Hope City Church in Houston, Texas—once touted as the “fastest-growing church in American history”—has just announced that its pastor, Jeremy Foster, has resigned due to an adulterous affair.
Foster’s resignation is the latest in a series of scandals linked to the Association of Related Churches (ARC), one of the largest church planting organizations in North America.
“This week, Pastor Jeremy Foster has confessed to an extramarital affair with a woman not affiliated with Hope City,” Mark Briggs, a Hope City overseer and pastor of Riverpark Church in Shreveport, Louisiana, announced in a YouTube video. Briggs added that Foster would be replaced by Pastors Daniel and Jackie Groves, and he encouraged people to continue supporting the church’s mission.
“Your campus pastor is still your campus pastor,” Briggs said in the video posted January 1. “Your campus is still your campus. And the vision is still the vision. And most of all, God is still your God.”
The announcement regarding Foster’s affair and resignation is posted on the church’s website but not its Facebook account. The resignation is not mentioned at Foster’s personal website or on any of Foster’s social media accounts, which were still active when this article was published.
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Though posted on YouTube, the video announcement is unlisted and is not visible on Hope City’s YouTube homepage or video page.
Hope City was planted as an ARC member church in 2015. Within four years, attendance at Hope City had grown to about 12,000, and the church reportedly had baptized more than 30,000 people, according to Ministry Solutions.
The church also has developed a large social media presence with 165,000 followers on Instagram and YouTube combined. Foster has an even larger social media presence, with more than 231,000 Instagram followers and more than 124,000 followers on Facebook.
Foster says on his website that he was “raised in a family of preachers and cowboys.” He adds that after trying “everything from singing in a rock ‘n’ roll band to bull riding to starting his own business,” he went into ministry.
Foster’s affair follows a string of scandals and lawsuits involving pastors associated with ARC churches.
Just last month, eight employees resigned from Venue Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee, after confronting Lead Pastor Tavner Smith with allegations he was having an affair. Venue was started as an ARC church, and like Hope City, Venue was once one of America’s fastest growing churches.
Last July, Micahn Carter was removed as a pastor at Church of the Highlands, a flagship ARC church in Alabama, after Carter’s former assistant accused him of raping her at Carter’s previous ARC church in Yakima, Washington.
ARC pastors in Florida and Mississippi have also resigned amid accusations of rape or sexual harassment. These pastors and ARC are named in two recent lawsuits, alleging negligence and coverup concerning the pastors’ reported crimes against women.
In keeping with ARC’s model, Hope City is governed by a board of overseers comprised of pastors at other ARC churches around the country.
According to the recent YouTube video, Mitch Rose, pastor at City Hills Church, an ARC church in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas, also serves on Hope City’s Board of Overseers with Mark Briggs.
Hope City’s Board of Overseers is not listed at Hope City’s website. The Roys Report reached out to Hope City, asking for a complete list of members of its Board of Overseers, but the church did not immediately respond.
Foster’s sermons remain posted at Hope City’s website, though Foster has been removed from the church’s leadership page.
Yesterday, the church launched a 21-day prayer and fasting initiative, which Interim Lead Pastors Daniel and Jackie Groves announced in a video on Facebook.
The Groves did not mention the moral fall and resignation of Jeremy Foster. Instead, they said they were “excited” about the new initiative, which they believe will help people “go deeper” with the Holy Spirit and remove distractions.
Pastor Briggs similarly encouraged people to participate in the prayer and fasting initiative, stating in the YouTube video announcement, “There’s no better time to press into the heart of God.”
Briggs did not mention future plans for Foster. However, ARC and Church of the Highlands are known for attempts to restore pastors who have fallen morally. Church of the Highlands is currently building a $4.5 million lodge expressly for “pastors that need rest or restoration.”
In what was likely a nod to ARC leadership, Briggs added, “We’re navigating these difficult and unchartered waters with stellar counsel from leaders who love and believe in the mission of Hope City.”
*This article has been corrected to add that Hope City has posted an announcement about Foster’s resignation at its website.
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84 Responses
It would be interesting to know some statistics about the incidence of adultery and other major moral blowups in ARC churches. What percentage of affiliated congregations/church plants have these issues? How does that compare with percentages in other subgroups?
Are there demographic commonalities among the affected pastors (age, education, geographic origin) or among the churches where they are found (size, location)?
What is with all of these “pastors” and adultery?! This guy couldn’t find anything else to do so he goes into “ministry.” Being a pastor is a high calling and responsibility.
