Deep Thoughts: Youth pastor Gregory Forehand arrested

Monday, August 06, 2012

Youth pastor Gregory Forehand arrested

Youth pastor Gregory Douglas Forehand was arrested for allegedly molesting a 16-year-old boy in 2005. Forehand is the youth pastor at Real Life Christian Church. He is 40.

The victim was 16 years old at the time of the abuse. It was reported that he had been sexually abused by the youth minister on several occasions at the suspect’s home, according to police.
Investigators learned that children would stay over at the suspect’s home for church events.
Source: Va. Beach youth minister charged with abusing boy

I sent a tweet to the church asking why they allowed their youth pastor to have sleepovers.

@rlcconline saw the news about Pastor Forehand. Why did you allow him to have sleepovers with the kids?

So far, no response.

***Update 9/10/13: Greg Forehand was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Pedophiles

Comments (77)

Logging you in...

Dashboard | Edit profile | Logout

Logged in as

0 Vote up Vote down

Jack 119p · 663 weeks ago

I don't get the thing about the sleepovers. It would be different if they were held at the church with other adults present, but to have them at the youth pastor's house seems like it should have raised some flags.

1 reply · active 663 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

Bob · 663 weeks ago

This guy preached the gospel to us....this guy just adopted 2 kids and wasn't married which I thought was odd ......he really seamed genuine......I am really in shock.....all one can do is pray for him.....I hope what he is accused of isn't true

15 replies · active 663 weeks ago

+7 Vote up Vote down

Kristy · 663 weeks ago

Hey guys, whatever happened to "innocent until proven guilty"? I too, know him and if what he has been accused of is true then more power to the courts. The problem for me is that it is considered an "allegation" which means that someone accused him of something which has not been proven, it's been "alleged"
yet he is on the chopping block already. Anyone can say anything. Freedom of speech, but is it fair to prosecute someone before all the facts have been examined? Don't get me wrong, if any child has been hurt in any way, I truly feel awful for them and for their family. I would never downplay the longivity of that type of pain but we can't just ......react because the thought of it is so sad and ugly.

Kristy

2 replies · active 663 weeks ago

+5 Vote up Vote down

HumanBeing · 663 weeks ago

i feel like you should report on a closed case, just because you report "facts" doesn't make it a closed case, moreover, the truth. You say people are biased because they know the man, you are biased by saying you have reported over 1300 cases and statistics show he is guilty. I feel like you need to do some deep thinking before you go posting things that are "allegedly" true

9 replies · active 663 weeks ago

-5 Vote up Vote down

Ggreybeard · 663 weeks ago

What astonishing responses. Sexual abuse by pastors, priests and church youth workers is so rampant that you would have to have your head permanently in the sand not to be aware how prevalent it is.

Churches are plainly failing in their duty to adequately screen personnel who come into contact with young people. Parents are gullibly handing their children over to predators who masquerade as "lovers of Christ". Congregations are denying the evidence because he "preached the gospel to them".

Wake up to reality and keep your children away. I kept my children from religion and allowed them to make their own minds up about it when they became adults.

As for praying for a forty year old man who was arrested for allegedly molesting a 16-year-old - you must be mentally ill. What exactly do you want your god to do? Change the facts? Cause a miscarriage of justice? Get him declared innocent even if he is guilty? Cause the judge to give him a lenient sentence? Something else?......

5 replies · active 625 weeks ago

-9 Vote up Vote down

Ggreybeard · 663 weeks ago

...Praying is like picking up the phone and talking to the dial tone. There is no-one listening.

However, I would have thought, if you really, really, really believe praying is a useful tool, that you would be praying for the victims of church propagated sex crimes, not the alleged perpetrators. The victim in this case has been through an experience which will affect her for the rest of her life but you urge praying for the alleged molester?

Mojoey has bravely reported 1,300 cases and I am sure that he is well aware that they are only the tip of the iceberg. I've read hundreds of them with horror, and reading the respondees comments here - to pray for a pedophile, not the victim, fills me with utter disgust.

4 replies · active 663 weeks ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

Isabella · 663 weeks ago

Actually he confessed. It's not being reported by the newspaper, and I can't tell you how I know. But he did admit to it. I actually have respect for him for not denying it.

8 replies · active 663 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

gten 29p · 663 weeks ago

Guys, we didnt have a church back in 2005 and 2006. We met in high School gyms and cafeterias. Its not church like you all think its church. We played sports, music, and learned about god. There were many other parents present at these lock ins. Not just Doug. Same as it would be for AAU teams etc.

