“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15).

On Friday, June 7, 2019, after suffering from pancreatic cancer, David Powlison passed away peacefully at his home in Glenside, Pennsylvania, surrounded by his family. He was 69 years old.

Rarely, if ever, have I seen such an outpouring of tributes to one person’s life and ministry. David, as a humble, Christ-honoring man, would want these testimonials to be pointed upward to Christ. As you reflect on these words about David’s life, may your mind and heart reflect on the great grace and eternal hope we have in Christ.

David Powlison’s Commencement Address: Be Unafraid to Be Publicly Weak, By David Powlison

We begin with David’s own words in his final public presentation. David was invited to give the closing comments at the Westminster Graduation Ceremony on May 23, 2019. He was unable to attend personally, so CCEF’s Mike Emlet read David’s address on his behalf. The following excerpt summarizes well the message of David’s address and the message of David’s life.

“My deepest hope for you is that in both your personal life and your ministry to others, you would be unafraid to be publicly weak as the doorway to the strength of God Himself.”

Read the rest of David’s final address here: https://www.wts.edu/2019/06/04/right-kind-of-weakness/

David Powlison’s Memorial Service

David wanted his memorial service to be a testimony and tribute to Christ. Therefore, his memorial service was recorded and it was live-streamed.

You can view the Memorial Service Program PDF here: https://www.ccef.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/PowlisonMemorial_Program_6-14-19_FINAL.pdf

You can also view the Memorial Service here (scroll down to the video once you visit the page link): https://www.ccef.org/a-special-note-from-david-powlison/

Biblical Counseling and the Legacy of David Powlison, by Jeremy Pierre

“You know a man by what he loves. This is true in any role that man takes. I think it’s fair to say that David Powlison filled the role of primary leader in the biblical counseling movement, and as influencer over those in evangelicalism most concerned with pastoral care. David embodied love for the things we aspire to love. David loved many things, but I’d like to point out the particular loves that those of us following in his footsteps ought to follow.”

He Sees with New Eyes: My Love for David Powlison, by John Piper

“I love David Powlison, who passed away yesterday morning, and would like to honor him and exult in his Savior by giving you seven reasons why. I say “love,” not “loved,” because that’s the way love is. It doesn’t cease to be during separations. And this one will be short.”

Worshipful Winsome Wisdom: A Tribute to Dr. David Powlison, by Bob Kellemen

“No one I ever knew was as brilliant as David and as lovingly humble at the same time. We all know some smart people. We all know some humble people. How many of us know brilliant humble people? How many of us know people who embody worshipful winsome wisdom?”

Interviews with David Powlison, by Bob Kellemen

“In teaching about one-another ministry, I often say: ‘The church has always been about the business of helping hurting and hardened people find hope in Christ.’ Recently, David Powlison and I enjoyed discussing the history of one-another ministry in the church. Enjoy Part One, in which David and I discuss how a greater understanding of church history lends richer meaning and a greater sense of context to the work of biblical counseling.”

Listen to Biblical Counseling and Church History, Part 1, here: http://www.rpmministries.org/2012/04/biblical-counseling-and-church-history/

Listen to Biblical Counseling and Church History, Part 2, here: http://www.rpmministries.org/2012/04/biblical-counseling-and-church-history-part-2/

You can also view another video interview with David Powlison where I asked him about the relationship between biblical counseling and psychology. You can view his response here at: Is Biblical Counseling For or Against Psychology? https://vimeo.com/36063151

Tim Keller Reflects on David Powlison (1949–2019), by Tim Keller

“I can’t add much to what others are saying—about how David was unparalleled as a wise, gentle, yet truthful counselor. I could go on about that, but others are doing a good job. Kathy and I often said that we would have gone to David as a counselor before anyone else we knew in the world.”

Of David, My Friend, By Paul Tripp

“I was stimulated by the nuances of the gospel David was able to understand, by the details he was able to see, and by his surgical facility with Scripture.”

Remembering David Powlison, by Dave Harvey

“David was quick to level the playing field by connecting his own experience with your temptations. He was circumspect in acknowledging other significant influences before he would drop some precise passage or promise upon you to ponder in the days ahead. Many people who counsel others are good listeners. But with David, there was an intangible quality of goodness and godliness conveyed in a dialect of meekness that elevated the force and potency of what he said. I think it was for that reason that David loved counseling others. Though he’d never assign this to himself, I’d apply this adapted version of Eric Liddell’s famous quote to David’s life: ‘God made me wise. And when I counsel people, I feel God’s pleasure.’”

David Powlison (1949-2019): The Embodiment of a Biblical Counselor, by Kevin Carson

“Rare is the day when one dies and literally thousands of people reflect on how personal the death feels to them. In fact, I do not know any person in my life’s experience that when he or she died, so many thousand would say, “He was my friend.” In life, this alone would be a lifetime achievement. But that is far from the only achievement in David Powlison’s life.”

David Powlison (1949-2019), by Justin Taylor

Note: This post is something of a mini-biography of David’s life and ministry…

“David Powlison’s legacy will begin within his own family. He was a man who dearly loved his wife, his children, and his grandchildren. His legacy extends to those whom he instructed and touched through the biblical counseling movement, in particular through CCEF and Westminster Theological Seminary.”

Meet David Powlison, by Rush Witt

“Few people have made a broader impact on me and so many others. Have you met him? You can. He’s still alive. By grace, you can meet him through the myriads of pastors, preachers, biblical counselors, church members, and countless others who have inherited the riches of God’s wisdom through the legacy of David Powlison. You can meet him in his books and articles and audio posts like this. And if you’re in Christ, I have no doubt you will meet him in person one day, shining like the sun, rejoicing in the winsome wisdom of our Triune God.”

