Charges accusing Rock Church International Pastor John Blanchard of arranging to meet a person he thought was a teenage girl for sex in a motel room were . It seems it is time to burn the whole thing down and simply start over from scratch somehow. John Blanchard returned to the . Milky Way timelapse photobombed by the Aurora Borealis over Loch More in Scotland. Or are folks afraid of his threats of legal action? Shades of Ravi Zacharias. Senior Pastor at Rock Church Chesapeake, VA. John Blanchard . Even assuming she is totally unaware and innocent, wouldnt this be a huge shock? By the way, could someone please update me regarding the status of the DOJ investigation of the SBC mentioned back in August 2022? Virginia Church Urges Believers Not To Condemn As Pastor Arrested in Sex Sting Op Steps Away From Duties Again: Scandal-Plagued Virginia Pastor Returns to Pulpit, Threatening Legal Action. VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. (THECOUNT) Rock Church Senior Pastor, John Blanchard, has been identified as the suspect arrested along with 16 other men accused of solicitation of prostitution of a minor Following an online sting operation by law enforcement. Katz called the move "bewildering," mainly because his investigators have presented cases with less compelling evidence that led to a conviction. Anne Gimenez, who will turn 81 next month . By: Tyler Layne. I hope my journey walking through the evangelical wilderness and landing in one abusive or authoritarian church after another has been instructive. Travel 11-16 to 18 to Atlanta. I mean no accusations towards any collusion no. After almost a year of legal maneuvering, however, the charges against Blanchardwere withdrawn or nolle prossedahead of a criminal trial in October. The Church condemns sexual immorality of any kind and in any form by its members and leaders and especially holds its leaders to a high standard of accountability on any lifestyle choices that could reflect negatively on the reputation of the Church or disparage the character of the Savior whom it purports to represent. Church Discipline It looks like the previous pastors of the church trained him, and then he received an MDiv from Oral Roberts while on the job. However, he touts himself online as the founder of TechDirect, a self-described LED screen solution for churches.. Pastors John & Robins continuation of the original vision expands to reach another generation for Christ through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and the prophetic word of the Lord at the forefront. 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. John Blanchard (pictured) and his wife, Robin, serve as senior pastors of The Rock Church of Virginia Beach. Blanchard was one of 17 men arrested on Oct. 29, 2021, for solicitation of prostitution from a minor. The lawyer said there is church business outside of Virginia, and that Blanchard travels for his job. Old Timer: Im sure the police want to do the right thing, yet if Rock Church is known for holding funerals for officers killed in the line of duty, it will be understandably difficult for local LEOs to remain detached. 13News Now also reached out to Rock Church leaders in Virginia Beach multiple times for a comment, but we have not heard back. That same night, detectives say they found cash of up to $160 and a cell phone in Blanchard's possession. Above reproach is the standard. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. A defense attorney for Rock Church International Pastor John Blanchard initially struck a deal with Chesterfield County Commonwealth's Attorney Stacey Davenport of Virginia to do a psychosexual evaluation and sex offender-related counseling in exchange for tabling a child prostitution case against him. Also, EVERY pedophile who gets arrested for child solicitation says they just wanted to talk. They care so much about these kids that they just want to give them a stern fatherly warning about talking to older creepy men. I began to just pray about solutions andso I had an opportunity to go to China and meet a distributor, Blanchard says in the clip. The move sparked heavy public criticism from Police Chief Jeffrey Katz and State Delegate Tim Anderson, a republican lawmaker representing the Virginia Beach area. Interment will follow at Knollcrest Cemetery. Blanchard filed the request in Chesterfield County Circuit Court's civil division last month, the records show. I am unable to comment on the appropriateness of public statements made by other entities regarding this, or any other, case in which my office is involved. History tells us there's no such thing as a perfect revival, but agreed to have a special prosecutor appointed, Special prosecutor appointed in megachurch pastorsprostitution caseas new emails emerge, Prostitution case against megachurch Pastor John Blanchard could be reopened after public outcry, Disagreeing with prosecutor, police chief says megachurch pastor should have been tried for prostitution, Megachurch pastor still preaching despite claims he stepped back from ministry over prostitution arrest. Chesterfield County Police arrested Rock Church Pastor, John Blanchard, in October 2021 on prostitution charges. In April, after a few court appearances where the prosecutor and Brooks went back and forth on what evidence can be used in the court case, attorneys told the judge they needed time to come up with a resolution. I sincerely pray that law enforcement will probe into Blanchards activities. Public records indicate Blanchard has in the past faced charges of sexual battery and stalking, which appear to have later been dismissed. His only prior arrest stems from a charge of improperly altering a price tag, the document states. He and 16 other men from Virginia and Maryland were arrested in a two-day operation. Despite a recent claim by Rock Church Internationalin Virginia Beach that their lead pastor, John Blanchard, voluntarily stepped back as lead pastor and from all his ministerial duties due to a prostitution arrest, he was still boldly preaching at a prophetic conference in Texas last weekend. Education. But most important Chesterfield County Police Chief, Col. Jeffrey S. Katz statements that the case was solid have been internally confirmed true," Anderson argued earlier this month. 