In April 2018, she told someone in John Blanchards accountability group about the assault. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Play Video. Rock Church - John Blanchard - Defeating the Spirit of Python Pt.1. Not unlike the Gambino family. Group think Blanchard claimed that he might have wanted just to talkMinistry Watch posted: Virginia Church Urges Believers Not To Condemn As Pastor Arrested in Sex Sting Op Steps Away From Duties Again: John Blanchard, the Virginia pastor who was arrested in a sex sting operation only to have his charges later dropped, is once more stepping away from his duties as lead pastor of Rock Church International in Virginia Beach. After The Roys Reports earlier story on Rock Church, the church added new language to its statement, claiming it supported efforts to hold leaders accountable to biblical standards of morality. He was charged with felony solicitation . Rock Church, which has aweekly attendance of more than 2,000, wrote in astatement published on its website that Blanchard would voluntarily step away from ministerial duties. John Blanchard at this time, says the statement on Rock Churchs website. The Prophetic word declared, I am sending you to a people you know not of inspiring them to trust God for clear direction. John & Robin Blanchard are the Senior Pastors of the Rock Church of Virginia Beach. Arturo G. Azurdia III had an affair with a married woman. In the meantime, Robin Blanchard and Gimenez are in charge. Sellers took another job around 2013 but continued to attend the church, completing a training program for church lay leaders and becoming deacon in charge of Rock Churchs ministry to single women. A former member of the church spoke with 13News Now about her experience with Blanchard in 2018, which led her to be ex-communicated. Tragically familiar pattern of predatory sexual abuse and gaslighting of victim and protection of the predator by the very people who should be protecting her. "What we have learned, among other things, is that multiple public statements made by Chesterfield Commonwealth Attorney Davenport that the Blanchard case lacked sufficient evidence to prosecute is a flat out lie.". The Virginia Beach megachurch pastor was one of 17 men arrested during an . 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. John Blanchard, the Virginia pastor who was arrested in a sex sting operation only to have his charges later dropped, is once more stepping away from his duties as lead pastor of Rock Church International in Virginia Beach. John Blanchard, the pastor of Rock Church in Virginia Beach, is one of 17 men the Chesterfield County Police Special Victims Unit says were looking for sex from minors through online platforms. Absolutely not! ChurchLeaders reached out to Stacey Davenport and Tim Anderson for comment. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. "This guy just has to go . In the documents, investigators say they posed as a 17-year-old girl online for prostitution and received a message from Blanchard. Read more about it here. "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. The heart of a WHITE EVANGELICAL is Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. Pastor Blanchard has voluntarily stepped back as lead pastor and from all his ministerial duties until this present situation is totally resolved. So, if the statement on the front of the church website is not enough for the inquiring visitor, perhaps we need to add more context. One can usually learn a lot by simply reading whats online before the visit. Spiritual abuse and sexual abuse in an evil cocktail. Except Blanchard would have been watching Hawt Lezbo Action a common theme in Straight Male Porn. Blanchard appeared in Chesterfield County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on Nov. 15, 2021. I trust the police in situations like this. Even though the pastor was acquitted after the assistant pressed charges, she says, It did happen to me. I hope my journey walking through the evangelical wilderness and landing in one abusive or authoritarian church after another has been instructive. Also, EVERY pedophile who gets arrested for child solicitation says they just wanted to talk. They care so much about these kids that they just want to give them a stern fatherly warning about talking to older creepy men. 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. Under the guidance of our legal counsel, We cannot make a statement or comment concerning the accusations against Rev. Blanchard learned he had actually been communicating with an undercover detective and not a teenager after allegedly driving to meet up for sex at a local motel, where he was handcuffed by cops. Rock Churchs Wednesday statement begins: Rock Church encourages godly lifestyles by all of its members and leaders, in keeping with the tenets of the Bible. How to Resign from a Church 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. It elaborates on the sex-sting operation that nabbed the lead pastor of Rock Church International in Virginia Beach.The report is prompting backlash from an official who speculates that a deal was involved and that prosecutors abused their discretion. We are all committed to walking in integrity and truth at Rock Church International and will continue to take steps to do so. According to the Rock Church website, Blanchard has been a senior pastor of the Virginia Beach church on Kempsville Road since 2013. "She's never answered the biggest question, which is the question we've asked from the beginning. Coming from a background in atheism and a dysfunctional childhood, John's heart is to reach a generation with a message of hope through the healing and delivering power of Jesus Christ. Skills. Delegate and attorney, Tim Anderson, posted the documents about Blanchard's arrest on Facebook, which he received through a FOIA request, saying, "Rock Church Leadership still maintains Pastor Blanchard is innocent. Ive given him the best 10 years of my life, so I cant leave now. Yes you can. Ministry credentials, a touch of charisma and a gift of gab do not always equal a prophetic voice to the body of Christ., How can a congregation deal with a pastor who is out, then in, then out, then in?. oh my goodness, what a mess. In anOct. 