According to many members of Congress — both Republicans and Democrats — and every president in my lifetime, the United States is NOT at war. In their minds, what common folks call “war” is something else: police action, hostilities, skirmish, collateral damage, surge, overseas contingency operations, shock and awe, pacification, nation-building, authorization for the use of force — anything but what it is, WAR.
Politicians and military leaders use euphemisms to hide from the American people that we are at war. War is what, exactly? Google AI defines war as “a state of armed conflict between different nations or states or different groups within a nation or state.” I suspect most of us would agree with this definition. I define war as sustained conflict between nations, states, tribal groups, ethnic groups, or organized militias. War is violent, bloody conflict that leads to destruction and death, but in this modern age, it is more than that. Cyberwarfare comes to mind, a tool the United States is currently using to wage war against an array of enemies. Are military actions that disrupt instead of outright killing people war? I would say, yes.
And then we have federal agencies such as the NSA and the CIA, who are committing acts of war against nations that oppose the United States, going so far as to assassinate heads of state and military leaders. These acts are war too, even if they are never reported in the New York Times.
Many Americans tell themselves that we are not at war unless Congress officially declares war. That means the United States has not fought a war since World War II. Never mind the carnage of the Korean War and the Vietnam War that led to millions of deaths. Korea and Vietnam weren’t wars because Congress didn’t say they were. I suspect the millions of people wounded and killed in these not-wars might disagree.
I am sixty-eight years old. There’s never been a day in my life that the United States has not been at war, either covertly or openly. We are currently at war with Russia, Iran, Yemen, and Palestine. Fighting proxy wars does not absolve the United States of culpability. Our money, our weapons, our support, our war. Just because there aren’t American boots on the ground doesn’t mean we are not at war with a nation. We have no troops on the ground in China, yet does anyone seriously question whether we are at war with them? I know, I don’t.
The United States is a bloody people; a nation willing to use violence to advance its agenda and “protect the American people” or any of the other cliches we use to deflect from the fact that we are the bully who uses its behemoth size to get whatever he wants. Individually this might not be true of us, but as a nation, we have made it clear we will, if necessary, use violence to advance the mythical American Dream, city on a hill, defenders of freedom, or other bullshit we tell ourselves to justify murderous violence and destruction done in the name of WE THE PEOPLE. We have never been a people of peace, and 400 million guns suggest that more than a few Americans are willing to use violence against their fellow citizens to ‘protect the American way of life.”
No, we are a violent people, and if you have evidence to the contrary, please provide it in the comment section.
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
For those of us raised in the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) church movement or other Fundamentalist sects, we are acutely aware of the subject of modesty. While IFB preachers will tell you that modesty applies to both men and women and boys and girls, most preaching on the subject applies to females, and not men. As a son of the IFB church movement, I heard numerous sermons on modesty, and once I became a pastor, I added my voice to the cacophony of holier-than-thou, sanctimonious preachers who felt duty-bound to regulate and control how female congregants dressed and looked
Sexually aware young women are told that they are gatekeepers in charge of protecting the virginity of hapless, weak, pathetic IFB boys and men. Unable to control their wants and desires, these horn dogs will run headlong into lust and fornication if young church women don’t cover themselves up and wear pastor-defined modest clothing. Young women are viewed as Jezebels or the harlot in Proverbs 7:
For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
The woman in Proverbs 7 wore the attire (clothing) of a harlot. What, exactly, is the “attire of a harlot?” Just ask any IFB preacher and he will tell you in explicit detail what clothing is that of a whore. Note that this young man was allegedly forced by this woman to have sex with her. I seriously doubt that it took much “force” on the harlot’s part to get the young man to climb into her bed perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
When IFB preachers preach on this text, it is the harlot who always gets the blame for taking advantage of the young man. Never mind that he was a stupid boy who was out and about at the wrong time and place. One could argue that he was looking to score. Regardless, the whore is to blame because of how she dressed and behaved. Had she covered her body from her neck to the bottom of her knees and worn clothing that muted or obliterated her physical form, the young man likely would have kept on walking, IFB preachers say. Sure, preacher, sure. You evidently never heard the lesson that teaches, “A stiff prick has no conscience.” I seriously doubt that this IFB teen has much of a conscience, as he went after the woman as “an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks.”
