BAILEY'S CROSSROADS (VA)
WNG [Chicago, IL]
July 30, 2026
By Liz Lykins
A Virginia Baptist pastor and church conference speaker was removed from several ministry roles this week as he faces more than a dozen criminal charges. Prosecutors allege that Kenny Baldwin, the lead pastor at Crossroads Baptist Church in Baileys Crossroads, Va., sent sexually explicit messages to a minor. The 47-year-old pastor was charged with 13 offenses, Pennsylvania State Police said last Thursday.
Baldwin is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. He did not return calls to a local TV station that reported on the charges.
On Sunday, Crossroads Baptist Church stated that Baldwin was relieved of all ministry responsibilities. The independent Baptist church is located about a half hour outside of Washington, D.C. Baldwin served as its senior pastor since 2011, according to an archived staff webpage.
Additionally, Veritas Baptist College officials revoked Baldwin’s role on the board of directors at the online Bible college based in Lawrenceburg, Ind. While Baldwin had no formal ties to Pensacola Christian College in Florida, the school also distanced itself from the pastor. Baldwin had previously been a guest speaker at both the college and its teen camp, it said. Two other Virginia churches, where Baldwin spoke as a guest preacher, also issued statements condemning him.
What charges does Baldwin face? According to court records from York County, Pa., his charges included:
- Two felony counts of unlawful contact with a minor
- One felony count of corruption of a minor
- Three misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure
- Six misdemeanor counts of open lewdness
- One misdemeanor count of corruption of a minor
Pennsylvania State Police said Baldwin met the victim while preaching at a church in the state in 2024. At the time, the victim was 15. Baldwin sent the minor multiple explicit images per week until December 2025. Police added that they believe the pastor may have shared explicit images with other children.
Baldwin was released from jail on an $80,000 unsecured bail, according to court records. He will next appear in court for a preliminary hearing in August.
Liz is a reporter covering breaking news and First Amendment freedoms for WORLD. She is a World Journalism Institute graduate and earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism and Spanish from Ball State University. She and her husband currently reside in Raleigh, N.C.