11 statementon Facebook, Rock Church officials announced that Blanchard was cleared of all charges by prosecutors from the Chesterfield County Courthouse. In a statement posted Wednesday, the church asked believers not to condemn., He wont come back until this is totally resolved. Yeah, right. Steve240: a lot easier to accept a plausible excuse vs. have to face reality. (Screenshot credit: Rock Church International/YouTube) All charges against Rock Church International Pastor John Blanchard for his alleged involvement in soliciting sex with a . christiane: Rock Church on Kempsville Rd. He believes that Rock Church has handled this situation poorly. John Blanchard, the Virginia pastor who was arrested in a sex sting operation only to have his charges later dropped, is once more stepping away from his duties as lead pastor of Rock Church International in Virginia Beach. Will Sarah Einselen and the Roys Report be covering John Blanchards child prostitution trial next week on February 15? REV. He has a similar civil case against another church member for defamation. Sarah Einselen is an award-winning writer and editor based in Texas. The legal standard required for an officer to obtain a warrant for arrest is merely probable cause. Megachurch pastor still preaching despite claims he stepped back from ministry over prostitution arrest. And yes you can leave an apostate church. During the interview, investigators say they asked Blanchard multiple times what made him chat with the person online, but Blanchard kept saying he didn't know how he came upon the website where he chatted online. Information recently released on Facebook by Republican state Delegate and attorney Tim Anderson, who represents the Virginia Beach area, shows that the case against the megachurch pastor was dismissed only after a discussion between Chesterfield County Commonwealth's Attorney Stacey Davenport and the pastor's defense attorney. Police officers then brought him in for questioning. Rachel Olstad In a statement posted Wednesday, the church asked believers "not to condemn." 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. I thought she was going to come out with some answers. Graduate Student of Theology and Master of Biblical Theology. Prices for TechDirects turnkey LCD monitors, which range in size from 6.5-feet tall to nearly 10 feet, start at just over $32,000 and run as high as $62,000. Preparing Rocky profile View Rocky's Email & Phone (It's Free) 5 free lookups per month. When you have crazy faith sometimes it makes you do crazy things, Blanchard said. Rock Church Pastor John Blanchard . According to WVEC-TV in Norfolk, Virginia, Blanchard also filed a similar lawsuit against another church member within months of filing against Sellers. 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. All he wanted to do was talk. If [Blanchard is] found not guilty or if hes acquitted, thats one thing. ", "The evaluation is intended to identify any particular treatment needs of the client, and to propose a treatment plan to meet those needs," the law group's explainer sheet states. CBS 6 reached out to an attorney for Blanchard for a comment and has not yet heard back. I intend to move the court to appoint a special prosecutor to determine whether this case should now be prosecuted," Davenport said. Jenna Sellers told The Roys Report that she started attending Rock Church of Virginia Beach in 2010. Interment will follow at Knollcrest Cemetery. Which makes Rocks Pastor COP. He said he's glad another prosecutor will be taking an independent look at the case. The Rock Church in Virginia Beach, Va., installed two senior pastors Monday as part of a celebration of 45 years in ministry. Why did the Commonwealth Attorney agree to seal and erase the records? 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. on the Cop side of the line) and taunted his wife with that fact as he was beating her. On Oct. 11, 2022, the court hearing in Chesterfield lasted only a matter of seconds. 12-716 to N.Y. and other travel as reqd for work. . and last updated 2022-10-12 18:37:39-04. The dismissal comes nearly a year after Blanchard was charged along with 16 other men during an Oct. 29, 2021 Chesterfield County . She came out and didn't even answer any questions from the press.". When investigators say they called the number associated with the text messages, the cell phone Blanchard had that night rang. His humility and submission to those over him during this time has been a testimony to his character, Bishop Anne Gimenez, who is currently leading the church along with Blanchards wife, Robin, said. By now this sound familiar. Max: A steady string of TWW reports on these situations have shown that congregational denial is a common response. Blanchard serves as the pastor of Rock Church in Virginia Beach. What was the lack of evidence? They also include the messages between Blanchard and the undercover detectives. 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. Steve240: Why members continue to attend and support this pastor? Here is the statement on the homepage. Play Video. Is he now claiming it didnt happen? Blanchard was one of 17 men arrested on Oct. 29, 2021, for solicitation of prostitution from a minor.. After agreeing to meet with a detective posing as a 17-year-old girl, the pastor was arrested and then released on bond. By: Alton Worley II. Gimenez remains the churchs bishop. Pastor John Blanchard was arrested late last month after . It seems it is time to burn the whole thing down and simply start over from scratch somehow. Posted at 10:57 AM, Oct 11, 2022 . If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. We would ask that the privacy of the Blanchard family be respected as they walk through this difficult journey together. 