Rick Warren Holds Private Funeral to Avert Controversy
Pastor Rick Warren is being criticized by some for his family’s decision to hold a private funeral for his son Matthew. The 27-year-old committed suicide after a lifelong battle with mental illness.
Meanwhile, Warren expressed his grief on social media tweeting his broken heart.
He posted, “Every time my heart shatters I take the pieces to Jesus for repair.” He also quoted Psalm 34:1 where it says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.”
He also wrote, “I’ve cried almost as many tears of joy as tears of grief in the last 48 hours, because you’ve loved @KayWarren1 and me.”
In response to supporters he tweeted, “Many ask “How can I help?” Help @KayWarren1 and me end the #stigma of mental illness! Join our team: http://bit.ly/152YGAG.“
And to give supporters a little insight into how he and his wife are coping he wrote, “Music, not words, have brought the most comfort. As I type this, Kay’s downstairs playing hymns on her piano. #Worship!”
In a letter to his congregation Sunday, Pastor Warren explained his family decided on a private funeral to circumvent the controversy and pain surrounding the suicide.
The family’s “grieving has been public,” Warren wrote. “And grieving when haters celebrate your pain has been even more difficult.”
In honor of Pastor Warren and his lost we’ve retweeted many of his heartfelt words. For more, follow us @charisma_news.
