Prominent megachurch pastor and author Darrin Patrick died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound the Seacoast Church in South Carolina where he worked as a teaching pastor announced. He was 49.
Patrick was target shooting with a friend on Thursday when he apparently shot himself, the church said in a statement.
“We are saddened to announce the sudden passing of Pastor Darrin Patrick. 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. His influence and impact cannot be measured. We are surrounding the Patrick family with our prayers and support during this time,” the church said.
Prior to joining Seacoast Church in June 2017, Patrick served at The Journey, a church in St. Louis, Missouri, which he founded in 2002.
He was removed as leader of The Journey in April 2016 due to a “historical pattern of sin.”
“The initial and now confirmed accusations were not of adultery but did violate the high standard for elders in marriage through inappropriate meetings, conversations, and phone calls with two women. (I Tim. 3.2). Additionally, the Board has been engaged for several years now in uncovering and confronting other deep sin patterns in Darrin that do not reflect the Biblical qualifications for an elder,” the board of elders at The Journey wrote in a letter to congregants at the time.
Since his death, there has been an outpouring of support from those who knew Patrick who served as vice-president of the Acts 29 Network, an international church planting organization, and was a council member of The Gospel Coalition
“We are mourning the loss of a dear friend, Darrin Patrick. As a founding member and influencer in Acts 29, we are thankful for his impact on our organization and on many of us personally. Our hearts and prayers go out to Darrin’s wife, Amie, and family in this time,” the Acts 29 Network said in a statement.
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