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Christianity Today, December, 2008 |

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Needed: More 'Miracles'

My grandchild barely survived birth. Worldwide, too many newborns do not.

Kay Warren | posted 12/03/2008 09:29AM

"Mom, Jaime's in labor!" My son's voice was full of excitement and fear as he told me our daughter-in-law's water had just broke and they were at the hospital. I tried to sound reassuring, but at 34 and ...

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H. D. Schmidt

Posted: December 06, 2008 11:26 PM

Why is it that in the part of the world I was born, in a German farm community, where most ladies were married at age 20, many even younger like our mother, she was 17 when she married and had my brother only a year or so after and had 7 children, with mothers even giving birth to at times more then ten. Yet, I do not remember a mother dying in labor ever, and just about all gave birth at home with the aid mostly by a so called midwife, with very little training at all. It is a fact of life that the older a woman is and tarting a family it gets very difficult even to get pregnant. I just saw recently posted where the Hospitall prideed itself to have helped women to get pregnant and than more and more C sections. Question and not that I support teen unmarried ladies to get pregnant and have a child, nevertheless the question: Has any ever had a difficult life threating birthing? Besides as so much is said about women with osteoporosis nowadays, there was no such in our community!

fleur

Posted: December 06, 2008 12:13 AM

I would like to see Kay Warren use her influence to persuade Americans to embrace a value system that those living in Third World countries have and that we do not: an appreciation of Life so deep and profound that a mother would never accept or condone or even consider the snuffing out of her preborn baby. Do any countries in Africa practice infanticide the way we do? I've been to one of the poorest countries in Africa and seen the deep love and affection even the poorest mother has for her babies. I'm sure that the thought of killing one her babies while it is still in her womb is totally unfathomable to her. Oh that we Americans could learn that one lesson. Regarding Kay's guilt. I try to tell guilt-ridden Westerners, especially Americans, to lay down their guilt and pick up gratitude. Gratitude does not preclude charity but guilt just ministers condemnation and depression.

Cindy - USA

Posted: December 04, 2008 6:42 PM

Kay is feeling guilty that her grandchild is living when many around the world would not have lived. That's okay, a waste of emotion, and wrong, but it's just her. When she uses her name and influence to try and make the rest of us feel her guilt, she's spreading that wrong unfairly. Our advantages are a result of our culture. As a group, we work hard, we value health care, (maybe too much) among other things. I was a missionary to Belize, Central America for a couple years. That was enough to see how much lack of concern exists in other cultures, enough lack of concern to doom their own children, families and themselves. Don't put their cultural failings on me, Kay. We can and should help as we can and feel called to. We can't change their culture to value what we do.

Cindy - USA

Posted: December 04, 2008 6:29 PM


Kay is feeling guilty for living and having a living grandchild when many someones in many other countries are not, living, I mean. Neither the Grandma or the baby. So she liberally shares her guilt and tells us we share in it. Wrong, that's wrong, Kay. We have advantages because our culture values (maybe overly so) health care and is willing to work for it among other things. As a former YWAM

Susan De Vries

Posted: December 03, 2008 9:26 PM

A great story drew me into the article: how could I resist? And the conclusion is well written. My only suggestion is that the "application" of the sermon is not the right one. There is no possibility that everyone in the world can have the same standard of health care as American enjoy, and we can only feel floating guilt that others don't have the same "essentials". How about a less guilt-motivated and more love-motivated appeal to get involved in medical missions, political reform, or to give more generously to groups that do provide medical care? I've been a missionary since 1972, and I still don't know quite how we can change the situation worldwide. But we need to think through the steps the reader can and should take. Still, it was a touching piece which raised awareness for some. Keep up the articles, Kay. You are doing the Church in America a service.

