He wore the name Hulk Hogan, but in church, he was simply Terry, a humble man who loved Jesus and brought others with him. Read how his faith shaped his final years and why his pastor says he’s now “more alive than ever.”



The pastor of WWE legend Hulk Hogan, who passed away last Thursday at the age of 71, remembers the late wrestler as a person of faith. In a post on social media, pastor Aaron Filippone Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Florida, reflected on Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea. Bollea, along with his wife Sky, were baptized at the Florida church last December.

“Terry was a member of our church and a personal friend. Over the past two years, we had the opportunity to pray together, study God’s Word, challenge one another, and grow in our faith. It’s always a highlight to see believers taking spiritual steps, but I will always remember baptizing Terry and Sky and officiating their wedding ceremony,” Filippone wrote on Saturday.

He added, “Though we miss him deeply, we know he is in the presence of the Lord—fully healed, fully free, and worshiping the Savior he loved with all his heart. Terry is more alive now than he has ever been.”

Although he is best known as the wrestler, Hulk Hogan, who was considered by many as the biggest name in the wrestling business, Filippone remembered him as “a humble, joyful, Jesus-loving man who lived out his faith every day.”

“He worshiped faithfully with his wife, Sky—not behind the scenes, but shoulder to shoulder with the people he loved. He didn’t want the spotlight or the green room. He wanted to be where God was moving.”

Fillippone added that his church did not view Hogan as a celebrity but as a “brother in Christ” and that “he loved God, loved people, and loved his neighbors right here in Pinellas County.”

He noted that the late wrestler would show up at church with a John 3:16 shirt and would often bring a “guest or two,” who were friends of his, because he wanted “them to experience the same hope and love he found in Jesus.”

“Terry wasn’t a perfect man—he never claimed to be. He had a past, and he made mistakes. But Terry was a Jesus man, and that’s the beauty of the Gospel. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Terry didn’t just talk about his faith—he lived it. He walked in grace, and he made sure everyone around him knew that grace was available for them too,” Fillippone wrote.

He concluded his post by encouraging readers who are unbelievers to turn to Christ.

“If you’re reading this today, know that you can have the same kind of faith Terry had. Jesus offers hope, forgiveness, and eternal life to anyone who believes. We invite you to visit a local, Bible-believing church—just like Terry did—and discover God’s design for your life.”

“I love you, Terry. Thank you for showing us how to boldly live for Jesus and finish strong.”

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