Ditto on the prayers. Hopefully turns out to be a false accusation (though him stepping down already makes me wonder).
Doesn't mean a thing though. Well it could. It could also mean that since the stories were published today, he wanted the church not to be damaged and is having the church do an investigation for the confidence of the community.
Either way, he needs our prayers. If true it was a consensual, but sinful relationship that he needs to atone for now. But we are all sinners, and we can all be redeemed.
I read somewhere that in the church bylaws, it states that if a leadership member is accused of something like this, they are required to take LOA until an investigation is complete.
I doubt this is one of them.
T'were me, I'd be thundering my innocence from the pulpit, on the radio, in interviews, and so forth. Then I'd sue for defamation of character. IOW, tell 'em put up, or shut up. Best to get it all out in the open and resolve it as quickly as possible.