ACE Modesty Cartoon
Nancy Campbell, a well-known Fundamentalist clothing monitor, recently published a post by a single 23-year-old woman named Hannah Hauenschild. Titled Modesty, Hauenschild wrote:
Do you want to dress attractively but struggle with immodesty? The honest answer (if you are a woman like I am) is yes. Meaning aesthetically pleasing, attractive is how we want to appear. Though this is not wrong, the reason for it often is a desire to be noticed. Dressing to attract attention is immodest. So how can you dress modestly and why is it important?
Modesty is viewing yourself properly and, as a result, behaving decorously. A virtue of the heart, modesty recognizes, “I am not the most important person in the world,” and determines “My attitude, actions, and appearance will befit who I truly am.”
Who are you? You are a woman fearfully and wonderfully made and loved by God, which gives you worth and purpose. You do not need the attention, acceptance, or approval of anyone but God. Yet you, like all humans, are sinful. Your natural tendencies lead you astray from God’s plan for your life, which includes being modest.
Akin to humility and purity, modesty is a character quality that can be demonstrated by how you dress. It means denying your sinful nature that pridefully declares, “I can wear whatever I want,” and embracing clothing appropriate for your God-given femininity.
Traditionally, dresses and skirts beautifully distinguish women. In this age when gender confusion is lauded, I believe ladies should wear clothing that leaves no doubts about their feminineness.
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1. Modest clothing does not reveal, emphasize, or draw attention to a woman’s private parts. Necklines then are neither deep nor wide, and they do not gap.
2. Modest clothing does not fit tightly, outlining a woman’s body.
3. Modest clothing completely covers the shoulders, knees, and everything in between – front, back, and sides.
If you are still unsure about an outfit being modest, ask yourself, “Does it draw attention away from my face?” A maxim of my mother’s is that nothing (clothing, make-up, etc.) should distract from the countenance.
Having learned what modesty and modest dressing is, we also need to know the reasons why dressing modestly is important.
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Modest clothing honors God:
When Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God’s command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they discovered they were naked and covered their most private parts (Genesis 3:7). They were not, however, clothed until God made them garments that hung from the shoulder (Genesis 3:21). Since the Fall God has communicated our nakedness should not be exposed (Exodus 20:26; Exodus 28; and Leviticus 18).
In Paul’s letter to Timothy, God specifically states: “I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly . . . as is proper for women making a claim to godliness” (I Timothy 2:9-10).
Modest clothing helps men to not sin:
Men are more sensitive to visual stimulation than women. When a man sees a woman dressed immodestly, his thoughts head in the wrong direction. Knowing this, we need to clothe ourselves carefully so that we are not stumbling blocks to men.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus describes the seriousness of provoking others to sin: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes” (Matthew 18:6-7, NASB).
Modest clothing hallows women:
Though only God can make people holy from the inside out, modest clothing does have a consecrative effect. It commands respect because it does not invite inappropriate attention. It sets women apart as worthy of honor rather than dishonor.
“Like a ring of gold in a swine’s snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion” (Proverbs 11:22, NASB).
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good, acceptable, and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2 NASB).
Outwardly expressed by dress and other behavior (like sitting with your knees together), modesty is a decision of the heart. Thus, it is possible to wear modest clothing, following all the principles listed above, and still be immodest. You must first clothe your heart with modesty as the Apostle Peter wrote in one of his letters:
“Your adornment must not be merely external – braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves . . .” (I Peter 3:3-5, NASB).
According to Hauenschild, girls, teens, and women should “completely cover their shoulders, knees, and everything in between – front, back, and sides.” Clothing should not be tight-fitting, nor should it emphasize their physical form. Why? So they don’t visually stimulate men and cause them to stumble. Toddlers first learning to walk stumble (and fall) quite a bit. Over time, they learn to walk without stumbling. Evidently, IFB teen boys and men are still toddlers, unable to keep from committing sexual sins once tempted by “inappropriately” dressed teen girls and women. Any exposed thighs or breasts (even cleavage) is sure to cause stirring in the loins of these “helpless boys and men. Why, if Sister Jan doesn’t cover herself up from head to toe, she will be leading boys and men to sin in thoughts and deeds.
