Okay, maybe I’m missing something here? Aren’t pastors supposed to be busy studying the Word of God, striving to be role models and setting themselves up as examples for others to follow?

WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON in Georgia and Florida??? There is an abnormal amount of perverted pastors coming out of those states. We have another trick, caught allegedly going after a child when he should have been off writing a sermon!

I’ll pause here. If you are a member of his church or a “concerned friend”, DON’T roll up in here defending this man. I can tell you right now that I’m not in the mood. Try me and see. I’ve had about enough of these child predators!

A Habersham County pastor has been arrested and charged in connection with having sexually explicit online conversations with a person he believed to be 14-year-old girl.

Robert Leonard Coats, pastor of Mount Bethel Church of God, was arrested Thursday at his office. He is in custody at the Habersham County Detention Center awaiting transfer to Walton County.

Mr. Coats, 51, is charged with nine counts of sexual exploitation of a child after an undercover officer with the Loganville Police Department met him in an online chatroom, said Habersham County Sheriff DeRay Fincher.

He did engage in conversation with (the officer he believed to be a girl) on nine separate occasions, during which he engaged in sexually explicit conversation with the (officer), who he knew to be 14 years of age, Sheriff Fincher said.

Mount Bethel is a small church in Habersham County on Ga. 17. Calls to the church were not answered Friday.

Loganville officers contacted the sheriff’s office, and the two departments worked together to arrest Mr. Coats. Habersham County also executed search warrants for the church and his home, which is owned by the church. Two computers were taken and sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for further evaluation. It will likely be months before anything is found out about the computers, Sheriff Fincher said.

(We tell kids) people online may not be who they say they are, Sheriff Fincher said. We encourage parents to monitor what their children are doing. It can happen in your house.

source

Hat tip to Evangelist ET for story lead

The bishop appears to be eating well, at least

I don’t believe we’ve ever highlighted any ministers from Colorado and it would have been great had we never done so. However, it appears that Acen Phillips, a bishop and head of the American Church United, is being accused of falsifying some paperwork and of actually defrauding a company of close to half a million dollars! What on earth is going on, ya’ll?

AIG Life Insurance Company is suing Bishop Acen Phillips, accusing him of defrauding the company of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

According to federal court documents filed Tuesday morning, AIG claimed the head of the American Church United “falsified paperwork and then fraudulently claimed that non-members had been enrolled ACU members at the time of their death.”

The 30-page document also accused Phillips of altering beneficiary forms to beef up insurance proceeds and using two criminally convicted and disbarred attorneys to craft a bogus letter to AIG.

AIG wants Phillips to repay more than $350,000 and accuses the bishop of insurance fraud, stealing money and racketeering.

“Defendants had a financial incentive to file false claims with AIG because they made themselves the beneficiaries — in some cases, the entire beneficiaries — of those claims,” the court filing said.

The filing also said, “Defendants repeatedly committed fraud by knowingly making false statements and by keeping and submitting false records to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from AIG.”

The 7NEWS Investigators first reported that Phillips had taken out a $100,000 life insurance policy on Shely Lowe, the deceased live-in girlfriend of Aaron Thompson.

7NEWS Investigator Tony Kovaleski broke the story late January. He spoke to Lowe’s loved ones, including Thompson, who said they had never seen the insurance policy nor had they known that she had taken one out with Phillips’ churches as the beneficiaries.

Kovaleski confronted Phillips about the insurance policy, which has his signature on it and was written by his church for Lowe.

“Where’d you get that from?” Phillips asked.

“Do you recognize that document?” Kovaleski asked.

“I’m not going to comment. I need you to talk to my attorney about that,” Phillips said.

“That’s Shely Lowe’s insurance policy,” Kovaleski said.

“Yeah,” Phillips said.

Lowe was a person of interest in the disappearance of 6-year old Aarone Thompson. After Lowe’s death last May, Phillips wrote a letter requesting AIG pay 90 percent of the $100,000 policy to two of the bishop’s churches.

