Jarrid Wilson, megachurch pastor well-known for his advocacy for mental health, died by suicide on Monday, according to officials at Harvest Christian Fellowship Church in Riverside, California.
Wilson, 30, leaves behind a wife and two young sons.
In a statement, Greg Laurie — the church’s senior pastor — wrote, “Sometimes people think that as pastors or spiritual leaders, we are somehow above the pain and struggles of everyday people.
“We are the ones who are supposed to have all the answers. But we do not,” he added, describing Wilson as a “vibrant” man who was “always serving and helping others.”
Wilson, who in 2016 co-founded Christian organization Anthem of Hope — a group for those people struggling with mental illness issues — tweeted about mental illness struggles just hours before his death.
He wrote, “Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure suicidal thoughts. Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure depression. Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure PTSD. Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure anxiety. But that doesn’t mean Jesus doesn’t offer us companionship and comfort. He ALWAYS does that.” – READ MORE