Happy Open Tomb Day

Happy Open Tomb Day

It's an expression that I first heard from Bob Coy, the former Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale who stepped down in 2014 due to a personal moral failing that was later revealed to be addiction to porn and adultery.  It's been almost 2 years since he stepped down, and I remember it well because it was on my daughters birthday which is coming up this Sunday.

I remember the expression well because Easter was a big deal for Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale attendees.  Every year it seemed to get bigger as the church grew in satellite churches and they stretched to find a space to contain everyone.

During the service, after the singing, Bob would come on stage  and have everyone shout "Happy Open Tomb Day" while doing a stadium wave.

In 2013, our last year in Florida, it was the biggest event yet held at a brand new stadium in Boca Raton, FL.  We went with our 3 kids and enjoyed the after service events which were bounce houses and people in costume.

It's been 2 years since I've heard any news about Bob Coy.  First I heard he went into rehab for sex addiction, then I heard he was under the care of another pastor in another state.  Then I heard nothing.

Bob was our pastor for the entire time we lived in South Florida, from 2000 - 2013 and we grew up during this period.  We finished college, went from our 20's to our 30's, had kids, bought a home, went into debt, learned how to get out of debt through the churches teachings and learned how to deal with major trials like the 2008 financial crisis all while having a family.  Then suddenly our teacher was gone with no news for two years.  It's just very sad.  I'm not going to write about my thoughts on his sin or how I wish things had gone, I just think it's very sad that someone was in our lives, albeit remotely enough that he was also pastoring 30K other people, but then suddenly gone.  It's a death, that's not final because he's still out there, just silent, for now I guess.