Posted on 08/19/2024 1:16:30 PM PDT by Morgana
LexCity Church in Lexington, KY, is no more after their former executive pastor, Zachary King, admitted in July to law enforcement that he’d been engaging in a ‘sexual relationship’ with a 15-year-old girl over the last year and a half, prompting the beleaguered congregation to shutter their doors for good.
By ‘sexual relationship’, we mean that the 47-year-old pedophile impastor groomed and sexually abused her repeatedly. According to WHAS11, on August 15, a Fayette County Grand Jury indicted him on the following charges:
One count of first degree rape.
One count of first degree sodomy.
One count of unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in a sexual or prohibited activity.
One count of unlawful transaction with a minor with a victim under 18.
One count of third degree rape.
One count of third degree sodomy.
One count of first degree sexual abuse.
Shortly after the arrest, the church announced that “the leadership team of Lexington City Church has voted to permanently cease our ministry’ on account of “the continued effects of the financial situation our church inherited several years ago and the impact of the ongoing investigation of a former staff member” which has resulted in them losing “the ability to remain financially viable and fulfill our God-given mission.”
Noting that “Our hearts are broken for those who have been hurt and are hurting,” they pledged to “cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation,” while admitting “we feel it is in the best interest of the Kingdom and our community that we discontinue our ministry.”
(Excerpt) Read more at protestia.com ...
Amen to that. The truly faithful among that congregation will have a difficult time going forward. May God’s blessings and guidance be upon them
While not always the case, these “megachurch” pastors seem to be more about feeding their ego than ministering to the community. I always view them with suspicion.
There is something about megachurches I never did like.
More like a civic center than a church.
Just Demonic....
No other word.
Generic modern architecture.
YBPDLN* Ping List Ping!
Generally speaking The YBPDLN Ping List is published infrequently, however based on the exploits of the megachurch pastors posts can spike for a season.
Management will not ping members to every thread addressing megachurch pastors, but will tag articles of interest with the KEYWORD: YBPDLN. If you would like on or off of this list please FReepmail me.
*Your Best Purpose Driven Life Now
Outrageous situations like these make me remember how SPECIAL my childhood Pastor (The Reverend James R. Pingle) made us kids feel way back when. If he had a minute to talk with you or give you a hug or a smile, it was golden!
And as an adult, when I taught Sunday School, he was always SO helpful, uplifting and motivating to we ‘teachers.’ I babysat for his kids when I was in my teens. (They WERE a handful, LOL!)
So sad that so many kids have NEVER had that kind of moral, decent religious LEADER in their lives, and have had to suffer at the hands of a Prophet of Satan. :(
Yep! Ping to Post #8.
How does a church inherit a financial situation?
And very sad that because of the abusers and the groomers insurance underwriters are forcing churches large and small to require all volunteers interacting with children to undergo annual training via video which basically forbids even “good” hugs.
Maybe the previous church management wasn’t financially responsible? Any shortfalls in the church’s budget would remain the responsibility of the church.
My friend is a kindergarten teacher and she says it breaks her heart that she’s not supposed to hug a kid who is sad or upset. Byproduct of our litigious and paranoid society. Sometimes she hugs them anyway.
Not a drag queen in a story time event? I thought they were the ones. Who knew it was the pastors.
Good for her....and even better for the kiddos!
I wouldn’t think of that as inherited debt, though.
Maybe it depends on the church. My neighbor works for her church and the priest left due to some type of financial scandal and she was talking about how they have a budget shortfall. I thought they could ask the diocese for money but she said they can’t.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.