Don’t judge sir. We don’t know all the story.
What “story” do you have in mind that would make the situation non-judgment-worthy? Please be specific in presenting a scenario in which Mr. Foster is something other than a competent adult who chose to commit adultery.
Your story. Sin is sin. His story IS your story. Not saying this should not be reported. Just saying maybe after it’s reported it should be left there.
While we’re all sinners, some folks are more trustworthy than others. Marital fidelity should be a minimum standard for pastoral responsibility. (1 Cor. 4:2)
Cynthia I know adultery is wrong. I was not defending the sin. Should he be held accountable? Most definitely, by the church leadership. Have you listened to their story? Do you know all the details? Do you know or understand the issue of the flesh? Pastors are fallible humans just like us and they can have addiction problems too. I don’t know about the ARC moral blowup you spoke of, but wouldn’t it be foolish for us to say this kind of stuff is just now in our day and age transpiring in the church and only the mega churches. We live immoral world ruled by satan.
If I committed adultery, I would be a competent adult who chose to commit adultery, regardless of what stories I wanted to invoke.
Thank you Dawn. I am devastated myself. I haven’t been a member in a couple of years but still respect Pastor Jeremy and love his family. I am heartbroken for everyone because i know what it’s like to be in the spotlight and still human. No excuses, but at the same time the behavior we see isn’t always a full representation of what’s in the heart. The world is going to say what they are going to say, but the Body has to be in prayer. Yes, accountability is necessary, but so is love.
I agree with you a 100%.
Their sin is out there for everyone to see because of the roles these pastors play in society.
Many people who are here throwing stones should be grateful that their lives are hidden behind closed doors.
We are so quick to judge and sometimes forget that could easily be us if we were also in the spotlight.
“He who is without sin let him cast the first stone”
“Their sin is out there for everyone to see” because publicly exposing sinning pastors is biblical. See 1 Tim. 5:20.
“He who is without sin let him cast the first stone”. This is so often taken out of context. First, nobody is trying to trap Jesus to accuse him. Second, nobody is calling for the stoning of this pastor. Third, the Apostle Paul evidently didn’t get the memo about calling out sin and holding people accountable.
Yes. We are all human. Ravi Zacharias was human. Jimmy Swaggert is human. That is the crux of the problem. I have no standing before God simply because of my humanity. I have no standing before God at all without the covering of the shed blood of Christ.
What if the other person had been an underage child? What if he had embezzled money from the church? Would there be a different opinion of him under those circumstances? It seems that the sin of adultery is viewed as less sinful than others and the perpetrator is somehow a victim.
@ Clifton Brantley
“At the same time the behavior we see isn’t always a full representation of what’s in the heart.”
But adultery is a full representation of what’s in someone’s heart. Where else does this kind of behavior begin? He thought about it and gave himself permission inspite of the multiple admonitions against such behavior.
“19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”
Matthew 15:19
Exactly. Love your reply. All sins are bad. But who are any of us that also sin daily. Not to say he should not be held accountable as we all should be. But he like all of us are human n susceptible to things of the flesh. I’m not saying what he did is okay by far but I am saying we should be taking the good with the good and leaving the bad. I don’t know how many of his sermons that I’ve watched on YouTube that have helped me tremendously. And he has done a tremendous thing with building the church. I just asked that people remember not for his mistakes before the great things he has done. I love those that judgment Day themselves have no room. We all need forgiveness. So instead of doubting this pastor how about we pray for him and thank him for the great things he has done and ask God to help him.
@ TARA F RAMEY
We would be wrong if we said King David didn’t do great things for God. However, God made sure that David’s sins were remembered for billions to read about and deliberate.
I understand that we all sin; however, adultery and a multitude of other sins are, according to the Apostle Paul, sins that Holy Spirit filled Christians should not be guilty of committing. Adultery is a culmination of other sinful behavior, and it is firmly seated in the heart of the adulterer.
One more thing and I’ll try to stop beating a dead horse.
I confess I’m mystified by the number of people coming to his defense because his sermons helped them. His sin does not nullify whatever he preached if it was in accord with the Bible. He did nullify his witness and his qualification to be a pastor or elder. It seems to me that some see him as a victim.
Paul’s epistles have helped billions of people, but who would want to defend his presiding over the stoning of Stephen or his persecution of the church before he became a Christian? King David wrote many of the psalms, and yet God didn’t come to his defense after his adultery with Bathsheba and subsequent murder of her husband. He judged David for his sin instead.
