but I think it is important to know that, probably because of its size as a sanctuary, You can twist it. What was the lack of evidence? The Rock Church in Virginia Beach, Va., installed two senior pastors Monday as part of a celebration of 45 years in ministry. He first appeared at the pulpit armed with a shofar he said he found in the host pastors office. 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. In October of 1968, Rock Church was founded when John & Anne Gimenez were traveling from Pennsylvania to Florida and stopped in Virginia to appear on The 700 Club. On the Rock Church website, Blanchard is described as having grown up an atheist with a dysfunctional childhood, adding, Johns heart is to reach a generation with a message of hope through the healing and delivering power of Jesus Christ., There is one business named Zion Solutions that is incorporated in Virginia, and state records do not list Blanchard as a company official. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) A Virginia Beach pastor previously accused of soliciting sex from a minor says "enough is enough.". You can read more about his first court appearance here. By now this sound familiar. 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. Will Sarah Einselen and the Roys Report be covering John Blanchards child prostitution trial next week on February 15? Steve240: 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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. ChurchLeaders reached out to Stacey Davenport and Tim Anderson for comment. Church Discipline Sovereign Grace Ministries Pastor John was. Even though the pastor was acquitted after the assistant pressed charges, she says, It did happen to me. As any sensible person would conclude. The prosecutor told the judge that after reviewing the charges, the case would be nolle pros. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. 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. Sarah Hammond 12/18/2022. It was inappropriate. Gimenez, Robin Blanchards mother, co-founded the church and was its senior pastor from 1999 until the Blanchards took that role in 2013. You work for us," Franssen said. Will they stay quiet on "awkward" victim stories? Due to the repeated public comments and unfounded political attacks levied upon my office by both Chesterfield County Police Chief Jeffrey Katz and Delegate Tim Anderson, I cannot ethically make any decisions on whether or not this new information should impact future prosecutorial decisions in this matter., Chief Katz declined an interview request with CBS 6, but in a written statement, he supported the decision to bring in a special prosecutor and said he has only ever asked Davenport "reasonable questions. Still, questions remain as to why Davenport personally involved herself in Blanchard's case and why she believed the original evidence was insufficient. 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. The documents include a detailed description of what detectives wrote regarding their interview with Blanchard on the night of his arrest on October 29, 2021. Prosecutors recently set those charges aside. Rachel Olstad Let's not forget that, Why revival must be tethered to Scripture, Revelation 9: The pit, the smoke and hideous demon creatures, Lessons from the old Jesus Revolution for the new Jesus Revolution, Age is a mindset: How mental outlook and actions impact an aging mind, How to handle any criticism thrown at you, 5 reasons why the disappearance of the offering plate is so significant for churches. After setting up a place to meet in person, police arrested all of them on October 29, including Blanchard, 51. He has spent the time in fasting and prayer and has invested much of his time in his family and education. Now Playing. 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].. How about taking your wife along to do that, pastor. Texts a phone number posted on a known sex worker website, 3. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Restoring the church? His humility and submission to those over him during this time has been a testimony to his character. Records show Blanchard was arrested on . Spiritual abuse and sexual abuse in an evil cocktail. Its a dirty shame that a wayward pulpit takes advantage of a trusting pew once trust is broken, its difficult to repair (if ever). Sellers said Blanchard sexually assaulted her one evening in February 2018 when he visited her home to discuss the website. 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. This apostolic ministry is committed to equipping people from the cradle to the grave to fulfill the purpose of God. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) Ephesians 2:4-5, Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18. Education. I think that church leaders need to be brave and act accordingly.. 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. Association of Related Churches in central to three cities: 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 Virginia Beach. In this statement, Rock Church seemed to overlook the possibility that these charges could be brought again. LCU. John Blanchard at this time," the post said. Wishful thinking. John Gimenez felt compelled to seek an empty church building as a sign of Gods confirmation. 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. Part one of the statement from Rock International Church. It "is a systematic assessment of a client's social and sexual history, deviant or paraphilic interests, and the risk of sexual reoffending in the future. According to a statement from the police, "During the two-day operation, detectives intercepted suspects who believed they were soliciting sex from . 