Obituary
Renowned Christian psychologist, speaker, and Bible teacher Dr. Larry Crabb died on Sunday, February 28th, peacefully and pain free in his home after a 24-year battle with two types of cancer.
Dr. Crabb earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Illinois. He was the founder of NewWay Ministries and co-founder of Larger Story. He started and developed the counseling center at Florida Atlantic University and established two other counseling programs, first at Grace Theological Seminary and then at Colorado Christian University which continue today. He was a Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Colorado Christian University in Morrison, Colorado, and taught at Regent College in Vancouver, B.C., Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana, Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, as well as the University of Illinois where he was given the Teacher of the Year Award. In 2018, Colorado Christian University named their counseling center after Dr. Crabb.
Dr. Crabb authored his first book in 1975 entitled “Basic Principles of Biblical Counseling.” He wrote over 25 books during his career, winning two Gold Medallion Awards for his titles “Understanding People” and “Inside Out.” He released his final book, “Waiting for Heaven: Freedom from the Incurable Addiction to Self,” in 2020.
He was given the Paraklesis Award at the 2nd International Congress on Christian Counseling for his pioneering work in the field of Christian Counseling. For ten years, he served as the Spiritual Director for the American Association of Christian Counselors.
Dr. Crabb believed that sin is not just what we say or do or think, it is primarily relational in nature, a failure to love perfectly the way Jesus did. He taught that becoming spiritually-formed is a movement from predominantly self-protection, or relational sin, to increasing sacrificial love, or relational holiness. All of his work centered around exploring, understanding, and equipping others to put Jesus on display by the way they related.
He is survived by his wife and middle school sweetheart, Rachael, to whom he was married for over 54 years, two sons, Kep and Ken, two beloved daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren.
In the aftermath of Larry’s homegoing, Rachael Crabb continues to share her journey through grief and God’s faithfulness in her blog series, “Becoming Me, Without You.”