The Unexpected Encounter
Dylan Novak never expected to meet Ozzy Osbourne. The youth pastor / celebrity evangelist had resigned himself to the fact that the Prince of Darkness, retired for years and preparing for his final UK concert, would remain forever out of reach.
Then horror conventions changed everything. Comic-Con style events have exploded in popularity, bringing celebrities who once seemed untouchable directly to fans. When Osbourne was announced for a Philadelphia-area convention two years ago, the autograph world reacted with disbelief.
“Everybody in the autograph world was like, ‘You’re kidding me. One of the biggest rock stars in the world is going to sit down at a convention and sign autographs,’” Novak recalls.
The Prince of Darkness Shows His Human Side
People flew from around the globe for the chance to meet Osbourne. Novak expected to be “herded through like cattle,” but Osbourne defied expectations. Sitting in a giant throne chair, the rock legend took time with everyone, shaking hands and asking names.
“He was so kind,” Novak remembers. “Hi, what’s your name? You know, just being very personal.”
What made this encounter particularly meaningful was a five-year-old interview where Osbourne had surprised many by declaring, “I consider myself a Christian.” When asked about reading the Bible, Osbourne had expressed frustration: “I wish I could. My brain is pretty fried. And it’s just written in a language I can’t understand. I really would love to read it and study it more.”
A Bible with His Name Embossed
Armed with this knowledge, Novak brought Osbourne a New Believers study Bible with the rock star’s name embossed on the cover. The preparation had created its own memorable moment at a Knoxville Bible bookstore, where staff announced over the intercom: “Ozzy Osbourne, your Bible is ready!”
“There were two guys standing there and they asked, ‘Is he here?’ I said, ‘No.’ They were like, ‘Like the Ozzy Osbourne?’ I’m like, ‘Yes, that’s who this is going for,’” Novak laughs.
At the convention, Novak referenced the old interview. Leaning across Osbourne’s table, he handed over the personalized Bible. Osbourne showed it to his manager and immediately opened it, turning toward the Gospels.
“Oh, this actually makes sense. Thank you,” Osbourne said, noting the larger font. “You’re so welcome. I really love you,” Novak replied.
Family Connections
Novak also met the entire Osbourne family. Sharon was polite but not overly personal. Daughter Kelly maintained similar pleasantness. Ozzy’s son Jack, however, proved exceptionally engaging, writing down theological topics he’d been researching and suggesting they compare notes if they met again.
Two weeks later at a horror convention in Lexington, Kentucky, Novak found himself debating whether to approach Jack again. He had listened to the podcasts Jack recommended and researched the theological questions, but worried about appearances.
“The human side of me, where we worry what people are going to think, I was afraid he’s going to think I’m stalking him, following him to literally the next event he’s going to,” Novak recalls.
He didn’t have to make that choice. Jack approached him first, recognizing the same jacket that read “Love God, love people” on the back.
“Can I ask you a silly question?” Jack said, walking up to Novak. “Were you in Philly two weeks ago?”
“I was” Novak replied.
“Come over to my table. I got a story for you.”
The Bible’s Journey Upstairs
What Jack told Novak next revealed the true impact of that simple gift. After the Philadelphia convention, the family was taking an exhausted Ozzy to his hotel suite when something unexpected happened.
“We get him to the elevator and he goes, ‘Where’s my Bible? I’m not going upstairs without my Bible,’” Jack recounted. “All the horror convention people are like, what?”
When Jack explained the Bible was locked in the autograph room, Ozzy insisted they retrieve it immediately. Convention staff watched in bewilderment as they unlocked the room specifically for the Bible. But Ozzy wasn’t finished – he wanted the accompanying letter too, planning to read both during his Saturday break.
A Bedside Treasure
Jack revealed that the Bible had sat on his father’s bedside table. Every visitor to the Osbourne home was shown the personalized Bible that Ozzy could actually understand.
“My dad doesn’t keep many gifts. He’s gotten a lot of gifts through the years,” Jack had explained. “And it’s not that he doesn’t appreciate, it’s just we don’t have room for it. Half the stuff is junk. But I just want you to know that Bible’s on his bedside table, and everybody that walks through the house has to see the Bible with his name on it that he can understand.”
The impact had extended beyond Ozzy himself. Jack told Novak how the family sat around discussing the individual letters each had received – personalized messages that weren’t copy-and-pasted but hand-written for each family member.
“So just know the Osbourne family were sitting around the table. We’re talking about how you shared Jesus with us,” Jack said. “I looked at everybody’s letter. I love that it was an individual letter. That means a lot to me.”
Standing there listening, Novak found tears in his eyes. The encounter proved his belief that some people the world might write off as unreachable often recognize their deepest need.
“Some of those people realize more than anything, this is what I need because all the things of this world left me empty, but this is what will satisfy. This is what’s eternal. This is what will save my soul.”
Seeds Planted in Eternity
Ozzy Osbourne passed away on July 22, 2025, just seventeen days after his emotional farewell concert in Birmingham. He had powered through that final performance from a custom throne, much like the one where he first received Dylan’s gift two years earlier. The “Prince of Darkness” left this world surrounded by love, but questions remain about what happened in those quiet moments between a rock legend and his bedside Bible.
We plant seeds without knowing which ones will take root. Dylan handed Ozzy a Bible he could understand, and Ozzy refused to go to his suite without it. The rock star showed it to every visitor and kept it within arm’s reach during his final battles with Parkinson’s disease. Whether those late-night readings in hotel rooms and at home led to genuine faith – that’s between Ozzy and the Lord now.
What we do know is this: a man who spent decades as the self-proclaimed Prince of Darkness wouldn’t let anyone take him to his room without his Bible. Sometimes God’s grace shows up in the most unexpected places, working through horror conventions and personalized gift Bibles.
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