LEXINGTON (KY)
The Roys Report [Chicago IL]
July 2, 2024
By Liz Lykins
The pastor of a Kentucky megachurch was arrested Monday for rape and sexual abuse of a minor, according to a press release from the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office.
Zachary King, 47, served as the executive pastor at LexCity Church in Lexington, Kentucky, the Attorney General’s Office said. He resigned from the church, after being confronted by church staff regarding allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a minor, according to an arrest citation obtained by Lex 18 News and other news sites.
According to LinkedIn, King previously served as a campus pastor at Metropolitan Baptist Church (The MET) in Houston and as a youth pastor and Central Team Leader at Lifechurch.tv, developing and training youth staff.
The Roys Report (TRR) reached out to LexCity Church for comment and further information but did not hear back prior to publication.
King is facing six charges, including first and third-degree rape, first and third-degree sodomy, first-degree sexual abuse, and the unlawful use of electronics to engage in sexual acts with a minor, according to Lexington jail records.
King reportedly told police in an interview that he had a sexual relationship with a minor for the last year and a half. He assaulted the then-15-year-old minor, starting in January 2023 and continuing until April 2024, the arrest citation reportedly stated. King said he assaulted the victim at the minor’s home, at King’s residence, and at LexCity Church, Lex 18 News reported.
Additionally, King reportedly used Snapchat and WhatsApp to arrange meetups with the minor and to send and receive sexually explicit images, the arrest citation reportedly stated. King was arraigned in Fayette County on Tuesday afternoon and will next appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Friday. His bond is set at $250,00.
King preached at LexCity Church as recently as Palm Sunday, according to a video on the church’s YouTube page.
This isn’t the first time LexCity Church has made headlines for controversy. Previously known as Quest Community Church, the church relaunched and rebranded to its current name in 2018, according to an Instagram post on its account.
In 2014, the lead and founding pastor of Quest, Peter Hise, discontinued his public ministry after publicly admitting to an extra-marital affair, according to ABC 36.
Hise reportedly said he had an affair with another one of the church’s pastors. Their relationship crossed many boundaries but stopped short of sexual intercourse,
ABC 36 reported.
Because Hise was in a pastoral position of authority over the pastor, many survivor advocates would classify the “affair” as clergy sexual abuse.
At that time, the church had about 5,000 members, ABC 36 added. Currently, the church has more than 4,000 followers on its Facebook page and 3,900 on its Instagram. The church said it seeks to “actively steward our church culture in a way to draw others to join us on a life-changing journey with Christ,” according to its website.
*UPDATE: This article has been updated to include King’s prior employment at The MET and Lifechurch.tv.
Freelance journalist Liz Lykins writes for WORLD Magazine, Christianity Today, Ministry Watch, and other publications.