Congregation supports pastor accused of raping woman over 4 years

Apr 21, 2015

A church congregation expressed their support on Sunday for their pastor, who has been accused of rape.

Last Wednesday, Pastor James E. Simmons Jr. turned himself in to authorities after being accused of sexual assault against a 21-year-old woman over a period of four years. He has since been charged with sex assault, criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child.

But members of his congregation don’t believe the accusations.

“We want to let Satan know and the world know that we love our pastor,” Elder Freddie Alexander said, to great applause, in a video uploaded to the website of the New Life in Christ Ministries.

“Think what you want, we’re going to trust God,” Alexander continued later on in the video. “In the pit of my heart I know we’re going to be exonerated.”

Alexander said that Simmons was praying for his accuser and continued to praise the pastor’s character, saying, “He helps people; he loves people. And because of who he loves, Satan’s trying to get him.”

The pastor, who did not appear in the video, has led the church since 1981 and was previously a pastor in the Philipines. He has five children and eleven grandchildren.