CRYSTAL SPRINGS (MS)
Ministry Watch [Matthews NC]
March 24, 2026
By Kim Roberts
Christopher Willett was former pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Crystal Springs, Miss.
A former pastor of a Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) church in Mississippi was sentenced on March 16 to 30 years in prison, with five years suspended.
Christopher Willett, former pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Crystal Springs, Mississippi, was charged in March 2025 with statutory rape, sexual battery, unnatural intercourse, computer luring of a person, and child pornography, according to reporting by ByFaith, the PCA Magazine.
Willett was initially arrested after a 19-year-old woman came to the Crystal Springs Police Department to report she had been molested by Willett beginning when she was 15 years old. The criminal activity took place between September 2020 and December 2021.
The police began its investigation the morning after the victim came forward and executed search warrants on laptops, cell phones, automobiles, and Willett’s home.
Willett was arrested under the pretense of asking him to come to city hall to discuss other matters, Police Chief Robert Thomas told the Clarion Ledger, a technique used for safety because of Willett’s known possession of firearms in his home.
According to Thomas, Willett did not put up a struggle during his arrest, but refused to talk once he was in the interrogation room.
Thomas said after a lengthy interview with the victim on Monday, March 10, 2025, he felt the evidence against Willett was “pretty substantial,” but emphasized that Willett had not been found guilty.
Willett was ordained in 2016 and served at First Presbyterian Church in Crystal Springs starting in 2020.
Grace Presbytery, the denominational regional body of which Willett was a member, voted at its meeting on March 25, 2025, to unanimously and immediately dissolve the pastoral relationship between Willett and the First Presbyterian Church of Crystal Springs, Grace Presbytery Moderator Tommy Shields told MinistryWatch last year.
However, the presbytery decided to wait for the criminal case to be resolved before conducting its own trial. In the meantime, the presbytery suspended him from the ministry.
Earlier this month, on March 13, Willett entered a plea agreement with prosecutors in Copiah County, Miss., agreeing to charges of statutory rape, sexual battery, and incest. The maximum sentence if tried could have been life in prison. However, the plea agreement limited it to a maximum sentence of 30 years.
The judge sentenced Willett to the 30-year maximum with five years of supervised release. He will also be registered as a sex offender.
EDITOR’S NOTE: MinistryWatch exists to help donors become more effective stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. So, 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. Donors who are supporting these ministries need to know this information. Ministry leaders and others can learn lessons from these stories. Victims feel supported. To read more about why and how we report these stories, read “Why MinistryWatch Reports On Sex Crimes.”
Another reason we report on sex crimes is to highlight for ministry and church leaders the importance of employing best practices for hiring and supervising employees in Christian environments.
Below is a list of best practices, curated from content on ministrywatch.com. These are adapted from discussions on Christian ministries, churches, and Christian educational institutions.
Clarifying Mission and Faith-Based Requirements
- Clearly define and document the organization’s religious mission to guide all hiring decisions, ensuring that faith alignment is central.
- Assess personnel needs based on what is required to fulfill the mission, recognizing that requirements may vary by role (e.g., teachers in a Christian school might need to model faith in curriculum delivery).
- Develop detailed job descriptions that explicitly link positions to the mission, including necessary faith commitments, conduct standards, and how they connect to the religious identity.
- Require candidates to affirm a statement of faith (e.g., a restatement of the Apostles’ Creed) to ensure they share the organization’s beliefs, as this is protected under federal laws like Title VII for religious nonprofits.
- Implement policies where employees assent to the mission, receive training on their role in it, are held accountable, and are treated consistently in evaluations or issues.
Avoiding Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest
- Create written anti-nepotism policies prohibiting direct reporting relationships between relatives (e.g., spouses or siblings) and limiting family members’ involvement in hiring, firing, or reviews.
- Establish boundaries to prevent conflicts, such as excluding relatives from decision-making roles in personnel matters.
- Promote transparency and open communication with staff and stakeholders about family hires to build trust and address potential issues.
- Adhere to any denominational guidelines, such as restrictions on family members serving on oversight boards or committees.
- Use resources like sample policies from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and seek professional advice to tailor policies.
Thorough Vetting and Background Checks
- Conduct comprehensive investigations into candidates’ past, especially regarding allegations of misconduct like abuse, using independent firms if needed for objectivity.
- Create confidential channels for reporting concerns or additional information during the hiring process.
- Make relevant assessment findings public (while protecting sensitive details) to demonstrate integrity.
- Include spousal interviews or family vetting to assess overall fit with organizational values, though this should be handled carefully to avoid legal risks.
Legal Compliance and Conduct Expectations
- Hire based on shared faith and mission alignment, as federal law (e.g., Title VII) allows Christian organizations to prioritize believers without discrimination claims.
- Enforce a code of conduct aligned with “Judeo-Christian” values (e.g., prohibiting gossip or certain personal behaviors), but ensure it complies with anti-discrimination laws and does not overreach into protected areas like pregnancy or religion.
- Train new hires on core values, such as working “as unto the Lord,” to integrate them into the ministry culture.
- Be aware of limits: Secular aspects of the organization cannot mandate specific religious practices, and at-will employment allows flexibility but must avoid violations of federal protections.
These practices emphasize stewardship, accountability, and protection against legal challenges, such as those from employment laws or state requirements.