Saddleback Church Hosts AIDS Conference

Saddleback Church Hosts AIDS Conference

CBN News
November 30, 2006

CBNNews.com - LAKE FOREST, Calif. - The Rev. Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose-Driven Life," is calling together Christian leaders, scientists, doctors and government officials for a global summit on AIDS.

The author of "The Purpose-Driven Life" and his wife are hosting the gathering today and tomorrow at their Saddleback Church in southern California.

This is the second year for the summit, entitled, "Global Summit on AIDS and the Church."
Rick's wife Kay became aware of the vastness of the AIDS problem in 2002, according to the Los Angeles Times, after she read a news article about the 12 million orphans that the disease had left in Africa.

Kay says that her own battle with cancer has helped her relate to people with AIDS.

And Christians have several assets that are crucial to winning the fight against AIDS, according to Rick: a worldwide network of believers and local churches, and credibility in their communities.

He also says that if the church is the body of Christ, it needs to be hands and feet helping the sick and not just a mouth that criticizes.

But he's being criticized by some Christian conservatives for including Democratic Senator Barack Obama -- who supports abortion rights -- among the 60 speakers.

Saddleback Church has issued a statement that says, "Obama was invited to share his views on AIDS, not abortion," and notes that conservative Republican Senator Sam Brownback also will participate.

Warren feels that "the church has been known more for what it's against than for what it's for," and while he opposes abortion, he says he wants to expand the agenda by including Obama.

In fact, Obama and Warren are not total strangers to each other. When Obama was writing his best-selling book, "The Audacity of Hope," he asked Warren, himself a best-selling author, to review the chapter on faith.

The global summit will place particular emphasis on the effect AIDS has on women, orphans and children. It will also emphasize the impact of AIDS on Hispanics and African-Americans.

Others taking parting the summit include the Reverend Franklin Graham, representatives from the pediatric AIDS foundation, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, other AIDS organizations, and leaders of World Vision, World Relief and Compassion International.

There will also be special video messages from Bill and Melinda Gates of The Gates Foundation, and Senator Bill Frist.

Source: Associated Press, Larry Ross Communications Press Release, LA Times