No sermon could have prepared him for this moment.
Pastor Greg Locke of Global Vision Bible Church shared on Friday night, May 8, that his son Evan Roberts Locke had died from a drug overdose at the age of 20. The news broke through a deeply personal social media post from the pastor himself, written in grief and in faith at the same time.
"Today, words fail us. It's been a long, hard battle the last few years. In times like this, the sacrifices and the struggles don't even matter," Locke wrote. "A few hours ago we received the most earth-shattering news that our 20-year-old son, Evan Roberts Locke, could not be revived after his heart stopped due to an overdose."
It is the kind of statement that stops you. Not because of who Pastor Locke is publicly - but because in that moment, he was simply a father.
Locke acknowledged that Evan's struggle had been known beyond the family. "His struggle was very public," he wrote. "It was used as a warning to many, a punchline to the haters, but an overall reminder that even in our deepest pain, the grace of Jesus will sustain us."
That last sentence carries the full weight of a man choosing faith in the middle of the worst day of his life.
The Christian community responded with an outpouring of compassion across platforms. Author and speaker Megan Basham wrote, "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. Prayers for you and family, may the Lord be close in your loss." Global worship leader Sean Feacht added, "Brother, I am so so sorry and my heart and prayers are with your family." Tim Clark, lead pastor of The Church on the Way, wrote, "Greg, I don't agree with so much of what you say, but I am so sorry for your loss."
Even across lines of disagreement, the Church showed up.
Pastor Locke and his wife Taisha lead Global Vision Bible Church together. He noted he would address his church family with arrangements this Sunday.
Addiction does not pick its targets based on a family's faith, their platform, or their position. It reaches into every home - including those of pastors. Evan's story, painful as it is, is one that countless families inside the Church have quietly carried for years. His father choosing to speak openly about it, even now, is its own kind of testimony.
The Locke family asks for prayers as they grieve, remember, and prepare to say goodbye to Evan Roberts Locke - a son, 20 years old, whose story now invites the rest of the Church to pray harder for every family still fighting a battle no one can see.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 - free, confidential, and available 24/7.
