Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. Despite a recent claim by Rock Church Internationalin Virginia Beach that their lead pastor, John Blanchard, voluntarily stepped back as lead pastor and from all his ministerial duties due to a prostitution arrest, he was still boldly preaching at a prophetic conference in Texas last weekend. (And I aint talking about the California burger chain.). has been the site of police funerals for officers slain while on duty. While she did not reveal the new information, an email that Katz reportedly sent to Davenport on Jan. 17 suggests it could be a video obtained through a search warrant that "incontrovertibly validates police assertions that Blanchard knowingly sought to engage in sex with an underage girl in a Chesterfield County hotel room on the day of the arrest.". ", However, the firm warns that such an assessment is "a subjective snapshot of our client's beliefs and attitudes at a particular point in time. John Blanchard, along with his wife, Robin, is still listed as a senior pastor at Rock Church on the churchs website as of this writing. A group of about 20 protesters gathered outside of Rock Church in Virginia Beach on Sunday morning, calling for Pastor John Blanchard to resign. While denouncing those of us in various fandoms who KNOW were dealing with imaginary worlds and critters and magic. The Church condemns sexual immorality of any kind and in any form by its members and leaders and especially holds its leaders to a high standard of accountability on any lifestyle choices that could reflect negatively on the reputation of the Church or disparage the character of the Savior whom it purports to represent. https://julieroys.com/scandal-plagued-virginia-pastor-returns-threatens-legal-action/. The former youth pastor worked at Bellevue Baptist Church from 2011 to 2016, when he joined the staff at First Baptist Bentonville. Then he assaulted her, she said. Restoring the church? Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. As any sensible person would conclude. This article was originally published at ChurchLeaders.com. @13NewsNow obtained new documents from when Rock Church Pastor, John Blanchard, was arrested in Chesterfield County on solicitation of prostitution charges.Recently, prosecutors set aside the charges against Blanchard. He has spent the time in fasting and prayer and has invested much of his time in his family and education. I continue to call on Rock Church to commission an independent, third party investigation of his actions, with full cooperation and access to all related evidence, producing a public report at its conclusion.. I agree. 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. The state attorney has been drawing attention to this case since they went after 15 people, and Blanchard wasnt one of them. During a recent service, Rev. And they have to work hand in hand, so they need a collaborative relationship to make each other's job go," Franssen said. Rock Church - John Blanchard - Defeating Leviathan. It can be a lot easier to accept a plausible excuse vs. have to face reality. If so, why was he in the hotel? A message from the series "Daily Devotional Videos." Pastor Rick reminds us that with tools like YouTube you can find videos that will show you how to accomplish any Do-It-Yourself video. Folks, we are all susceptible to believing we are discerning from the get-go. If GP will cave to SBC outrage over a tweet in order to GET the contract, what else might they quietly cave on for the sake of KEEPING the contract or for getting the next one? 13News Now has covered this case since it initially broke nearly a year ago. By: Tyler Layne. In April, after a few court appearances where the prosecutor and Brooks went back and forth on what evidence can be used in the court case, attorneys told the judge they needed time to come up with a resolution. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? Rachel Olstad Milky Way timelapse photobombed by the Aurora Borealis over Loch More in Scotland. How about black pastors such as Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson or the revered MLK jr. who is known to have had affairs with a number of women in his congregation. The sting took . Church Discipline He and his wife, Robin and daughters, Amelia & Asia, reside in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The pastor at a nearby Southern Baptist church criticized Rock Churchs poor handling of the situation. LOL Take the wife to the meeting with the Lady of the Night. The legal standard required for an officer to obtain a warrant for arrest is merely probable cause. "Hundreds of pages of documents have been turned over to my office related to Stacey T. Davenport for Chesterfield Commonwealth's Attorney handling of the Pastor John Blanchard case," Anderson wrote. Graduate Student of Theology and Master of Biblical Theology. The first advice I would offer anyone who saw this on a church website is RUN. His humility and submission to those over him during this time has been a testimony to his character. Continuing with the Christian Post, we learn: After almost a year of legal maneuvering, the charges against Blanchard were withdrawn, or nolle prosequi, ahead of a criminal trial in October. But Sellers never heard a word in response. John Blanchard at this time," the post said. It was inappropriate. Some of the cases had sufficient evidence to support felony convictions, and some did not. Great! A spokesperson with Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office told 13News Now that Blanchard was released. You can misrepresent it. Blanchard, who has been married for some 30 years, holds a Masters of Divinity degree from Oral Roberts University, an evangelical college in Tulsa, Oklahoma founded by the late televangelist. Solid Rock Baptist Church: 16663 Fm 2109 N: Zavalla: TX: 75980 (936) 897-3099: Son Light Baptist Church: 1129 N 6th Ave: Knoxville: TN: 37917-6754 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. This statement makes it seem like Blanchard is trying to deflect attention away from his actions. