Murderer Pulls Gun on Pastor, Attempted Kidnapping at Church
I’m sorry for sending this out late. I had range training for my church security team and it set me behind a bit. Have a happy Mother’s Day and I hope today’s service for you was uneventful.
VIOLENT CRIME
Pennsylvania Man Charged with Murder and Attempted Homicide at Church
Bernard Junior Polite, 26, has been charged with the murder of his cousin and the attempted homicide of a pastor at Jesus' Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock, Pennsylvania. The incident occurred when Polite, allegedly influenced by voices from spirits, attempted to shoot Pastor Glenn Germany during a church service but the gun failed to discharge. The murder of his cousin, Derek Polite, occurred earlier the same day with the same weapon, a .380-caliber handgun. This gun was later recovered by police at the church after the attempted shooting. Polite now faces multiple charges including murder, attempted homicide, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment, and is held without bail at Allegheny County Jail.
I did a full breakdown of this shooting that you can view below
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Narrow Escape from Alleged Kidnapping at Madison Church
In Madison, Tennessee, a harrowing incident unfolded when a mother and her three-year-old son narrowly escaped an alleged kidnapping attempt in the parking lot of the Abundant Life Living Word Church. The incident occurred on May 5, 2024, when 30-year-old Javaunn Brown approached the woman as she was getting her son out of the car. Brown demanded her car keys and attempted to pull her son from the backseat. His aggressive actions escalated to threats of blowing up the church, leading to his intervention by church members. Following a brief chase involving law enforcement, Brown was found hiding in an attic and was arrested on charges of especially aggravated attempted kidnapping, robbery, and evading arrest. He is currently held on a $71,500 bond.
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Child Abuse Charges at First Baptist Church Daycare, Bowling Green, KY
A former employee of the First Baptist Church's childcare center in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Maranya Shobe, has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of third-degree criminal abuse involving seven children under 12 years old. The allegations came to light following an anonymous complaint made in February, accusing Shobe of abusing children at the daycare. Surveillance footage reviewed by the District Court and the County Attorney’s Office revealed multiple abusive incidents. This incident is not isolated, as another employee was investigated and dismissed in January 2023 for inappropriate behavior with a child. The ongoing legal proceedings against Shobe are set to continue with a pre-trial conference scheduled for July 11, 2024. First Baptist Church has not provided comments on the matter despite requests from the media.
DO NOT REMAIN SILENT TO THE PRESS WHEN AN INCIDENT HITS YOUR CHURCH. I wrote on article on how to deal with the press here. If you don’t talk to the press, others will write your church’s narrative for you. Proverbs 12:17 "Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit."
Lastly, our flock let’s us watch their children because they trust us. We should have solid checks and balances to protect our children.
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Terroristic Threats Toward Church Members in Wichita Falls
In Wichita Falls, Texas, a man named Thomas Barber, 68, has been charged with making terroristic threats against members of a local church. Barber was arrested after he allegedly threatened to kill several churchgoers, prompting the church to implement increased security measures. The incidents leading to his arrest included multiple confrontations in public places where Barber targeted individuals associated with the church. These encounters involved direct threats of violence, causing significant fear among the victims. Barber, who was previously a member of the church, expressed specific threats linked to the passing of his father, suggesting a motive tied to personal grievances. He was released on bond a day after his arrest. This situation has left the church community on high alert, with local authorities continuing to investigate the extent of the threats.
If someone makes a threat to kill people at your church, do not minimize this. You need to take It as a real threat and take precautions in case they follow through with these threats. Often times, actually most of the time, people minimize threats made to them. Ask any police officer and they will recount stories of people ignoring significant threats, only to become victims later. Much of this is predictable and preventable.
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SEXUAL ASSAULT
NY Man Sentenced for Filming Kids in Church Bathroom
Stephen Nicot, a resident of Greece, New York, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison with an additional eight years of supervised release for placing a hidden camera in a church bathroom. The court also imposed a $250,000 fine on Nicot, who had previously pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. Authorities found media storage devices in Nicot’s home that contained inappropriate footage of minors and adults in a church bathroom, captured without their knowledge. The incidents, linked to a church in Holley, Orleans County, near Rochester, occurred between 2012 and 2014. Following his arrest in 2023, Nicot faced multiple charges, including the production and possession of child pornography.
