Sarah Young, a former missionary whose devotional prayers became a Christian publishing juggernaut, has died at age 77.
The author of “Jesus Calling,” which has sold more than 40 million copies, died Thursday after struggling for years with chronic illness and Lyme Disease. News of the Nashville native’s death, first reported by Christianity Today, came a day after Publisher’s Weekly reported that the author’s health was “rapidly failing.”
“It has been a joy and an honor to have Sarah Young as part of our publishing family,” Mark Schoenwald, president of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, said in marking her passing. “Sarah was a remarkable woman who deeply loved God. Her words have resonated with people from all walks of life, and the global impact of her work is unparalleled.”
Her passing brought an end to a writing career that was as successful as it was unexpected.
After graduating from Wellesley College, Young, who also held graduate degrees from Tufts and Covenant Theological Seminary, traveled to Europe, where she visited the L’Abri community in Switzerland, run by Francis Schaeffer, an influential evangelical pastor and author. While there, she later recalled, Young had a conversation that led her to embrace Christianity.
Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of “Baptistland: A Memoir of Abuse, Betrayal, and Transformation” by Christa Brown. To donate, click here.
She met her husband, Steve, while in seminary, and after the couple graduated in 1977, they became missionaries with Mission to the World, a missionary agency of the Presbyterian Church in America. They served first in Japan and later in Australia, where Young worked as a Christian counselor.
The so-called “Satanic Panic” of the 1990s, when a rash of rumors about devil-worshipping cults spread across the country, inspired Young to begin writing a series of journal entries that would become “Jesus Calling.” During her prayer time, Young later recalled that she would spend time listening to God and “jotting down what came to mind.”
“Jesus Calling” was published in 2004 when Young was in her late 50s. After a modest beginning, the book became a huge hit — spawning a series of related products, including children’s books, journals and podcasts. All told, the Jesus Calling brand had sold 45 million copies by July of 2023, according to Thomas Nelson, Young’s publisher.
In August 2023, “Jesus Calling” ranked second on the bestseller list compiled by the Evangelical Christian Publisher’s Association.
Notoriously publicity-shy, Young lived mostly in seclusion in her hometown of Nashville later in life, refusing to give in-person interviews and shunning the kind of social media and public appearances common to superstar authors. When “Jesus Calling” was first published in 2004, Young was living in Perth, Australia, and that remote location made it difficult to do publicity for the book, she told media in a 2021 interview, conducted by email.
“Because of my isolated location and my chronic health issues, I’ve never been on a book tour,” said Young, who returned to Nashville a decade ago due to her illness. “Though my name may be well known, my face is not.”
Written as if Jesus were speaking to the reader, Young’s books have been controversial at times. She told The New York Times in 2013 that she did not consider herself a prophet, nor did she consider “Jesus Calling” a new book of Scripture. “I agree that revelation has ceased in the sense that the Bible is complete,” Young told the Times in a written response to questions. “However, what I am doing is devotional writing, and I do so by asking Jesus to guide my mind as I spend time with Him — to help me think His thoughts.”
In 2021, she told media that her books also point people to the Bible.
“My books tend to speak to different people in different ways, meeting them right where they are,” she said. “I think that’s because the books help people connect with Jesus, and He meets us right where we are. The books are designed to help people connect not only with Jesus, the living Word, but also with the Bible, the written Word.”
Young told media that she’d often heard from readers about how “Jesus Calling” helped them draw closer to God, brought them comfort in times of illness and grief or gave them courage in the midst of their struggles.
Her success came with a great deal of responsibility.
“Becoming a bestselling author has meant that I have a lot more people to pray for than I did at first!” she told media. “And that has motivated me to pray at length every day for readers of all my books. I consider this a sacred responsibility and a delightful privilege.”
Young is survived by her husband, Steve, two children and six grandchildren.
A memorial service for Young is planned for Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville on Sept. 9.
Bob Smietana is a national reporter for Religion News Service.
English 
Spanish 
10 Responses
The one thing that has become quite evident in these days is that there is absolutely no discernment in the Body of Christ. Jesus warned us on many occasions not to be deceived. And yet, here we are, like sheep going to the slaughter. The fact that ‘reputable’ Christian leaders and authors like David Jeremiah and Max Lucado would endorse this ‘new age’ channeled poison is inexcusable. It’s clearly the last days. Buckle up, it’s going to be bumpy ride.
