This time it is a "peeping pastor".
Greg Neal, a Jacksonville Baptist pastor at Berean Baptist Church, was found to be videotaping girls undressing in the church.
But unfortunately the statute of limitations of the crime was two years, and it is too late for him to be charged for the act that occurred back in 2001.
And as anyone following the actions of Baptist pastors and churches would expect, instead of the church leaders taking action against their peeping pastor, guess what they did? Yep, they turned the tables on the man who alerted the church members of the evidence against the pastor. They escorted the "evil doer" off church property and according to the man he and others were vilified from the pulpit for wanting to destroy the church.
Any of this sound familiar? Doug Pittman, can you relate?
As reported by Fox-30 Action News (and the Florida Times Union), church member Bill Cochran wrote a letter to his fellow church members at Berean Baptist Church to warn them about evidence he had that their pastor, Greg Neal, had secretly videotaped young women changing clothes in the church.
There were rumors for years about the video tape, but it was never handed over to the police until 2011. The Assistant State Attorney said the evidence against Neal was "clear" and "overwhelming", but charges can't be filed because of the time that has passed.
Here are the quotes from church member Cochran who was vilified by his church for letting the cat out of the bag:
"Finally, I had enough information that I could no longer just sit there and listen to all the lies and the manipulation that was going on."
"I was told it was all a lie. That there was no video tape. There never has been a video tape."
"Those of us who knew the truth and who were gone were portrayed from the pulpit as evil, vile, Satan worshipers, wicked people who wanted to bring down the church."
After Cochran sent his letter to the church members he says he was escorted off the church property. Who knows, maybe he and his wife received trespass papers too?
Th
e Clay County Sheriff's Office says they will release parts of the video tape on Wednesday that clearly show the pastor's guilt. The news report says it shows the pastor setting up the camera, hiding it, and coming back to get it after the girls left.
One other side note to this story is how the Fox-30 news reporter Catherine Varnum was rudely confronted by the burly church bully shown at the right. If you watch the August 15th news report below, you'll see the news reporter at the church asking questions about the allegations against their pastor. The bully came through the front door of the church and got in her face and was extremely aggressive. Maybe Billy the Baptist Bully is just implementing A.C. Soud's FBC Jax Deacon's Resolution 2009-1 and "aggressively confronting" this reporter's "unjust criticism". No surprise that a fundamentalist church like Berean would have one of its leaders treat a woman in that way. Do you think Mr. Tough-guy would have acted so aggressively if the reporter were a man? Don't think so. He should have quoted 1 Cor 14:34 to the reporter: "Women should be silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak, but should be submissive, as the law also says."
The church should be ashamed of their pastor, and of the bully who tried to throw the reporter off the church property.
Berean Baptist Church members: either run off the pastor and the bully above and their buddies, or you yourselves should run as fast as you can to another church...and hope and pray there isn't a video tape somewhere in the pastor's office of YOUR daughter changing clothes.
And the Watchdog will be sure to put the video evidence up for all to see what it looks like when a "man of God" is acting like a "voyeuristic vicar".
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Fox-30 News Report from Tuesday August 16th:
Fox-30 News Report from Monday August 15th:
42 comments:
Les - you might want to go ahead and contact this church, as they might be looking for a new pastor.
:)
Ha, ha!
I'm sure they would rather have a pastor who acted in a movie where half naked girls are depicted than a pastor who actually directed a movie where half naked girls are depicted.
Cognitive Dissonance of Christians not being Christ like is very jarring.
I keep thinking about what arrogance prompted the pastor to hide the tape on Church grounds.
This church has many of the signs of being a cult! The members should RUN not walk!!!
Is there an epidemic?
It is interesting that Greg Neal had a daughter born in 2000. She had a terminal illness and died in August 2001.
Greg Neal set up a foundation.
"Amanda Neal (known as Amanda Panda) was born on November 30, 2000 to Greg and Heather Neal. Shortly after her birth, she contracted RSV and a blood infection. After forty days in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, she was released. Amanda began having seizures and spent seven more months in and out of the hospital. Amanda went to heaven on August 14, 2001. Amanda’s father, Greg Neal, made a promise at her graveside that her life and death would not be in vain."
http://www.amandanealfoundation.org/index.html
Was her birth and death a trigger?
