Larry Norman Awakes From The Nightmare

I have some sad (for us) news to share. Larry Norman died early Sunday morning after a period of declining health. According to his website:

Our friend and my wonderful brother Larry passed away at 2:45 Sunday morning. My wife Kristin and I (Larry's brother, Charles) were with him, holding his hands and sitting in bed with him when his heart finally slowed to a stop. We spent this past week laughing, singing, and praying with him, and all the while he had us taking notes on new song ideas and instructions on how to continue his ministry and art.

You may not be familiar with Larry Norman, but most folks that are consider him the father of Christian rock and roll. He was the first. He paved the way for the folks that you hear on Christian radio today, taking the criticism and punishment that always seem to come when someone starts doing something new in the church.

Larry's message was often raw and not religious, but clearly pointed out sin and communicated the truth of the gospel message. It is sad that so few Christian artists today communicate as boldly and clearly as he did.



Larry realized that his death was approaching and dictated this message to us before he died:

I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God's hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home.

My brother Charles is right, I won't be here much longer. I can't do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone. In the past you have generously supported me with prayer and finance and we will probably still need financial help.

My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside. But still it will be costly because of funeral arrangement, transportation to the gravesite, entombment, coordination, legal papers etc. However money is not really what I need, I want to say I love you.

I'd like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort. There will be a funeral posted here on the website, in case some of you want to attend. We are not sure of the date when I will die. Goodbye, farewell, we will meet again.

Goodbye, farewell, we'll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

Larry

Larry Norman will be missed. I'm not sad for him, though. I'm confident that he is delighting in heaven and enjoying the presence of the God who saved him. One day I'll be there too and will get to meet this brother that I have appreciated for so many years.