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. "The police are one part of the public safety process, and then you need the prosecutor to really drive it home. But most important Chesterfield County Police Chief, Col. Jeffrey S. Katz statements that the case was solid have been internally confirmed true," Anderson argued earlier this month. How to Resign from a Church Keep the money in the family. We anticipate his resumption of church duties in the near future. Sellers said that after she pushed for accountability for Blanchard, she lost the support of her church. Emails cited from those documents by WTVR show that Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Alexander Michev initially told detectives they did not need to attend a status hearing for the Blanchard case that was set for last October. Family business sounds more like what it is. Chesterfield Police said it cannot elaborate on the new evidence against Blanchard. 1/3 https://t.co/2PHkVGmEfJ, © 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 - The Wartburg Watch. Access to MinistryWatch content is free. Yet another story of abuser abusing their prey even more with actions when confronted. 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. Play Video. We are all committed to walking in integrity and truth at Rock Church International and will continue to take steps to do so. In an Oct. 11 statement on Facebook, Rock Church officials announced that Blanchard was cleared of all charges by prosecutors from the Chesterfield County Courthouse. Senior Pastor at Rock Church Chesapeake, VA. John Blanchard . So they go into an Alternate Reality of Alternative Facts, primed by an Over-Spiritual attitude to the Bible (to the point of Alternative Reality). For example, perhaps the lead pastor has a charismatic, persuasive personality, and the visitor is in awe of his preaching style. I cant seem to able to locate updated information. Records show Blanchard was arrested on . Two days after his initial court appearance, the judge agreed to drop the restriction but said that Blanchard only can travel outside of the state for work purposes. Nolle prosequel seems to indicate that maybe more could happen in the future. But Im sorry, a lie is still a lie.. He filed a civil case against her in Virginia Beach Circuit Court, saying that the allegations she made were false. CHESTERFIELD, Va. On October 11, 2022, all charges related to attempted solicitation of an underage minor were dropped against John Blanchard, a senior pastor at Rock Church International in . John Gimenez felt compelled to seek an empty church building as a sign of Gods confirmation. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. What was the lack of evidence? (Romans 3:23-for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God) If we are to walk in eternity with Christ, our position must be one of truth, love, faith, mercy, justice, and forgiveness. Although this operation did not involve any actual child victims, we take all such cases very seriously and are always motivated by our mandate to protect the safety of our community.. Chesterfield County constituent Traci Franssen said she's been following the Blanchard case closely and watched Davenport's announcement Thursday through a live stream. Blanchard wasamong17 men accusedof solicitation of prostitution after an online sting operation by police on Oct. 29, 2021. I imagine they would be frustrated when Blanchard seemed to get off the charges. Play Video. All that is being said are allegations at this point. In the meantime, Robin Blanchard and Gimenez are in charge. Blanchard did not return multiple voicemail messages left on three phone numbers associated with his name, and did not reply to emails seeking comment. John Blanchard is among 17 men accused of solicitation of prostitution after an online sting operation by law enforcement. Membership Covenants His wife was there in court, Sellers said, referring to her December 2018 hearing. You can read more of the initial story here. Detectives say this money was enough to cover the amount they "requested" in the chat for the meet-up. My guess is that it is a lot easier to accept the apparent lie that this pastor was trying to help this underage girl vs. wanting to see an underage prostitute. But to use prosecutorial discretion and say nothing happened here, thats, in my opinion, an abuse of discretion, especially when they went after 15 other people [following the sting operation].. There is no excuses for these guys but when you identify this as a white American evangelical issue are you not forgetting about the Catholic priest issues? Wishful thinking. Example video title will go here for this video. He was arrested at a hotel where he was supposed to meet a detective posing as a 17-year-old girl. John David Blanchard of Virginia Beach's Rock Church, has been raking in $30,000 a month and traveling extensively since his October