, churches can encourage members to get tested, with the pastor leading the way. Everyone should know their HIV status. –Unleash volunteers. There will never be enough professionals to fix all that is wrong in our world. The Christian church claims 2.3 billion followers worldwide. If only half could be mobilized to care for those with HIV and AIDS, the fight would look very different –Remove the stigma. It is not a sin to be sick. Jesus never asked a sick person, “How did you get sick?” He asked, “How can I help you?” –Champion healthy behavior. HIV is almost completely preventable. While new reports suggest that accessing HIV treatment at an earlier stage of the illness is a vital way to prevent transmission, the cost may be an impediment. Behavior change will continue to be the most effective way to cut down on new infections. –Help with antiretroviral drugs for HIV patients. The simplest way to cut down on new infections, to help infected individuals live longer, and to prevent children from becoming orphans, is to create accountability with medication compliance. Church volunteers can make daily visits or phone calls, reminding individuals to take their medication. This strategy has been enormously successful in the Karongi District of the Western Province of Rwanda, where Saddleback Church, the government of Rwanda and local churches established a pilot program to train community health workers. Started in 2008, more than 2,800 community volunteers have been trained through the churches to take on a caseload of 26,000 homes in the rural district where there is one hospital for 300,000 residents. These volunteers provide access to basic healthcare information and are addressing preventable and opportunistic diseases – the big killers of those living with the virus. The lives of 120,000 children and 50,000 adults are being positively impacted. Thirty years have passed since HIV was first recognized. In that time, millions have lost their lives and millions of children have been orphaned. Millions more are living with the virus today. But if the church and other faith communities will step up to the table, and as governments and other health organizations welcome their assistance, the future can be brighter. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Rick Warren. soundoff (1,335 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Next »Post a comment
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Editor's Note: Rick Warren is the founder and pastor at 
Pastor Warren keep up the good work! I personally attend Saddleback and can attest to this man's true intentions. Rick and his wife Kay devote their life to helping others. All you people who say it is just about making money don't realize that he gives back 91% of his income for church causes while keeping a whopping 9% for personal use... That is a fact. Do research before you bash someone else. Some people are just not happy with themselves..
@Jeff,
If Mr Rick Warren were following in Jesus "footsteps"(1Pet 2:21), he would be receiving no money at all for preaching a so-called message from the Bible. Jesus said to his twelve apostles: "You received free, give free."(Matt 10:8) None of Jesus apostles nor his disciples received a salary for making known "the good news of the kingdom", such as Philip.(Acts 8:12)
The apostle Paul told the congregation in Thessalonica: "Certainly you bear in mind, brothers, our labor and toil. It was with working night and day, so as not to put an expensive burden upon any one of you, that we preached the good news of God to you."(1 Thess 2:9) Paul received no salary nor Peter, nor any of the loyal first century Christians for teaching individuals what Jesus commanded.(Matt 28:19, 20)
However, the clergy today, including Mr Rick Warren, is, in effect, running a business at the churches, being paid a salary, that which Jesus condemned, by running the "money changers" out of the temple on two different occasions.(John 2:15, 16; Matt 21:12, 13)
There is also Matthew 6:4 to consider:
"so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Christians, when they give charity, are supposed to do so in complete secrecy, maybe not even claiming what they give in taxes. How many Christians, let alone pastors, hide their charity work completely?
when you "give"your 91% to a church you own and founded where does the money go?
Mr Veritas48, i think you do much statistic, but no action. The main point is about who do the works...., not just sit, watch, and die and regret that you never do anything good to others people life.
"Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven" – Matthew 18:19
Apparently it doesn't take a church to eradicate AIDS, it only takes two people. Get your wife, and pray this prayer:
"Dear Lord in heaven, today two people agree that HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, should be wiped off the face of the planet and all those who suffer from this terrible disease should be healed. Your word says that you are now among us and can hear our prayers. We ask this in Jesus name, amen."
If the words of Jesus are absolute truth, this should work. Now go ahead, the world is waiting for their miracle.
Not just two people. Two believers. Sounds like your prayer fails for this reason alone. And oh yeah, it's always good to keep reading. If you had a sincere desire to understand what you just quoted (which you don't), you could see more clearly. This is for anyone who just might have honest and sincere questions....
