Former California Student Ministry Leader Charged with Sexually Abusing a Child

Redeemer Church is part of the Acts 29 church-planting network

The former co-leader of the student ministry at Redeemer Church in Modesto, California, has been charged with molesting a member of his family.

Michael Sasser, 40, turned himself in to authorities March 23 after a family member of the victim reported the alleged crimes to police March 8. Sasser has been charged with three counts of sexually abusing a child, including continual sexual abuse of a child 14 years of age or younger, the Modesto Bee reported.

Redeemer Church is an evangelical congregation affiliated with the Acts 29 network. The church-planting network, chaired by Dallas megachurch pastor Matt Chandler, has seen several churches leave in the past year because of disputes over theological and cultural issues as well as concern about a lack of financial and organizational transparency.

Chandler himself also has been at the center of controversy, having been placed on leave from The Village Church in Dallas in August 2022 for communicating online with a woman who is not his wife. Chandler was reinstated by his church in December 2022.

Sasser pleaded not guilty to the charges on March 27 and remains in custody with bail set at $800,000. His next court date is April 10.

Sasser, who also was a church elder, stepped down from his role at Redeemer a month before his arrest, citing personal reasons, lead pastor Patrick Nagle told the Bee.

Nagle said the church learned of the criminal investigation in March and notified parents of students in the youth group, ensuring them that although Sasser had been charged with child sex crimes, none of the alleged incidents took place at the church.

He said no crimes stemming from Sasser’s role at the church had come to light.

Nagle said Sasser is no longer allowed to serve in any capacity with the church or allowed in the building.

Main photo: Photo by Kindel Media / Pexels / Creative Commons

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