Another SC Church Removes Registered Sex Offender From Ministry Roles

Church says he followed restrictions but will no longer serve.

Amid the controversy involving a registered sex offender at Pawleys Island Community Church, another South Carolina church has removed a registered sex offender from active ministry roles.

Photo by Brookwood Church via Google Photos

Brookwood Church in Simpsonville, South Carolina, told MinistryWatch it has removed the man from serving in any capacity at the church. It did not indicate when the decision was made.

The removal followed the Pawleys Island situation coming to light, according to written communications between church leaders that MinistryWatch obtained from a person affiliated with Brookwood.

The man is a registered sex offender in South Carolina who was convicted in Georgia in 1983 for two offenses: enticing a child for indecent purposes and child molestation.

He was “forthcoming” about his convictions when he began attending Brookwood in 1999, according to J.C. Thompson, Brookwood’s executive pastor of strategy.

At that time, according to Thompson, church leaders set boundaries for his participation at the church.

“Those boundaries included prohibiting him from volunteering in children’s or student ministry areas and requiring ministry leaders working with [him] to be fully informed about his background and committed to following the established parameters,” Thompson told MinistryWatch in an email statement.

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At Brookwood, he served in the worship ministry, played keyboard and took part in men’s small groups.

Thompson did not respond to MinistryWatch’s questions about whether the church planned to inform the congregation about the man’s convictions and status as a registered sex offender, or whether it would investigate whether any Brookwood congregants had been victimized.

Thompson said: “During his time at Brookwood, to our knowledge he has followed the guidelines that were set for him, and we have received no complaints about his conduct.”

Asked what action the church was taking, Thompson wrote: “It is the vision of current leadership to build and regularly strengthen our policies of pastoring and protecting children to uphold our values and honor God. As part of that commitment, leadership previously reviewed multiple procedures, including those related to safety and security. As a result, the leadership team made the decision that [the man] will not serve in any capacity at Brookwood Church.”

Brookwood Church is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention, as is Pawleys Island Community Church. Tony Wolfe, executive director of SCBC, told MinistryWatch he was not familiar with the situation at Brookwood and had not given the church any advice.

After reviewing Brookwood’s statement to MinistryWatch, Wolfe said, “It appears to me that Brookwood’s leadership has given much thought and prayer to the significance of the matter. Like many churches, they seem to have lived in the tension of allowing a repentant sinner a meaningful place of service in the church and adopting policies that most fittingly ensure the safety and security of others who attend. I am glad to read of their recent decision to update their practices regarding [the man]. While salvation in Christ removes every eternal consequence of sin, temporal consequences often remain including, at least for convicted sex offenders, the relinquishment of leadership in the local church.”

While churches are places of redemption, GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in Christian Environments) directly addresses how churches should respond when known offenders are part of a congregation, such as at Brookwood:

• No offender should be allowed to attend services with anyone they have victimized.
• Church leaders are strongly encouraged to consult with experts to develop a plan.
• Be aware and on guard for manipulative strategies by offenders who are not repentant.
• Know your limitations and when you need help to develop a safety plan.

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