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. 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. ", In addition, the documents show he told police officers he "was planning on talking and that's why, you know, the texts are the way they are, because that's what I was trying to say.". Today, the Rock Church has impacted the world with over 500 churches internationally. Rock Church is committed to honesty and integrity in dealing with charges or accusations of sexual misconduct or immorality among its leaders and will support any investigation arising from accusations of violation of this standard among its staff and leaders in an effort to find the truth and to protect its members, church families and their children, at all times. Makes multiple inquiries if the person he's texting is 'affiliated with law enforcement,' 5. who can understand it?. . "Do Theologians LIke Russell Moore Ever Apologize for Theological Blunders of the Past?" Bishop Anne, Pastor Mrs Robin the Rock are nice to ladies as a headline issue. John Blanchard returned to the . He was arrested at a hotel where he was supposed to meet a detective posing as a 17-year-old girl. Police officers then brought him in for questioning. They reportedly agreed that Blanchard would do a psychosexual evaluation and sex offender-related counseling in exchange for tabling the matter. 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. REV. Which makes Rocks Pastor COP. "These specialized evaluations can only be performed by state certified Sexual Offender Treatment Providers. Rock Church - John Blanchard - Defeating the Spirit of Python Pt.1. Senior Pastor at Rock Church Chesapeake, VA. John Blanchard . (And I aint talking about the California burger chain.). 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I intend to move the court to appoint a special prosecutor to determine whether this case should now be prosecuted," Davenport said. Or are folks afraid of his threats of legal action? A spokesperson with Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office told 13News Now that Blanchard was released. | YouTube/Rock Church A special prosecutor has been appointed in the case against John Blanchard, pastor of Rock Church International in Virginia Beach, who previously saw charges against him dismissed by prosecutors a year after his 2021 arrest during an undercover child sex crimes sting. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Baptizing her with the Holy Fluid from his Rod like that excerpt in the 1984 Meese Commission report? Katz called the move "bewildering," mainly because his investigators have presented cases with less compelling evidence that led to a conviction. RELATED: Charges dropped against John Blanchard, Virginia Beach pastor accused of trying to solicit a minor, In the messages with the undercover detectives, Blanchard agreed to meet at a place by the Chesterfield Mall, but first, he asked the person: "Are you affiliated with law enforcement in any way?". "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. Rock Church International 640 Kempsville Road Look at the bright side, at least there was no pool boy. 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. Matt has completed everything asked of him with submissiveness, steadfastness, and humility, and we have received positive feedback from all involved, the elders wrote. In the last hearing at Chesterfield County Juvenile Court, prosecutors set the prostitution charges against Blanchard aside, but they can bring those charges back in the future. I dunno, on top of everything else, I think the financials of that place ought to be gone over, but then again, I work for a Temple of Capitalism and of course thats where my mind goes. A case that is nolle prossed means prosecutors could potentially bring those charges again. I think the church leaders should have refrained from telling people not to condemn the pastor. 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. Rock Church Pastor John Blanchard . He believes that Rock Church has handled this situation poorly. In a promotional video for the company, Blanchard tells pastors and church leaders I believe that the blessing that the Lord has given us at our church can be a blessing to you, explaining that his own search for high definition LCD screens to use during services had been stymied by outrageous and exorbitant prices. Shades of Ravi Zacharias. Christian college asks Supreme Court to stop Biden's trans dorm directive, M.I.A. Genesis Metro Baptist Church: 9750 John W Elliott Dr: Frisco: TX: 75033 (469) 287-5995: Gethsemane Baptist Church: . . The same thing that can make a woman stay with an abuser or a drunk. Legalities aside, he has proven himself, beyond any reasonable doubt, that he is unfit to hold any office in a church pastor, deacon, elder, bishop, or anything else! We anticipate his resumption of church duties in the near future.. We would ask that the privacy of the Blanchard family be respected as they walk through this difficult journey together. 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. The lawyer said there is church business outside of Virginia, and that Blanchard travels for his job. On Nov. 1, Rock Church International announced in a since-deleted Facebook post that Blanchard would be stepping down from pastoral duties during legal proceedings. We need to report sin wherever we see it and bring to justice illegal acts as these. Forgive him if he genuinely repents? A wreck it is. 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