According to the lawsuit filed Tuesday, it is one of 12 claims made by the bishop on hundreds of policies he’s accused of fraudulently writing.

The lawsuit said AIG payed seven claims before it discovered what it calls “this fraudulant scheme.” Those seven totalled more than $600,000, with more than half of that money going to Phillips’ churches and family members.

AIG said it is attempting to resolve the five remaining policies, one of which is Shely Lowe’s $100,000 policy.

“You know and I know, it doesn’t look good,” Kovaleski said to Phillips.

“Oh, I’m not so sure about that. I think when you hear the real story, it’ll look real good,” Phillips said.

Nearly six weeks have passed since that interview, but Phillips has not yet spoken about “the real story” behind the insurance business.

“There will be a time when I make a statement. Based on the advise of my attorney, you’ve got the statement I can make at this point and you’ve got what they accuse me of and I cannot make another statement beyond that point at this time,” Phillips told 7NEWS on Tuesday.

The statement Phillips’ attorney released said, “AIG is a multi-billion dollar insurance company with its own history with law enforcement. They have hired an ex-prosecutor to bully Bishop Phillips. The response to these various civil accusations will be responded to in court, not in the media.”

Besides the civil suit, Phillips also faces a criminal investigation. Both the FBI and Colorado’s attorney general are looking into the matter. The FBI and the Colorado attorney general will meet later this week with representatives of AIG to discuss the evidence collected by the insurance company.

WHEW! I’m speechless—or almost so. Enjoy your time on the HickTown Hotseat, “bishop” Phillips. The bible DOES say that the love of money is the root of ALL evil.

Source 

Hat tip to Evangelist ET for story lead

Hey Hicktowners! Looks like the state of New York can now be added to our list of states that have rogue pastors who deserve a place on the HickTown Hotseat. “Minister” Craig Rhodenizer, step on up in here. Your turn on the Hotseat! 

Um…***clearing my throat*** The story starts like this:

The FBI and Lewiston police are looking for the pastor of an Orleans County church whose family hasn’t heard from him since Wednesday afternoon.

The Rev. Craig S. Rhodenizer, 46, of Raymond Drive, Lewiston, is pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in the Village of Lyndonville.

The Rhodenizer family was supposed to leave for Florida on vacation at 11 a.m. Thursday.

Rhodenizer’s wife, Susan, said that she feels overwhelmed and that none of the pieces seem to fit.

This is something that you see happening on television, not in real life to anyone that you know, she said. It’s so uncharacteristic of the way we live.

She said she last spoke with her husband at 4:18 p.m. Wednesday. At the time, he told her he was on his way to the Best Buy store in Amherst.

He was on his cell phone and told her he was taking a computer minitower in for repairs. LINK

Okay, so Mrs. Rhodenizer was able to get the police as well as FBI involved. That’s quite a feat, considering that it’s often difficult to get the FBI even when children go missing. It takes a while, usually, for them to step into the ring.

There is good and bad news. The good news is, he was found—but it was not at a Best Buy store. The bad news is that the good “minister” has some explaining to do, as he was found a couple of states over, 400+ miles away, in Ohio in a strip club. Apparently he believed that it would be more fun to visit a strip club alone than to visit Disney with his family.

Check out the story ending:

Police said that when the Rev. Craig S. Rhodenizer, 46, was confronted by an officer, he began crying and said he couldn’t remember anything about the 36 hours he was missing.

But dancers at the club remembered Rhodenizer. They told investigators that Rhodenizer spent two hours drinking, soliciting dances and making threatening comments. He also said he wanted to take the dancers back to his motel, according to the police report. In his car was a bottle of Bacardi rum.

Say, what?! Now wait a minute. The good “minister” was able to find his way from New York to Ohio, directly to a strip club. He was able to go into that club and solicit several of the “dancers” to go back to a hotel room, and he was able to drink alcohol and actually threaten some women. Yet, we are being asked to believe that he does not remember any of this?