Jesus has used Sarah Young’s books in my life for many years to invite me into His Presence. I just love that Jesus speaks to me just where I need to hear His voice comforting, assuring and encouraging me to walk closer and listen to Him as I read her writings. I’m so thankful that Sarah shared her journey with Jesus through her life journey in all her books! What a beautiful life she lived with Jesus speaking to her through all she went through.
If you are of the opinion that Sarah Young was someone to be followed, then I urge you to read “Another Jesus” Calling by Warren B. Smith: “Another Jesus” Calling – 2nd Edition: How Sarah Young’s False Christ is Deceiving the Church https://a.co/d/aZpLd0L
I hadn’t previously come across Sarah Young and her authored work. I do then like what this article says about her and that work.
If you get behind the NY times paywall (I googled the title of the NY Times article linked above as “controversial”, then found a result from the search that allowed me to read the article), the 2013 NYT article by Mark Oppenheimer elegantly and kindly evokes the lady and her approach.
My sense then is that Sarah takes Biblical faith on an authentic and useful journey.
Her health circumstance and her biographical locations, appear to provide her with some of the existential conditions of early Christians of the anchorite or hermit traditions. Her holistic approach to the condition of fame, being appealing, and seemingly important to what she was able to do through her faith.
It’s unreal how biblically ILLITERATE most Christian’s are to celebrate this woman’s work as from God!
Sarah Young was horrifically deceived leading millions on the broad road straight to HELL!!
How many endorsed Ravi Zacharias! Ring a bell!
The man was a sociopath , a serial adulterer a rapist and spiritual monster !
You know who is to blame for his 40 years as a ravenous wolf?
The entire church is to blame especially in the pulpit where the watchman are called ti watch warn rebuke and seperate!
The church has learned nothing and are sheep to the slaughter!
Jesus said watch! They will be deceived and will deceive !
APOSTASY and a false Jesus has entered the church beyond hope and return to the Real Jesus and it will continue to get worse a great FALLING AWAY to another Jesus another gospel another testament and another spirit !
Come quickly Lord Jesus !
I’m not sure what Ravi Zacharias has to do with an article reporting Sarah Young’s death. That being said, let’s be clear, Ravi Zacharias is entirely to blame for being a ravenous wolf. My former pastor suggested that Ravi’s board was partially responsible for his behaviors. If you believe that the only thing stopping a pastor or religious leader from operating an international human trafficking ring is an accountability board, you should leave ministry work immediately. And the people Ravi victimized are certainly in no way responsible for their victimization.
I encourage people to read the entire free pdf following about the books Sarah has written, as well as the book “God Calling” that she has referred to as inspiration for her books:
https://www.spiritjournaling.com/christian-journaling-or-psychic-channeling/
It is very easy to follow and thorough. The conclusion is extremely troubling for those that think her books are either harmless or that they inspire them to a better Christian walk. Even the best people can be deceived. Don’t be one of them!
A church I used to attend also did similar practices with a different book written by the lead pastor and so Sarah’s books are not the only ones going around teaching what simply seems like prayer and journaling. Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Know the wiles of our enemy that prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. His time may be short but it’s still time God has allowed him to be here.
Does this website have any concern about doctrine or is it just about calling about the bad behaviour of individuals?
As we reflect on Sarah Young’s legacy, it would be wise for us to question and be skeptical of the whole concept of authors who claim to be able to speak for Jesus and put words in His mouth beyond what is recorded in the New Testament. Maybe we as Christians should be content with, and concentrate on, what God has spoken to us in the Bible, instead of making best-sellers out of books by authors who, however sincerely, believe that they have a commission to add to the Bible.
For those who wish to research this issue, here are some links:
https://www.challies.com/articles/10-serious-problems-with-jesus-calling/
https://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newsletters/2014/newsletter20141110.htm
https://theviewfrommychair.blogspot.com/2013/03/jesus-calling-important-review-by.html
Sarah never claimed to be speaking for God but listening to God and sharing what she she THINKS in her daily journal. It’s a journal written by a woman that became published. It’s like any book whose desire is to bring us closer to Jesus. Her quiet reserved life is an example.