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. As any sensible person would conclude. the charges against Blanchard were withdrawn, or nolle prosequi, ahead of a criminal trial in October. I was just going to talk. I figured more time would be needed, but wondering if I had missed something. CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) Virginia Beach pastor John Blanchard is stepping back from his lead pastoral duties at Rock Church International, according to a statement from the church. According to The Meryhew Law Group, a psychosexual evaluation is "a very effective tool" for helping those accused in cases of sexual misconduct. on the Cop side of the line) and taunted his wife with that fact as he was beating her. Drives two and a half hours to a hotel and knocks on the hotel room door as directed by our undercover '17-year-old,' I believe a jury of Chesterfield County residents deserves to weigh in on the matter of criminal culpability," he wrote. According to the Rock Church website, Blanchard has been a senior pastor of the Virginia Beach church on Kempsville Road since 2013. Solicitation charges have been dropped against Virginia megachurch pastor John Blanchard. Their God does NOT live in the Real World. Sellers took another job around 2013 but continued to attend the church, completing a training program for church lay leaders and becoming deacon in charge of Rock Churchs ministry to single women. I would guess hearing something one year after the investigation began may be optimistic. Sellers said that after she pushed for accountability for Blanchard, she lost the support of her church. 5 He quoted the Catholic . Group think Anne Gimenez, Robin Blanchards mother, co-founded the church and was its senior pastor from 1999 until the Blanchards took that role in 2013. 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. That meant the charges would be dropped, but could be refiled again at a later date if prosecutors felt they had enough evidence against Blanchard to move forward. When Blanchard arrived at the location, that's when detectives say they arrested him for soliciting a minor for prostitution. @13NewsNow obtained new documents from when Rock Church Pastor, John Blanchard, was arrested in Chesterfield County on solicitation of prostitution charges.Recently, prosecutors set aside the charges against Blanchard. pic.twitter.com/aV9VFreqhB. Chesterfield Police said it cannot elaborate on the new evidence against Blanchard. The Roys Report left a voicemail seeking comment from Rock Church but did not immediately hear back. Church Administration; see less Rocky Bezet Email Address Found 1 email address listing: @trcla.org . He said he's glad another prosecutor will be taking an independent look at the case. In anOct. 11 statementon Facebook, Rock Church officials announced that Blanchard was cleared of all charges by prosecutors from the Chesterfield County Courthouse. Upper Marlboro, MD . View John Blanchard's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. and John wrote of the "overcoming" power of the blood. 12.10.22 EChurch@Wartburg Dr Scot McKnight: Just Who Was Mary of Christmas? He was charged with felony solicitation . Other prohibitions include alcohol and tobacco use. I think that church leaders need to be brave and act accordingly.. Old Timer: By the way, could someone please update me regarding the status of the DOJ investigation of the SBC mentioned back in August 2022? John Blanchard (pictured) and his wife, Robin, serve as senior pastors of The Rock Church of Virginia Beach. In the documents, investigators say they posed as a 17-year-old girl online for prostitution and received a message from Blanchard. Membership Covenants An attorney for the church advised church leaders not to comment on the accusations against John Blanchard, a statement posted to the church website indicates. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. After The Roys Reports earlier story on Rock Church, the church added new language to its statement, claiming it supported efforts to hold leaders accountable to biblical standards of morality. "She doesn't have an answer. Delegate and attorney, Tim Anderson, posted the documents about Blanchard's arrest on Facebook, which he received through a FOIA request, saying, "Rock Church Leadership still maintains Pastor Blanchard is innocent. Here is the statement on the homepage. As to law enforcement and Rock Church, Under Virginia law, sexual battery is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison. We anticipate his resumption of church duties in the near future. Because this may once again become a future pending criminal case, I cannot make any further comments on the facts or the circumstances surrounding anything related to this matter," she said. Posted at 10:57 AM, Oct 11, 2022 . They believed that John was innocent, humble, and submissive to those over him.. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. | Learn more about John Blanchard's work experience, education, connections & more by visiting their profile on . How can a congregation deal with a pastor who is out, then in, then out, then in? The heart is deceitful above all things, Skills. My dad was a pastor. They reportedly agreed that Blanchard would do a psychosexual evaluation and sex offender-related counseling in exchange for tabling the matter. I cant seem to able to locate updated information. Sarah Einselen is an award-winning writer and editor based in Texas. The prosecutor in a statement to the Court indicated that due to new information coming to light and lack of evidence, they will no longer be pursuing charges against Blanchard. He was expected back in court for his preliminary hearing on March 22. Rock Church Pastor John Blanchard . . We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Perhaps then the truth will come out. Pastor John was. Rock Church encourages godly lifestyles by all of its members and leaders, in keeping with the tenets of the Bible. They documented it for records. Back in the day I remember hearing that if you were arrested by the Feds, it was a righteous bust with no loopholes or bias, compared to those by the local police. I imagine they would be frustrated when Blanchard seemed to get off the charges. In the meantime, Robin Blanchard and Gimenez are in charge. But Im sorry, a lie is still a lie.. . Pastor Blanchard has voluntarily stepped back as lead pastor and from all his ministerial duties until this present situation is totally resolved. During a recent service, Rev. 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. 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. Rock Church International Pastor John Blanchard was charged with solicitation of prostitution and using a vehicle to promote prostitution . (Seriously, if he was in a prostitution sting, did the funds come from the church?). The dismissal comes nearly a year after Blanchard was charged along with 16 other men during an Oct. 29, 2021 Chesterfield County . When Zipporah and her sisters spotted Moses the first time, they thought he was an Egyptian, and in many ways they were right. Graduate Student of Theology and Master of Biblical Theology. My Comment was Deleted Will they stay quiet on "awkward" victim stories? Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Prosecutors recently set those charges aside. The Biblical qualifications for pastors are clear, Brent Hobbs of New Song Fellowship wrote on Facebook. In my opinion, they are not that important in the big scheme of things. 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