Megachurch pastor and mental health advocate commits suicide

Jarrid Wilson, pastor of a mega-church in southern California, commits suicide at the dawn of World Suicide Prevention Day, after years of fighting depression and wanting to help others people with the same disease.

"At a time like this, there are simply no words," said Greg Laurie, senior pastor of the Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, where Wilson, 30, was an associate pastor for 18 months. "Jarrid loved the Lord and had a servant heart," Laurie continued.

One of Wilson's friends, Jason Powell, tweeted: "It is with deep sadness that I discovered that my good friend [Jarrid] went home to be with the Lord last night. Jarrid was not only a brother in the Lord, but a dear and trustworthy friend. "

Wilson has written several books and advocated for mental health after co-founding Anthem of Hope, a non-profit mental health organization.

Wilson regularly published articles on mental health on social networks, encouraging others not to be ashamed of their depression problems.

In one of his last tweets, Wilson wrote: "Loving Jesus does not always cure suicidal thoughts … But that does not mean that Jesus does not offer us companionship and comfort."

"Sometimes people may think that as pastors or spiritual leaders we are above the pain and struggles of ordinary people, we are supposed to have all the answers, but we do not have them." Laurie said. "At the end of the day, pastors are just people who need to reach out to God for help and strength every day."

He is survived by his wife Juli and two sons, as well as his parents and siblings. In an article published Tuesday on Instagram, Juli wrote: "I love you forever, Thomas jarrid Wilson, but I must say that your departure has completely ripped my heart to my chest … Suicide not the last word, I will not leave it.You have always said: "Hope gets the last word. Jesus receives the last word "."