Death of a Pastor

I was very saddened by the following announcement, originally posted on 3/8/10. It is copied verbatim from the websites of the church this man pastored as well as the planting church. Although it is public fare, I've altered the names of the people and blanked out the names of the churches. Somewhat acquainted with this pastor, who by the way, was only 31 years old, I'd heard him preach on numerous occasions over the last few years. As the week wore on, the whole thing became increasingly troubling for me.

A message from the elders of ________Church and _______ Church:

The funeral for B, founding pastor of _______Church in _______, Texas, will be Tuesday, March 9, at 2 p.m. at the _________worship center of ________Church. The worship center is located at ________________.

B, former student pastor at _________Church, died Friday morning, March 5. He had long suffered from insomnia and had developed an addiction to prescription sleeping pills. In an effort to overcome the addiction and still get the necessary sleep, B had begun to take Tylenol PM. Doctors suspect that as a side effect of the medication, he became disoriented and consumed more than the recommended dosage. B’s death was a result of an accidental overdose of Tylenol PM.

He is survived by his wife, C, and their two children, W, age 3, and L, age 1. Please pray for C and the children. The family is currently setting up a care fund. Information on the fund will be posted later.

Tragic indeed, but this has raised more questions than answers for me. The Facebook postings from last week were somewhat vague and only stated that he was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday with kidney and liver damage. He was put into a medically induced coma after doctors performed a procedure to insert a central line into his heart. The hope was that he could begin dialysis. Sadly, that was not to be. My heart aches for his young wife and two little ones who will never know their father. It will be a difficult road for them, and I pray that God would grant them the grace needed for their journey ahead. I am grieved over the news and over the fact that his loss will be deeply felt by the community, his church, his friends and most of all his family.

Although I didn't know B personally, this has really weighed heavily on my heart. And I write this mainly as a way of releasing that grief, and as a way of wrestling with and working through very difficult questions, and there are no easy answers. Left only to speculate about the circumstances surrounding his death, it pains me to know he had a problem with both the prescription medication and the Tylenol. Is it possible that the high standards and high pressures of the pastorate led him to seek unhealthy coping mechanisms? Perhaps. I'll certainly never know. I do know that the office of pastor is a demanding calling. It's 24/7, and even when you're off work you're not really 'off' work. As the Church, we must be compelled to do a better job of taking care of our undershepherds. When the rest of us are confessing and fighting sin battles within the confines of home groups or accountability groups, pastors are usually left with no one in which to confide. It's too risky. I was reminded that, unfortunately, the church has a reputation of 'shooting its wounded,' and this is a sad commentary. Individual congregations must be more biblical in coming alongside pastors as they deal with 'whatever' issues arise in their lives. If there is serious sin, handle it in the proper biblical manner, implementing proper church discipline when necessary. If not, then walk with them as you would anyone else in order that they may be restored. Well, I'm sure there is much more that can be said on the subject, but I'll leave it for now.

I can, at least (which is actually at best), take comfort in the immutable reality of a sovereign God, who, before the foundation of the world recorded in His book all the days that were ordained for this saint (Psalm 139:16). And this is true for each one of us. Whether our deaths come by way of illness, old age, murder or even at our own hands, and whether we are 2 weeks or 92 years old, death's timing is under the authority and control of God alone. In the end, death has been defeated by Christ, and those who are in Him will forever be with Him. This child of God is in His presence right now and loved ones left behind - while they mourn - mourn not as those who have no hope, but grieve knowing Jesus died and rose again, forever conquering the sting of death. With truth in the meaning I can honestly say, "Rest In Peace," dear brother, for you are indeed at peace with the Savior.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Amen