In Remembrance of David Powlison, by Peter Lillback

“Through the years I have often asked our students and alumni about the pivotal moments of their studies at Westminster Theological Seminary. High on the list of frequent answers was Dr. Powlison’s class on ‘They Dynamics of Biblical Change.’ Students have told me repeatedly, ‘That course changed my life.’ We thank God for the gift of Dr. Powlison who has left such a permanent impact on so many, including Westminster Theological Seminary.”

Thank You, David Powlison, by Ray Ortlund

“Remembering David Powlison moves me deeply. When everything was on the line for Jani and me, David and Nan were there for us. We spent a day together in 2007 – for Jani and me, a catastrophic disaster of a year. David was an oasis of calm, gentleness and reasonableness amid a swirl of accusations, loss and heartbreak. David, with Nan, kept our hope alive.”

Remembering David Powlison, by Kevin DeYoung

“Without exaggeration I can say that I walked away from every encounter with David wanting to know God more and love people better. It’s hard to leave a more impressive legacy. Soli Deo gloria.”

What Was It Like to Be David Powlison’s Friend?, by Paul Miller

“We frequently shared our hearts and weaknesses with one another. It is sheer delight to open up your deepest heart aches and besetting sins to a good friend and have them love you as you are, counsel you, and pray for you.”

David Powlison: With Thanksgiving to God, by Steve Midgley

“David was a glorious mix of things. He was blessed by God with a wonderfully incisive intellectual rigour. Yet he was at the same time wonderfully warm and personable. David could, and did, speak easily with everyone.”

You can also read Steve’s tribute at the Biblical Counseling Coalition site here: https://www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/2019/06/19/david-powlison-with-thanksgiving-to-god/

How I Progressively Met David Powlison, by Sacha Alexandre Mendes

Sacha Mendes provides an international perspective on David Powlison’s life and ministry impact.

“I met Dr. David Powlison in various ways at different moments of my life. I was not one of his best friends, yet Dr. Powlison was able to make anyone feel that they were. My various encounters with David Powlison throughout different stages of my life and ministry captured much of what I learned about Christ through Powlison’s life and ministry.”

Read about Sacha and David’s progressive journey here: https://www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/2019/06/21/how-i-progressively-met-david-powlison/

Remembering David Powlison, by Curtis Solomon

“It would be impossible to recount all the ways that David Powlison has influenced me. His ministries as author, editor, teacher, executive director, conference speaker, and mentor have transformed my life in ways I cannot yet fully comprehend.”

Read about the many ways David influenced Curtis and the biblical counseling world here: https://www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/2019/06/13/remembering-david-powlison/

15:14 Ep. 103: David Powlison, 1949-2019, by the Biblical Counseling Coalition

“Dr. David Powlison died on June 7, 2019 at the age of 69. He was a founding member of the Biblical Counseling Coalition. Today’s 15:14 is a repost of Curtis interviewing Dr. Powlison in 2016. David will be greatly missed by our ministry and many others whose lives have been influenced by our dear brother.”

You can listen to the entire interview here: https://www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/2019/06/15/1514-ep-103-david-powlison-1949-2019/

David Powlison’s Impact on Biblical Counseling in South Africa, by Kyle Johnston

Three weeks ago, about 30 folks from my church’s counseling ministry team went away on a retreat together. We concluded our time together that weekend by praying for Dr. David Powlison, his family, and CCEF. It struck me how deeply we felt about him, how much gratitude we had in our hearts for his ministry, and how, though separated by a vast distance as we prayed from the tip of the African continent, we prayed to God on David’s behalf. Why did David have such an impact on us? And why do I believe that through his writing his influence will continue to be felt in America, South Africa, and beyond?

Read Kyle’s answer to his probing question here: https://www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/2019/06/17/theological-truth-and-psychological-reality/

David Powlison: A Tribute, by Dale Johnson

“David Powlison wanted us to celebrate his life in color. In part, because he lived life in color. He saw deeply and observed keenly the beauty of God through the lens of Jesus Christ. So, a few days ago, I purchased a Hawaiian shirt to wear at his memorial, the first one I’ve owned since my college days. It was a special joy to see all of the color at the memorial service Tuesday, as many of the people attending followed David’s request as a way of remembering his life and celebrating his rest with the Lord Jesus.”

You can enjoy the rest of Dale Johnson’s tribute to David at the ACBC site here: https://biblicalcounseling.com/david-powlison-a-tribute/

An Interview with David Powlison, Part 1 and Part 2, by Paul Tautges

Several years ago, Paul Tautges interviewed David Powlison on his journey to biblical counseling. Every biblical counselor, Christian counselor, and pastor would benefit greatly from reading these two enlightening interviews that provide David’s unique perspective on biblical counseling, pastoral care, and one-another ministry. As David said in response to one question:

“Biblical counseling is for every believer. All ‘counseling’ means is having wise, candid, fruitful conversations about things that really matter. ‘Let every word out of your mouth be constructive, according to the need of the moment, so that it may give grace to those who hear’ (Eph. 4:29). That is biblical counseling and that is the charge of being a Christian.”

A Good Counselor Meets the Wonderful Counselor, by the Faithlife Staff

“David Powlison’s story stands out in modern debates that ask, ‘What has Christianity to do with psychology?’ Powlison’s life rose to answer this question.”

How God Saved David Powlison, by David Powlison

We end where we began…with words from David about his Savior.

You can go here for a video where David shares his testimony of his salvation in Christ alone: https://youtu.be/5Hzp4sHfKPc

Join the Conversation

Please feel free to leave a comment with your testimonial about David’s live and ministry—for Christ’s glory.

Also, feel free to leave a comment or send me an email with links to additional tributes.

Testimonials to Christ’s Glory Through the Life and Ministry of Dr. David Powlison