Ray Bentley, an author, radio broadcaster, and pastor who helped to found the influential Evangelical megachurch, Maranatha Chapel of California, died from COVID-19 complications.

According to the Christian Post, In an announcement posted on Facebook Tuesday, Maranatha Chapel said Bentley died at age 64 that afternoon following complications from the coronavirus. “We are all in shock and heartbroken,” stated the church. “We find comfort in knowing that he is rejoicing in heaven with his beloved Jesus.”

“Please pray for [his wife] Vicki and their family and for our church. More information will follow, but for now, we needed to let you know and ask for prayer.” Greg Laurie, author and senior pastor of the California-based megachurch Harvest Christian Fellowship, took to Twitter to offer his condolences.

“So sad to hear that my friend, Pastor Ray Bentley died due to complications from COVID,” tweeted Laurie on Wednesday morning. “Death does not have the final word, Christ does! Ray is alive and well in Heaven! He will be deeply missed.”

Newsweek reported that Bentley founded the non-denominational California Christian church in August 1984 when he began teaching a small Bible study in a recreation center with 30 people.

Three months later after outgrowing the space, the fellowship began Sunday morning services at a local junior high school. In March 1990, the church dedicated its first official facility on 4.5 acres before breaking ground in 1996 on its current facility in Rancho Bernardo.

Maranatha Chapel now serves a weekly congregation of 7,000 through its various ministries. It is informally associated with Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, sharing its philosophical and spiritual values and the participation by its pastors in intra-church conferences.