Our family is saddened to announce that on December 12th, the Lord called home our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Sam Laing. 

We wanted to share this news along with an open invitation to his memorial service on Saturday, February 15th.

In the winter of ‘69 Sam was baptized at University of Florida and soon became the campus minister for the Crossroads Church of Christ. What followed was a decade of spiritual revolution seeing thousands of college students baptized into Christ and hundreds of leaders sent out to build campus ministries across the country during the discipling movement of the ’70s. Many of these leaders and campus ministries came together to form what is now our current fellowship of churches. And Sam was there at the very start of it all. Throughout the years, he served as an evangelist in Atlanta, Boston, Miami, New Jersey, Raleigh, Athens, Fayetteville, and Palm Beach. He became a championing voice for godly marriages, building strong families, and a deep walk with God as an author of books like Raising Awesome Kids in Troubled Times, Friends and Lovers, Be Still My Soul, The Guilty Soul’s Guide to Grace, and Mighty Man of God. For over 55 years he has helped guide our fellowship by serving as a kingdom evangelist, elder, and teacher. Our church family has lost one of God’s mightiest men this side of heaven. 

Laing family, 2020.

As for us, we knew him as the most loving husband, the best father, and the sweetest grandaddy. Many of you knew him as a best friend, a sound advisor, the one who baptized you, an inspiring preacher, a compelling author, and a deep Bible teacher. As his family, when we picture him, we see him walking out to the woods behind our house to go on a prayer walk with his heavenly Father. Now, we know that his dream of walking with God side-by-side has become his reality. And though we mourn him in the most profound of ways, we will strive to follow his example. Sam leaves behind his wonderful wife, Geri, the love of his life, his partner in everything, and his devoted caretaker in his final years. He also leaves behind four children, their husbands and wives, and 14 grandchildren. 

Please join us in honoring his life on Saturday, February 15th in Durham, NC, with worship directed by Sherwin Mackintosh. Flowers can be sent to the Triangle Church on February 14th, or in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Camp Swamp.

(Below is a tribute that a good friend, Jeff Chacon, wrote in honor of Sam.)

Memorial arrangements:

A tribute to Sam Laing

By Jeff Chacon

A warrior has passed. 

A mighty man of God has fought the good fight, finished the race, and won his crown. 

We weep because he touched our hearts so deeply. 
His enthusiasm was contagious, his faith tangible, and his passion palpable.
When Sam spoke, he lifted our hearts. When he spoke, he lifted our vision. 
If he had wings he would fly, and if we had wings we would fly with him. Such was the experience of hearing Sam Laing preach the Word.

Like his hero David, Sam was mighty in the land, and he transcended his era. 
His nobility would shine in any time. Were he a knight, he would be one of the noblest of knights. 
Were he a pilgrim, we would be proud to have him as an ancestor. 
Were he a first-century Jew, perhaps we would even have read about him. 

Sam was one of the father figures to me and to many others like me. 
He showed us what it meant to be a man – no, more than a man – a man of God. 
And there’s a difference. 
Men can be self-seeking, but men of God are self-denying. 
Men are often vulgar and rude, but men of God are gentlemen who look out for the vulnerable among us. 
Men walk by the light of this world, but men of God walk by the light of his Word. 
Sam was more than a man – he was a man of God. 

Sam treated Geri like a queen – and a queen she is. 
He treated the rest of us as brothers and sisters – and brothers and sisters we were. 
To be in Sam’s orbit was to feel the gravitational pull of his upward vision.
And we were never the same again.

We worship Jesus, our Lord, not men, for we know that all men are flawed and sinful. 

But when we are fortunate enough to see a man who transcends the bounds of ordinary men, who follows the quest of his heart, and dreams the impossible dream, we are, like the legendary Dulcinea, from “Man of La Mancha,” never the same again.  

There will never be another man like Sam Laing. 
His time in church history was providential, and his contribution unique. 
He will always be remembered, sorely missed, and greatly honored by those of us who were touched by him. 

We worship God for a life well lived among us. 
Thank you, Sam. 
A million times, thank you. 
We wouldn’t be the same without you. 
Now go to your rest. 
Go to your Lord. 
And enjoy your reward.