I think it’s safe to say that the ten commandments are ten things that lead to all other sins if disobeyed. If God saw fit to name adultery among those ten things, then how can we not look at it with fear and trembling and not see perpetrators in the same company as idolators, thieves, and the rest? Adultery never, ever just happens. It’s never, ever an accident. There’s always at least some element of premeditation.
Yes, he and his family need prayer. However, there is nothing unholy or judgmental about thinking, “How could you?” I’m sure his own wife has likely already said that to him with complete justification. So much hinges on his truthful answer to that question.
The point is that he is NON REPENTANT. He is the pastor who led us and the church with his wife and he should be cast out if he abandons his family, . hopefully, he will not be sent to an ARC camp to be propped up in another location. Yes, he was led astray as all in authority are under attack, but the BS message we received was not enough. Not for our curiosity, but for our HEALING.
“We accepted his resignation.”That is not healing. Honesty and openness is what heals. His FAMILY founded the church too—not just him. Can’t just sweep it under a rug and act like it never happened. There is a valuable GOD lesson here. I see it in his wife and family, a lesson of growing closer to God.
I am praying for him and for Jennifer and his family. However. His behavior needs to be called out, not just minimized.
There are 2 sides to every story and with agar and experience with walking with the Lord I have to come see that given the right circumstances almost anyone could be capable of things they never thought they would do. Praying for their family and church. Praying for you to be able to see a you grow closer to the Lord as well. We all sin and some are just hidden better. Thank you God for allowing this to come to light. Jeremy Foster is just a man.
Cynthia, Thank-you for reality and pushing back against cheap evangelical grace…
12For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
It seems pretty certain there was an affair. Furthermore the apostle Paul tells us that we should be judging those brothers and sister in the church. “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?” (1 Corinthians 5:12).
Dawn, the Bible is very clear and plain on adultery. There are specific requirements for the role of pastor as found in 1 Timothy 3 & Titus 1. He resigned because of an adulterous relationship. That is enough of the story that we need to know.
Precisely. And we need to leave it, not to “judge” which is to condemn but to discern, address it/call it out that’s what we are to do and then leave it there. Roys does a good work to report, we don’t need to make mince meat of it. If we have additional facts to share it’s better to contact the author of the article than to jump in the judgement seat pointing fingers in the comments. But…That’s my heart though – maybe I’m wrong??
Jill, some things the overseers (who aren’t even part of his church) left out:
Are there other women?
Have they interviewed church staff and those close to Foster to see if there is a pattern?
How long was he in this sexual relationship?
Did he misuse church funds to pursue it?
Have they spoken with the woman?
How old is the woman?
Do they believe he is permanently disqualified from holding such positions of power and spiritual influence, having abused it for his own gratification?
Jill you are 100% right. I normally don’t participate in comments but I feel it Necessary to stand up and defend Jeremy. My heart cry’s for him. It’s hard to be in such a high place of leadership and Christians seem to have Amnesia when someone messes up and they do more damage than the sin committed when they judge. This is why no religion is so prominent in society today.
@ Dawn McDowell
Who is crying for his betrayed wife and children? Who is crying on behalf of the body of Christ?
Forsaking all others is surely the most basic level of obedience when honoring God by honoring your promises to the one God gave to you. Surely he’s no simpleton who accidentally stumbled into a woman with poor boundaries. Surely as an experienced minister of the gospel of Christ, he put appropriate boundaries in place. Surely he’s aware of the devastation King David wrought on his house and kingdom. Surely he’s aware of the many verses where God promises judgment on adulterers and others involved in sexual sins. Surely he’s no victim.
While God spared the lives of David and Bathsheba, death was still part of God’s judgment. That was something David had to watch. Three children were the price of his sin. So what defense can this pastor or anyone else offer that doesn’t begin and end with “I have sinned”?
I know what the bible says about adultery, not condoning it. You came across like you are above such a sin and every story should look like yours with the word pastor and ministry in quotation marks. “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” 1Cor. 10:12. Yes we are to judge such actions with love and grace within the church, you attacked him with malice and pride. The leaders of the church handled the situation and now every “Christian” wants to kick him while he is down. Jesus said, “Let he who is without sin throw the first stone.” John 8:7 Jeremy repented and stepped down and the church is helping him and his family get through. The church isn’t a building for the saints, it’s a hospital for the sick, everyone is sick. The fact he had and affair is not what the Godless or growing Christians are looking at right now, its the Christians, or should I say Pharisees, persecuting other Christians for sinning.
