NC Church Terminates Pastor for Sexual Misconduct
Church released official letter to congregation detailing its handling of lead pastor’s harassment
A North Carolina church has announced on its website and social media pages that it has fired its pastor for sexual misconduct.
Jordan Green preaching from March 2024 / Video screenshot @Pursuit Church
Pursuit Church in Denver, NC, posted on its Instagram profile Monday: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the following news: effective immediately (4/1/2024) Jordan Green has been terminated from Pursuit Church.”
The post also linked to an open letter on its website with more information of the lead pastor’s termination. Pursuit says the church’s leadership reached the decision unanimously after learning of situations involving Green that were “in direct violation” of Pursuit Church’s policy regarding workplace harassment.
“We want to be clear, Jordan Green committed acts of sexual misconduct which has deeply wounded his victims, the people who call Pursuit Church home and this leadership team,” it says.
According to the letter, Green confessed “his version” of sexual misconduct in a series of private disclosures to leaders and staff over the course of three days before Easter Sunday. The church calls the confessions “no confession at all” and accuses Green of controlling the narrative with partial truths and manipulated events. Over the series of confessions, it says, the truth began to emerge.
“One by one, brave souls began to share their personal stories of how Jordan had harmed them during their employment at Pursuit Church,” the letter continues. “After more than an hour of raw testimony from his victims, your staff and your family, Jordan was dismissed from the room and our staff.”
Except for two instances when he attempted to defend himself, the church says Green did not respond to the accusations and sat silently with his head down.
Testimonies from the victims brought the room to tears, according to the letter, with “each reality worse than the one before.”
“As we wept and grieved our hearts burned for the victims and the people of Pursuit Church.”
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The church waited until after Easter Sunday to announce Green’s termination, citing their desire to focus on Christ and celebrate with those who were being baptized.
The following day, Monday, April 1, Pursuit says it enacted Green’s termination. Green’s staff listing is no longer on the church’s website. He is also not allowed onto church or school premises in any capacity.
The announcement on Pursuit’s Facebook page has received mixed reactions and around 800 comments ranging from followers thanking church leadership, offering prayers for the victims, and claiming the letter was too harsh for a public statement.
Pursuit’s Executive Pastor John Doggett told MinistryWatch its leaders have no intentions of speaking with the news media as the church family navigates a difficult time of grieving for the victims, the church body as well as Green and his family. “We are continuing to process all that has happened and must start the process of healing,” he said.
An email attempt to contact Green returned to our inbox.
On Sunday, April 7, church leadership plans to address members, answer questions and hear statements regarding its letter.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Why does MinistryWatch report on sex crimes? These stories are tough to read and sometimes even tougher to report, but we think they are vital to our mission to bring transparency, accountability, and credibility to the evangelical church. To read more about why and how we report these stories, read “Why MinistryWatch Reports On Sex Crimes.” You can find that story here.
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