Image copyright Facebook

A US pastor known for his mental health advocacy has killed himself, church officials say.

Jarrid Wilson, 30, worked at the 15,000 member Harvest Christian Fellowship Church for 18 months before his death.

Mr Wilson and his wife founded Anthem of Hope, a programme created to help people dealing with depression.

He is survived by his two sons and wife Juli, who wrote the death had "completely ripped my heart out of my chest".

His death was confirmed by Senior Pastor Greg Laurie, who leads the church in southern California.

"Jarrid loved the Lord and had a servant's heart. He was vibrant, positive, and was always serving and helping others," he wrote on the church's website.

"Jarrid also repeatedly dealt with depression and was very open about his ongoing struggles," Mr Laurie added. "He wanted to especially help those who were dealing with suicidal thoughts."

Another pastor at the church, Jason Powell, also paid tribute.

Skip Twitter post by @jasontpowell It’s with the deepest sadness of heart that I found out that my good friend @jarridwilson went home to be with the Lord last night.Jarrid was not just a brother in the Lord but a dear and trusted friend.



In Christ... “We have a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul...”Heb 6:19 pic.twitter.com/8YPOY10RXn — Jason Powell (@jasontpowell) September 10, 2019 Report

Shortly before his death, Wilson tweeted about officiating the funeral of a "Jesus-loving woman who took her own life".

"Loving Jesus doesn't always cure suicidal thoughts. Loving Jesus doesn't always cure depression," he wrote.

Image copyright Instagram

"But that doesn't mean Jesus doesn't offer us companionship and comfort," he continued. "He ALWAYS does that."

A fundraiser to support Wilson's family has raised more than $42,000 (£34,000) as of Wednesday.

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