If I come across as someone without sin, I know I’m as sinful as they come. However, I’m also mindful of Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:3,
“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.”
And yes, we are referred to as saints, not just people continually spiritually sick.
You mentioned John 8:7 about the woman caught in adultery. Neither I nor anyone else is proposing that this pastor be stoned. I will say that adultery is a consummate act of selfishness that many seem to want to gloss over when a pastor is involved. Excuses ranging from demonic influence to spiritual exhaustion are offered as a means of making victims of culpable humans with executive brain functions.
At one time, I was greatly edified by the books and talks from Ravi Zacharias. Now knowing the depths of his depravity, I can no longer read his books or listen to anything he said. Is my reaction an example of casting stones at a dead man?
Ultimately, I believe what many people are concerned about is accountability before God and the body of Christ at large. Is there already a pre-planned narrative that leads back to his restoration into another pulpit? Are there no sins that are disqualifying? Again, who is helping the true victims here, his betrayed wife and children?
@ Peter that comment was not for you. Not sure how it ended up under yours. That was a comment fo @ Don
@ DAWN MCDOWELL
@ Peter that comment was not for you. Not sure how it ended up under yours. That was a comment fo @ Don”
I understand how that happens. At least once for another article, I replied to two different people and it ended up looking like I replied to myself. I didn’t put a name at the top of the comment either that identified who I was responding to, hence the confusion.
For what it’s worth, I know he has meant something to you personally, and you probably see him as a hero. Those situations are always the hardest to deal with. I’ve lost several such heroes over the years. It’s painful. Some were probably idols for me, so I needed to understand that.
THANK you, Dawn. Well said. It’s easy to criticize; teens do it naturally. It’s hard to forgive.
“The church isn’t a building for the saints, but a hospital for the sick.” That’s a really weird statement and not biblical. Just cultural mumbo jumbo. I hope that man finds grace and peace. 1 Corinthians 5:12, NIV: What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
At the end of the day we are all human beings who fall short of the glory of God. We all have sin in our lives and none is greater than the other. Jeremy Foster touched lives and was a vessel and he confessed! He did what he was supposed to and he is still man. Do I feel horrible for Jennifer and the kids ? Of course but Jeremy is still a man Of God and dealing with his sin like we are supposed to do every day. Take up your cross!! You dont have to know the story because its still being written as it is for every one of us. Praise God for Jeremy and prayer to God for his family and congregation!! Judge what you will but like I said at the end of the day, month , year…we all fall short no matter what the circumstance! Thank you Jeremy for all your messages!
YES JUDGE. 1 Corinthians 5:12, NIV: What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
Which probably makes him more of a target of the enemy. Praying for their whole family and the church. God will restore and heal
When I was a student at Moody I took a pastoral class from Dr. Dwight Perry. He mentioned a pastor I had not heard of. He said, this pastor wrote books, spoke across the country, and had a huge church. His point was we didn’t know who this pastor was because he had had an affair and got ousted from the ministry. He said this was probably not this pastor’s plan when he entered ministry to get it built up and then have it come crashing down. So Dr. Perry called us to a holy life. I appreciated him for this.
You also have to know he is human above anything else, try not to sound perfect.
Perhaps the one thing that has made John MacArthur very unpopular on religious grounds has been his consistent stance on adultery and he has had this stance for over 30 years.
https://www.gty.org/library/articles/A256/should-fallen-pastors-be-restored
Now, lf his stance for staying out of politics had been just as consistent!
If only John MacArthur was willing to hold men accountable who abuse their children, instead of excommunicating the mother of the abused child…and if only he was willing to be transparent about the millions and millions of dollars he makes and his family makes off of his ministry: https://julieroys.com/macarthur-shamed-excommunicated-mother-take-back-child-abuser/
So while I believe in accountability for betraying the trust of his wife and family and church family and the body of Christ, John MacArthur is not someone with credibility when he blindly support abusive men, despite his written position.
While there does not seem to be any words about repentance for Jeremy’s affair, it is sad that it has devastated his wife and family, while many rush to offer support for Jeremy.
While I understand that these things will happen I have a hard time understanding how often they seem to happen within ministry. Is it just a case of social media making these stories more well known than in the past or is it indeed happening that much more often?
Yes, social media is making these stories more well known. Roys seems to report on nearly every major sin committed by influential evangelicals that she can find a lot of info on (and I believe that she probably doesn’t report on everything that she hears about.) Roys doesn’t (and couldn’t) report on the tens of thousands of ministry leaders who aren’t having affairs and are being faithful to God in their contexts.