While IFB preachers half-heartedly call on teen boys and men to be in control of their sexuality, the bulk of their preaching on modesty and premarital sex is addressed to the fairer sex. If teen girls and women keep their legs together and dress modestly, weak boys and men will be kept from masturbation, fornication, and adultery.
I am often asked if I have ever lusted after a woman, both as a single and married man. Of course I have. Lust (sexual desire) is a normal part of our existence — both men and women. We are sexual beings who desire not only to procreate but also to fulfill our desires. And as most of us know, sexual desire is a powerful force, one that can, and does, result in bad behavior if not checked and controlled. As a man, I am, without exception, responsible for my sexuality.
Have I ever felt desire for someone other than my partner? Yes, and so has Polly. You see, women are sexual beings too; beings tired of the lie that only men are visually driven. All of us are responsible for our sexuality. Polly and I have a “look but don’t touch” policy. We are deeply in love and committed to each other. That said, we know and understand each other’s nature. I recently told my sixteen-year-old grandson about why Muhammad Ali carried a matchstick with him. Ali’s wife told him it was okay to look as long as he didn’t touch. The matchstick was a reminder that he would burn in Hell if he touched another woman.
Sexual want, need, and desire are very much a part of the human experience. How we behave is on us, and not someone deemed dressed inappropriately by an IFB preacher. And that’s not to say that women (and men) don’t dress in ways that are sexually suggestive. They do, but it’s up to us to control how we respond in such circumstances. You can enjoy the view and move on, or, if tempted, avert your eyes and walk away. Or maybe you are looking for someone to date or marry. What first attracts you to someone? Their looks. I learned over time that Polly had a lot of traits that I found appealing, but it was her shapely, comely body, dark hair, and beauty that attracted me to her. While looks are never enough to build a lasting relationship, most relationships start with mutual physical (and sexual) attraction.
Did you grow up in an IFB church? Did your pastor preach on modesty? Did he single out teen girls and women? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
Donald Trump removes all his clothing in the gym locker room and takes a shower before swimming. Also showering with Trump are six men of various shapes, sizes, and colors.
Trump surveys the other men as he showers, thinking to himself, “my dick is bigger than theirs. In fact, my dick is bigger than every man in the world.”
This is how the greatest president, businessman, and deal maker who has ever lived views everything.
The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.
Joshua Dice, a teacher at Calvary Christian Academy in Middleburg, Florida, stands accused of soliciting and traveling to meet a minor for sex. Calvary Christian is a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church, pastored by Ken Pledger. Pledger is a graduate of Midwestern Baptist College. He attended Midwestern with my partner’s father. (This is the same school Polly and I attended.) Calvary Baptist is an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) congregation. This is the second teacher at Calvary Christian to be arrested for sex crimes. In 2022, Caitlin Rose Crum was arrested on charges of producing child porn and sexual assault.
An Orange Park man was arrested on Wednesday after being accused of soliciting and traveling to meet a minor for sex, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
Joshua Dice, 34, a now-former teacher at Calvary Christian Academy in Middleburg, was arrested around 12:40 p.m. after deputies found his car parked near a gym on Blanding Boulevard, according to his arrest report.
The arrest report states detectives asked Dice what had happened, but his response was redacted from the report.
News4JAX reached out to Calvary Christian Academy, and Pastor Ken Pledger responded with a statement saying in part that Dice was fired immediately after his arrest.
“We were informed that Mr. Josh Dice was arrested on June 11, 2025, on serious charges. These charges are unrelated to the activities of Calvary Baptist Church or Calvary Christian Academy. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement regarding this matter. Mr. Josh Dice’s role at Calvary Baptist Church and his position at Calvary Christian Academy were terminated immediately following his arrest. He no longer has any affiliation with these ministries. Our highest priority is the safety and well-being of our members and students. Calvary Baptist Church and Calvary Christian Academy maintain a strict policy of zero tolerance for abuse.”
Pastor Ken Pledger
Dice is facing three charges, including traveling to meet a minor, using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, and soliciting a child for unlawful sexual conduct using computer services or devices.
Caitlin Rose Crum was accused of having a sexual relationship with a child, who was one of her students.
