Kosciusko prosecutor investigating allegations involving teenager
WARSAW, Ind. (WANE) – A Warsaw church pastor admitted to his congregation on Sunday what he said was an adulterous relationship. Then his apparent victim came forward and said she was 16 at the time.
After the tumultuous revelations at New Life Christian Church, Pastor John Lowe II resigned and the Kosciusko County District Attorney’s Office confirmed it was investigating the allegations.
Video of admission was widely shared on Facebook by a participant. By mid-afternoon on Monday, it had over 90,000 views.
In the video (look above), Lowe confessed, “I committed adultery” with “a person” nearly 20 years ago, and continued the relationship “far too long.”
“I have no defense,” he told the congregation. “I committed adultery. To put it plainly: I didn’t make a mistake, I didn’t have a problem, I didn’t have an affair, I didn’t make an error in judgment – I Fishing. I need to say it, and you deserve to hear it.
Lowe asked the congregation to forgive him for the “deep hurt” he caused and apologized to those against whom he had sinned. He said there was “no right answer” to why it took so long to admit his wrongdoing, but said he had repented.
Lowe then announced that he was leaving the ministry and said he would submit to the process and recommendation of the church board.
After Lowe finished speaking, a man and a woman approached the lectern. The woman told the congregation she was a victim of Lowe’s when she was 16 and said she had lived in “a prison” for 27 years – not 20.
“You did things to my teenage body that never had and never should have been done,” she said. “If you cannot admit the truth, you must answer for it before God. You are not the victim here.
She continued, “The church deserves to know the truth. This church was built on lies, but no more. The lies must stop.
The woman said she spent years feeling like a ‘horrible person’ with suicidal thoughts until two weeks ago when her brother approached her about a memory of seeing his younger sister in bed with her pastor.
“The lies and manipulation must stop,” she said.
After the woman left the stage, members of the congregation shouted at Lowe.
“If you did, you have to admit it,” one man shouted.
“We need to hear from our pastor,” said another.
Lowe replied, “I told you I had committed adultery and I told you it had gone on far too long.”
“I can’t do anything about it except tell you that if I could go back and do it all over again, I would. I can’t, and all I can do is ask you to forgive me.
The Kosciusko County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to WANE 15 on Monday that an investigation is ongoing into the matter. However, no other information was provided.
Lowe was still on the church’s list of senior pastors. website late Monday. On Tuesday, this page had been deleted.
On Monday night the church released the following statement regarding the incident on his Facebook page:
“On Sunday, May 22, 2022, Pastor John B. Lowe II addressed the congregation of New Life Christian Church & World Outreach (“New Life”) at the end of morning worship and confessed that he had committed adultery repeatedly and over time many years ago.When Pastor Lowe offered his confession, he also announced that he would step down from his ministry role and responsibilities with New Life.
This long-held secret was first revealed when a woman from the church came forward and revealed the relationship to various people within the church. When confronted by other church leaders regarding the report, Pastor Lowe privately confessed that the adultery did indeed occur. The woman in question and her family came together and addressed the congregation, saying that inappropriate sexual behavior first occurred when she was 16 and continued into her twenties. She tearfully described living with deep shame and pain in the years that followed.
As a result of what has just been revealed, we are hurt and broken for a woman who lovingly attended and served the church for many years, and for her husband and family. It is our deepest prayer and our commitment to love, support, encourage and help her through a healing process in any way we can. New Life is also dedicated to ministering to and with all of our members during this difficult season, so that we may not only survive this, but together experience abundant grace, unity healing – all for the glory of God and preservation of his church.
Our brokenness also extends to Pastor John B. Lowe II, his wife and family. For 42 years, New Life has taught and preached an intersecting message of repentance, forgiveness and restoration; a ministry of reconciliation that was both led and modeled by pastors John and Debbie Lowe. As healing occurs in their hearts, marriages, and families, we pledge to demonstrate the same support, encouragement, counsel, and forgiveness that has come to define the collective heart and ministry of this body. On Monday, May 23, 2022, Pastor John B. Lowe II tendered his resignation with New Life Christian Church and World Outreach.
To all concerned, rest assured that, so far, none of this has been disclosed or known to any New Life staff, ministers or staff. As with the general church and the general public, we too are responding without anticipation; praying and striving only to see that the good, perfect, and eternal plans of the Lord will ultimately and visibly prevail. Life is messy. Believers are messy. The church is a mess. God is not.
Statement from the New Life Christian Church & World Outreach Facebook Page
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