Lake Country Church pastor wrongfully fired for looking at inappropriate images, attorney says

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Thursday, September 19, 2024

Scott Crenshaw, the senior pastor of Lake Country Church in Fort Worth, Texas, claims he was wrongfully fired for looking at "inappropriate images" and intends to seek a public apology and reinstatement to his job, says his attorney Mark Lane.

Crenshaw "has not looked at any inappropriate images. That is an absolutely baseless claim on behalf of the elders," Lane told The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "They've engaged in nothing but rumor mill and scandalous discussion with employees with malice."

When contacted about the allegation on Thursday, a church official told The Christian Post that it did not release any information to the public about Crenshaw's termination and did not have any further comment.

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This isn't the first time that Crenshaw has been accused of looking at "inappropriate images" while serving as a pastor.

In 2016, while recovering from cancer and serving as senior pastor of the multi-campus New River Church in Texas, Crenshaw was removed from his post for "viewing inappropriate images" on his computer while he was at work.

In a statement to his church, Crenshaw said he was "sickened and embarrassed" by his actions and stepping away from his leadership role so he could heal.

"First off, I would like to thank the New River family for the prayers, scriptures and encouragement that you have sent me during my cancer journey. Ten days of hospital time, complications and recovery have ended in a clean bill of health from this week's visit to the doctor," the pastor said.

Two years later, in 2018, Lake Country Church hired him. He told CP in an interview about his comeback from a pornography addiction that "Technology was my downfall, but now technology is helping my restoration process."

According to research cited by Mission Frontiers, 68% of church-going men and over 50% of pastors view porn on a regular basis.

Of young Christian adults 18-24 years old, 76% actively search for porn, while 59% of pastors said that married men seek their help for porn use.

Lane said even though Crenshaw joined Lake Country Church's leadership team in 2018, it wasn't until 2020 that he was promoted to serve as the church's senior pastor.

Crenshaw told CP that he went through intensive counseling for his porn addiction after he was dismissed from New River Fellowship. His attorney insists that what happened there "is not relevant to today."

"It's horrible to destroy a man's career," Lane told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Lane further noted that he intends to seek a public apology from Lake Country Church and compensation for damages.

He said when the elders were first made aware of the allegations against Crenshaw, they offered him a 60-day sabbatical with support. They later rescinded that offer and replaced it with a 90-day leave of absence. Two days later, Crenshaw was allegedly fired.

Crenshaw is a Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary graduate and has four children with his wife, Renee, to whom he has been married for 32 years. He also has two grandchildren, according to a cache of his profile scrubbed from the church's website.