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
“What does the Bible say?” is a common refrain from Evangelicals when called on to defend their beliefs, social pronouncements, or other claims they make, purportedly in the name of God and according to what this deity said within the pages of the Protestant Christian Bible. However, the Bible by itself says nothing, and I mean nothing. The Bible is no different from any other book. Of course, Evangelicals think the Bible is different from all the books that have ever been written. Evangelicals claim the Bible is a supernatural book, written by a supernatural God, and endowed with supernatural powers. When asked for evidence for their claims, Evangelicals reply, “The Bible says.”
But what, actually, does the Bible say? Nothing. The Bible doesn’t say anything until we interpret it through the grid of our personal experiences and beliefs. That’s why no two Christians believe the same things. So, when an Evangelical declares “The Bible says,” what he really means is this is what I say, what my denomination says, what my church says, and what my pastor says.
Dr. Dan McClellan does a good job explaining this in the video below:
Remember this the next time a confident, arrogant Evangelical says, “The Bible says.”
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
Late nights are rough on me. Want to talk to me? Message or call me during the night, and I will likely be up. Why? Pain. Sure, I take pain medications and use cannabis, but all these wonder drugs do is lessen my pain, improving my quality of life. Due to widespread pain, especially neuropathic pain in my legs, I can rarely sleep more than two hours at a time. My therapist has worked with me so I don’t get frustrated and angry when I can’t sleep. She encourages me to go with the flow and sleep when I can. So, my nighttimes are quite fragmented. Typically, when I can’t sleep, I either listen to YouTube videos or podcasts. Of late, I have been listening to a lot of atheist debate call-in shows. Christians (and Muslims and Jews) are encouraged to call in and give evidence for the existence of God or the truthfulness of the Bible. What astounds me the most is how little many Evangelicals understand what the Bible teaches. More often than not, they are ill-prepared to:
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. (I Peter 3:15-17)
Lately, an Evangelical man named Stevie has been calling into these shows, making all sorts of unsupported claims about Christianity and the Bible. Recently, Stevie argued that all four gospels were written before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, and the Dead Sea Scrolls contain New Testament verses. Really? New Testament verses in the Dead Sea Scrolls? Do tell.
Unfortunately, none of the hosts challenged Stevie’s assertion about the Dead Sea Scrolls. Had they been better versed on the Bible, they could have told Stevie that the Dead Sea Scrolls do NOT contain ANY verses from the New Testament.
A few scholars early in the study of the Dead Sea Scrolls suggested that some very small Greek fragments from Qumran were copies of New Testament books, but this idea was quickly debunked as the full contents of the collection became known and the manuscripts were more closely studied. There were no Christian texts discovered at Qumran or elsewhere among the Dead Sea Scrolls, nor is there any direct evidence of contact between the Qumran community and the early Jesus movement. Nevertheless, the Dead Sea Scrolls provide important background information and textual parallels that have helped scholars understand the New Testament better in light of its first century A.D. Judean context.
So much for Stevie’s claim. This is why when we are interacting with Evangelical apologists we should ALWAYS ask them for evidence for their claims. Don’t let them get by with prooftexting and bullshitting. After all, Evangelicals are duty bound to give an answer to every man that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them.
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
You see the atheist must indeed lead a lonely life since he does not believe in a divine Creator. By definition they must believe that they have no soul and no immortality. Since they came into existence by chance, and not divine design, any meaning they find in life is but a by-product of random occurrences. Even the great mysteries of our universe that cause us to ponder just who we are and why we are here, are a closed corridor of thought, to those who place God as something that exists only in one’s imagination.
If the atheist can show that the disciples were lying and the whole Christian story is a fabrication, then he must conclude that he came into existence from nothing and when he dies he will go back to nothing. And somehow in between these two states of nothingness he is supposed to find meaning in life!
Since the atheist has no god to believe in he places himself as the supreme person in his universe and spends the rest of his life searching for a reason for his existence. Searching every pathway, every byway, overturning every stone, examining every philosophy, and experiencing every feeling, as he comes to the end of his journey, the answer he finds is that none exists!
