Columbus, OH update

[Sam]

I don't remember if it was on AFF or one of the previous forums that we talked about this. A church in Ohio brought suit against their pastor about the way funds were handled. The pastor had left the church (resigned or was fired) and his father, a previous pastor and an official in the UPC, took over temporarily and urged the congregation to forgive his son. I think the claim in the law suit was that the pastor had not acted according to the church bylaws and the congregation requested return of funds. Because the bylaws contained Scriptural references I think a judge refused to act on the case or he dismissed it. Now after an investigation by the local law enforcement there is new action. This is from a local newspaper in the city.

Two-year investigation
Pastor accused in theft of church's $1 million
Saturday, February 28, 2009 3:15 AM
By Meredith Heagney
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A pastor was accused yesterday of stealing more than $1 million from his former church in Columbus.

David A. Thompson, 46, of Canal Winchester, was indicted by a Franklin County grand jury on 23 counts. Authorities say he stole the money from World of Pentecost Church, 3431 E. Main St.

Charges include theft, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, money laundering, forgery, tampering with records and filing false tax returns. He faces up to 87 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

Prosecutors say Thompson took money from the church between 1998 and 2007 and spent it on personal items, including two cars -- a $30,000 Lincoln Navigator and a $50,125 BMW -- and his Canal Winchester home.

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said the pastor sold 19 acres of church property to the city of Columbus in 2000 for more than $900,000 and kept the money.

Thompson also forged a document giving him permission to borrow money on behalf of the church and used the money and church funds to pay for his house at 6207 Mistover Lane in Canal Winchester, authorities said. He also is accused in a civil suit of using church money to build a swimming pool on his property.

Records show that Thompson bought the house in 1996 for $222,510.

The accusations have saddened the congregation, said Craig Scott, an attorney representing the church. Some of the members have known Thompson, who took over the pulpit from his father in 1995, since he was a child.

"They watched him grow up," Scott said. "This congregation loved him very much."

The church secretary discovered missing money in 2007 and reported it to police, O'Brien said. It took Columbus police two years to investigate the case.

Thompson will be arraigned Monday.

Church members wouldn't speak publicly about the case, but one did express relief that Thompson finally was arrested.

Some members left the church after the accusations against Thompson surfaced, Scott said. The church has a new pastor.

In 2007, 18 members of the World of Pentecost Church filed a lawsuit against Thompson, his father and six church leaders seeking a judgment of nearly $1 million. A judge dismissed the lawsuit because of concerns about wording of the church's bylaws and concerns of ruling on what he considered a religious matter.

New leaders of the church filed another lawsuit on Jan. 16 seeking to recover the money from Thompson and "John Does" to whom he allegedly gave some of the money, Scott said.

Thompson also is a defendant in a lawsuit that claims he defaulted on a credit-card debt of $19,359.

Dispatch reporter Randy Ludlow contributed to this story.

This story can be found at
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content...H.html?sid=101

[commonsense]

Hard to believe these things happen....in church....with pastors.
I've run across minor pastoral money infractions through the years.
This is so sad.

If for no other reason, we should think of the testimony to the community.

[Cindy]

So sad.

[Falla39]

Originally Posted by Sam

I don't remember if it was on AFF or one of the previous forums that we talked about this. A church in Ohio brought suit against their pastor about the way funds were handled. The pastor had left the church (resigned or was fired) and his father, a previous pastor and an official in the UPC, took over temporarily and urged the congregation to forgive his son. I think the claim in the law suit was that the pastor had not acted according to the church bylaws and the congregation requested return of funds. Because the bylaws contained Scriptural references I think a judge refused to act on the case or he dismissed it. Now after an investigation by the local law enforcement there is new action. This is from a local newspaper in the city.

Two-year investigation
Pastor accused in theft of church's $1 million
Saturday, February 28, 2009 3:15 AM
By Meredith Heagney
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A pastor was accused yesterday of stealing more than $1 million from his former church in Columbus.

David A. Thompson, 46, of Canal Winchester, was indicted by a Franklin County grand jury on 23 counts. Authorities say he stole the money from World of Pentecost Church, 3431 E. Main St.

Charges include theft, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, money laundering, forgery, tampering with records and filing false tax returns. He faces up to 87 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

Prosecutors say Thompson took money from the church between 1998 and 2007 and spent it on personal items, including two cars -- a $30,000 Lincoln Navigator and a $50,125 BMW -- and his Canal Winchester home.

