Former Pastor Jack Schaap Blames Church Related Stress and Depression on Statutory Rape

Former Pastor Jack Schaap Blames Church Related Stress and Depression on Statutory Rape

First Baptist Church in Hammond, Ind., has responded to former pastor Jack Schaap's claims that it was depression and church-related stress that led him to an affair with a 16-year-old girl. Church representatives are appalled and say nothing excuses his "sinful actions."

"Yes he was under a tremendous amount of stress such as anyone who runs an international ministry, however this does not excuse his behavior," Eddie Wilson, spokesperson for FBC Hammond, shared with The Christian Post on Tuesday.

"He was a gifted leader who led the church to start many new ministries, and the church experienced growth under his leadership, but this does not give anyone the right to justify sinful actions," Wilson added.

In September, Schaap, 55, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to transporting a minor across state lines for sexual relations. It's unbelieveable that the former pastor told the court that financial troubles at First Baptist Hammond put him in a depression and eventually led to a month-long affair with a teenage girl. Schaap also claimed that he was working over 100 hours a week at the church, where the many employees were laid off.

Pastor Schaap's sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 15, although assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Rochelle Koster has asked the judge for a 45-day continuance in Schaap's sentencing due to the lengthy filing.

Wow, Schaap! How can you make excuses for doing wrong, especially sexual molestation? It never ceases to amaze us how some will come up with any excuse to try and get out of the hole they dug up for themselves.

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Pastor Jack Schaap Confession Admits Sex with Teen, Federal Agents Investigate

Pastor Jack Schaap Confession Admits Sex with Teen, Federal Agents Investigate

The former pastor of First Baptist Church of Hammond, Pastor Jack Schaap has now confessed to having a sexual relationship with a member of the church. The church member was a teen at the time and at age 16. Board members of the church told the congregation Wednesday night the details of the relationship.

The Board of Deacons addressed the church Wednesday to explain their sudden decision to fire pastor Jack Schaap, who had led the church for the past 11 years. The church plans to fully cooperate with an FBI investigation into allegations that multiple sexual encounters involving the same girl took place across state lines.

The FBI is also involved because the girl may have been under the age of consent. Jack Schaap was interviewed by federal agents on Wednesday.

The former pastor Jack Schaap's affair was apparently outed accidentally. A former church member told CBS Chicago about the affair.

“Jack Schaap had left his cell phone on the pulpit and a deacon had seen it on the pulpit and had picked it up to bring it back to him,” Trisha Kee, who maintains a Facebook group for ex-congregants, told the station. “From what we understand, the deacon then saw a text come through from a teenage girl in the church, and it was a picture of Jack Schaap and this girl making out.”

The pastor's behavior was discovered while he preached at a youth conference last week.

Trisha Kee is also a victim advocate for people abused at Independent Fundamental Baptist churches. She once attended Hyles-Anderson College.

Lake County Sheriff's department began a criminal investigation into the church and its Hyles-Anderson College Tuesday after talking with senior church representatives, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Eddie Wilson, director of public relations for the church, told the Chicago Sun-Times that adultery is grounds for dismissal in the church's bylaws.

The First Baptist Church of Hammond faced a similar scandal in 1991 when a deacon was convicted of molesting a 7-year-old girl in her Sunday school class. Source

We are happy to know that this pastor was caught in his misdeeds. As a man of God who was known for writing books on marriage and Christian dating, he should have lived by his own words. It's never a surprise that some of these megachurch ministers preach on all of the catchy and popular topics but can't live by the word of God if it was stamped on their foreheads. We can't believe he left his cell phone ON THE PULPIT knowing someone could possibly find it and catch him. Maybe he figured no one would expose him but his day has come and HIS day is here.

Just another pastor biting the dust of sin and rebellion.

 

 

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Indiana Pastor Jack Schaap Fired for Committing Adultery with Young Woman

Indiana Pastor Jack Schaap Fired for Committing Adultery with Young Woman

Pastor Jack Schaap was under investigation and is no longer the head of the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana.

Schaap, 54, was pastor of the First Baptist Church since 2001, and was fired by a 100 male deacon board, according Eddie Wilson, director of public relations for the church.

Wilson said Schaap is under scrutiny for an inappropriate relationship with a young woman. Schaap is married.

Sheriff John Buncich confirmed the church contacted him and Schaap's actions were under investigation by detectives.

"He was very open and very ashamed and very, very sad by his actions," Wilson said.

FOX Chicago News learned information about the affair was sent to the Lake County Sheriff's department to determine if the girl was 18 at the time of the relationship. The young woman may have began her affair with the pastor as young as 16 years old.

The director of public relations for the church stated: "The church will move on and begin the process of calling a new pastor."

While declining to offer details on his firing, Wilson said church bylaws state adultery is a sin - a violation – and constitutes grounds for dismissal.

A press release from the church stated:

"Our church grieves over the need to take this action and the impact it will have on our people. We ask that everyone pray for the families involved and pray that the situation will be handled in a Christ-honoring manner."

Pastor Schaap built the First Baptist Church to more than 15,000 members and co-founded Hyles-Anderson College in Schererville.

Jack Schaap had been pastor of First Baptist Church for more than a decade.

"The pastor made an error - obviously made a mistake," Wilson said. "He was a charismatic leader, and he helped a lot of people in their struggles. Obviously there's still a fondness there for him. The one thing we want to be sure we bring is reconciliation to him and his wife. They are off together trying to reconcile their marriage, and we wish them the best."

According to the church website, Schaap graduated from Hyles-Anderson bible college in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in pastoral theology.

He and Cindy Hyles married in 1979 and Schaap began teaching at Hyles-Anderson. The couple have two children. He became vice president of the college in 1996 and became pastor at First Baptist after Jack Hyles' death in 2001.

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