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What does the life of an atheist offer its followers but a life of no meaning, no accountability, and no hope for a life to come. And in the last analysis if there is no God then the atheist can enjoy his sin since he doesn’t have to worry about being accountable to a holy God. Thus, he can do what is right in his own eyes. So, who would die for a lie? The Christian is betting his eternal destiny on Jesus. The atheist if he is right loses big time. My friends I know that Jesus is who He says He is because He transformed my life. Jesus is no lie – He is the way, the truth, and the life!
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.
Shaun Hertlein, a youth pastor at South Coast Church in Goleta, California and an assistant coach at Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, stands accused of sending sexual images to a minor, communicating with a minor with the intent to commit specific crimes, and possession of obscene images of a child.
A Goleta pastor who also coached high school students has been arrested on felony sex crime charges involving minors.
Shaun Donald Hertlein, 42, was taken into custody Friday, May 9, after Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives served him with a warrant. Detectives began investigating Hertlein in April.
He faces charges including sending sexual images to a minor, communicating with a minor with the intent to commit specific crimes, and possession of obscene images of a child. His bail is set at $500,000.
Sheriff’s officials said Hertlein worked with children at a church in the 5800 block of Cathedral Oaks Road. Online videos list him as a pastor at South Coast Church at that same address. Social media posts also show his affiliation with the Santa Barbara Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Superintendent Hilda Maldonado confirmed Hertlein is an assistant coach at Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta on Monday.
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.
Earler this year, Ryan McElrath, a youth pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in Jackson, Tennessee, was accused of raping a seventeen-year-old church girl. McElrath pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct charges and was sentenced to 21 years in prison.
A Jackson youth pastor has been arrested on rape charges.
According to booking information from the Madison County jail, 39-year-old Ryan McElrath was booked into the jail around 5:48 p.m. on Tuesday.
Jackson Police Department’s online Police To Citizen resource shows that McElrath was arrested at a residence on Willow Green Drive, with charges listed as sexual battery by an authority figure, statutory rape, and statutory rape by an authority figure – forcible rape.
In a social media post made by Fellowship Bible Church prior to his arrest — which is no longer accessible — McElrath is described as a “high school pastor.” At the time of this report, the church also has several videos on their website where McElrath can be seen as a featured speaker.
McElrath also hosted a religion-based podcast with episodes ranging from October 2021 – November 2023. The podcast’s description states: “Here, at Fellowship Bible Church in Jackson, TN, we are starting our very first Family Podcast in which we are going to create space for families to have great conversations with their kids and have fun at the same time!”
A warrant has revealed additional details in the arrest of youth pastor Ryan McElrath. According to the warrant, on the morning of June 11, a man visited the Jackson Police Department to report a sexual assault against his daughter. The warrant states on May 31, 2024, McElrath engaged in sexual contact with a 17-year-old female victim at Fellowship Bible Church, located at 141 Pleasant Plains Road in Jackson. According to the warrant, McElrath met the victim in the high school area of the church for approximately 30 minutes. McElrath is expected to appear in Jackson City Court on June 26th at 9:30 a.m.
Ryan McElrath is no longer employed at Fellowship due to criminal charges filed June 11. Within hours of the allegations, the matter was investigated, Ryan admitted to the violation, and was terminated. The church immediately supported the victim in reporting the allegations to local law enforcement, and notified parents and students. The church is cooperating fully with local authorities, and is engaging an external agency to audit church policies and procedures as well as provide guidance on continued care for the victim and the church. Our priority continues to be the privacy and well-being of the victim, the victim’s family, our students and their parents.
“As a church community we are absolutely devastated by this. And, as a parent, I share in our God’s outrage and grief when the innocent are harmed. We are acting in cooperation with law enforcement in caring for the victim and the victim’s family.”
A former youth pastor in Jackson has been sentenced to prison for sex crimes involving a minor.
In June 2024, then 39-year-old Ryan McElrath, a former youth pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in Jackson, was booked into the Madison County jail on charges involving inappropriate sexual conduct with a minor.
A warrant revealed that the arrest stemmed from an alleged incident that took place at the church between McElrath and a 17-year-old female victim.
In February 2025, McElrath pled guilty to “use of a facility and means of interstate commerce to persuade, induce, entice a minor to engage in criminal sexual acts.” The plea agreement includes that McElrath will be placed on the national sex offender registry.
