Megachurch Pastor Resigns Following Sex Abuse Scandal

By Eno Adeogun
Premier
July 16, 2018

https://www.premier.org.uk/News/World/Megachurch-pastor-resigns-following-sex-abuse-scandal

The lead pastor of a megachurch in Memphis, Tennessee who publicly backed one of his staff who was accused of sexual assault has resigned.

Chris Conlee from Highpoint Church had previously compared Andy Savage's critics to the devil after it emerged that former teaching pastor Savage had been accused of sexually assaulting Jules Woodson when she was a teenager.

Woodson wrote in a blog post that back in 1998 when she was a 17-year-old high school senior, Savage, aged 22 and youth pastor at Woodlands Parkway Baptist Church in Houston, took advantage of her.

Savage has since taken a leave of absence from the church.

During Sunday morning's service, Conlee stood with his wife, Karin and told members of the church: "What we did here is real. And my heart, for every single one of you, is to never let this transition negate 16 years of fruit, more fruit and much fruit in your life, in the life of your family, in the life of your friends, in your belief in the local church.

"You will know a tree by its fruit, and Highpoint Church is a good tree that bears good fruit."

A letter was shared announcing his resignation last week to members of the church that stated that the church trustees and Conlee had mutually agreed he would step aside from leadership in the church.

Andy Savage and wife

He didn't share details about what he would be doing next but said he was praying and "discerning God's will."

"Even though we don't know the specifics yet, Karin and I are more confident than ever before in our calling, in our gifting, in our anointing," Conlee added.

"And we can assure you that we will spend the rest of our lives doing everything that we possibly can to be a good steward of that calling in order to prove that love works."