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.
Daniel Menelaou, a youth pastor at the Alpharetta, Georgia campus of the sixteen-campus Australian global megachurch Futures Church (formerly Influencers Church), stands accused of child pornography possession. Futures Church is affiliated with the Assemblies of God.
Officials at Futures Church headquartered in Australia were left in shock last Wednesday after Daniel Menelaou, a youth pastor with the Alpharetta, Georgia, campus of the global megachurch, was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography.
Arrest records from the Roswell Police Department lists six counts of possession “or control any material depicting minor in sexually explicit conduct,” against Menelaou who began working at the Alpharetta campus of the church in August 2023, according to his LinkedIn profile.
A report from Fox5 said Roswell Police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation raided 28-year-old Menelaou’s home after receiving a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
“During the course of that search warrant, we seized several electronic devices that will be analyzed for additional evidence,” Roswell Police Officer Tim Lupo told the news outlet.
Investigators said the youth pastor, who also worked as a student mentor at Temple Christian College in Australia prior to his work in Georgia, uploaded multiple videos that “depict a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct” and shared the images using the messenger app called Kik.
“Our hearts are heavy as we share heartbreaking news with you. In recent days, one of our youth [pastors] working overseas, Daniel Menelaou, was arrested and charged with possession of materials depicting minors in sexually explicit content. Like you, we are deeply shocked, grieved, and blindsided by this news. We also want to be absolutely clear that these charges have no connection to anyone in our church community,” wrote Pastor Tony Cornbridge of Futures Church in Australia.
“We understand that this is difficult to process, and our hearts go out to all those affected, as well as Emma and their families. In moments like these, we lean into the grace, wisdom, and justice of God, trusting Him to bring healing, clarity, and comfort.”
Futures Church, which is formerly Influencers Church, is a Pentecostal church affiliated with the Assemblies of God denomination. According to the church’s website, it has 16 campuses located in Australia, the United States and Indonesia.
Reacting to the charges, another spokesperson for the church said in a statement to The Christian Post that they condemned Menelaou’s actions in “the strongest possible terms.”
“Until his arrest, we had no prior knowledge of any allegations or indication of wrongdoing. The details outlined in the arrest warrant are deeply disturbing and stand in total opposition to our unwavering commitment to protecting children,” the spokesperson said.
“Our hearts go out first and foremost to any victims who have been harmed. We remain committed to standing with all survivors of abuse, particularly children, whose suffering should never be ignored or minimized,” the spokesperson continued.
“Futures Church has a zero-tolerance policy regarding any form of abuse. The moment we became aware of Daniel Menelaou’s arrest, we placed him on immediate administrative leave. However, the full extent of these charges was unknown to us until the last few hours and his position has now been terminated. Let us be unequivocally clear this behavior is reprehensible and has no place in our church.”
Bruce Gerencser, 67, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 46 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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Ok buddy you want to talk about pastors and clergymen that fall into sexual sin,rape?prison rape,etc. It actually amazes me if you struggle with pain and bad health as much as you put out that you’re able to take the time to research this every time a LIKELY false Christian pastor falls into this trap.
Sadly most are likely just a false as you were in your heart.
Also sad that every time this happens it gives God and the church a black eye and a fat lip.
Just like when David committed adultery with bathseheba. As Nathan states in 1 Samuel it gave the enemies God a reason to blaspheme.
So is the point trying to be proved here that these sick men “Christian pastors” who are being charged with child sexual crimes 😡😡 beyond unthinkable!!
Or have had an affair with the church secretary,etc are they never truly saved?(likely)
Or is the point that the church is no different than the cesspool of a lost world?
Obviously if it is either or Or both the main point is to discredit Jesus Christ and disprove existence of God.
What it really does is show the extreme depravity of man.
Christ is Holy and Righteouss! God and man who died and rose again to pay the penalty for sin and purchase eternal life and change lives and hearts! Even the most depraved!
And any prison on the face of this earth will be a spa and beach compared to what awaits the unredeemed in hell!
God bless
Good day.
Answered here:
https://brucegerencser.net/2025/03/bruce-takes-revival-fires-to-the-woodshed/