Sgt. Frank Previte, an investigator with the Lewiston Police Department, told ABC News it was one of the most bizarre cases he’s seen.

“They questioned him a bit. He was very distraught, crying and hysterical,” Previte said. “He did not know where he was.”

LOL! Oh, my goodness. I cannot believe that guy is actually playing dumb!

When officers ran the New York license plate on Rhodenizer’s Toyota Camry, the check showed the pastor as a missing person being sought by New York police and FBI. Riverside police called authorities in Lewiston and were instructed to approach Rhodenizer.

The pastor broke down when police asked if he was Rhodenizer, crying and asking about the welfare of his wife and son, according to a Lewiston police report.

Ohio police took Rhodenizer to a hospital and towed his car.

Smart move to play crazy, “minister” Rhodenizer! Truth of the matter is, there is no way you will be able to explain how or why you chose to go to a strip club, as opposed to going to Disney with your family. You won’t be able to explain why you were in that strip club being aggressive towards women or why you were trying to pick women up. So yes, go ahead and cry your fake tears and act crazy.

Susan Rhodenizer, the pastor’s wife, told ABC News that the family is making arrangements for her husband to return home.

While Mrs. Rhodenizer prepares her husband’s return home, the residents here in HickTown are preparing a HotSeat for the good “minister”. Hey, HickTowners! Do ya’ll have your floggers ready?

source

Hat tip to the numerous HickTowners who sent me leads on this story! By the way, keep the tips coming. Trust me when I say that the tips help me a great deal, as they cut my work (of searching for stories) in half!  Email tips to me at:  Hicktownpress (at) gmail (dot) com

Looks like the state of Florida now has a solid lead on rogue pastors spotlighted here in Hicktown:

Hey “pastor” Markus Bishop. Do you have a temper problem? Hopefully you will have to do some time in jail for punching your wife, dude.

Pastor Markus Bishop of Faith Christian Family Church has been arrested for allegedly punching his wife. Bishop has been the spiritual leader of the church for more then 25 years as well as a televangelist.

Markus Bishop could face up to a year in jail if convicted of a misdemeanor for simple battery. He will face a court hearing on March 31st.

In a Bay County Sheriff’s Office Incident Report, Margie Bishop states that she and her husband, Markus Bishop, returned from church on Sunday, March 16th, and got into an argument. The argument was said to be over one of Mr. Bishop’s friends. According to the incident report, Mrs. Bishop says after her husband said foul things to her she threw a glass of wine in his face. At that point, Mrs. Bishop says Mr. Bishop turned and punched her in the left eye with a closed fist. Mrs. Bishop left the home three days after the argument took place. She is now staying with her parents in Broward County.

Mrs. Bishop apparently sought medical treatment at Memorial Miramar Hospital where the Miramar Police were dispatched by the hospital. In Miramar Police’s report, the Officer wrote that he observed severe bruising to Margie’s left eye and upper left cheek area. Pictures were taken of Margie Bishop at the hospital.

Below is a letter written by Mrs. Bishop:

In the past, I have tried to deal with Markus’ violence and verbal abuse in different ways to no avail. For the benefit of the church and all those, including me, who continue to care for him, it is my sincere hope that he seeks and finally receives proper treatment for his problem.I am saddened, by his attorney’s public mischaracterization of the recent assault and their desperate attempts to focus the attention away from his brutal attack. I am confident the truth, as reflected in pictures and the medical records, will help all see through any smokescreen.The truth is simple. Markus sometimes gets mad and he hits me. It is my earnest wish that this will drive him to get right with God and right with the law.MARGIE BISHOPsource

Hat tip to Evangelist ET for story lead

I have discussed the fact that Paula White has decided to become a “life coach”. Apparently she is no longer interested in being a pastor or preacher. I suspect that her um…uh….”friend” and “partner, Rick Hawkins is a major influence on her decision to move away from the things of God and closer to the things of the world. Check this out:

The co-founder of Without Walls International Church will bring her Life By Design conference to the Tampa church Thursday night through Saturday.

White, who faces a U.S. senator’s inquiry about possible violations of the ministry’s tax-exempt status, has drawn thousands of attendees for conferences in New York and San Antonio, Texas, in recent months.

The event is part church service and part empowerment workshop.

“My goal as a life coach is to mentor and encourage individuals to be all they can be, to understand who they are and their unique purpose in life,” White said in a statement before a conference in New York in July. “There is a plan designated for each person, and I believe this meeting will help enable people to walk in that plan.”

White, who is a life coach and runs a worldwide television ministry, could not be reached for comment.

Guests include Bishop T.D. Jakes, Noel Jones, and CeCe Winans. The musical guest will be Javen, a rhythm-and-blues artist.

GO HERE to read remainder of article

Hat tip to Evangelist, ET

GO HERE  to see update on the Bynum & Weeks Carnival

Thanks to HickTowner, Evangelist ET for lead

Psssss!

Hey Juanita Bynum, would you PLEASE stop trying to contact Bishop Weeks? Have you no shame? Or are you just desperate?

He ratted you out in court today, producing documents to prove that you just won’t leave him alone. Girl, you better leave that man alone before you end up on the receiving end of another explosive outburst and a hospital stay.

Oh, and as he was snitching you out to the judge, he also again denied ever abusing you.

HickTowners, will this clown of a carnival parade EVER end?

Source

Hat tip to Evangelist ET for this article

Hey Floridians, I have a question for you:  Is there some type of Pastoral Crook demon running loose in Florida? If so, would you do me a favor and douse that creep with some holy oil and rebuke him in the name of Jesus, please? I need to look back at my articles in the False Shepherds and Shepherds Astray categories, but I believe that I have written more articles on wicked Floridian pastors than pastors from any other state!

I think I’m going to have to gather some HickTowners together and we are going to have to lay hands on Florida. After all, it was only a month ago that I reported on that nasty, lust filled “Pastor” Gilyard. Now this!

The pastor of a Liberty City church and chaplain for the City of Miami Police Department is facing grand theft charges after an investigation uncovered alleged misspending of funds earmarked for a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. project.

The Rev. Gaston E. Smith, senior pastor of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, was arrested after a corruption investigation by The Miami-Dade Police Department Public Corruption Investigations Bureau.

The investigation states that the non-profit corporation headed by Smith, Friends of MLK, received a $25,000 grant on June 14, 2005, from the Miami Metro Action Plan (MMAP). In July of 2005, Smith deposited the grant funds into a Washington Mutual bank account in the name of Friends of MLK, Inc., an advocacy group designed to enhance, revitalize and empower the community by addressing its urban ills, according to its mission statement.

According to the grant, the funding was to promote the principles and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., specifically to promote the efforts of revitalizing Northwest 62nd Street, also known as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Smith’s company was to use the money for development of promotional material for a community outreach campaign, to design and implement a Web site to promote local efforts, to coordinate an MLK fundraising reception, and coordinate a senior-citizen garden.

The investigation found that Smith withdrew $10,356.50 in ATM cash withdrawals at various locations throughout Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Orlando, Texas, and Las Vegas.

One of the ledger items included a more than $500 bar bill at Las Vegas.

It also alleges Smith spent $5,076.73 to purchase airline tickets, car rentals, hotel accommodations, and used money for classes at the University of North Florida.

The balance of the grant is still being investigated, but officials said it was used for various other purchases not connected with the grant.

GO HERE to read remainder of article

Hat tip to Brother Robert for this lead

If you are ever the victim of a crime in church, please call the police. It is fine to allow churches to do an internal investigation, but you also need to alert the law. Look at what happened in Alabama recently:

According to Christian Newswire,

A family whose mentally handicapped child was molested by a Methodist pastor’s teenage son is contacting every Methodist church in the Southeastern district.

