Alabama pastor, church planter accused of armed bank robbery with female accomplice
An Alabama pastor and church planter who led Landmark Church in Phenix City up until at least April 2024 is being held in the Russell County Jail after he was arrested last month in connection with an armed bank robbery along with a female accomplice.
A representative with the Russell County Court confirmed with The Christian Post on Wednesday that 40-year-old former Landmark Church Lead Pastor Kevin Robert McDonald was still in custody following his Dec. 27 arrest in connection with the armed robbery of Phenix City Girard Bank.
Authorities told WRBL that McDonald entered the bank with a handgun and demanded money before taking off with an undisclosed sum. No one was injured and McDonald was arrested and charged in Columbus with first-degree robbery. He has not yet been able to post a $100,000 bond.
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Police later arrested Lindsay Dara Jenkins in connected with the robbery, according to CNAW2 News. She was also charged with first-degree robbery but has posted bail, according to the Russell County Court.
Calls made to Landmark Church by CP seeking comment went unanswered Wednesday, but a cached profile of McDonald from the church’s website said he and his longtime wife, Jennifer, had been saved since January 2009 “and have spent the last 15 years spreading the love of God.”
“Kevin was ordained through Nazarene Bible College. He has pastored churches in California, North Carolina, Kansas and Missouri and planted over 15 new churches along the way,” the profile said of the father of three.
“Kevin’s passion for preaching and living in community with God’s people has enabled him to lead thousands to Christ and baptize over 600 people over the last 15 years.”
Before he knew God, however, McDonald revealed in an interview with Citizen of East Alabama in 2021 that he was a broken drug addict.
“I have only been a Christian for 12 years. Before I was a Christian, I was pretty broken. I was hooked on drugs, alcohol, and many other bad things. When I came to Christ everything changed,” he said.
“He saved me, my marriage and everything else. I was so excited about what Jesus did for me that I wanted to spend the rest of my life sharing this real amazing Good News. Nine years ago, I started as a pastor and have loved every minute of it!”
He further noted in a video on the church’s Facebook page in 2022 that he was discipled by a man who showed up at his door with the Gospel and he just “stepped into it.”
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