Kaywarren.com: Kay Warren's Blog

Joining the Resistance

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:00:00 GMT

It took seeing seven-year-old prostitutes to jolt me out of my apathy.Published first in Christianity Today: August 13, 2008The person who invented the TV remote control deserves some kind of award. From my comfy recliner, I can cruise through a hundred channels in seconds.See something unpleasant? Click. Change the channel. See a disturbing image on a newscast? Click. Change the channel. Avoiding any contact with suffering is as easy as touching a button. For a long time, I lived my life the wa ...

Talk and Walk

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:00:00 GMT

Getting our body in sync with our message. Published first in Christianity Today: June 5, 2008 On a gray winter's day in Kiev (Kyiv), Ukraine, I walked the halls of a monastery-turned-hospital, its tile floors smoothed down by the footsteps of monks. People newly diagnosed with HIV come to this hospital for further tests. In one room, a man sat aloof, barely acknowledging our presence. Another man angrily denounced his government's weak response to people with HIV. Anatoly, a local pastor, i ...

Wiping out HIV

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:00:00 GMT

It's good for the soul to fight the virus.Published first in Christianity Today: April 28, 2008 Five years ago, I became a seriously disturbed woman. Through a single magazine article about AIDS in Africa, my attention was captured and a sense of shock, horror, and doom awoke within me. How could there be more than 30 million people infected with a lethal virus, and I not know even one of them? How was it possible that there were 12 million chil ...

THE HIGHEST GOAL

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:00:00 GMT

Let me ask you a very important question: What will be the measure of your life when you get to the end of your days? What is the highest goal of your life? The Bible doesn't say "let the pursuit of wealth be your highest goal" or "let decorating your house be your highest goal" or "Let being the best athlete be your highest goal"..it says in 1 Cor. 14:1 (NLT) "Let love be your highest goal." Dangerously surrendered, seriously disturbed and gloriously ruine ...

Home

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:00:00 GMT

I've just returned from my sixth visit to beautiful, fascinating, complex Rwanda. It was at the end of one of the 2 rainy seasons and every field, every tree, every mountain was verdant and lush. The bananas were plentiful, handshakes and hugs were ours in abundance and it felt so good to be..home?The local mayor of one of the rural areas keeps telling us that since we say we love Rwanda so much we should have a home there. When he first made that suggestion last summer, we lau ...

Marshmallow Bunny

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:00:00 GMT

Easter is an amazing time at Saddleback - this year we're hosting 12 services, spread over 4 days (not including the video venues and 3 regional campuses). A few years ago, our family gave up trying to fit Easter dinner in between all those services. Now we gather on the Saturday before Easter for a leisurely brunch, with plenty of time to spare before the afternoon services. It's pretty standard holiday stuff: a fabulous meal followed by the requisite Easter egg hunt. & ...

SURVIVING AND THRIVING

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Wow.where does the time go? My good intentions of posting a new blog entry every Friday keep disappearing in the tyranny of the urgent. A few emergencies here, an unexpected deadline there, and before you know it, a whole week has zipped past me. Sort of the way life itself has a way of moving faster than the speed of light.blink, and whole decades disappear.Which makes me start thinking about mortality - mine in particular. March is "Survivor Month" for me. I finishe ...

Adventure Ahead

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:00:00 GMT

This may sound really cheesy, but it fills me with joy to know that God is using Dangerous Surrender to break people's hearts. It's bizarre, I suppose, to celebrate another's pain, but I am convinced that the discomfort many of you are feeling is so necessary..so critical to our mission of being his hands and feet in the world. So as odd as it might seem, I meet your tears with a huge smile! "YES!!!" I exclaim. "Another seriously disturbed man or woman has joined the battle aga ...

Second Chances

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:00:00 GMT

In December I had the opportunity to appear on several national news shows - both radio and television - to promote my book, Dangerous Surrender. The debut show was Good Morning America, hosted by Robin Roberts. I was so nervous! I was keenly aware that everything I said would be scrutinized and evaluated by those watching. I was so afraid that my brain would freeze and I wouldn't be able to think of a thing to say - or worse, I would say something stupid that would haunt ...

God Came Near

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:00:00 GMT

I love the story of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness found in the Old Testament. "Tabernacle" simply means dwelling place, and I am fascinated by meaning in the details of this humble "tent" that housed the presence of God. Symbolism abounds, and for a mystic like me, discovering profound spiritual significance about the coming Messiah hidden in fabrics, metals, measurements and craftsmanship is so much fun! One of the things that made the nation of Israel distinct from surroundin ...

World AIDS Day

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:00:00 GMT

Another World AIDS Day, and no cure or vaccine in sight. Twenty six years of a monstrous virus unleashed on our planet.millions infected..millions already dead..millions of orphans and vulnerable children left to find their way alone. Where's the hope? This week at the 3rd annual Global Summit on AIDS and the Church, we talked about the hope - it's only found one place: the Church! If I wasn't absolutely convinced that the church of Jesus Christ is the missing li ...

Summit Time

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 16:00:00 GMT

This is the opening day of the third annual Global Summit on AIDS and the Church at Saddleback! I eagerly look forward to this event each year - it's the one place I go where every person I meet cares about HIV/AIDS. The men and women who assemble from around the globe understand the devastation this virus causes to those impacted by it; they understand it so well that they have dedicated themselves to stopping AIDS. Because we are united in our goal to find a way to halt the p ...

NO GUILT

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:00:00 GMT

About an hour ago I finished giving an interview for a magazine. The interviewer politely asked me how I live a normal life without feeling guilty after all the brokenness, evil and suffering I've witnessed in the last 5 years... She wanted to know if that is a reasonable expectation - is it even possible? It is. I am not wracked by guilt for living in a place where there are 100 varieties of peanut butter, even though billions will scrounge for their next me ...

Consuming Fires and Lone Rangers

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:00:00 GMT

The Southern California fires last week were a painful reminder of how fragile the balance is between "all is well" in our lives, and "all is terrible." Sitting in my office with my colleague Monday morning chatting about work, we didn't have a clue that by nightfall we would be running through her neighborhood ahead of a wall of fire. You all watched the news - you saw the devastation. But being there is so much different than watching. Choking smoke that makes breathing a st ...

Beginnings

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 17:00:00 GMT

A few days ago I opened a cardboard box that held 28 copies of my new book. It was surreal! Twenty eight books with my face staring back at me. On one hand, I wanted to jump up and down in excitement to celebrate the realization of a lifelong dream. On the other, I wanted to be alone, quietly reflecting back on the life journey that had brought me to this moment of joy. I think the deepest emotion I am feeling is gratitude for all the people who have shared the ...