Home Scandal and Gossip Riverside megachurch pastor commits suicide ‘Loving Jesus didn’t cure me’

Riverside megachurch pastor commits suicide ‘Loving Jesus didn’t cure me’

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Jarrid Wilson Riverside pastor
Pictured, Jarrid Wilson Riverside pastor. Image via social media.
Jarrid Wilson Riverside pastor
Pictured, Jarrid Wilson Riverside pastor. Image via social media.

Jarrid Wilson Riverside pastor at California megachurch commits suicide after suffering  depression & mental health issues. Vocal champion of fighting mental health stigma.

A California megachurch pastor afflicted with depression killed himself Monday night, church officials said.

Jarrid Wilson, 30, was a pastor with the Harvest Christian Fellowship Church in Riverside, where he gave ‘impassioned sermons’ on mental health issues, according to church officials. 

‘Jarrid also repeatedly dealt with depression and was very open about his ongoing struggles,’ senior pastor Greg Laurie wrote Tuesday on the church’s blog. ‘He wanted to especially help those who were dealing with suicidal thoughts. Tragically, Jarrid took his own life.’

The circumstances surrounding Jarrid’s apparent suicide were not immediately released.

Reports state that the pastor had officiated at the funeral of a woman who committed suicide just hours before his own death.

Prior to taking his own life, the priest posted on social media disclosing his mental health struggles ChristianityToday reported.

‘Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure suicidal thoughts,’ Wilson tweeted on Monday. ‘Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure depression.’

‘Stop telling people that suicide leads to hell.’

Wilson joined the church in early 2018 and founded an outreach program called ‘Anthem of Hope’ to help people dealing with depression.

Earlier this summer, the 30-year-old had also blogged that he dealt with ‘severe depression throughout most of my life and contemplated suicide on multiple occasions’.

Wilson, in his blog, urged Christians to pause before stating that those who take their own lives are condemned by God: ‘Those who say suicide automatically leads to hell obviously don’t understand the totality of mental health issues in today’s world, let alone understand the basic theology behind compassion and God’s all-consuming grace.’

He added, ‘Stop telling people that suicide leads to hell. It’s bad theology and proof one doesn’t understand the basic psychology surrounding mental health issues.’

‘Sometimes people may think that as pastors or spiritual leaders we are somehow above the pain and struggles of everyday people,’ senior pastor Laurie wrote. ‘We are the ones who are supposed to have all the answers. But we do not.’

Wilson — who authored several books including “Jesus Swagger” — is survived by his wife, Juli, and their two sons.

‘My loving, giving, kind-hearted, encouraging, handsome, hilarious, give the shirt [off] his back husband went to be with Jesus late last night,’ Juli posted on Instagram Tuesday. ‘Suicide doesn’t get the last word. I won’t let it. You always said ‘Hope Gets the last word. Jesus gets the last word.’’

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