Jim Australia

Posted: December 03, 2008 7:43 PM

When? Good question. Perhaps "when" Mrs Warren and her husband sell their house and all their possessions and give them all to the poor. Perhaps when Saddleback sells its obscenely expensive property, meets in local houses, and gives the money to the poor. Perhaps when, instead of flying over all the world to conferences, they give the money to the poor. Perhaps . . . well, you get the idea. "When" is only when we as individuals do something, not when we condemn others for not doing something.

t.	Posted: December 03, 2008 6:37 PM

Jesus is very loving and knows the love and heart of our Father and the Father's purpose for us, which is why Jesus advocates trust and faith over and above asking for material things such as healings. That is why Jesus demonstrated the value (yes value) of our cross, of self-sacrifice and abandoning the world so that we burn out the dross and become refined liked precious metal. Matthew 6:8 Do not be like the those who do not trust and who must see signs, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." Jesus, when he taught us to pray said we must ask for and accept the will of the Father. When we ask for something it should be for the Holy Spirit. Luke 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" That is what is precious: The power to face the onslaught of the world and to attack hell and dismantle it brick by brick, not the power to ease our lives

Robyn

Posted: December 03, 2008 4:54 PM

Kay, I agree with you. The 2 previous comments prove how right you are. American Christians don't care about other people... not even the poor in our own country. Our marriage to "Republicanomics" has stomped out any charity we may have had in our hearts. I believe we'd actually see SUPERNATURAL miracles when needed if we cared enough to actually do the things God has blessed us with the ability to do ourselves. I'd so hate for American Christians to have to suffer persecution and/or deprivation to find their hearts again, but it seems that is what it will take for it to happen. We have an ethic that requires 3 things of us... pray a "sinners' prayer for salvation, ask others to do the same, and vote Republican so we can feel righteous about our "pro-life" stance. Jesus had a LOT to say about people like us in His teachings. We need to read them again and BEG Him to let us get a good look at ourselves as He sees us, and REPENT!

t.	Posted: December 03, 2008 4:39 PM

Jesus wants us to rather trust in God, rather than asking for miracles. "And there was a certain royal official whose son was lying ill in Capernaum. 47Having heard that Jesus had come back from Judea into Galilee, he went away to meet Him and began to beg Him to come down and cure his son, for he was lying at the point of death. 48Then Jesus said to him, Unless you see signs and miracles happen, you [people] never will believe (trust, have faith) at all. John 4vs46-48. AND SO "Matthew 6:8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

Ruth	Posted: December 03, 2008 3:38 PM

Another 'when' . . . When will the leaders of many of the countries in Africa allow the money and goods sent to them by other generous countries to help their people instead of keeping it for themselves. Some of them live extravagant lifestyles in the face of extreme poverty. Yes, we can do more but it must be done through agencies that can responsibly administer goods and services given by those outside their country. May God lay it more and more on our hearts to give sacrificially and to the appropriate places.

Julie

Posted: December 03, 2008 3:13 PM

Once again, Kay Warren claims to be the only Christian in America who actually cares about the "least of these" in developing countries, all the while ignoring the many cross-cultural missionaries from the U.S., including those in the denomination I work for, who are on the front lines meeting physical and spiritual needs of the less fortunate around the world. These selfless servants of Christ have built hospitals and clinics for needy people, working long hours in extremely stressful conditions when they could have had lucrative medical careers in the U.S. It is frustrating that Kay continues to ignore these unsung heroes. With the Warrens' vast financial resources, Kay could be supporting these missionaries instead of attacking North American Christians for their alleged failure to "do unto others."

Cindy

Posted: December 03, 2008 2:51 PM


Kay says, "When will North American Christians decide that what they consider essential for their families is essential for all?" Or rather, when will we realize that what we consider essential "for our families," is not essential at all?

Diane

Posted: December 03, 2008 1:50 PM

Does slavery and injustice and torture comprise righteousness? Those terrible tragedies have been a part of of our country's history and are still in play here. There are many, many sinners in the country and many, many Pharisees who point at all the others who are not as good as they are. God does not love people in the US more than He loves people in other countries. God loves us as His creation, not because of any righteousness that we have done.

Pablo Vermillion

Posted: December 03, 2008 12:57 PM

Good article. I appreciate the fresh perspective. However, I don't think the answer is the american government, but rather societal reformation in these developing nations. The reason Americans and many europeans have tremendous health care and so many other blessings can be found in a wonderful Bible verse, RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS A NATION, BUT SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE. We are enjoying the blessings of 150 years of christian foundations. However, it is also true that we will soon find ourselves in sad shape if we continue on our current path.

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