Retired pastor and religious right leader, Ed Dobson, passed away Saturday after suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease for over 15 years. He was once the senior pastor of Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
According to the Facebook page of "Ed's Story," a documentary which chronicles his life and work, Dobson is "now healed and with his Lord" in a status posted last Dec. 29, 2016.
"Every human being knows they're going to die," Dobson said in a trailer for the documentary. "Early on in my life, I thought I was in control and the truth is you don't control squat... It's not about how long I have left. It's about how I spend the time I do have."
Dobson is most famous for authoring the book, "The Year of Living Like Jesus," where he tells of the story of the year he chose to live the way Jesus lived: observing rituals, praying and eating the way that Jesus did. The book was published by Zondervan in Oct. 3, 2009
Dobson also wrote other books. His first book, published back in 1993, was titled "Abraham: The Lord will Provide." Other books he has written include "Daniel: Making the Right Choices," "Mastering Conflict and Controversy," "Starting a Seeker-Sensitive Service," and "What the Bible Really Says about Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage." The pastor has written books with Ed Hindson, Jerry Falwell and Cal Thomas.
In the year 2000, Dobson was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, or more popularly known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Although he was given only two to five years left to live, the religious right leader went on to continue 15 more years of ministry, inspiring others through his battle against his illness.
In 2005, Dobson stepped down as senior pastor of Calvary Church. He later went on to become the vice president for spiritual formation in Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids.
Dobson was 65 years old when he passed.
