Rick Warren Says There Are No 'Accidental Children' at 'Celebrate Life' Event
Saddleback Church pastor Rick Warren, commenting on the importance of helping women who find themselves in a crisis and dealing with unplanned pregnancies, said there is no such thing as an "accidental" child.
"There are accidental parents, but there are no accidental children," Warren said. "There are illegitimate parents, but there are no illegitimate children. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did," said Warren, speaking at a banquet benefiting Care Net of Central Texas at Baylor University's Ferrell Center.
The banquet, a part of the group's annual "Celebrate Life" event, drew around 1,000 people on Tuesday in Waco, Texas, WacoTrib.com reported. Care Net, a faith-centered pregnancy center, describes says its calling is to "provide compassionate care, practical help, and accurate information to men and women facing unplanned pregnancies or past abortions; to promote premarital abstinence; and to do these so as to draw people unto the Lord Jesus Christ to bring Him honor and glory."
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Warren has often spoken out against abortion, and commented at the event that politics are not going to set America back on the right path.
"A healing in America isn't going to happen at a political level," the Saddleback Church pastor continued. "It's going to happen at the grass-roots level, in churches, in communities, in groups like Care Net, where you focus on helping one person at a time."
In his speech, Warren reminded listeners of the story of Moses encountering the burning bush in the desert, when he was called to serve God and His people. Connecting the biblical story found in Exodus to parenthood, the pastor remarked that it was up to Christians to stand up for those who cannot "speak for themselves," mainly the thousands of babies aborted every year.
"Think of the innocent little babies that have yet to see the light of day," Warren continued. "Just because you can't do something great does not excuse you to do nothing. You may not have $1 million, but you have something."
Warren's bestseller book, The Purpose Driven Life, is one of the most successful Christian books ever written, but he reminded the audience that the first line in the book is "It's not about you." He also shared how, despite his financial success, he has lived in the same house for the last 22 years and has kept the same lifestyle he had before he became one of America's most well-known pastors.
The Care Net event in the past has also included former GOP presidential candidates former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, and former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, which has helped raised the profile of the organization.
"They all have the same platform, and they believe the same thing," said Mary Villarreal, a former volunteer for Care Net. "I think that by having them come and speak, it helps draw more attention to the work that is being done here in Waco."
In last Sunday's sermon at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., Warren again talked about the importance of preserving life as well as other Christian institutions, such as marriage.
"You don't need to apologize for voting for a Christian worldview which stands up for the sanctity of life, the sanctity of sex and the sanctity of marriage. You don't need to apologize for that because everybody votes what they believe," Warren said during the service.