Given that adultery in Christian Church context, is a crash and burn outcome for a Church pastor or leader, then why do people do it with all its rather terminal risks. This holding whether you are outed as an adulterer, or not. With the former your reputation and position collapse across externals; while with the latter a collapse around a lie needing to be kept hidden, is probably the worse of the two outcomes.
I think it would be wise to ask and answer the question (as best can) regards motivations and impulses, as opposed to dwelling exclusively on the debris of the crash (significant as that is). Again, how do such Christian pastors and leaders experience and understand their being, when once they have gone down this particular pathway. Again, asking and answering this question, seems important.
I suspect that any answers that we can come up with, will struggle to match the actuality of what is going in in the being of the persons so involved.
I suspect that the common and formal Church approach, of confession and contrition and pastoral support for the fallen, while important in its own right; wont always be up to the task of asking and answering the questions involved in all this at the human and spiritual level.
All this being an issue separate from asking and answering the questions associated with institutional failings associated with such falls from grace.
This is the fruit of the church planting fad of the last two decades. We focused on how fast we could plant churches and not how well we could prepare the planters.
E.M. bounds said, “God’s plan is to make much of the man, far more of him than of anything else. Men are God’s method. The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.”
We were focused on methods and forgot about the men. We thought churches were growing and in actuality they were just swelling. God have mercy on us all!
John, I concur. We have substituted charisma for character as an essential quality. In fact, our western educational approach to preparing ministers does not and cannot examine or develop character. After earning two degrees and then serving as a full time professor of evangelism and church in one of the largest seminaries in the US for 11 years, I have now helped to found a competency based equipping seminary. We work to develop competency in knowledge, skill AND character with in context training guided by three mentors.
This is a whole lot of smoke AND fire. This kind of filth comes straight from the top, similar how the rot at Liberty started solely with JF Sr.
Was it truly an *adulterous* relaitionship or was it clergy abuse?
Hi Dee. These “overseers” cautiously stated Jeremy had “confessed to an extramarital affair with a woman not affiliated with Hope City”. They were careful to not stipulate whether the woman knew Jeremy through any other pastoral relationships.
Jeremy did a copious amount of guest speaking throughout Texas, Louisiana and other states. A large part of his “ministry” appeared to be “itinerant” even after he planted Hope City in 2015. Jeremy came into contact with thousands of girls and is always operating in comedic-pastor-ministry mode. I have personally witnessed Jeremy openly flirt with teenage & young adult flock members and staffers at a different Texas church. The man revels in being “ratchet” and weaves his pride in his ratchet ways into his sermons.
Even as a guest pastor, Jeremy’s nature and demeanor was sleazy to the core, particularly as directed towards young females. Therefore, it seems unlikely this was an isolated incident, IMO.
Jeremy Foster having ANY degree of sexual contact (including standard making out) is class 2 felony sexual assault in the state of Texas, provided the sexual contact was with someone whom Jeremy was ministering to. He does not need to be their official pastor. The lack of consent is about the victim’s vulnerability, as they open up to any pastor regarding confidential/spiritual issues. If readers know of anyone in this position, please urge them to seek legal counsel immediately. Most clergy abuse cases are handled on a contingency basis, meaning victims do not have to put up any money to pursue justice. The lawyer can also help victims to file any relevant criminal charges. If you don’t know a good clergy sex abuse lawyer, contact Boz Tchividjian. He is HQ’d in Florida, but has affiliates he works with in other states.
Amy
I just left a tweet which reflects what you said here although I hadn’t read it first. Was she someone associated with the ARC? Also, will he go to Chris Hodges program for pastors who fall? I think he’ll be back.
I guarantee you he will be back, and probably fairly quickly. ARC is proud of being led by pastors who were personally involved in sex scandals as well as those who help cover them up. Adultery is a feature, not a bug, at ARC.
Foster will be well taken care of in the mean time, by both Hope City and Gateway. Jeremy was a personal favorite of Robert Morris, who is the head of the wealthiest church in North America, ARC church Gateway of Southlake,TX. Gateway was a charter member of ARC. Robert and Jeremy have much in common. Robert had Jeremy personally “shepherding” his daughter Elaine and her husband Ethan, who planted a Gateway church in Houston a few years back.
