Pastor Darrin Patrick, who founded The Journey megachurch in Missouri and served as a teaching pastor at the South Carolina-based multi-site Seacoast Church, died by what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound last Thursday. He was aged 49
His wife, Amie, posted on his Instagram page the following message: “…We will never be able to say thank you enough for the outpouring of support my family is receiving during this devastating time. We are heartbroken beyond belief, terribly confused, and missing Darrin in ways that feel unbearable. Your kind remembrances of him, photos, stories, and encouraging words are healing to our souls”.
“Darrin was the rock of our family, the great love of my life, and a fiercely devoted father to our amazing children. He was a dynamic force of nature, deeply passionate and so, so fun. Mostly though, he loved God and people in ways that will challenge me for the rest of my days. And he loved me so well… I learned so much about how God loves me through the ways that my husband saw me, knew me, and cared for me. We will be a mess for a good while, but we will be ok. We grieve deeply with unwavering hope that this world is not the end and that we will see our Darrin again. Please see Seacoast.org for more on Darrin and ways to support our family. Thank you”.
A representative from the church told The Christian Post on Saturday, “The police investigation into the incident is ongoing and it’s unknown whether the self-inflicted gunshot wound was “intentional or unintentional”
In a statement confirming the pastor’s death, Seacoast Church said: “Darrin was a loved member of the Seacoast family, the teaching team, and pastoral staff and we are mourning his loss. Darrin had a gift for teaching the Word and a heart for encouraging other pastors. God allowed Seacoast to be a part of Darrin’s story in a time when he needed a family. He was a gift to us and we are thankful for the time the Lord gave him to us.”
We at HeartSong Live are deeply saddened by the news of the death of yet another pastor seemingly from suicide. Ironically, following the death of California pastor Jarrid Wilson by suicide last year, Pastor Patrick had written on Instagram: “Another pastor @jarridwilson committed suicide. Please pray for and encourage your pastors they always need it!”
His words ring true even more so now.
