Rachel Olstad Coming from a background in atheism and a dysfunctional childhood, Johns heart is to reach a generation with a message of hope through the healing and delivering power of Jesus Christ. Pastor Blanchard has voluntarily stepped back as lead pastor and from all his ministerial duties until this present situation is totally resolved. ChurchLeaders reached out to Stacey Davenport and Tim Anderson for comment. Appearing before his congregation on Sunday, John D. Blanchard, pastor of Rock Church International in Virginia Beach, said the accusations against him were demonstrably false and part of smear campaigns against me and this church., But today Im here to announce enough is enough, Blanchard said, adding, You can dress up a lie. The Virginia Beach megachurch pastor was one of 17 men arrested during an . Because being consort to the crown princess of Rock Church didnt pay well enough? A defense attorney for Rock Church International Pastor John Blanchard initially struck a deal with Chesterfield County Commonwealth's Attorney Stacey Davenport of Virginia to do a psychosexual evaluation and sex offender-related counseling in exchange for tabling a child prostitution case against him. Example video title will go here for this video. Look at the bright side, at least there was no pool boy. fired an associate pastor for having affairs. Given this unresolved situation, it would seem prudent for the pastor to step back. Max: A steady string of TWW reports on these situations have shown that congregational denial is a common response. hearing for John David . . A Virginia megachurch pastor has returned to the pulpitagainand says hes moving forward with legal action, following an ongoing saga that began last year when he was caught in a prostitution sting. Blanchard did not return multiple voicemail messages left on three phone numbers associated with his name, and did not reply to emails seeking comment. Rock Church in Virginia Beach is seen on Oct. 20, 2022. Gimenez, Robin Blanchards mother, co-founded the church and was its senior pastor from 1999 until the Blanchards took that role in 2013. There were about 10 requests for travel between November 2021 and February to states such as Ohio, West Virginia, Georgia, Florida and Pennsylvania. Police said still to this day, Davenport has offered no information as to why she felt their initial investigation was not prosecutable. The next generation of leadership emerged in 2013, when founder Anne Gimenez along with the Rock Church elders & leadership installed John and Robin Blanchard as the new Senior Pastor of the Rock Church International. talks faith in Jesus, the problem with Black Lives Matter, being a victim of 'cancel culture', New Yorker satire headline mocks those who 'search the Bible' for Gods views, Barry Black: America's first black Senate chaplain says this Bible verse saved him from a life of crime, Heaven will be diverse. Posted at 10:57 AM, Oct 11, 2022 . But these are CHRISTIANS. It can be a lot easier to accept a plausible excuse vs. have to face reality. This message has taken his ministry to dozens of countries all over the world and the USA and to procure a Masters of DivinityDegree from OralRoberts University. What was the lack of evidence? A steady string of TWW reports on these situations have shown that congregational denial is a common response. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. Here is the most important thing to consider. Milky Way timelapse photobombed by the Aurora Borealis over Loch More in Scotland. I am unable to comment on the appropriateness of public statements made by other entities regarding this, or any other, case in which my office is involved. John and Robin Blanchard, senior pastors of Rock Church in Virginia Beach (Courtesy photo) After reportedly agreeing to meet with a detective posing as a 17-year-old girl, the pastor was arrested and then released on bond. He was one of 17 people arrested in the sting . He and 16 other men from Virginia and Maryland were arrested in a two-day operation. He was charged with felony solicitation . "I'm not trying to say Pastor Blanchard's guilty of anything," Del. "Do Theologians LIke Russell Moore Ever Apologize for Theological Blunders of the Past?" To all Rock Church leadership who know about this and are complicit: Your silence is an indictment of your hypocrisy.". their response was, Hes too good of a guy to hold back. Ofc ended up in the newspaper w/ a child abuse scandal sev yrs later., my original FYI included the words probably because of the size of its sanctuary but I should also add that the location on Kempsville Rd. Hord was arrested in August 2022 in connection with crimes committed from 2020 through 2022, when he was still serving as a youth pastor at First Baptist Church Bentonville. I mean no accusations towards any collusion no. Like Douggie ESQUIRE of Vision Forum doing his Commanders Handmaid? Max: Its hard for the average churchgoer to initially accept that a pastor who they have trusted would be capable of such things. Hes Out, Hes In, Hes Out, and Hes In As He Deals With Allegations of Soliciting Sex From a Minor. Chesterfield County constituent Traci Franssen said she's been following the Blanchard case closely and watched Davenport's announcement Thursday through a live stream. Our youngest daughter, Leah was married this week to Alexei, a wonderful young man! Franssen said she trusts the police department to do its job and is thankful Chief Katz made his concerns public. I do not view this case, as one of a non-white pastor. Blanchard continued to preach at the church, too, even though others in church leadership knew of Sellers allegation. How can a congregation deal with a pastor who is out, then in, then out, then in? He first appeared at the pulpit armed with a shofar he said he found in the host pastors office. The DOJ keeps a tight lid on their investigations and the wheels of government turn slowly. Rock religion as in Priapus? 