On June 6, 2025, McElrath was sentenced at the U.S. District Court in Jackson to 252 months (21 years) in federal custody and five years supervised release. He was also ordered to pay over $8,000 in restitution.
The court also recommended that McElrath be housed at a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility as close to Phoenix, Arizona as possible.
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.
Allan Jones, pastor of Lifeway Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, pleaded guilty to child pornogpraphy possession and will spend the next six months in jail.
A former Baptist church pastor will spend six months in jail after pleading guilty to child pornography possession.
Allan Kyle Jones, 50, was arrested in August 2023 on multiple charges after explicit images of minors were found on his phone, according to officials.
Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a cyber tip from a company that monitors illegal online activity, prompting the investigation.
None of the children in the images seemed to be from the area, officials said at the time.
Jones pleaded guilty to one of the charges and received a 10-year sentence, split to serve six months in jail and three years of probation, plus various fines and court costs.
Jones was the pastor of Lifeway Community Church on Thompson Road.
The pastor of a Loxley church, which routinely hosted homeschool and youth fine arts activities, is being accused of possessing pornographic videos and photographs of young girls.
Allan Kyle Jones, 48, pastor of Lifeway Community Church in Loxley, is facing four criminal charges for possessing sexually explicit images. He was arrested Tuesday morning by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) and released several hours later on a $60,000 bond.
Cpt. Andre Reid with the Baldwin County Major Crimes Unit stated his office has been investigatingJones for several weeks after receiving a tip. He said detectives collected enough details to establish probable cause and obtained a warrant to search Jones’ cell phone.
“Mr. Jones has been charged with four counts of possession of obscene material containing the visual depiction of a person under 17 years of age. This investigation is still ongoing, and evidence is being analyzed,” he said.
Additional charges may be added once BCSO completes its investigation, Reid said.
A criminal complaint detailing Jones’ accusations was made public Thursday afternoon, Aug. 31. That document states Jones was arrested and charged after law enforcement officers confirmed the presence of images and video of “prepubescent” girls on his Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra cell phone.
The U.S. Sentencing Commission states prepubescent children are generally 13 years old or younger and lists sexual attraction to this age group among the criteria for pedophilia.
According to court filings, Jones had numerous explicit images of female minors and a 4-second video of a girl pulling down her pants. Those materials were reportedly downloaded on Aug. 25 and depict the girls showing their anus, vagina and breasts while they pose.
The state’s online court database lists Jones’ wife and mother as witnesses, in addition to a confidential source. It does not specify who made a report or how the witnesses are involved in the case. Fairhope attorney Patrick Prendergast is representing Jones.
“[Mr. Jones] maintains his innocence and looks forward to the facts coming out in court,” Prendergast said in a statement.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 5.
According to state license records, Lifeway Community Church was formed in 2001. The church’s website states Jones has been the pastor since 2015. A home address on Jones’ booking sheet is identical to the church’s address; he reportedly lives in a residence on church property.
The church is listed as a member of the Baldwin Baptist Association, which serves area Southern Baptist churches. It’s the denomination’s policy for affiliated churches to autonomously govern themselves.
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A review of Lifeway church’s online profiles and other pages suggests homeschool students would have been commonly present at the church building through various fine arts programs. A source who has attended homeschool events at Lifeway described the church as a hub for homeschool activities and said Jones had “entrenched” himself in the homeschool community. Authorities have given no indication Jones had inappropriate behavior with children at the church.
Various social media pages for Baldwin County homeschool families and events indicate workshops and events for homeschooled students were regularly hosted at Lifeway church.
One post promoting a homeschool expo stated, “The Jones family is always there to help anyone in need, especially our local homeschool community! Pastor Allen Jones is the pastor of Lifeway Community Church in Loxley. They have hosted many homeschool events at their church and have been so welcoming.”
Additionally, the church regularly hosted the Impact Youth Theater group and accommodated other homeschool-oriented fine arts organizations, such as choir and orchestra. Jones’ LinkedIn profile indicates he has professional acting experience and has participated in community theater productions.
It is currently unclear if Jones plans to continue to act as Lifeway’s pastor or if the conditions of his bond will prevent the church from holding youth events while his charges are pending.
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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