(I'm not excusing his behavior for a nanosecond)
He also wrote two books about her and parental grief.
His father, Tom Neal is the senior pastor, Greg Neal has worked at the church since 1996 and was made co-pastor in 2009.
He has four daughters, I'd worry about them - voyeurs are repeaters.
Bene D
This is disturbing in and of itself, but it leaves me with several other questions:
1) How did anyone beside the pastor know of these tapes?
2) Was a group of men at the church watching the tapes together?
3) What made the church member turn the pastor in after 10 years?
I think there is more to this story.....
Sadly so many things are covered up in churches. Too many pastors and deacons desire no accountability and will quickly result to whatever tactics it takes to keep the truth from being revealed.
The mentality of many Southern Baptist churches seemingly has always been to cover up anything that takes the shine off the pastors and their staff. How many churches have been forced to terminate pastors and staff because of sexual misconduct???? Too many to count. What happens to them???? They are prayed for and given severance pay and moved along to another church. Any similarity between the Baptists and Catholic is duly noted. I had a relative who was a Baptist minister...one of the finest speakers...and pastored many Baptist churches. He was caught and caught again....How can we give any credence to the claim that we should follow God's man in the pulpit with a sheep like mentality....How many people have had signals that something is just not right in their churches and never had the courage to do something? Too many to count, I would think.
Berean Baptist Church. I'm assuming they took the name from the Bereans mentioned in Acts. The Bereans heard Paul's preaching but instead of just taking him for his word, the Bereans searched the scriptures for themselves.
Bereans = Search scripture for themselves even when PAUL THE APOSTLE was preaching to them.
Scripture and history holds them in high regard for doing this.
What happened?
Irony maybe?
hopeandfaith,
It appears this church is NOT Southern Baptist but independent fundamental. The pastor went to Hyles-Anderson (ugh)
WD, good job and sock it to 'em!
Secrets Churches Keep Behind Closed Doors!
That is a shocker! Whatever happened to the character quality for a deacon pastor to be blameless? I guess being blameless is obsolete in the qaulification to be a pastor deacon
Thanks W/D for your open door ministry - you may have to start wearing a bullet proof vest (just kidding as you are wearing the armor of God)
Having been a member of an Independent Fundamental Baptist "church" at one time, years ago, I assure you that many in that sect are at best self-righteous moralists and "white-washed" tombs.
I am afraid more of these stories will come to light in the future. For our culture is permeated with porn and sexualization and objectification of women.
Nothing is shocking anymore. Who knows, it would not shock me if bloggers came out of the closet with some secret sin.
Just look at Chris Hansen and his foibles.
The difference of course being that bloggers aren't running a church.
The church is in bankruptcy and over at the Fighting Fundamentalist Forums, there is no love lost for the Neals.
Tom Neal (father) went on camera yesterday at firstcoast news to say that it was probably someone else who had access to the camera. That in spite of the fact the reporter presented him with information.
This tape was made in the spring of 2001, Tom Neal's daughter didn't die until August.
Bene D
This is such a great site! Used to I had to wait to hear the Baptist dirt from the Baptist grapevine but now I can just come here and get all the dirt I want.
Thanks for being such an asset to the Kingdom of God.
"This is such a great site! Used to I had to wait to hear the Baptist dirt from the Baptist grapevine but now I can just come here and get all the dirt I want."
"Thanks for being such an asset to the Kingdom of God."
Yeah, WD - you should stick your head in the sand and pretend like everything is perfect - like the rest of the kool-aid drinkers.
I don't understand people who attack and criticize bloggers and others for exposing or, God forbid, discussing the failures of church leadership. Their energy seems misplaced. Shining a light on these issues at least has potential for good. Telling us to turn off the light, or to turn in on ourselves instead ignores the real issue. I guess that's what they want. Yes, we should all take a close look at our own lives in the light of God's word, confess, and repent when necessary. However, shouldn't our leaders do the same when these type of issues are so clearly exposed?