I find it very interesting at the hate going on toward Christians and its almost as bad as Islamophobia. Christians mess up and make mistakes and sometimes don't act very Christian. I make plenty of those mistakes myself and ask for forgiveness daily. But at least some people are doing something about it instead of sitting on their butts and doing nothing. It is utterly shameful for people to go out and judge this man while knowing absolutely nothing about him and automatically consider him a con artist. Absolutely ridiculous how people misunderstand and attack Christians for false ideas of hatred that we are for. A extremely small minority are hateful and are instantly condemned.
A recent survey showed 60% of fundamental Christians saw no problem with cohabitation before marriage (And another 25% don't 'believe' in it, but would do it in a heart beat, in order to 'be happy')...These folks are change agents? Hardly.
Problem is 80% of Americans are non to nominal Christians at best. With 80% of culture espousing anti Christian values..how can the Church effect social change. Not from without, that's for sure. And why would a ragin pagan want to listen anyway?
While the developed world is experiencing population declines, Africa is have a huge population explosion because they do not use condoms nor contraception, and because in many areas of Africa, uneducated black men think that the sign of masculinity is being able to produce many children. Of course, this only exacerbates their problems: it increases the spread of HIV, it produces more mouths to feed at a time when they cannot even feed themselves as it already is, it causes more pollution, more international dependency and less opportunity for those already there. Instead of trying to throw good money after bad to solve a crisis that will never be solved, they need to get contraception and condoms to Africa, and incentivise them to use them. As long as the women are having 8-10 kids each, they are not going to ever bring down the HIV rates in Africa.
Yes, i think every cynical comment in here, is based on their stupid and pathetic life. Yes at least there is somebody do something to AIDS issue, not just every stupid people in this place that are moron. Yea i think your life is based on laziness, self destruction, drugs (dead because of OD). And how stupid is that, people who have miserable life, post a comment to somebody that have great life. Moron still Moron.
If you want to judge other people good works, why don't you see yourself in the mirror, am i a great person or idiot person.
Many people become more stupid this days.
warren is apparently delusional. this is the biggest load of crap i've ever seen on this site. all the proselytizing in the world cannot help the aids situation as much as condoms
The first AIDS victims were African males and they got it from African monkeys. AIDS is an STD.
It's a virus with more than one vector of transmission. There are other STDs as well. Many Christians have STDs.
When we finally get a good handle on viruses, we'll have a cure and the virus will not be such a problem.
Now, right about here I should point out that there are people who want AIDS to kill as many as possible and will fight to make sure this happens. Most of them have religious reasons for feeling this way. Some don't.
HIV can be spread in many different ways. It can also be treated. Medicine has come a long ways in the past thirty years.
Saying it's an STD is misleading as it is not the whole truth.
Yes there are indeed many ways of transmitting the HIV virus from one human to another. But how did the simian virus get into humans, as-suming that the virus originated from monkeys. I don't think that human drug addicts were exchanging infected needles with drug addict monkeys, or blood transfusion of infected monkey blood into humans was happening. That only leaves humans coming into contact with infected monkey saliva or maybe through eating the uncooked organs or the blood of infected monkeys. And of course through intimate se-xual contact with an infected monkey, which is such a taboo subject that I don't think that it should even be considered. I think that it is better that we just sweep the subject under the rug.
I find it sad that the reaction is so cynical to Pastor Warren's work. If you're against judgmental religious people doesn't that sort of behoove you to actually support actions that are non-judgmental and altruistic?
Hahahahahahahah! That is the funniest thing I have ever heard. Churches exist to take money from morons and keep it. They have never done a single decent thing for the world. hahahahahahaha
WHAT a bunch of Krap – missonaries are put in to sell christianity places like Africa to promote "hope". They are the biggest reason for why AIDS is prevelent, they brainwash that life saving contraception is evil. Have 10 babies, one or two will survive to carry on christianity. Fact is, condoms do work for the most part. The church is guilty of murder.
this guy is an idoit
Pure crap. You should be ashamed CNN.
Guy is getting rich selling crap philosophy. What a fraud.
god is pretend. Xtianity messes up everything... they should stay out of africa, and just go away Xtians are delusional
You know what else is good at preventing AIDS? Rubbers.
anything for a buck. PT Barnum said, "there's a sucker born every minute." Rick Warren is just the latest version of good old PT. The louder and more often they say, "it ain't about the money", the more it's about the money. It wasn't that long ago Saddleback was begging for donations, now they've found a different approach.
Don't drink the KoolAid this time.