Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith used a closed-door Life Church meeting Sunday to urge congregants to target Assemblies of God leaders over their handling of the discipline against Pastor Nathan Peternel, according to new reporting from Tom LoBianco at 24sight News.
Beckwith, who leads one of Life Church’s four campuses, argued Peternel was being wrongly victimized by the denomination and claimed Assemblies of God leaders had ‘gagged’ Peternel. Life Church board members interjected to correct him, according to a person familiar with the meeting.
Peternel faces a three- to six-month suspension of his preaching license, a year of counseling, and supervision by another pastor. The discipline follows the denomination’s investigation tied to his son’s child sex abuse case and the homemade sex videos police recovered during the September search of the Peternel home. Peternel did not appeal and did not attend Sunday’s meeting.
Interim lead pastor Mike Maleto had told congregants they would take questions about recently released bodycam footage from the search but declined to do so Sunday. Three pastors have resigned from Life Church since the scandal began.
Full reporting from Tom LoBianco / 24sight News:
