A Sad Wake-Up Call
“Pastor: Minister in Sex Sting Resigns”
… you read a news headline like that and you never think that it is going to be your church. The byline kept hitting closer and closer to home: Dallas-area, Megachurch, Baptist. Could it be? OMG. IT IS PRESTONWOOD! That is exactly what went through my mind. My next question was simple: who/ what/ when/ where/ how/ why?
From 2000-2004 I was on staff at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas as their Worship Producer. This was (and in many ways is) my church. I managed the production side of their worship services and events while attending Dallas Seminary. Prestonwood is the church I was ordained in and though i’ve moved on from employment there, I still have many friends from my time there.
I did not know the ‘minister’ that was involved in the sting, he was hired some time after my departure. but I do know most of their staff… and this situation saddens me.
In the 80′s Prestonwood barely weathered another storm of a sexual nature. Prestonwood’s founding pastor, Billy Weber, was found to have been involved in multiple affairs with women in and out of the church. It was the first real revelation of its kind in such a large church. News organizations across the country carried the news and among the church community, Prestonwood carried the dubious distinction for quite a long time. Only in recent times had it truly began to disassociate itself from the memory.
Having worked on the inside, I find myself torn. There is a soft place in my heart for Prestonwood and many of the folks that worked there. I know Pastor Graham and his wife, the Exec Pastor Mike Buster, and many of the other players there. They all have their faults, as do I. But in general they are good people with a heart for ministry.
But in many ways I am afraid that Prestonwood, and the Southern Baptist Convention in general, has done too little to protect from these problems. I fear that the drive for growth, results, and honor among peers may have proved a greater passion than the drive to protect our sheep. Are we fully (and regularly) vetting our shepherds? Whom do we hire… those who are truly best for the job, or those that are a part of the ‘good ol’ boys club’? Are we investing our time and resources in the care and upkeep of our staff or are we investing resources solely in building our empire?
Prestonwood is the first in a long list of churches that needed this wake-up but never hoped to get it in this way. And this is not gonna be a problem that goes away soon. Statistically…
- 37% of Pastors say pornography is currently a struggle.
- 53% of Pastors have visited porn sites in the past year.
Tonight, I am wishing that I were back in Dallas at Prestonwood to help my former church begin the healing process. But this will have to suffice: All things work together for good to those who are called according to His name.
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Prestonwood Baptist Church Minister in Plano Texas Arrested and Charged With Solicitation of a Minor
Prestonwood Baptist Church Minister, Joe Barron, has been arrested and charged with online solicitation of a minor in a sting operation. The girl turned out to be a Bryan police officer working in an ongoing Internet sex sting, pretending to be a thirteen year-old girl. Mr. Barron, 52 years old, had been one of 40 ministers in the 26,000 member mega-church in Plano Texas for the last eighteen months, ministering to married adults, prior to his arrest on May 15, 2008. Mr. Barron was nabbed by police after driving about 200 miles from Plano to Bryan to meet with a girl he thought to be thirteen years old, having asked the girl to skip school and meet him. Inside the car Mr. Barron borrowed from his wife, police found a box of 10 condoms, a Web camera and headset that authorities believe he was going to give the girl, police said. Bryan police Officer Lesley Malinak, a Police Department spokeswoman commented, “It is common for people that are engaged in this type of activity” to give gifts to the minors that “they are grooming.” Pastor Jack Graham has since accepted Mr. Barron’s resignation from Prestonwood Baptist Church, telling church members, “You need to know that we are appalled and we are disgraced by this terrible action, an unacceptable action by a minister on our staff. I’m so sorry for the injury that this kind of behavior has brought to many people in our church and outside of our church.” The pastor said he was eager to move on, promising church members that the church would continue to make sure it hired ministers and staff of the “highest character”. “We want to put this in the rearview mirror,” Graham said. “We will handle anything we need to handle in terms of our responsibilities and obligations, and any ongoing investigation. Prestonwood’s executive pastor, Mike Buster said in a prepared statement, “church officials had no record or knowledge of prior improprieties, nor had they observed any inappropriate behavior in the time Mr. Barron worked on staff.” If convicted, Mr. Barron could face up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for the second-degree felony. Bryan police also are investigating and looking into whether Mr. Barron may have engaged in previous sexual contact with minors, but at this time Mr. Barron does not appear to have a criminal history. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) has in recent years expanded its focus, with attention to abuse by Baptist pastors. “Baptist officials, we believe, need to compile a thorough, online database of proven, admitted and credibly accused pedophile clergy, so that kids can be protected and parents can be warned,” said David Clohessy, SNAP national director.
Kevin, we all are saddened by this news and the fact that it will be used to hold our Lord up to ridicule. It is also my prayer that perhaps this will serve as the wake-up call that you mention. I have no relationship with Prestonwood but have held the church and Pastor Graham in high regard. I have been troubled with one thing that I learned as a result of this latest incident, however. Apparently, Prestonwood last year dedicated their new prayer garden to the former pastor who had been involved in the multiple affairs. I simply cannot understand how any church could honor a former pastor who had brought such shame and reproach to the church, the pastorate, and our Lord. As a former staff member, perhaps you have some insight as to the reasons behind such a decision. Thanks,
Jack Graham said the absolute WRONG thing: he is “eager to move on” and “put this in the rear view mirror”. Why??? Why not address this head-on and take the opportunity to bring healing and grace to those in the congregation who have been violated? Graham’s quick assertion to “move on” and to hire staff with “high character” sounds more like a denial of the reality that they did in fact hire someone without that character. Futhermore, while they say they are “cooperating fully”, they did not surrender church computers [b/c they have a program to prevent inappropriate access]. Why???? A good hacker could bypass that program, and they should absolutely allow the investigtors access to their system. Graham’s insistance to move on is suspicious to me; he should take the led and actually INVITE these investigators to inspect their computers, cell phones and other devices provided to staff and ministers—who is he protecting??? who does he think he is?? why isn’t he addressing the issue in humility and transparency?? why is he so anxious to “move on”??? Why?????
Whose opinions appear to carry the most weight in the remarks by Pastor Graham? Upon re-reading his remarks, I find his and the church staff’s opinions: “…we are appalled and we are disgraced …” (So far, so good.)
I find concern about the congregation’s opinions: “You need to know …”
And there is concern about the community’s and country’s opinion: he is eager to move on and “put this in the rearview mirror.”
But I don’t find any mention of Jesus’ opinion, stated in Matthew 18:6: “but whoever causes one of these little ones . . . to stumble, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea.”
Perhaps Jack Graham proclaimed God’s condemnation of Mr. Barron’s sin in remarks not reported in the news.
Where is an expression of grief over the injury this misconduct has brought to the name of Christ (as Jay expressed above) ? Instead, the senior pastor said he’s sorry for “the injury that this kind of behavior has brought to many people in our church and outside of our church.”
Secondarily, this kind of misbehavior has injured every person in the church, hasn’t it? Not just “many.”
Finally, how does another “heavy millstone” passage of Scripture, Revelation 18: 21 thru 24, strike you, Kevin?
– particularly in light of the conclusion you reached after three years on staff, as described on your “About Kevin” page; and the dedication of the garden Penny mentioned;
and in light of the prevailing belief that Babylon in the book of Revelation will include the apostate, syncretist-inclusive “church”?