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Opportunity, if not, don, an obligation for the church to address mental illness with a more forthright spirit, with grace and compassion and love. unfortunately, in many christian communities, mental illness is a stigma and a taboo, and -- and many of us have failed in addressing it with a deliberate spirit and context actualization. it's an illness. heart disease didn't dilute your christianity. having cancer doesn't make you less of a christian. theater does mental illness. that's why i believe we need to create space. imagine if the christian community would work with mental health profess...

In him together and we're going to go through it all as a family. >> reporter: matthew warren who worked at saddleback church, died from a gunshot wound to the head in what his father described as a final act of despair. he struggled with depression all his life. tom holladay, an assistant pastor serving the orange county congregation, is warren's brother-in-law. he had taken over here when warren was stricken with pneumonia after easter weekend. the church, as well as his friends, describe matthew as kind, gentle and compassionate with a sweet spirit. >> there are days where he was just this ...

Worked at saddleback church, died friday from a gunshot wound to the head in what his father described as a momentary act of despair. he struggled with depression all his life. tom holladay, an assistant pastor serving the orange county congregation, is warren's brother-in-law. he had taken over here when warren was stricken with pneumonia after easter weekend. the church, as well as his friends, describe matthew as kind, gentle and compassionate with a sweet spirit. >> there are days where he was just this bubbly, outgoing, you know, effervescent, reaching out to people, and there were the da...

And other members, pastor warren said, quote, i'll never forget how many years ago, after another approach had failed to give relief, matthew said, dad, i know i'm going to heaven. why can't i just die and end this pain? the youngest of warren's three children, matthew worked for the church's mail order warehouse division. the church said he played an important but quiet role at saddleback. during sunday's sermon matthew's uncle asked for prayers, even from those who didn't know him personally. >> we're a family, and we're walking through this together, and as i said a couple of times in that ...

More forthright spirit, with grace and compassion and love. unfortunately, in many christian communities, mental illness is a stigma and a taboo, and -- and many of us have failed in addressing it with a deliberate spirit and contextualization. it's an illness. heart disease didn't dilute your christianity. having cancer doesn't make you less of a christian. neither does mental illness. that's why i believe we need to create space. imagine if the christian community would work with mental health professionals in partnership in building firewalls, in addressing mental illness in a more sustaina...