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said the pastor sold 19 acres of church property to the city of Columbus in 2000 for more than $900,000 and kept the money.

Thompson also forged a document giving him permission to borrow money on behalf of the church and used the money and church funds to pay for his house at 6207 Mistover Lane in Canal Winchester, authorities said. He also is accused in a civil suit of using church money to build a swimming pool on his property.

Records show that Thompson bought the house in 1996 for $222,510.

The accusations have saddened the congregation, said Craig Scott, an attorney representing the church. Some of the members have known Thompson, who took over the pulpit from his father in 1995, since he was a child.

"They watched him grow up," Scott said. "This congregation loved him very much."

The church secretary discovered missing money in 2007 and reported it to police, O'Brien said. It took Columbus police two years to investigate the case.

Thompson will be arraigned Monday.

Church members wouldn't speak publicly about the case, but one did express relief that Thompson finally was arrested.

Some members left the church after the accusations against Thompson surfaced, Scott said. The church has a new pastor.

In 2007, 18 members of the World of Pentecost Church filed a lawsuit against Thompson, his father and six church leaders seeking a judgment of nearly $1 million. A judge dismissed the lawsuit because of concerns about wording of the church's bylaws and concerns of ruling on what he considered a religious matter.

New leaders of the church filed another lawsuit on Jan. 16 seeking to recover the money from Thompson and "John Does" to whom he allegedly gave some of the money, Scott said.

Thompson also is a defendant in a lawsuit that claims he defaulted on a credit-card debt of $19,359.

Dispatch reporter Randy Ludlow contributed to this story.

This story can be found at
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content...H.html?sid=101

Sad, but as the words of an old song from my childhood echo in my mind.

There's a God whose standing at heaven's door,
He's looking this universe ore.
And He sees each mortal with His seaching eye,
You can't do wrong and get by.

Cho.

You can't do wrong and get by,
No matter how much you may try.
Nothing hidden can be, everything He doth see,
You can't do wrong and get by.

Anyone remember that one!

[bishoph]

While I'm not defending any wrong actions that may have taken place, remember there are two sides to every story. I think MOW may have more inside information (as I think he stated he was advising some on this matter) however, I do know that everything is not a clear cut case here. For the sake of the gospel and the advancement of the kingdom, I hope this will be remedied with as little uproar as possible.

[Margies3]

I just talked with a friend of mine who has known this man since he was a young boy. She, of course, has heard a great deal about this matter. She made the comment that this man's father was very frugal and a big saver. And what a shame it seems that he "inherited" this good situation as a result of his father's self-discipline, but made such a mess of things the way he has.

The other comment that she made was that no church should ever be set up the way this church had been. Apparently the pastor had full control of the finances at this church. She said that when her husband came to the church he pastored, he made sure that things were set up in such a way that there were several who would be able to check and make sure that things had been done above-board and honest. He had learned from his time in Columbus that that was not how he felt it should be done. Good for him

[GraceAmazing]

Is this the same David Thompson that pastored in Huntington, Indiana for a time?

[Sam]

Originally Posted by GraceAmazing

Is this the same David Thompson that pastored in Huntington, Indiana for a time?

I don't know.
I don't know the pastor who has gotten into trouble.
His father's name is George Thompson who is a respected man in Ohio and was District Superintendent from 1969-1975.
If I remember correctly, MOW has spoken highly of Bro. George Thompson.

As someone has said, there are (at least) two sides to every story. This will go through the court system and we'll see what happens there.

[RandyWayne]

I read this story and think, removing the words "pastor" and "pentecostal" from the story, as the list of his accused crimes was read, I think "How could anyone do all this and not think they wouldn't be caught???".

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

I read this story and think, removing the words "pastor" and "pentecostal" from the story, as the list of his accused crimes was read, I think "How could anyone do all this and not think they wouldn't be caught???".

I remember sitting in a closed ministers only meeting at a General Conference once where a brother who was a trained tax attorney spoke giving the proper guidelines and the means for tracking money and accounting in the church.

He closed with a dire warning to those who didn't follow the law in reporting income and skimming from the offerings. He was then beset with numerous questions from men who wanted to begin doing the right thing but what were they to do after so many years of simply doing as they were "taught."

What they had been taught was that they were the 'ox" and that they had no muzzle.