Rick, Kay Warren Conclude that Fight Against HIV/AIDS is Spiritual Battle
Rick and Kay Warren in the last session of the HIV/AIDS Conference this week declared that the fight against HIV/AIDS is a spiritual battle.
LAKE FOREST, Calif. – Rick and Kay Warren in the last session of the HIV/AIDS Conference this week declared that the fight against HIV/AIDS is a spiritual battle.
The last formal session in the three-day conference about the role of the church in the fight against AIDS on Nov. 29-Dec.1 declared that the HIV virus is evil and the Church is fighting a spiritual battle against this evil disease.
“Make no mistake about it. AIDS is an evil virus because it sucks life out of people,” Pastor Rick Warren stated.
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Kay Warren, using the movie Lord of the Ring: Return of the King as an analogy, told the audience of nearly 2,000 pastors and Christian leaders that the Church is fighting a massive spiritual battle against the evil disease of HIV/AIDS that takes away life. She noted how big, powerful, evil, and threatening the disease is compared to the forces of “good” and life fighting against it.
“In the beginning of the trilogy [Lord of the Rings], these little guys are called to a task that is so far beyond their ability. They are suppose to get rid of this ring,” Kay Warren began.
As a recent cancer survivor, Warren drew the analogy between diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS, and the movie’s final battle scene where only one side will survive. She noted that the little hobbits went charging across the battle field toward a seemingly unbeatable enemy.
“They’re all saying that we may die today. It’ pretty certain that we’re going to die today but we are going to link arms and go into the battle where evil is reigning because something that we do may usher in the reign of the king,” Warren cried out passionately.
“The forces of evil are beyond our imagination. They are so big. The fight against HIV is a battle, if left to ourselves, we cannot win. It is so evil. It is so big. It is so pervasive. But we will link arms together knowing that in the process some may be wounded and others may die. But in unity, spirit, and in the name of the Church of Jesus Christ that something we do may speed up the return of our King of kings, then it will be worth it,” Warren stated.
“We know the end. We know our God is with us. Don’t give up. Link arms together. Let’s go into battle for the lives of people and for our King.”
After the closing song with the chorus “If you can use anything, Lord you can use me,” Rick Warren spoke solemnly about the historical significance of the conference, which was the first international HIV/AIDS conference hosted by a local church.
“The Purpose Driven International Conference on the Church and AIDS – it’s a historic moment. It’s a moment that’s going to reverberate and touch lives in hundreds of thousands and eventually millions of churches,” said the Saddleback founder and senior pastor. “You will be able to say I was there in the fall 2005 when we only had a couple of thousand people.
“The church is going to speak out and not only speak out but the church is going to stand up and the church is going to move into action and see the greatest crisis on the planet become the greatest opportunity to show the love of Jesus,” Warren concluded.