Hodges/ARC/Gateway will offer help in rebranding, then relaunching Foster after a suitable “season of healing” for Jeremy takes place. No season of paid healing for the woman, btw. ARC is worse than Hollywood. At least cannibal fantasist/misogynist Armie Hammer had to go to full time rehab for 9 months before the studios would release his latest movie. Coincidentally, the Hammer family is big into Church of Foursquare and the Dream Centers (who have strong ties to ARC), so Armie’s sex abuse should not have been completely unexpected. Armie’s dad, Michael Hammer, who still runs a school in the Caymans for disadvantaged children (hmmm…), kept a 7 foot tall sadomasochistic “sex throne” inside the Armand Hammer Foundation headquarters in Carpinteria, a billionaire haven, next to Montecito, while he was helping to helm the Dream Centers, which take in teen runaways.
Entertainment based megachurches continue to reign supreme in terms of supporting disqualified and abusive leaders. Even over Hollywood.
I was brought up in a Scottish town of about 2,000 souls (maybe 3,000 with an agricultural hinterland), under Church of Scotland aegis. We had three grand stone Churches, all Protestant, a Roman Catholic timber chapel, and a populace with a spectrum of takes on things spiritual. Only in the bakeries were denominational lines evident: one bakery serving the COS, one serving the RCC, a third serving the remainder.
The bottom line in the general circumstance was, are we good citizens of the town, are we good neighbours to one another. Each Church had its doors open to all of us, each congregant might feed us as we were friends of their children. As children we swarmed all over the denominational lines. Made use of every denominational building.
I liked that variant of “good enough” Christians.
Going through further education and into adult life, I encountered numerous other systematic views on human life and its context and circumstance. Amongst those were what I might call “cognitive fundamentalists”: that is persons and denominations who seek literal meaning and guidance from the scripts of their various founding teachings; where what they so glean, in principle allows for remediation of their being.
My background fulcrummed on Jesus. A setting drew us to contemplate the meaning of God, in a raising of ones eyes to the hills manner. Christ was then a boundary condition, a permeable membrane.
In Christian cognitive fundamentalism, it seems to me, Christ becomes the fulcrum, and the idea of a community grounded good-enough Christian, is seen as no longer good enough. I then can but look at what befalls some Pastors and leaders of American evangelicalism, in terms of this laying aside of the “good enough” standard. Run any system too hot, and eventually it will jam as tolerances prove inadequate.
I have been a member of Hope City for several years and have seen the impact that it has had in schools and the community. Pastor Jeremy Foster is an excellent Pastor and a great human being who I believe genuinely love God and his family. King David was a mighty man of God as was King Solomon, both of whom fell to temptation and suffered consequences and were disciplined by God.
Our hearts should not be condemning this man of God but should be hopeful for his rehabilitation. We are all human, and we have all fallen short of the glory of God. Pastor Jeremy is also human, not that he shouldn’t be held to a higher standard or be held accountable, but at the end of the day he is still influenced by temptation like everyone else!!!!
It is my understanding that he confessed which shows accountability, conviction and remorse!!!!
My heart breaks for the entire Foster family, including Jeremy.
I hope abs pray for his rehabilitation and that all of the good that Lord has accomplished through him will not be forgotten.
Confession is not necessarily an indicator of remorse/contrition or repentance. Many will confess only when it’s certain that their extracurricular activities are about to be broadcast to the world. That information wasn’t given in this story.
You mentioned David’s confession, which could be interpreted as involuntary after Nathan trapped him with his own moral outrage against the lamb thief from Nathan’s story. Three of his children died as a result of his sin. One of them tried to kill him, and the sword never departed his house. God restored him, but judgment was severe. We should tremble knowing that God had zero intention of papering over or winking at David’s sin.
For a spirit filled Christian to commit adultery, you have to create a fantasy world where the God who gave mankind the 7th commandment doesn’t exist. These kinds of sins don’t just happen anymore than a golden calf magically popped out of the fire when God was delivering the commandments to Moses, even though that’s pretty much the narrative Aaron gave. Multiple, conscious, God dishonoring decisions were made. God was mocked and someone’s witness and reputation lies in ruins. Rather than rehabilitation, we should hope for something more Biblical along the lines of true repentance and restoration to the family he trampled upon.
The oft-used predictable King David defense is resurrected yet again.
This defense compares apples with oranges. King David was an OT anointed political king. Pastor Foster was a minister of the NT gospel. Please stop comparing the two to excuse wolfish behavior.
Sandra –
The analogy does hold.
