Hello World, 
As the daughter, granddaughter and niece of pastors, I know that pastors are people too…Although many pastors seem to be supernatural and impenetrable representatives of God, they are not. In fact, I think one of the drawbacks of being on a pedestal is a false sense of self-sufficiency when we all need God AND other people…I don’t know why this Georgia pastor killed himself on Sunday morning as his congregation waited for him to arrive at church, but I imagine that many pastors sometimes feel they are prisoners of their pedestals…Below is an excerpt of the story from The Christian Post…
A Georgia pastor and father of two who once confessed that sometimes “I don’t feel like God is hearing me” killed himself outside his home while his wife, kids and 800 member- congregation waited for him to show up for church on Sunday.
According to 13 WMAZ, Rev. Teddy Parker Jr., 42, of Bibb Mount Zion Baptist Church in Macon, Ga., was discovered by his wife, Larrinecia Parker, 38, in the driveway of their Warner Robins house with a “self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
The Christian Post left messages for the family and the church office on Tuesday and responses are still pending.
Lakesia Toomer, a church official, told WMAZ, “We consider this a private matter between the family and the BMZ church family. We kindly ask that the public respects our privacy at this time.”
Russell Rowland, a member of the church who employs the pastor’s brother at his landscaping business, revealed to CP in a telephone interview that the pastor had sent his wife and two daughters to church ahead of him on Sunday morning and they were all waiting for him to show up with the morning’s message from God.
“When he didn’t show up they went looking for him,” said Rowland. “I’m very surprised because he didn’t preach that. He preached totally against it. It’s something that the congregation don’t really understand.”
To read the rest of the story, go to “Pastor Who Confessed: There Are Times ‘I Don’t Feel Like God Is Hearing Me’ Kills Self as Congregation, Family Waits for Him on Sunday.”
Below is a video of Rev. Teddy Parker Jr. preaching on the topic of “Facing Your Storm With Confidence.”
I am sure that his family and his congregation could use our prayers right now…
Any thoughts?
I am so sad about this. I truly wished he could have talked to someone. Only god knew what was going on with him. His struggles..depression. I am just praying god will help his family to understand. I’m praying for his wife and family..know that people are praying…that god comfort u all. Lets not judge..lets pray we all need it. Serious times we are living in….we must pray one for the other….
Definitely…His family and church need our prayers…
I am so sorry this happened. I plan to pray for this family. But are they sure it was self-inflicted? How many homicides were made to look like suicides? I know that’s a thought that may be way out there. But I just don’t believe appearances anymore with all the corruption and violence in the world.
I thought the exact same thing when I read this story. I dont know this family but I definitely hope they push to have this thoroughly investigated. Things are not always what they seem. May God rest his soul and my sympathies and prayers go to the family.
I am sadden for the family and I KNOW God is going to see them through this. We don’t have the answers for all the problems in life and we don’t know the why somethings happen, we try to figure thing out but if we go to the Word of God all our answers is there and he will reveal himself in His word. When I first read this my mind went to Matthew 4:6 where Satan tried to get Jesus to commit suicide but Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost rebuked that devil.As leaders and Pastors we need the Holy Ghost (that is our keeper). The Holy Ghost lives inside of us and He will never lead us to do something like that. In the Bible God say”thou shall not kill” this also go for suicide because when we kill wheather it is someone else or ourself we strike at the heart of God because God created man in His Image