Isn't Berean Baptist an independent congregation?
Still, it is a "baptist" church so let's go ahead and smear the SBC too, not forgetting to particularly smear FBCJax.
"Still, it is a "baptist" church so let's go ahead and smear the SBC too, not forgetting to particularly smear FBCJax."
Smear = not ignore the truth.
Your comment is ironic considering that what you suggest (overlooking not only sin but illegal activities) is what caused this problem to go on for a decade.
Wouldn't it have been wiser to follow the Bible's commands and practice church discipline? I mean not just for the members but for the pastor and staff as well.
The church's solution of ignoring the problem and kicking out the person who told the truth didn't work out too well for them did it?
It was said by Seneca:"I'sn't Berean Baptist an independent congregation?
Still, it is a "baptist" church so let's go ahead and smear the SBC too, not forgetting to particularly smear FBCJax."
Sure sounds like Jon Estes to me.
I have taken issue with a few posts on this blog over the years. However, this is not one of them.
There is no reason to defend a person or a church, such as this, if the evidence is as overwhelming as this appears to be. Good job here WD!
Kyle
Tom,
Oh my goodness. Poor Bill Cochran. I can honestly say, Brother I know what you are going through. May GOd be with you!
Let me first say, Bill Cochran, I would love for you to contact me.
Second, anyone who is not familiar with my story - which is related to and the reason for the Georgia Baptist Conventions Anti-Blogging resolution - can read my blog as it was written in 2007 word for word.
Just go to www.gablogger.com see the website as it was written by me starting with Letter 1 in the middle of the page concerning the same type of actions and coverups by the the 2nd in command for the GBC at the time and who is now a GBC employee called " Consultant or "Missionary" for the GBC for over 900 South Georgia churches and leading J Robert White's secretive Calvinist agendas.
You can read Tom's website link for Purify the Church and it will take you to my website too.
This is so wrong.
My question is now, will the Florida Baptist Convention come out with there own Anti Blogging / Anti Media v. 2011 version protecting the Neals?
Thy Peace said...
"I am afraid more of these stories will come to light in the future. For our culture is permeated with porn and sexualization and objectification of women."
Hasn't anyone read the Old Tithing Testament? What was King David's and King Solomon's excuse (no "porn and sexualization and objectification of women" available back then )?
David has been Idolized in the christain faith (David - Psalms and Solomon - Proverbs)while doing the very same thing (any Woman that caught their eye, they either married, added to their Harim or just had sex with - 2 Samuel 6:22 - but no video cameras available back then).
But every sermon you hear, you are taught that David was "A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART"
so everything was just fine and dandy because he finished "strong"?
David was not even forced to resign as he was Anointed into his position and even past it on to his heir, Solomon (as his brothers had been murdered) who was worst that David. Apparently we have more David's amongst us today.
This religion only gets better with time.
"My question is now, will the Florida Baptist Convention come out with there own Anti Blogging / Anti Media v. 2011 version protecting the Neals?"
One More Time; Berean Baptist is an independent Baptist church. Why would the Florida Baptist Convention interject themselves into an independent baptist church' situation?
Sheesh ----- Just when you think you have seen everything, you get this. It is truly amazing how you can tie everything to FBC.
"One More Time; Berean Baptist is an independent Baptist church. Why would the Florida Baptist Convention interject themselves into an independent baptist church' situation?"
SO? Baptist is Baptist Senaca - FBC may not "get their money" as their "sponsor" but they push the same people, belief, and run with the same crowds........
"Sheesh ----- Just when you think you have seen everything, you get this. It is truly amazing how you can tie everything to FBC."
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Unfortunately, Jacksonville is an absolute hotbed of churches that think they are doing Jesus a favor by covering up the deeds of their pastor and church leaders, and who will even go after victims and whistle blowers. This is just another case in a long list.
"Unfortunately, Jacksonville is an absolute hotbed of churches....." W Dog
Sigh, WD, Jacksonville is no more a hot bed of such behavior than any other big city, small city, town, country crossroad.