At that point in time, the king of Israel was to be both a political and anointed spiritual leader of God’s chosen people. (I mean, we read about God choosing and anointing David as a young boy over all of his older brothers, including the eldest, who traditionally would have been selected!) That is why God was striking down kings who were idolatrous, disobeyed Him, and/or misled His people.
It is also why Saul was told he would lose the throne to David.
By their FRUITS YOU SHALL KNOW THEM!
Period no discussion needed or psycho Analysis!
These corrupt ARC churches are simply birthed straight out of the pit of Hell to bring a stain to the real church of God
These men so called are self appointed and not called ! All of them!
This new video of the gimmick of prayer and fasting for 21 days is just that !
The fasting and prayer should only come from the cons I mean leaders of prayer and fasting for REPENTANCE ONLY!
Congregants in the meantime should flee and demand a refund for all their tithes and donations !
One of the things that these ARC churches tend to include in their “fasts” is social media and reading any online stories regarding fallen pastors. This will dovetail nicely into ARC and Hope City’s need to control the narrative which, in turn, helps them to control the giving units.
“Church of the Highlands is currently building a $4.5 million lodge expressly for “pastors that need rest or restoration.” You’re going to need a bigger building!
As a long time vistor to Hope City. Yes, of course I’m sadden to hear of this. HOWEVER, I thank God after admitting affair or being revealed; Pastor Foster step down to forcus on self and family, and didn’t allow SELF to keep him as head Pastor as of right now, which could have interfred with building God’s Kingdom. Praying for the Church Family and Pastor Foster Family. It is well!!
It’s interesting that Mr. Foster has not taken down his personal website and the “Request to Speak” button remains active. https://jeremyfoster.org/
What could he possibly say from any pulpit that would not further dishonor God and his own family? Maybe he’s in denial and hasn’t fully come to grips with the fact that he blew up his marriage and his ministry.
What’s worse is he’s probably telling his wife multiple times a day how much he loves her. I wouldn’t doubt she’s feeling quite bit of pressure to accept his words as truth when his actions told a different story. I believe she’s the one in the worst position right now.
Amy says: “Jeremy Foster having ANY degree of sexual contact (including standard making out) is class 2 felony sexual assault in the state of Texas, provided the sexual contact was with someone whom Jeremy was ministering to. He does not need to be their official pastor. The lack of consent is about the victim’s vulnerability, as they open up to any pastor regarding confidential/spiritual issues.”
In practice, I sense, such a Class 2 Felony indict might be hard to prove beyond reasonable doubt. I say that not to oppose what Amy intends, but simply to remain mindful of the difficulties of proving each and every interconnected point of such an indictment. Proving or disproving “ministering”, invites arguments from all points of the legal and philosophical compass.
What can be said with little or no prospect of being contradicted, is: that Amy and others she is in alliance with; are putting together something of a watertight perspective on what this alliance are concerned with in the Church.
What then has to be noted, is: that as things stand; this perspective is ideologically grounded (that is, persuasive for its activist aherents). Where to move to being empirically grounded (culturally and politically supported): it has to win test cases, probably in a court of law; and subsequently draw in a wider and less-activist constituency of support.
I guess the phrase “Everything is bigger in Texas”… applies here…
Two questions I have are:
1. What additional sexually inappropriate relationships did Jeremy Foster have while ministering at Hope City?
2. To what journalist should the young ladies send their information regarding Jeremy Foster’s inappropriate relationships?
In this way, the answers to the two questions will reveal any in-grained patterns of abuse and also at the same time take away control of the narrative from the overseers…
So sad finally found a tv pastor that held my interest and all the family seminars and people holding him accountable. Feel bad for his wife Jennifer and his sweet children what a shame and disappointment preach it but didn’t live it.
It’s sad cause nobody talked about when he was doing good but people are quick when it’s something bad. Hope city is a great church and he’s human just like us just let him get healed because he still has a calling on his life.
Nobody talked about the pastor of a megachurch that went from nothing to 12,000 members in five years? I have a hard time believing that.
On the contrary, he seems to have been quite famous, to his own destruction.
We are looking at this situation from too narrow of a perspective. God has used Jeremy in a powerful way in my life and many others, God uses broken people to share His love. The sin he committed doesn’t mean God won’t use him any more. Yes, he has some serious issues he needs to work out, but sometimes you don’t know what issue until you fall on your face. My heart goes out to the whole family and my church. God can restore all things, including their marriage, and He’s going to show us something big. Let’s try looking beyond the surface mistake to his heart. Mark 10:2-12 Jesus said because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. Getting divorced and remarrying is also considered adultery, any divorced people? Matt. 22: 37-40 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
I’m sorry but adultery is never a mistake. A mistake is accidentally getting whole milk instead of the 2% you normally drink. It’s putting a cake in the oven without turning it on.