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Washington Catholic Church Stonewalling Abuse Investigation
The Seattle Archdiocese is reportedly uncooperative in a Washington state investigation led by Attorney General Bob Ferguson, concerning allegations of using charitable trust funds to cover up priestly sexual abuse. Despite the Seattle Archdiocese's claims of collaboration and transparency, Ferguson highlights their refusal to provide requested documents, leading to an official court demand for records dating back decades. This probe is part of a broader examination involving all three dioceses in Washington — Seattle, Spokane, and Yakima — with Spokane and Yakima also not yet providing documents. The investigation, currently civil in nature, seeks to uncover the full extent of sexual abuse scandals within the church, amidst historical claims of widespread abuse across various states, revealing a far larger issue than previously acknowledged by church officials. The urgency for transparency is emphasized by church reform advocates and abuse survivors, advocating for full access to all pertinent church records to aid in accountability and healing.
Churches should not be stonewalling investigations into crime. It goes against our faith and keeps others from understanding the Gospel. If we can’t abide by the Gospel, how can we lead others to it? I’ll leave you with a wonderful verse to shore up what I’m talking about below.
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Luke 12:2-3:
"Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops."
Long Island Pastor Arrested on Abuse Charges
A pastor from Huntington Station, New York, has been arrested on charges involving the alleged abuse of a teen girl in the basement of a church. The 71-year-old, associated with Huntington Seventh-Day Adventist Church, was taken into custody following allegations that he engaged in inappropriate communications and physical misconduct with a 15-year-old. Suffolk County police acted on a report from the victim's sister, leading to charges including sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. The pastor is scheduled for arraignment at the First District Court in Central Islip. Authorities are urging others who may have information or have been affected to come forward.
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Sylvester Deacon Faces Numerous Child Sex Crime Charges
In Sylvester, Georgia, a local church deacon and businessman, Jerry Heflin, has been charged with nearly 70 counts of child sex crimes, including rape, felony aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, and sexual battery against a child under 16. The allegations stem from a 2016 offense. Heflin was arrested and booked into the Worth County Jail on May 7, 2024, and has been denied bond. In connection with the case, authorities conducted a raid on Heflin’s business, Lizzy B’s, although the specifics of what was found during the search have not been disclosed.
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Guilty Plea in Langlade County Church-Related Child Sex Abuse Case
In Langlade County, Travis L. Huse, 44, from Merrill, has pleaded no contest to 12 felony charges related to child sexual abuse at the Apostolic Worship Center during the 1990s and 2000s. The charges include four counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child and additional charges involving enticement and sexual assault of a student by school staff. Langlade County Circuit Judge John Rhode confirmed the guilty verdicts, with sentencing scheduled for June 25. The plea deal includes a recommendation for a maximum of 25 years in initial confinement. This case has also implicated Huse's father, Scott L. Huse, who faces related charges and will go to trial in October.
Child molestation is often passed down from generation to generation. As one generation abuses the next, it is passed down again and again to repeat itself over and over in an endless cycle.
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ARSON
None to report this week.
PROPERTY CRIME
Major Theft at Idaho Presbyterian Organization
In Idaho Falls, a significant embezzlement incident has surfaced involving a Presbyterian church organization, the Presbytery of Kendall, which oversees several churches in eastern Idaho. A 31-year-old administrative clerk, Kaitlyn Fisher, was arrested after allegedly stealing more than $330,000 from church funds between January 2019 and October 2022. This discovery was made after church staff, who had not convened for financial reviews since the onset of COVID-19, prompted a direct investigation into the organization's bank statements. It was found that Fisher had made numerous unauthorized transactions through Venmo and PayPal. The misappropriated funds were reportedly spent on personal expenses, including a vehicle, home improvements, and various personal bills. Fisher, who has been charged with three counts of felony grand theft, was released on a $30,000 bond after her arrest. She faces up to 42 years in prison if convicted. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 29.
I’ve written about the need for yearly financial audits from independent people before. There is no excuse for not safeguarding your church’s financial health. We entrust our tithing with you. Read the article below that I wrote a few months ago.
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FOLLOW UP TO PREVIOUS STORIES
None for this week.
The Christian body is in deep trouble. You may have a good church and I'm happy for you but they are very very few as are true believers, few are upon the narrow way, and of true ministers of teaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ, only a remnant. With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. Isaiah 26:9
Servants, be obedient unto your masters, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not in the way of eye service, as men pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with goodwill doing service as unto the Lord, and not unto men. Eph. 6: 5-7.