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. Blanchard's attorney asked the judge to continue Blanchard's hearing, saying there are "evidentiary issues" with the case, but he would not go into further detail as to why. 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. I do not accuse any police organization of wrong-doing, no; Frankly, anyone approaching a minor for a sexual encounter should be condemned. If a judge denied the agreement between the attorneys, the prosecutor would bring in witnesses to testify in the next court hearing. After setting up a place to meet in person, police arrested all of them on October 29, including Blanchard, 51. 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. The pastor at a nearby Southern Baptist church criticized Rock Churchs poor handling of the situation. Max: How about taking your wife along to do that, pastor. Even assuming she is totally unaware and innocent, wouldnt this be a huge shock? His humility and submission to those over him during this time has been a testimony to his character. After almost a year of legal maneuvering, however, the charges against Blanchardwere withdrawn or nolle prossedahead of a criminal trial in October. Drives two and a half hours to a hotel and knocks on the hotel room door as directed by our undercover '17-year-old,' I believe a jury of Chesterfield County residents deserves to weigh in on the matter of criminal culpability," he wrote. 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. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. But this is not a race issue. Travel 11-16 to 18 to Atlanta. 12.10.22 EChurch@Wartburg Dr Scot McKnight: Just Who Was Mary of Christmas? It would destroy their perfect world including: Admitting their pastor is a hypocrite and isnt perfect or near perfect individual they admired for so long I am also grateful for Brent Hobbs, who I believe is a writer from SBC Voices as well as a full-time pastor. Therefore, we are pleased to share with you that his return to preaching is scheduled for this Sunday, December 4., Whenever Im tempted to think Christianity is a fraud because of fraudulent pastors, Im reminded it was the religious establishment that had Jesus arrested and crucified. That meant the charges would be dropped, but could be refiled again at a later date if prosecutors felt they had enough evidence against Blanchard to move forward. To donate, click here. They believed that John was innocent, humble, and submissive to those over him.. Here is the most important thing to consider. Perhaps then the truth will come out. We are all committed to walking in integrity and truth at Rock Church International and will continue to take steps to do so. LSU. The prosecutor in a statement to the Court indicated that due to new information coming to light and lack of evidence, they will no longer be pursuing charges against Blanchard. Sovereign Grace Ministries The pastor alleged that he was driving and did not see the text message informing him that the person was 17. At one point, she said, she reached out to a church counselor shed previously met with weekly, saying she missed her and wanted to talk. I think the size of the sanctuary was big enough to accommodate large numbers of attendees, and the location certainly is also a factor in choosing. Still, questions remain as to why Davenport personally involved herself in Blanchard's case and why she believed the original evidence was insufficient. John Gimenez felt compelled to seek an empty church building as a sign of Gods confirmation. He was expected back in court for his preliminary hearing on March 22. John Blanchard (pictured) and his wife, Robin, serve as senior pastors of The Rock Church of Virginia Beach. Their God does NOT live in the Real World. Blanchard claims he did nothing wrong. Attorney William R. Blaine, Jr. was named earlier this month as the special prosecutor to review the case. Do you not judge those who are within the church [to protect the church as the situation requires]? (1 Corinthians 5:12 AMP), There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT (Romans 8:1 KJV), revered as a man of God who is a prophetic voice to the body of Christ, TWW continues to report on a string of men of God who have joined the bad-boy conga line. Sarah Hammond 12/18/2022. church down the street hired him. @olstad_rachel For example, perhaps the lead pastor has a charismatic, persuasive personality, and the visitor is in awe of his preaching style. In a statement posted Wednesday, the church asked believers not to condemn., Under the guidance of our legal counsel, We cannot make a statement or comment concerning the accusations against Rev. Why did you do this?" Hes Out, Hes In, Hes Out, and Hes In As He Deals With Allegations of Soliciting Sex From a Minor. Church leaders regardless of denomination or race seem to have a hard time controlling themselves. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Chesterfield County Police arrested Rock Church Pastor, John Blanchard, in October 2021 on prostitution charges. Why? CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) Virginia Beach pastor John Blanchard is stepping back from his lead pastoral duties at Rock Church International, according to a statement from the church. When Blanchard arrived at the location, that's when detectives say they arrested him for soliciting a minor for prostitution. Bishop Anne, Pastor Mrs Robin the Rock are nice to ladies as a headline issue. CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. Chesterfield County Commonwealth's Attorney Stacey Davenport spoke publicly to the media for the first time Thursday morning since controversy began mounting over her decision to drop charges against a pastor involved in a sex sting operation. Steve240: Family business sounds more like what it is. What was it? A church should buy LED screens, if it needs them, from the vendor with the best price on the most practical product, not from a one-hand-washes-the-other side hustle of a pastor.