12-716 to N.Y. and other travel as reqd for work. ", "If Ms. Davenport chooses to frame those questions as a political attack, so be it," Katz said. Even assuming she is totally unaware and innocent, wouldnt this be a huge shock? Pastor John Blanchard - Rock Church - "Love Conquers all" 53:19. The married father of two was charged with solicitation of prostitution of a minor and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution, which are felonies. Steve240: Family business sounds more like what it is. But Sellers never heard a word in response. Set in as the lead pastors in October 2013, John & Robin received their ministerial training while serving under Bishops John & Anne Gimenez for over twenty years in full time ministry. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Interment will follow at Knollcrest Cemetery. They work their butts off to take men who like underage kids off the market. Blanchard was acquitted of those charges. That same night, detectives say they found cash of up to $160 and a cell phone in Blanchard's possession. John is a founding Director of Orbis. One can usually learn a lot by simply reading whats online before the visit. The pastor at a nearby Southern Baptist church criticized Rock Churchs poor handling of the situation. After news broke early this month of his arrest, John Blanchard stepped back as lead pastor, The Roys Report previously reported. Katz called the move "bewildering," mainly because his investigators have presented cases with less compelling evidence that led to a conviction. Group think However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. The Biblical qualifications for pastors are clear, Brent Hobbs of New Song Fellowship wrote on Facebook. According to the Rock Church website, Blanchard has been a senior pastor of the Virginia Beach church on Kempsville Road since 2013. Church Administration; see less Rocky Bezet Email Address Found 1 email address listing: @trcla.org . The dismissal comes nearly a year after Blanchard was charged along with 16 other men during an Oct. 29, 2021 Chesterfield County . She said knew she knew it was wrong done with and yet somehow she found herself at his house. Although everyone must address their own convictions and consequences, our assignment as believers is not to condemn, but to be agents of Gods love, healing, justice, and reconciliation. The app features breaking news alerts, live video, weather radar, traffic incidents, closings and delays and more. Under Virginia law, sexual battery is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. His humility and submission to those over him during this time has been a testimony to his character. . Maybe there enough evidence to convict this guy in a court of law, maybe there isnt. Attorney William R. Blaine, Jr. was named earlier this month as the special prosecutor to review the case. Charges accusing Rock Church International Pastor John Blanchard of arranging to meet a person he thought was a teenage girl for sex in a motel room were dismissed Tuesday at the request of prosecutors, according to the Chesterfield County court clerk's office. Michev stated that Blanchard had a "built-in defense." church down the street hired him. Megachurch asks congregants to forgive pastor for prostitution arrest because all have sinned. A spokesperson with Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office told 13News Now that Blanchard was released. Part one of the statement from Rock International Church. I am also grateful for Brent Hobbs, who I believe is a writer from SBC Voices as well as a full-time pastor. Then he assaulted her, she said. The former youth pastor worked at Bellevue Baptist Church from 2011 to 2016, when he joined the staff at First Baptist Bentonville. The prosecutor told the judge that after reviewing the charges, the case would be nolle pros. Rock Church International Pastor John Blanchard is seeking to have prostitution-related charges filed against him in 2021 expunged from his record, online court records show. Virginia Church Urges Believers Not To Condemn As Pastor Arrested in Sex Sting Op Steps Away From Duties Again: Scandal-Plagued Virginia Pastor Returns to Pulpit, Threatening Legal Action. Thrilled for both of them as they start their life together. . Ministry Watch 2022 All rights reserved. Stockholm syndrome In a statement posted that day to Rock Churchs Facebook page, Bishop Anne Gimenez, who had taken over Blanchards pastoral duties, said: We have always believed in Johns innocence. And now we have a direct connection to directly bring this technology to churches in the U.S. at a great discount, to help pastors and leaders all across America to have this technology at a fraction of the cost And it will be a blessing to you and your church to have this modern technology to be able to communicate the gospel in a powerful and visual way.. There . Chesterfield County Police arrested Rock Church Pastor, John Blanchard, in October 2021 on prostitution charges. It came to light in November 2021 that a former assistant had previously accused Blanchard of sexual assault, an incident that allegedly occurred in 2018. Blanchard appeared in Chesterfield County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on Nov. 15, 2021. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Pastor John Blanchard was arrested late last month after . Nolle prosequel seems to indicate that maybe more could happen in the future. and John wrote of the "overcoming" power of the blood. This postponement would go on several more times. (Photo: Chesterfield County Jail) In the wake of the arrest of a Virginia megachurch pastor accused of soliciting sex from a minor, a former church employee has come forward saying the pastor sexually assaulted her in 2018. I cant seem to able to locate updated information. Location. Rock Church encourages godly lifestyles by all of its members and leaders, in keeping with the tenets of the Bible. So Guidepost "determined that using Twitter was no longer an option for them." The Everlasting Enterprising Evangelical church. Old Timer: By the way, could someone please update me regarding the status of the DOJ investigation of the SBC mentioned back in August 2022? Dismissal comes nearly a year after Blanchard was arrested late last month after Minor. 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