TENNESSEE
WISH
KNOXVILLE (WATE) – The pastor of Grace Baptist Church said he is shocked after a children’s pastor at the church was charged for patronizing prostitution and trafficking.
Ron Stewart, the Senior Pastor at Grace Baptist Church said he found out about child youth pastor Jason Kennedy’s arrest when he got a phone call from a friend that knew about the situation that was taking place. Court records say Kennedy negotiated a $100 fee for a half hour of sex with a 15 and 18-year-old girl.
“I was devastated, I was totally shocked. It is something you can not anticipate, in fact I speak about it constantly,” said Stewart. “I have nine other pastors and I speak to them constantly, ‘we are held to a higher standard and what someone else may do and be accepted is not accepted and anything you do will be magnified and we understand much is given, much is required.’ It goes with being a pastor.”
During TBI’s operation to combat human trafficking in Knoxville, 32 people were arrested. However, the only two people charged with trafficking were pastors: Pastor Kennedy and volunteer creative pastor Zubin Parakh at Lifehouse Church in Oak Ridge.
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