“I’m working on ‘G’ right now” said Paul Therrell, the victim’s father. “This pastor’s son had a history that no one in the community was aware of, and they will eventually try to move on with the same discretion. We want to make sure that can’t happen. So we’re gathering email addresses and sending an alert to each one.” The attack occurred in the pastor’s own home while the Therrells dined with him on their first evening in town. The church’s District Superintendent was made aware of the incident last February but did nothing about it. After almost a year of broken promises and evasive behavior on the part of church leadership, a police report was filed. The young man was charged and plead guilty to sexual abuse. As a result, the Therrells were terminated and evicted from their home.

“His father assured us he was in weekly counseling in Dothan, AL” said the victim’s mother, Ronna Therrell. “He would never provide us with any record of that counseling or even the name of the therapist.” According to the Covington county Juvenile Officer in Andalusia, AL, the young man was never in professional counseling because no mandatory report was ever made back to the juvenile department in the county where the incident occurred, as is prescribed by law.

Not only was this boy never placed into counseling, when the parents pressed to find out what was going on, they were evicted from their home:

The family of a child who was allegedly molested by a pastor’s son is now being evicted from their home.

The Therrell family was employed by the church and lived in church housing.

Both parents have been fired and they are being forced to move.

The family says the move has devastated their family and especially their 12 year old special needs child.

“I can’t comprehend it. My daughter was victimized once and now again I’ve had to pull her out of her school. She lost her home, I had to sell her puppy and she laid on the floor and cried when I pulled her bed apart.” source

Everyone, because many churches are truly not being run by ethical or saved individuals, you truly do need to involve the law if a crime occurs. Look at all the churches that simply transferred pedophile priests. Look at how various pastors that I have highlighted here have been simply patted on the wrist or transferred when caught in criminal behavior. Involve the law from the beginning:

The Therrells say they did not go to the police because they expected the church to deal with the matter internally.

Ronna Therrell says, “I was hoping someone would contact me and ask me if what we needed, tell me they were sorry this happened to my daughter, and ask if we needed to be moved to another church.”

In response, Church District Superintendent Frederick Outlaw says quote, “We were told that the problem was being worked out between the two families and that no official complaint was even filed with the church.”

The parents filed a criminal complaint last week and just Wednesday the Covington County District Attorney charged the pastor’s son with attempted rape.

Source

Poor Senator Grassley. He had no idea what he was up against when he took the bold step of asking for the financial records of the Big Six: Eddie Long, Bennie Hinn Creflo Dollar, Paula and Randy White, Joyce Meyer and Kenneth Copeland. To date, only Copeland and Meyer have turned over any documents.

Question: What do the others have to hide? Don’t their church members and those who have sent them money have the right to see what exactly they have been doing with that money? Oh, the can of worms that will open once those books open. I can’t wait!

With still little cooperation from ministries that have been asked to turn over their financial statements for investigation, Sen. Charles Grassley plans to send out another round of letters requesting that they comply.

In the next few weeks, letters will again be sent to Christian television ministries that have not responded or raised concerns about the probe, which is being conducted by the Senate Finance Committee led by Grassley.

Only two – Joyce Meyer Ministries and Kenneth Copeland Ministries – of the six ministries under investigation have turned over their documents last month and only Meyer has pledged full cooperation.

The probe began in November after ministry watchdogs alleged opulent spending and possible abuse of their nonprofit status. Besides Meyer and Copeland, Grassley sent letters to Paula and Randy White, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long and Benny Hinn – all of whom are popular televangelists whose ministries each collects tens of millions of dollars in donations each year.

Grassley requested cooperation from the ministries, asking that they provide financial records as well as responses to a wide range of questions regarding their personal and organizational finances.

Paula and Randy White and Benny Hinn have been in contact with Grassley’s office but have yet to give a clear response on whether they will cooperate.

The other two ministers, Creflo Dollar and Eddie Long who have raised questions about the committee overstepping its authority and its attack on religious freedom, said they will not comply. They also made it clear that they have been following IRS rules and contend that the IRS, not the Senate committee, is the proper forum for investigating complaints.

Go HERE to read remainder of article