By Bob Allen A former Southern Baptist music minister is asking a Mississippi judge to dismiss an eight-count indictment charging him with sex crimes in the 1980s, claiming the allegations are too old to be prosecuted. Lawyers for John Langworthy,…
Radio host: evangelicals ignoring abuse
By Bob Allen A Christian radio host says it’s time for evangelical churches to wake up to an “epidemic” of sexual abuse of children going on in their midst. “I don’t know how long evangelicalism can ignore this problem,” host…
Church scrutinized after pastor’s arrest
By Bob Allen Missouri Baptist Convention officials are watching a member church whose pastor was arrested recently on sexual abuse charges a year after his previous acquittal of child molestation. Travis Smith, 42, of California, Mo., appeared for arraignment Oct….
Controversy follows Calvinist group
By Bob Allen A controversial church-planting network with ties to a Southern Baptist Convention seminary has been sued in Maryland for allegedly covering up allegations of sexual abuse of children in the 1980s and 1990s. According to the Associated Press,…
Pastor spared abuse trial
By Bob Allen A Baptist preacher arrested in May will not stand trial for sexual assault of a child after a Texas grand jury found insufficient evidence to prosecute. The Ennis Daily News reported Sept. 26 that an Ellis County…
Victims shine light on video voyeurism
By Bob Allen Three witnesses at a recent sentencing hearing for a former traveling evangelist sent to prison for secretly videotaping women in a bathroom in his home went on national television Sept. 18 to raise awareness to the growing…
Hearing reveals impact of clergy abuse
News analysis by Bob Allen Women secretly videotaped while showering or in front of a bathroom vanity in the home of a popular Southern Baptist evangelist compared the experience to rape, while young husbands described anger at being betrayed by…
‘Peeping preacher’ found guilty
By Bob Allen A Mississippi judge found a former pastor at a popular Southern Baptist youth camp guilty on 13 counts of video voyeurism and sentenced him to 10 years in prison Sept. 14. In addition, DeSoto County circuit judge…
Pastor: Turn the light on sexual abuse
By Bob Allen A Texas Baptist pastor urged his congregation to shine a light on sexual abuse, which he says occurs much more frequently than most people believe, even in churches. Gary Morgan, pastor of Cowboy Church of Ellis County…