Another Pillar of the Church Falls
This one's a real peach! The church mentioned is a Baptist church in the Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The good pastor, sadly, failed to live up to the high standards laid out in the Bible. I'm sure he'll be missed by the congregation.
https://www.americanpress.com/news/crime/westlake-church-pastor-fired-after-rape-arrest/article_41a08dd7-fcc7-5c53-9eae-2dc961b72ddb.html
The pastor of Bellview Baptist Church in Westlake accused of molesting an 11-year-old girl since 2017 has been fired, according to a statement released Wednesday by church leaders.
John Michael Ward, 45, of Westlake, was arrested Monday and charged with 10 counts of first-degree rape; 40 counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile; and two counts of pornography involving a juvenile. Following an investigation by the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office, he told detectives he molested the girl since she was 9 years old and videotaped her nude on two occasions.
Ward served as Bellview's pastor since July 2012, according to the church website.
Church deacons, with help from the Carey Baptist Association, voted unanimously to terminate Ward "because of his sexual immorality and failure to maintain the high standard of integrity for the office of pastor outlined in the Bible," the statement reads. Bellview Baptist Church is affiliated with the Carey Baptist Association.
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