Adultery is always a heart issue. It’s always conscious and always willful. It’s also an indicator of someone’s overall spiritual condition given that many other sins find their ultimate expression in adultery.
Are you sure it’s not abuse? He’s supposed to be the one who speaks for God in the room.
Unless she has no interest in Christianity or is herself a highly influential Christian.
“Let’s try looking beyond the surface mistake to his heart.”
This seems to imply that if we did that (how?), we would see that there’s something special about his heart that makes it no big deal if he commits adultery. Is he the only one with that special heart? Is it the same for every clergyman who commits adultery? Every man, period?
Let’s look at the heart of his extramarital sex partner, too. If Mr. Foster is something other than a competent adult who chose to commit adultery, then surely the woman involved must also have the special “adultery is no big deal” heart.
“God can restore all things, including their marriage, and He’s going to show us something big.”
That’s exactly what Lysa TerKeurst said had happened with her marriage, until Whoops! He did it again.
Best wishes to Mr. Foster’s wife and children.
@ Cynthia Wright
Yes. Excellent reply.
I would add that a person who is not a competent adult has no business being a pastor. Politics would be a better career choice.
Loren Martin, I agree. If he has the human capacity to be a pastor, then the same human capacity makes him responsible for his choice to commit adultery.
Also, the point regarding politics seems spot on.
The lodge is filling up fast
Accountability for one’s actions is necessary and appropriate. So is forgiveness. We are very good at the first but often lacking in the second. Food for thought.
It seems really so common now that a Houston Pastor is always on the news and going around having affairs. My take is that to be spiritual leaders, you have to practice what you preach. The only one whose sermons I listen to is Keion Henderson, https://www.keionhenderson.com/ and I really think he is genuine leader of our church!
sorry to break the news to you but Pastor Keion had an adulterous affair to on his ex-wife with multitude of women before marrying Shaunie.
GOD uncover and reviel pray for PASTOR and his family standing on Psalm 37and Psalm 23
I’m not saying that it’s ok, I’m not making excuses. We all fall down at some point in our life. We sin, but his sin isn’t bigger than my sin or yours. But when we fall down, we get back up. God doesn’t allow us to stay down. God forgives us as we should forgive others. Who are we to Judge? Wouldn’t that make us the biggest hypocrites, we should be there for them more than ever. When you mention their name, let it be in your prayers and not gossiping. I love this family and I’m praying for this road to be easy for them.
@Kizzy and others who keep labeling people as judging:
No one is judging. Please don’t take comments personally. He made the decision to please himself. Do you think
that the Holy Spirit would just speak softly in a whisper and hope that this pastor will hear the warning?
This man who stood pretty high, stood as a man who had decided to commit his life to God and take a very nice salary from people who gave from their “hearts” and hard earned money.
He then instructed them from an unrepentent head of knowledge.
It was his decision. And we all make our own decisions.
God bless his family and may he find work in which he and his family can take time to mend the rip and hopefully volunteer to work in something together to show God’s glory that exemplifies what He wants to do for everyone.
i will truly miss this family in my prayers and no matter what i will not judge i know his prayers and teaching went with out question
Lifting up all Pastors and Church Leaders in prayer. May God grant them the strength to overcome the trials of the world and also to abide in the Word and dwell closely with their advocate, the Holy Spirit. I pray for Divine Protection and the Covering of the Blood of Jesus over all who have said yes to the Calling.
May the Peace of God that surpasses all understanding be with us all.
Amen!!
I truly agree that a pastor must practice what he preaches. It is just right for this man to leave and really consider taking some time of solace to reflect. That is why truly admire good Houston pastors like Keion Henderson, https://www.keionhenderson.com/ whose sermons are really inspirational and motivational!
There has been so much crisis and drama in numerous Christian churches in Houston and I am just blessed that our church here in https://lhhouston.church/ has truly weathered the storms of the times and has been growing! Even our pastor continues to be strong and upright and upholds God’s commandments and guides us!
Congregations need to rigorously, regularly and earnestly pray for their pastors in the area of sexual temptation. I pray the Lord intervenes in the lives of every pastor who has fallen, to restore them and their families to hope and redemption. It is right to ask them to step down, but we cannot give up on these who have stumbled in the area of their greatest weakness.