Young Megachurch Pastor Restored to Ministry Months after Stepping Down for Sexual Misconduct
A mere 8 months after megachurch Pastor Ben Courson stepped down from leading Applegate Christian Fellowship in Oregon, he is back in the pulpit and anxious to resume his ministerial duties, being fully restored and ready to rock and roll.
Courson, 34, is an international speaker who is the founder of Hope Generation, as well as a best-selling author. He has a TV show that is played in 180 countries, has a radio show that is played on 520 stations and has 154k followers on Instagram, gaining name recognition and influence every day.
He stepped down from leadership at his church after three former members came forward alleging that he engaged in sexual misconduct with them. Another woman has filed a police report claiming she was sexually assaulted by him. On his way out, he released a since-deleted video acknowledging:
In some of my dating relationships, I have made mistakes, and I am truly sorry and deeply repentant. While it was always consensual, and there was never sex outside of marriage—there was never adultery—still, we let things go beyond what God requires of a relationship. When it comes to this area of women, I take full responsibility.
The women say that Coulson (who recently went through a divorce just two years ago after his wife said he committed adultery) initiated sex acts with them, and tried to grope them, frequently with no time wasted between meeting them and pressuring them to undress. Apparently, Courson’s modus operandi was to be naked in the bedroom and rub his sexual organs against the woman until he ejaculated on her stomach.
After this blew up, he revealed he was taking the next 6 months off from his pastoral roles to “learn and reflect and grow.”
Well, it’s been a little over half a year and he’s back in the pulpit, restored and good as new, announcing on Instagram that he’s embarking on a 5 city tour after reactiviating all his ministry pages that were previously shut down and on hiatus.
He’s been posting tons of videos on all his pages, bemoaning people who are maliciously trying to “re-write his story” by spreading lies about him- ostensibly taking a shot at some or all of the women who have come forward.
Eight months has become the new “two years” for evangelical pastors accused misconduct. Whereas a clear reading of scripture would hgave them disqualified from ministry forever, those who didn’t take this view at least had the decency to step aside for a period of several. Now, an adulterous relationship can be mitiagted in mere months and this timelines will become the rule, not the exception.
h/t The Conservative Truth
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Let’s review: According to Protestia, Willy Rice should not have dismissed a deacon for sins committed before salvation
A pastor involved in similar sins is disqualified forever.
What if said pastor announces that they were not truly saved and but have now been saved and thus are not disqualified?
And when will Protestia call out Steve Camp? Is he not disqualified as well?
Can you back-up this statement with some verses?
“Whereas a clear reading of scripture would hgave them disqualified from ministry forever, those who didn’t take this view at least had the decency to step aside for a period of several.”
Although I 100% agree that 6 months is not long enough for what Ben is being accused of, we have a clear example in Scripture of Peter being reinstated within 40 days. He denied even knowing Jesus 3 times and swore curses on himself. I’m just trying to understand for myself personally what is the biblical standard that Jesus has for getting us back in the ministry. Obviously, only Jesus knows the heart of Peter and Ben. Not you, not me.
What does Jesus have to say about this? I suggest everyone read Revelation chapter 2. and chapter 3 anyone who continues to sin is of the devil. 1 Jonn3:8
Bummer. Is he back at Applegate or just doing his own thing? He also promoted the racist BLM terrorist group on Instagram. A shame anyone still follows him.
God spoke thru Paul and Paul wrote “I grieve when I die RAVENOUS WOLVES will come and OVERTAKE the FLOCK!
Ben Courson sure fulfilled that prophecy! Along with many right along with him!
I hear God saying , Theree is Adultery in the PULPIT while the blind FLOCK reap the spiritual wreckage !