On April 7, the first Sunday following the news of Pastor Rick Warren's son's suicide, a Southern California public radio station reported that members of Saddleback Church began Sunday services with a prayer for the popular evangelical pastor as he and his family coped with the suicide of his 27-year-old son, Matthew.
Pastor Warren was not in attendance.
Tom Holladay, teaching pastor at Saddleback Church in Orange County, opened the 9 a.m. worship service by saying the congregation would face the tragedy together, "as a church family."
Holladay led a prayer for Warren and his wife, Kay, and their two other children, Amy and Josh.
Another pastor will preach in Warren's place next Sunday as part of a previously planned sermon series, church spokeswoman Kristin Cole said.
According to a tweet to the church on Saturday, Warren said his son, Matthew struggled with mental illness, deep depression and suicidal thoughts throughout his life.
The evangelical pastor said:
"Despite the best health care available, this was an illness that was never fully controlled and the emotional pain resulted in his decision to take his life."
Warren recalled that his son had talked about suicide many years ago, but lived for another decade with his depression and thoughts of suicide.
Condolences have been pouring in from all over the United States since Warren is the well-known author of the multimillion-selling book "The Purpose Driven Life."
If you would like to send condolences, you may do through Saddleback's Facebook page or through Pastor Rick Warren's personal Facebook page.
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