"Just sin is all it was" says US megachurch leader about eight year stalker pastor

SWNS

The leader of a megachurch told his congregation the actions of a former pastor caught on CCTV breaking into congregant's home TWICE after stalking her for eight years was "just sin".  Sergio Guardia, 49, former pastor at the renowned Thomas Road Baptist Church was convicted by a jury last month on two counts of burglary and one count of stalking, according to Lynchburg Circuit Court in Virginia, after he targeted former church member Marie Columna’s home.  The megachurch in Lynchburg — founded by Jerry Falwell Sr. and affiliated with Liberty University — is one of the most celebrated Baptist churches in the country and is affiliated with the scandal-hit Southern Baptist Convention.

Transcript

00:00In the news or perhaps on Facebook or some other social media outlet back in 2023 it was in November of 2023

00:08one of our staff members who served in our Spanish ministry was arrested.

00:13It happened I think on a Saturday night and on Sunday morning I was sitting in my office

00:17about 6.30, 7 o'clock that morning and I got a text from Matt Wilmington

00:22who had gotten a text from someone who saw it in the news, online, I guess on social media

00:28and sent him a story about what happened with this individual who served on our staff

00:34that he had been arrested the night before.

00:37I found out about it right before I came to preach.

00:39We didn't have any details. We didn't know the situation.

00:41We didn't know anything that was going on.

00:43That afternoon I met with the deacons and I shared with them that we had a staff member

00:48who was arrested for stalking and burglary or breaking and entering

00:52and that we'd seen that only in the news, the only information we had that came from that story.

00:57So I shared it with the deacons that day and I told the deacons that afternoon, that Sunday afternoon

01:01that the next day when our team had the opportunity of meeting with him

01:06that certainly his position would be terminated immediately

01:10but what would not terminate is that we as a church would continue to minister to him

01:15and to his family and to the other parties, the victim.

01:18We would minister to all of them because that's what the church is supposed to do.

01:22And so the next afternoon or maybe two afternoons later when he was actually released from jail

01:28one of our pastors went and met with him and shared with him in that moment that your job ends now.

01:34You're no longer employed by Thomas Lowe but certainly we want to do what we can to minister to you

01:39and minister to your family. It's a tragic situation.

01:42What really it is is just it was a stupid decision made by a human

01:47In other words, it was just sin. It's all there was.

01:51And sin breaks everything that it touches.

01:54And so that's what happened that afternoon. So his job was terminated.

01:58A few days after that, one of our pastors talked with the victim in the situation

02:03the other party in the situation and offered to her our prayers, number one

02:08offered to her assistance, any assistance that we could give

02:11offered counseling if she so chose to take advantage of that at no charge

02:16and she made it very clear like if I need something, if I need, you know, I'll certainly reach out

02:21I know how to do that. I'll give you guys a call.

02:23And so that's what took place in those days that following that situation.

02:28The following Sunday after, of course, all the news had come out

02:31all the story of all the details that was taking place.

02:34We went into our Spanish congregation and Louis de Gaulle and Matt Wilmington

02:40and our Spanish pastor sung.

02:42All three of them stood before the Spanish congregation and share with them.

02:46Of course, they already knew because it had been in the newspaper.

02:48But still they shared with them at that point what we knew because all we knew came from the media.

02:54Shared with them. They prayed.

02:56They told them that he, of course, was no longer on our staff.

03:00But then we know that you might just see the family around this church

03:03because again, a church is a place for broken people.

03:06And we want to continue to minister to them.

03:09We also shared that we administer to and we're offering ministry to the other individuals as well.

03:14Now, in the last year, what, five months or so?

03:18I've not spoken about this issue in this room or anywhere.

03:21There's a reason for that.

03:23I've not spoken about it and no one on our team has spoken about it

03:26because it was an ongoing legal case.

03:29And in an ongoing legal case, not even police officers will speak to it.

03:33Not the attorneys will speak to it.

03:34Because obviously there's ramifications for everything you say on every level.

03:38And so we've not spoken about it because it was an ongoing case.

03:41Last week, he went to trial and was adjudicated.

03:44He was found guilty on all charges.

03:47And so today I'm able to stand up and share with you what we did all through this journey.

03:51What we've done all through this whole situation, which has been a tragic situation.

03:55And by the way, understand that in a situation like this, no one wins.

04:00So the family doesn't win.

04:03That staff member who's now been convicted, he doesn't win.

04:07The other party, the victim, the lady, she doesn't win.

04:11The church doesn't win.

04:12And ultimately the body of Christ doesn't win.

04:14And that's what sin does.

04:16When sin comes in, it doesn't just affect one person.

04:19It affects all of us.

04:20And so that's where we are.

04:22Now, I will say this and I will say this clearly to you.

04:26Everything that we have done from the moment that we found out about it,

04:30that Sunday of 2023, everything that we have done,

04:34we have done with one purpose in mind, to make sure we act with integrity

04:38and that we do things biblically.

04:40When our staff member talked with the victim in this situation,

04:43on that first phone call days after it took place,

04:46it was shared with her that we certainly love him,

04:50that our staff member who was arrested, we love him,

04:53we're praying for him and it breaks our heart what happened,

04:56but we love God and his word more.

04:59And he shared with her, make sure that you cooperate fully with the police,

05:03make sure you tell them everything they need to know.

05:06Why?

05:07Because it is more important that we do things biblically and with integrity

05:10than it is to try to hide things.

05:12We're not going to hide anything.

05:13We have acted with integrity.

05:14We've acted biblically.

05:15We've done everything we possibly could with the information we had

05:18and the timing that we had.

05:19We've done everything we can to honor Christ through all of this,

05:22even as difficult as this is.

05:24And I will say this, in this church, in our staff,

05:27we will always act biblically and we will always respond in every situation,

05:32no matter how tragic it might be, to try to reflect the love of Christ first,

05:37but also to reflect the integrity that Christ expects from us

05:41as followers of Christ and certainly leaders in the church,

05:44that we want to make sure we act with integrity in every situation.

05:47And I make that commitment to you.

05:49That is how we will always respond.

05:51It is how we will always act.

05:52It is what we will always do because we do not represent

05:55Thomas Road Baptist Church.

05:56We represent Christ.

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