Bishop David Huskins, a Georgia senior pastor, was found dead in his home from alleged self inflicted gunshot wounds, according to reports unconfirmed by the police last Monday.
Although the Polk County Police announced that the founder of the Cedar Lake Christian Center, Cedartown, Atlanta, was pronounced dead on the scene, they wouldn’t confirm the cause of his death but said there was no foul play involved.
However, Joy105.com, a Christian radio station in Atlanta and several of the pastor’s friends and leaders reported that Huskins, who had been suffering from heart-related health problems, had in fact taken his own life.
The popular bishop, who hosted a weekly radio program and appeared many times on Christian television networks, was also the presiding bishop of the International Communion of Charismatic Churches.
On July 10 this year, Huskins had sent an email to friends and his congregation stating that he was suffering from health problems which had started since he underwent open-heart surgery 20 years ago. He added that he had ignored those health warnings until he suffered a mild heart attack last November, so he decided to take some much needed time off.
The email further stated “While I am grateful for all the Lord has allowed me to do, I knew sometimes I had let ministry be a substitute for God. I felt Him dealing with me to let go of areas and delegate and release and spend more time with Him and with people not just always in a pulpit.” It continued, “I had started that process much earlier with seeking to place others in charge of the church and daily duties, but still had not relinquished the active roles.”
In conclusion, Huskins ended the email by stating that he was almost to the point of complete exhaustion and needed to take time off to take care of his health. He added that the annual conference this year was forced to be cancelled because he had experienced congestive heart failure twice within the year.
Bishop Mark Chironna, founder and senior pastor of Church on the Living Edge, Orlando, Florida who had a close working relationship with Huskins, wrote on his Facebook page that he and the members of his church were deeply saddened by his demise. He added that one of the greatest servants he had known, was now with God, and requested that all his followers prayed for Huskins family and his church.
