Days after the devastating loss of his 33-year-old son, evangelist Greg Laurie stepped onto the pulpit Sunday and affirmed, "I still believe."
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(Photo: Harvest)Pastor Greg Laurie and son, Jonathan, pray at the pulpit after inviting attendees at Harvest Christian Fellowship to accept Jesus Christ into their lives on Sunday, July 27, 2008. Laurie's older son, Christopher, died in a car accident last Thursday.
"I couldn't think of any place I'd rather be today than at church, worshipping the Lord," Laurie said during one of Harvest Christian Fellowship's Sunday services in Riverside, Calif.
His son, Christopher, died in a car accident on his way to Harvest, Thursday morning. His vehicle crashed into the back of a Caltrans truck on the eastbound 91 Freeway.
Laurie had to drive past the area where the crash occurred to get to Harvest on Sunday.
"Last Thursday was the most, I'll be honest with you, the most devastating day of my life and I felt like time just stood still and I couldn't imagine this happened," Pastor Greg Laurie told church attendees as he fought back tears. "But I knew he was in Heaven."
Christopher began working at Harvest as the art director three years ago. He was, as the older Laurie described him, a prodigal son at times. But in recent years, Christopher had really committed his life to Christ and was growing deep in his faith.
"My son wasn't perfect ... but the Lord was showing Christopher was really mattered," Laurie said. "We were marveling at what God was doing in his life. He couldn't have been in a better place spiritually."
Laurie and his son had a close relationship. The well-known evangelist had spoiled Christopher, giving his son what he himself couldn't have growing up in a broken home.
"If you could turn back time, sure you'd do it," Laurie said to his 15,000-member congregation. The Harvest senior pastor would even take Christopher's place if he could, he said, but he wasn't given that choice.
"So I just said, 'Lord, he's yours. I dedicated him to you when he was a little boy and I dedicate him back to you,'" Laurie said.
With over 17,000 comments offering condolences and prayers for the Laurie family on the pastor's blog, Laurie assured everyone, "I'm doing okay. The Lord is with me."
"I can't be afraid of suffering and I'm going to continue on with greater commitment," the pastor said.
Laurie is scheduled to lead Harvest Crusades beginning Aug. 15 in Anaheim, Calif., which will be his 19th annual Southern California evangelistic event. Harvest Crusades are also being held in Philadelphia and New York in October.
Even though the evangelist admitted that heaven is closer to him and earth is "less attractive" to him now, he hasn't given up on reaching out to tens of thousands of people and bringing them to Christ.
"I have a task to do and I want to do it," he assured.
And he continued his task by inviting non-Christians, prodigal sons and daughters, and others to accept Christ that Sunday morning.
"Be right with God because you don't know when life can end."
Laurie did not preach Sunday. Sermons were delivered by Don McClure of Calvary Way Ministries in Orange County.
Plans for a memorial service are still pending, but the family has set up The Christopher Laurie Memorial Fund to assist his wife, Brittany, daughter, Stella, and another daughter who is due in November.
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1Cor. 15:19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
And this is how we know our brother is in heaven. We have hope in Christ. God says so in his very precious word. That is faith. Believeing what God says. My prayers for the family!!!
I couldn't disagree more.I John 5:13 says that we can know that we have eternal life.It rests upon the faithfulness of God who says that if we come to Him by faith, he will not turn us away.
What I find disturbing is how man has usurped the role of the Creator. Who is to say that the son is in heaven? Who is to say that, upon death, he will ascend?
It is sad that men automatically assume that heaven is theirs.
Only the Creator knows who will enter heaven, and presuming a final destination is offensive.
I hope all who have fallen into the emergent trap will
hear the testimony of the Laurie family and see that the
Lord is the Comforter. He does not change.
Thank You, Lord of All