Clint Pressley, senior pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, announced the unexpected death of his youngest adult son in a social media post on Sunday, Aug. 20.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Expressions of support, sympathy and prayer by pastors and ministry leaders from across Baptist life and beyond have come pouring in for North Carolina pastor Clint Pressley and his family following the unexpected death of one of his adult sons.
Pressley, pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte and a respected leader in Southern Baptist life, announced through a social media post shortly before 1 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 20, that his youngest son, Nate, had died. Pressley said he and his wife, Connie, received the news Saturday night.
“The Lord is good and kind,” Pressley wrote in a post on Facebook. “Last night Connie and I got a call that our youngest son Nate died in his apartment from a probable drug overdose. We have very few details otherwise. Nate has been in the far country for a couple years now and we have prayed for him everyday. We trust the Lord in this hard Providence and are so thankful for a great church and wonderful family. Please continue to pray for us.”
Pressley shared a similar post on Twitter: It read: “Last night Connie and I got a call that our youngest son Nate died in his apartment from a probable drug overdose. Nate had been in the far country for a couple years now and we have prayed for him everyday. The Lord is kind. We trust Providence.”
Earlier on Sunday, Kyler Smith, senior associate pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church, shared the news with the congregation during worship services. Smith said Pressley called him around 9:30 p.m. Saturday night with the news. The church spent an extended time in prayer for the Pressley family during Sunday services.
Smith said Nate Pressley was 24.
Clint Pressley has served as Hickory Grove’s senior pastor since January 2010. His bio on the church’s website says he and his wife, Connie, have two sons, Mack and Nate.
As news of the incident spread, outpourings of support for the Pressleys came quickly from people near and far. Pressley’s initial social media post drew more than 500 comments on Facebook and more than 200 on Twitter in the two hours after it was first posted.
“If you are a believer, God has called you to love Clint, Connie, and Nate,” Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) President Bart Barber wrote on Twitter. “Loving them today means interceding for this grieving family. Southern Baptists, let’s come together for these members of our family.”
Former SBC President Ed Litton, pastor of Redemption Church in Mobile, Alabama, tweeted: “Kathy and I are praying for the comfort of the Lord to be your strength. We love you both.”
In another Twitter post, Bruce Frank, pastor of Biltmore Church in western North Carolina, wrote: “So so sorry for you my friend. Praying for you and Connie.”
Todd Unzicker, executive director-treasurer of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, tweeted: “Praying Romans 8:28 for you, Connie, and your family during this tragic time. Your @ncbaptist family loves you.”
In a statement to the Biblical Recorder, Unzicker encouraged all N.C. Baptists to join him in praying for the Pressleys and Hickory Grove Baptist Church.
“I encourage all N.C. Baptists to join me in praying for Clint, Connie, their family and Hickory Grove Baptist Church during this time,” Unzicker said. “As we pray, we believe, trust and hold to what God’s Word says in Romans 8:28 that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him.”
Pressley was recently appointed to fill an unexpired term on the N.C. Baptist board of directors, and he preached during the state convention’s regularly scheduled board meeting in May.
Last year, Pressley completed a two-year term serving as chairman of the board of trustees at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Pressley also served as first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2014 to 2015. He also served as vice president of the SBC Pastors’ Conference in 2013.
In a statement posted to the church’s website and on social media, Hickory Grove Baptist Church asked for continued prayer for the Pressley family and said messages of condolences may be sent to the family at Hickory Grove’s Harris Campus at 7200 E. W.T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, N.C. 28215.
Memorials can be given in the Pressleys’ honor to the church’s missions offering at HickoryGrove.org/Give.
The statement said a private service will be held at a future date.
(EDITOR’S NOTE – This is a developing story and may be updated.)
