A former youth pastor who was acquitted of charges that he sexually abused two minors is now suing his former church to recover nearly $450,000 in legal expenses he incurred defending himself.
Brett Bymaster / Photo via brettbymaster.com
Brett Bymaster was acquitted after a trial in November 2025 stemming from allegations that he had abused two minor sisters for years.
Though the district attorney was displeased with the verdict, Bymaster said in a statement: “After over a year of waiting, the truth has finally come to light. I am grateful that the jury saw past the lies and prevented a miscarriage of justice. I am ready to get back to the hard work of serving Jesus and loving our neighbors in the downtown San Jose Washington community. Our family continues to pray blessings and healing for all those involved — both our accusers and our supporters.”
Bymaster is now suing The River Church, where he worked until 2019, when his job ended amid the abuse allegations, which he has consistently denied.
Before his trial, Bymaster’s attorneys claimed the church engaged in a “longstanding campaign” to destroy his “career and reputation,” according to an interview with The Mercury News.
His lawsuit seeks $443,515 in legal costs he spent defending himself against the charges. Citing California labor law, Bymaster alleges in the suit — according to Next City Digest — that the church is obligated to reimburse him for losses incurred “in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties.”
“I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars defending myself against false accusations, and I was found not guilty on all counts,” Bymaster said in a statement Tuesday, according to Next City Digest. “My family drained our retirement savings, and my in-laws also helped us financially by drawing from their retirement savings. We are simply asking to be made whole for the legal expenses we incurred.”
Bymaster said he and the church had been in discussions to reach a settlement before he filed the lawsuit, but the two sides remained divided over the legal reimbursement.
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While he said he believes in forgiveness and reconciliation, Bymaster maintains that his former employer is legally obligated to pay his legal expenses. He said he is not seeking compensation for emotional or reputational harm.
Despite the lawsuit, Bymaster says he remains open to resolving the matter out of court.
The church told its congregation in August that it “remains open to biblical reconciliation using Christian mediation that focuses on relational understanding and excludes threats of litigation and monetary demands.”
Bymaster is now the chief executive officer of the Healing Grove Health Center in San Jose, according to his LinkedIn profile.
The River Church did not immediately respond to a request for comment. MinistryWatch will update this story if the church responds.
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