arrest, according to court records. After agreeing to meet with a detective posing as a 17-year-old girl, the pastor was arrested and then released on bond. "And if they're butting heads behind the scenes, and it's even spilling out into public like this, what are the things we don't even know about that they're not working effectively on? Does this church support and believe in local law enforcement officers, or do they believe their pastor is to be believed above all? (Seriously, if he was in a prostitution sting, did the funds come from the church?). He faced multiple prostitution-related charges. However, he touts himself online as the founder of TechDirect, a self-described LED screen solution for churches.. I thought she was going to come out with some answers. According to WVEC-TV in Norfolk, Virginia, Blanchard also filed a similar lawsuit against another church member within months of filing against Sellers. Loss aversion Why in the world would organizations seek to destroy Blanchard and his family? 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. Steve240: Family business sounds more like what it is. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. the setting of Rock Church has been used for these many services and it is known locally for this. It is good to know of this funeral service connection, but I cannot nor did I intend to point out any wrong-doing on the part of the areas law enforcement as to special favors for this pastor, no. John David Blanchard of Virginia Beachs Rock Church, has been raking in $30,000 a month and traveling extensively since his October arrest, according to court records. Blanchard's attorney would only say he was "pleased with the outcome" of the case. Just like that one abusive pastor who made sure he was a police chaplain (i.e. Christian college asks Supreme Court to stop Biden's trans dorm directive, M.I.A. Why is the Commonwealth Attorney covering for this guy? If a judge denied the agreement between the attorneys, the prosecutor would bring in witnesses to testify in the next court hearing. A wreck it is. Forgetting the words of Rich Buhler: GOD LIVES IN THE REAL WORLD.. "The wheels of justice are back in motion.". Anne Gimenez, who will turn 81 next month . Pastor John Blanchard and his wife Pastor Robin Blanchard are the Senior Pastors of the Rock Church International in Virginia Beach Virginia. Franssen said she trusts the police department to do its job and is thankful Chief Katz made his concerns public. Shared by John Blanchard. ", "If Ms. Davenport chooses to frame those questions as a political attack, so be it," Katz said. Chesterfield County Police arrested Rock Church Pastor, John Blanchard, in October 2021 on prostitution charges. Anderson referred us to comments he has already made to other media outlets and on his Facebook page. Move over M Scott Peck. 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. Nearly a year prior, the public controversy began: Detectives in Chesterfield County, Virginia, said they connected with 17 people on social media during the last week of October 2021 who were seeking to have sex with people underage. "This guy just has to go . The two parties "agreed to disagree" about the decision. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) A lead pastor at Rock Church Virginia Beach has "voluntarily stepped down" from that role following his recent arrest, a statement from the megachurch confirms. Incredibly, a church building became available in Norfolk for revival services which was soon overflowing with spiritually hungry people. 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. "Unfortunately more questions than answers have now been raised. The cases from the Chesterfield Police Departments October 2021 sting operation, which include this particular case, involved a Chesterfield detective posing as a 17-year-old online. You work for us," Franssen said. Anderson has been posting about the case on social media, calling on Stacey Davenport, Commonwealths Attorney of Chesterfield County, to explain why the charges against Blanchard were dropped. The heart of a WHITE EVANGELICAL is CBS 6 then went into Davenport's office to ask follow-up questions, but Davenport refused to speak further. To donate, click here. 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. Because this may once again become a future pending criminal case, I cannot make any further comments on the facts or the circumstances surrounding anything related to this matter," she said. Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: bernesdemontana.com, +573132520919 Criadero Matouk kennels | Venta de cachorros Bernes de la Montaa I would guess hearing something one year after the investigation began may be optimistic. In the video she says he was found not guilty, which is the legal definition of acquitted. That said, she shows her copies of the police report, and I did a cursory search on the VA Course Cases website (https://www.vacourts.gov/caseinfo/home.html) for cases involving John Blanchard in Virginia Beach, and did not find anything. Pastor Blanchard has voluntarily stepped back as lead pastor and from all his ministerial duties until this present situation is totally resolved. The heart is deceitful above all things, The Biblical qualifications for pastors are clear, Brent Hobbs of New Song Fellowship wrote on Facebook. "She doesn't have an answer. Bishop Anne, Pastor Mrs Robin the Rock are nice to ladies as a headline issue. 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