United Press International - November 23, 2005

The conference will culminate in a headliner concert featuring Wynona Judd, Tait, Out of Eden and other Christian music luminaries following a day of inspiring stories, a video message from First Lady Laura Bush, educational activities including free AIDS testing - with Warren being one of the first to be tested, as well as opportunities to serve the local community.

Speakers and special guests will include Ambassador Randall Tobias, US Department of State Global AIDS Coordinator; Claude Allen, Chief Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy; Pastor Bill and Lynn Hybels from Willow Creek Church in Chicago, IL; and Edward Green, PhD, Harvard University anthropologist and AIDS prevention authority.

In all, 52 experts from government, health and ministry organizations will conduct general sessions and workshops to provide an in-depth look at how the church can mobilize to address the AIDS pandemic, both locally and globally.

Initially, it was Kay Warren who began to pursue more knowledge and understanding about the disease - how many people are affected, how widespread the problem is, and what is being done to combat it. "Two and a half years ago my heart was broken over the greatest health crisis in history - the HIV/AIDS pandemic-and God was calling me to do something about it," she said.

Her husband, Pastor Rick Warren, confesses that it took a little time before he was similarly compelled to give his full attention to the crisis.

"Of course, I encouraged her vision, but I didn't feel any personal calling to get involved," adds Pastor Warren. "I was busy pastoring our congregation and serving other pastors. I didn't know that it was God speaking through my wife to me. But as I heard Kay talk about this worldwide plague, I realized how little I knew about AIDS, how almost everything I knew about it was wrong."

The Disturbing Voices Conference is the first of its kind - a church-sponsored event addressing what has been mistakenly viewed as a crisis so big that only the government could respond. However, the Warrens recognized that the AIDS pandemic is just one of the five 'global giants' that will require cooperation among government, business and the Church to effectively address.

The five giants - or "Goliaths" - that Pastor Warren has identified are spiritual emptiness, egocentric leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic illness and illiteracy. HIV/AIDS clearly falls into the 'pandemic illness' category, as currently there are more than 40 million women, children, and men worldwide have HIV/AIDS - with over one million in America. And more than 50% of people with HIV/AIDS are women and children.

"The AIDS crisis is bigger than any government, any business, any one humanitarian organization. The only entity big enough to go head-to-head with this cruel and ruthless disease is the Church. Jesus loved, touched and cared for the diseased outcasts of His day - and I firmly believe this could be the Church's finest hour and best opportunity to demonstrate Christ's love for others in our day," continues Pastor Warren.

In addition to general sessions featuring speakers from leading AIDS prevention and treatment authorities, the conference will include workshop sessions led by healthcare professionals, humanitarian organizations and pastors who will provide information and guidance on topics ranging from setting up an HIV/AIDS ministry within the local church and community, to technical advances in prevention and treatment of AIDS. There will also be presentations outlining opportunities to extend relief to the hard hit African countries that are being decimated by the deadly virus.

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