Pastor, Author and Consultant Chris Surratt Dies of Sudden Cardiac Event

chris surratt
Chris Surratt. Screengrab from YouTube / @LifeWayVideos

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Chris Surratt, a pastor who also consulted and wrote about small group ministry, died unexpectedly Thursday, Jan. 30. Surratt, 52, had recently moved back to his home state of Colorado to serve as adult ministries pastor at Journey Church in Castle Pines. He is survived by his wife, Jenny, and their two adult daughters.

Along with his brothers Geoff Surratt and Greg Surratt, Chris hosted the “Surratt Brothers Podcast.” Before returning to Colorado, Chris was executive pastor of discipleship and groups at Harvest Church in Southern California. He also served at churches in Tennessee and South Carolina, before becoming the discipleship and small groups specialist for Lifeway Christian Resources.

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Surratt wrote the books “Leading Small Groups” and “Small Groups for the Rest of Us.” He also co-hosted the “Group Answers” podcast. In an online bio, Surratt wrote, “I grew up in the church as a P.K. (pastor’s kid), but dedicated my life to ministry at a youth camp as a teenager.”

Chris Surratt: ‘A Good Man Who Loved God’

On Facebook Friday morning, Greg Surratt shared news of his brother’s death:

One of the best human beings on the planet went home to see Jesus today. He was kind, bright, funny, brilliant, talented. But most of all, just a good man who loved God and his family well. Perhaps in time I’ll write something about him. I want you to know him like I did, and I hope the world never forgets him. But right now it just hurts too much…At the same time we rejoice with the fact that he is with Jesus and our family that has gone before us. What a reunion that must be.

Greg Surratt also shared:

Yesterday we lost my best friend and youngest brother, Chris Surratt, in a sudden cardiac event no one saw coming. I have no words, no explanation, no next steps. Please pray for our family, especially Jenny, Brianna, and Ashlyn. Someday I’ll write about Chris as a brother, a friend, a husband, a dad, a pastor and a passionate follower of Christ, but today I will simply grieve and take care of his family as best I can.

Greg Surratt is co-founder of Seacoast Church in Charleston, South Carolina, where Chris had served on the executive team.

Chris Surratt was also a ministry consultant at The Unstuck Group, whose leader, Tony Morgan, died unexpectedly last year from a heart attack. In fact, the last post Surratt made on X was a tribute to Morgan.

RELATED: Tony Morgan, Founder of The Unstuck Group, Dies After Suffering Heart Attack

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Stephanie Martin
Stephanie Martin, a freelance writer and editor in Denver, has spent her entire 30-year journalism career in Christian publishing. She loves the Word and words, is a binge reader and grammar nut, and is fanatic (as her family can attest) about Jeopardy! and pro football.

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