Black churches have long anchored their communities as spaces of faith, activism, and belonging. Yet like any institution built on human trust, they’ve also weathered moments when that faith was broken by those meant to protect it. Black church leaders have faced serious allegations ranging from financial theft to sexual abuse, forcing congregations to grapple with uncomfortable questions about power and accountability.
Some accusations were denied or settled quietly. Others ended in convictions. Regardless of outcome, each case sparked necessary conversations about what happens when spiritual authority becomes a weapon. Black church leaders whose scandals made headlines have left lasting marks on how communities approach trust and institutional oversight.
Pastor Kenneth Major
This week brought a federal conviction for Louisiana pastor Kenneth Major of the Fifth African Baptist Church in New Orleans and Second New Guide Missionary Baptist Church in Metairie. A jury found him guilty of wire fraud, access device fraud, and obstruction of justice after prosecutors proved he stole over $340,000 from the churches and spent it on gambling, travel, and personal luxuries. When investigators closed in, Major allegedly attempted to cover his tracks.
He faces up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing is set for October.
Eddie Long
Bishop Eddie Long commanded enormous respect in Georgia’s Black Christian circles. As head of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in DeKalb County, he grew the congregation to 25,000 members and became a towering figure in the faith community. His public persona shifted dramatically in 2010 when four young men came forward with allegations of sexual abuse. The timing felt particularly pointed given Long’s well-documented opposition to LGBTQ+ rights.
All lawsuits were settled out of court. Long died in 2017, his legacy permanently complicated by the accusations.
Creflo Dollar
Pastor Creflo Dollar Jr. founded Christian World Changers Church International in Georgia, building a substantial following through his ministry. In 2012, however, his credibility took a blow when he was arrested for assaulting his daughter. Dollar denied the allegations categorically, stating he would never lay hands on his children in anger. The charges were dropped in 2013, but the incident left questions that lingered well beyond dismissal.
Gregory Wayne Jones
Gregory Wayne Jones held positions as both pastor at Liberty Christian Fellowship Church in Idaho and as a daycare instructor, roles that positioned him around children. In April 2025, authorities arrested him on charges of sexual penetration with a foreign object and human sex trafficking. The investigation had been ongoing for months before his arrest. A judge denied his motion to dismiss the case in May, keeping him in custody as investigators prepare for trial and expect more victims to come forward.
Kemtal Glasgow
The Gateway Megachurch in Texas attracted national attention after allegations of child sex abuse against a pastor emerged. The congregation struggled to move forward. In August 2024, Kemtal Glasgow accepted the position, but months later he stepped down citing a “moral failure.” The church offered few details about what prompted his sudden resignation, leaving the community searching for answers once again.
Israel Houghton
Israel Houghton’s infidelity became a public reckoning in 2016 when he confessed to a “personal failure” on Facebook. He had fathered two children with another woman while married for over two decades. His divorce that same year was followed by a quick marriage to singer Adrienne Bailon, who he subsequently wed. The speed of these events raised eyebrows across Christian circles and complicated his standing as a spiritual figure.
John Gray
Megachurch pastor John Gray faced a reckoning in 2020 when a woman came forward with allegations that he paid her for explicit photos. The exposure nearly tanked his marriage and career. Gray and his wife participated in a three-hour public interview where he addressed the infidelity head-on. During the conversation, Gray attributed his behavior to unresolved childhood trauma, offering context though not absolution. His wife stood by him, and they’ve worked to rebuild their relationship publicly.
Errol Wright
In February 2024, a victim filed complaints against Errol Wright of Community Christian Church in Indiana for years of sexual abuse. The allegations were particularly troubling because Wright held a position of legal guardianship over the victim. Police say she reported being assaulted in multiple locations, including inside the church itself. Wright was fired immediately and charged with sexual misconduct with a minor, child seduction, and child solicitation.
James Cleveland
James Cleveland, known as the “King of Gospel” and founder of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, left an enormous mark on religious music before his death in 1991. After he died, however, lawsuits emerged that complicated his legacy. His former foster son, Christopher Harris, alleged that Cleveland had sexually abused him and transmitted HIV to him. The case was settled out of court, leaving the details buried but the damage to Cleveland’s reputation permanent.
Bertheophilus Maurice Bailey
Reverend Bertheophilus Maurice Bailey stepped down from St. Andrew Church in Tulsa in September 2024 after a woman accused him of years of sexual abuse. Harmony Bailey Oates shared her story on Facebook, revealing that Bailey had assaulted her beginning in sixth grade and continuing into adulthood. She alleged he broke into her home shortly after childbirth and attacked her. Bailey faced charges of rape, child sex abuse, and incest. He has since pleaded no contest.
Jesse Jackson
Rev. Jesse Jackson commanded respect as one of the most visible Black voices during the civil rights era and beyond. He even served as a spiritual adviser to President Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. In 2001, his own infidelity became public when he admitted to an affair with Karin Stanford, a woman who worked for him. Stanford gave birth to Jackson’s child in 1999, while he remained married. Jackson died in February 2024, his complicated legacy spanning decades of civil rights work alongside personal failures.
Tony Evans
Tony Evans, founding pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, made headlines in 2024 when he confessed to an undisclosed moral transgression. He stepped away from his pulpit for what the church described as a “restoration process.” When Evans eventually returned, his re-entry raised eyebrows. He described his absence as “an extremely challenging time, a time of being separated from what I love most—the proclamation of God’s word.” The church clarified he would not resume his role as head pastor, suggesting the situation remained unresolved in the community’s eyes.
William C. Pounds III
William C. Pounds III, former pastor of King’s Chapel Memorial CME Church in Perry, Georgia, faced murder charges in connection with the death of his girlfriend Kendra Jackson in 2015. Pounds initially told police Jackson had taken her own life, but investigators quickly found inconsistencies in his story. The truth was darker: Pounds had been juggling two romantic relationships, with plans to marry one woman while keeping the other hidden. He went to Jackson’s home and shot her. Pounds was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Henry Lyons
Reverend Henry Lyons rose to the presidency of the National Baptist Convention in Florida in 1994, leading the largest Black Baptist organization in the country. The position placed him at the center of American religious life. Within three years, however, federal authorities charged him with fraud and extortion. A five-year prison sentence followed, along with public humiliation over his financial misconduct. Lyons lost his reelection campaign, his authority permanently undermined by the scandal.
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