A South African pastor tragically died after he collapsed while delivering a powerful sermon before hundreds of congregants gathered at his church on Sunday morning.
Reverend Bassie Jackals died while preaching at African Methodist Episcopal Church in Kuruman, Northern Cape, on January 19, according to video footage circulated on social media.
The disturbing video shows the pastor sitting down in the middle of his sermon. Members of the church applaud him, thinking it’s all part of the sermon. However, Jackals then falls to the ground.
Jackals was later rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The pastor’s autopsy showed he died as a result of high blood pressure and that he was also diabetic, according to Christian Post.
“I pray that the family and congregants recover from this. #RIP Reverend Jackals. Indeed you have fought the good fight,” a social media user captioned the video.
Reverend Jackals, who left behind four daughters and a wife, was 42 at the time of his death. He was a candidate for the Master of Divinity degree from Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio before his death.
Reacting to the news, Zambian pastor and author, Walter Mwambazi said on Facebook:
“He served as a vibrant and dedicated pastor of various congregations of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and was later given an added responsibility to become a Presiding Elder in the church,” he wrote. “Passionate about lifting the souls of people through preaching and praise, he led various organizations till his untimely passing.”
Mwambazi said Jackals’ death should be a “wake-up call” to other pastors to rest and delegate tasks to others.
“The death of this man of God should serve us all as a wake up call – please rest! Take time off, have a break please please please! And find a way to share your responsibility and delegate. Raise lieutenants to help you with His work. It is His work after all, you and I are just vessels,” he wrote.