Rick Warren, lead pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, is recovering after undergoing emergency surgery Thursday morning. On the evening of Wednesday, November 7, 2018, Warren was alone at his house when he realized something was terribly wrong; providentially his son, Josh, called the house at the exact moment his father needed help.
Warren was home alone because his wife, Kay, was scheduled to speak at the Illuminate conference in Northern Ireland. Kay was on a plane when Warren, at their home in southern California, doubled over from excruciating abdominal pain.
In a letter to his congregants, Warren writes, “Fortunately, my son, Josh, called me at the same moment of my pain, and he rushed over to drive me to an Urgent Care facility.” The urgent care doctor gave Warren shots of antibiotics and a painkiller and instructed the megachurch pastor to get a CT scan the next morning. However, Warren says he started “shaking uncontrollably” as he attempted to leave the urgent care facility with Josh. The doctor told them to go to the ER immediately.
At the hospital, Warren learned what was wrong with him. He explained:
At the hospital, the staff got my CT scan which revealed that my intestine had perforated (torn) and was releasing infection into the abdominal area. So I quickly had emergency surgery and I am now recovering.
He went on to thank everyone for their “prayers and love.”
Kay Warren received word of her husband’s condition when her plane landed. She was able to take a return flight home, missing the conference she was scheduled to speak at. Kay told attendees of the conference (via Facebook) that she was “keenly disappointed” not to be able to be with them and thanked them for their prayers. She wrote:
Hello dear friends—just an update on Rick. He is much better today! The surgery went even better than expected and he will be released in a few days. Things were quite serious for a day but he is strong and tough and he is on the road to recovery! Thank you for your prayers for us! I am keenly disappointed to not be with you at Illuminate 2018; trusting that our sovereign God holds all things in His hands. I pray that what transpires in the lives of the women who attend will mark each one permanently—that unforgettable moments with Jesus and each other will take place. Until we meet in person, love to you all…
Warren also told his congregation he will have to undergo another surgery after Christmas.
