Texas pastor with ties to Baton Rouge’s Christian community dies in West Baton Rouge crash

WEST BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Louisiana State Police have identified the man killed in a crash in West Baton Rouge Parish Friday night.

Warren Beemer, 52, of Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas died in the accident.

Troopers with LSP began investigating the deadly two-vehicle crash on I-10, west of LA Hwy. 415 in West Baton Rouge Parish just after 6 p.m. on Friday, April 1.

State Police say the crash happened as Beemer was traveling east on I-10 in a 2009 Mini Cooper.

As Beemer approached stopped traffic, he reportedly hit the back of an 18-wheeler. Although he was properly restrained, the man died at the scene of the accident.

The driver of the 18-wheeler was also properly restrained and had minor injuries. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

“We may not understand it. But once again, we have to know that everything that God does is right, and we have to trust him for that,” said Pastor Gabriel Swaggart, associate pastor of Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge.

People are heartbroken over the death of Beemer, who was a father of three.

“The individual that was involved in the wreck was a very close friend of mine. In fact, he was a graduate of our high school Family Christian Academy, he also was my youth pastor whenever I was 12 years old,” said Swaggart.

Beemer served as the youth pastor at the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge in the early 90′s before he moved to Texas and later became the lead pastor of Healing Place Church San Antonio, with his wife Faith.

We’re told that Beemer served as the youth pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas from September 1996 to August 2008, under Pastor John Hagee. Beemer’s ministry at Cornerstone grew from 80 to over 1,000 youth with thousands more attending special events and outreaches he hosted.

“It’s always meant something to me was his love for people. There’s never a person that he ever came in contact with, that had a negative thing to say about him. He was just that much of a loving individual,” said Pastor Swaggart.

Pastor Swaggart says Beemer was his mentor, and says his legacy was ‘Love God. Love People.’

“He left such an impact on a lot of people. A lot of young men and women are in ministry because of him. A lot of men and women are saved, and their lives have been changed because of him. And that right there, as devastating as it is, that’s the legacy that anyone would want to leave,” he said.

Swaggart is praying for Beemer’s family and church family, and he knows that his friend is in a much better place.

“Everything God does is right. We may not understand it. But everything he does is right. And secondly, I know where he is. And that’s the most important thing,” said Pastor Swaggart.

Beemer was also a leader with the United Cajun Navy. The organization announced the devastating news of Beemer’s death via on a post on their social media:

“A longtime loyal UCN leader, Pastor Warren Beemer was in a fatal car crash and has been taken away to walk with Jesus. His wisdom in every situation was always backed and encouraged by The Word of God. He’s poured out his heart. Whether it was his family, people in his church, people on the streets, disaster victims, sinners or a stranger, his heart was for them.

Please don’t take any day for granted, don’t live with hate against anyone because our friends and family are why we are here. Live your life filled with God’s love and cherish your time because none of us have long in this world. Hold the bonds you build with each other and never stop growing in Christ.”

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