AROUND two years ago evangelical pastor Aaron Ivey, above, of the Austin Stone Church in Texas, visited Focus on the Family, one of best funded anti-LGBT organisations in America, where he was filmed discussing the necessity of being honest in marriage.
The video, featuring he and his wife Jamie, is now starting to attract negatiive comments after it was reported by Religion News Service that Ivey had been sacked from his job as head pastor after its was discovered that he had been sending multiple “inappropriate” sexual texts to men— one of whom was under-aged—for than a decade.
A statement issued by the church said:
On Monday, February 5th, Aaron Ivey was fired from staff after it came to light that he engaged in inappropriate and explicit ongoing text messages with an adult male …
Since then, we have uncovered multiple similar instances with different individuals dating back to 2011 that show a very clear pattern of predatory manipulation, sexual exploitation, and abuse of influence. Three of the known instances involved adult male individuals. However, one known instance, in 2011, involved a minor male …
The first known instance, which took place with a teenage male victim and continued over time, involved inappropriate and explicit communications, indecent exposure, and the use of alcohol and illegal substances.
A spokesperson for the church, which has been affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, declined to offer additional comment on the allegations and Ivey’s termination.
The elder statement said MinistrySafe, which trains the church’s staff to prevent child abuse, has been alerted about the situation.
As elders, we are heartbroken for the victims and their families. Knowing the Lord’s sheep are worth our protection and our love, we are committed to loving this body and rooting out evil. We know this may affect your trust because we know it certainly has rattled ours.
Jamie Ivey, host of the popular podcast “The Happy Hour,” appeared on “Good Morning America” last Friday to promote her new book, Why Can’t I Get It Together? Afterward, she posted on her Instagram that she was “off to China Town with my man for some epic Chinese food for lunch!” It’s unclear whether she knew at the time of her husband’s firing, RNS reported.
Late Sunday, a post on her instagram said that in the wake of receiving “devastating news while on book tour,” Jamie Ivey was pausing all public appearances. The post, signed by her team, requested prayer and support “for everyone involved who are hurting.”
In 2021, the Iveys wrote “Complement,” a book and accompanying Bible study about marriage. The couple subscribed to a complementarian theology of marriage, which emphasizes male leadership, and spoke on it often.
Aaron Ivey appeared on a 2019 panel hosted by the SBC’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, titled “Faithful Husband, Strong Father: Embracing God’s Design for Manhood in Marriage,” that focused on the role of biblical manhood in marriage.
Aaron Ivey did not respond to requests from RNS for comment.
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