We're all the same brother - you should know that.
As for Pastor Neal, I am not a better man than he - lust has been a bug-a-boo for most of my life. By the grace of God it isn't worse than it is.
Porf the video are online.-ie: firscoastnews.
Bene D
Seneca:
You said:"As for Pastor Neal, I am not a better man than he - lust has been a bug-a-boo for most of my life. By the grace of God it isn't worse than it is."
Do you care to elaborate?
You know, David’s bad behavior should not deter us from doing what is right today.
Do you care to elaborate?
He was holding the camera.
:-)
years ago I started dating a woman from that church and stopped because of many warning signs -
1. discovered that the minister took many women out on a routing basis for shopping trips - which was a group activity - I thought that very abnormal, and she found nothing wrong with that (=lack of discernment)
2. I would have to be interviewed by the Pastor if I wanted to get serious with her (=none of this business)
3. Could not sit down with her at the service but had to be separated(=totally unacceptable)
4. finally, around the so-called worship space, there are picture of many fundy ministers of yore, almost worshipping them
5. Oh yes, they are vindictive, hateful and think everyone else is wrong, about everything...I remember the terrible things Neal said about Dr Lindsay....
there is only one place that I think is good enough for them, and the recent heat in the southwest gives you an idea where that location is situated...
Thank goodness this guy wasn't caught with a 6 pack or coming out of an ABC......Thought for all....Jesus could not serve as a SS teacher, deacon or preeecher in a an SBC church.....He was single and a wine maker.
Maybe he'll start having visions, too.
(See above story).
Two Blogging web sites about this church/pastor:
Issues about the video and church bankruptcy
Long time Deacon/Member Kicked out
This is the only reason why my friend's mom won't let him go to this church that she was previously a peeping incident that could have been a lie that happened three years ago and i recently join and it seems to be the best i have been to in a long time
I pray that Gods will be done..No matter what. You guys those of us that are Christian should be doing our job. I recently got screwed up totally by and iFB minister, hoewver I hav found another IFB church,,not on purpose that seems to really exercise Gods word the way it should. I am leaving my old church as I know it was wrong however it took some time for my hubby to realize it, manipulation to the tee. I am truly sorry for the preacher though, seriously he obviously only claims to know Christ and me I do, and could never treat someone the way he has. I truly cared about those people whether I agreed with them or not. I think God can and will have his will in this world.I am sad for those that treat Gods people so badlly and feel nothing , it says so much for their soul.I am a Christian a real one, Ihave put up with alot of hypocrisy that I should have stood for God and for that I am sorry to my Lord. However nothing can really be shoved under a rug..Because they can say and do what they like in this life, However it is God who will judge it in the end...We will all stand before him, whether they blv it or not, and they cannot hide their sins, its not biblical..YOU SEE GODS WORD IS TRUE AND EVERY MAN A LIAR>.you confessed your own destiny Preacher? I will allways pray for Gods will , I feel sad for you and your family as you cant possibly know Gods love it could never hurt others as you have. I do pray that you repent before it is too late. I actually have been healed the Lord showed me thru my new blvd grandchild Ezekiel that he is taking care of his Ezekiel 10-13 is clear on the matter>I wondered at this terrible incident that you caused for us, how God saw it..Then he showed me why my new grandbaby was named Ezekiel and why I was to read it, for those of you hurt by any preacher. Please read Ezekiel 3:20 we must pray for those that despitefully use us..thats not that one but another verse in new testamnet that agrees wtih this one. I pray you repent bcz God is not mocked..I have begged you to mk things right it is because of this scripture.I do not wish Gods hand fall upon anyone.I am saved by his blood and understand when we fall, we must pray for one another, unless you did this intentionally then there is nothing I can do for you, but pray anyhow, whatever side you are really on. Only God knows if you are on Gods side, you will follow the bible, if not you will reveal it by yr actions. I dont find any of this funny at all. I am sad for all that fall into this pit of false doctrine over Gods word.You must obey God,you owe him everything..I must say he knows everything..OUR HEARTS, I have not wronged you even spiritually I pray for the very best for all.
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