-5 Vote up Vote down

disgusted · 663 weeks ago

I can say that he did do this... I went to this church and a friend of mine told me about Doug doing stuff to him and that was before the time frame for what this victim is claiming. That person is struggling on whether or not to come forward, as I am sure others are. I get the need to defend him. Don't. He's been doing this since the church was run out of the cafeteria of that school.

4 replies · active 663 weeks ago

+14 Vote up Vote down

NTM · 663 weeks ago

I am praying for EVERYONE involved---as a Christian, it is not our duty to judge--the courts and the Lord will do this---I pray for Doug because if this did happen he is obviously in need of prayer, I cannot imagine having this secret for so long and then finally being discovered--he has a long road ahead of him regardless of guilt or innocence. I pray for any child/children that were involved because they too have been living with a secret and have much healing needed as well as their families. I pray for each member of the church especially the leaders as they have been devastated with this news. I look back over the years and wonder if I too should have questioned more. I have known Doug for over 15 years and although it is much easier to now look at sometimes in the past that may have seemed odd we did not question anything because of the person we thought we knew---we knew his parents and never saw anything other than a people who loved God ---this has truly opened my eyes as far as, it could be anyone accused of this same crime tomorrow--your own best friend, neighbor, spouse, or brother----never assume you know someone 100% ---- Satan knows everyone and we all have weaknesses that could come out at anytime regardless of how "pure' we seem.

-5 Vote up Vote down

Lurker111 · 663 weeks ago

I swear, if I wrote a fiction story about a situation like this and named the main character "Forehand," I'd be laughed out of my writer's grope--group!

+3 Vote up Vote down

jpark · 663 weeks ago

First, I am not a member of Real Life and have never attended there.

You apparently know nothing about the church or how youth groups operate. It is common to have overnight sleepovers or what we call lock-ins. My husband and I have hosted several at our own home and at our church. Most of these locks-ins have at least a dozen or more kids in attendance and usually 4-5 adults chaperones who stay up all night to monitor the kids activities.

I guess there is not such thing as innocent until proven guilty anymore.

1 reply · active 663 weeks ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

Anonymous · 663 weeks ago

The church met last night and the elders shared that he did admit to the offenses and more kids are now coming forward. Very sad.

1 reply · active 663 weeks ago

+13 Vote up Vote down

anonymous · 663 weeks ago

The church will always have flaws; not because God is flawed, but because men are. Thoughts and prayers with the victims and with Doug as well. The acts are terrible, but there is always room for forgiveness.

+4 Vote up Vote down

sykes · 663 weeks ago

whoever posted that praying is like picking up a phone and listening to a dial tone.....u obviously have issues. the victims and perpetrator should be prayed for. a man that has issues such as sexually abusing boys is def in need of prayer, cause he needs help. he should spend the rest of his life in prison at the least, but God save his soul from burning in hell. and back to my original point, how could someone be so clueless as to say that God doesn't exist and listen to your prayers......wake up and join reality

1 reply · active 663 weeks ago

+7 Vote up Vote down

brokenhearted · 663 weeks ago

hello all, I understand and agree that discussion needs to happen. we need to talk about things so that these atrocities do not continue.... regardless of what our ideologies and beliefs are... in our common humanness, we can all agree that we share the same pains and anger and all experience the effects of tragedies like this.

let justice be served but let's not make everyone else be judged and suffer for the actions of one very broken and depraved man because of our choice of words...

rather let's respect and honor the man who was brave and lovingly exposed this to the leaders of the church, let's please respect all grieving because of this, and if there are more victims out there to have the safety to also come forward, the innocent members of this church who are dealing with the sense of deception and the loss of a relationship with someone they thought they knew and loved, the many that are overwhelmed and silently hurting and anguishing as a result of this... by refraining from making this a battle of words about religion? can we use our powerful words as agents of love, healing and support...

brothers and sisters, let's pray as we write? are these reactions, thoughts and words things that Jesus redeemed our brokenness for?

humbly and brokenheartedly...

+10 Vote up Vote down

Anonymous · 663 weeks ago

We are taught by God to love the sinner, but to hate the sin. This is what God has done for each of us as we ALL sin every day. God doesn't rate the degree of sin as man does. We need to continue to pray for the victim or victims for healing & their families, but we also need to pray for Doug and his family. We have a forgiving God and Doug needs to fall before the Lord and ask for forgiveness. I know his parents to be loving people and they love their son even with all his faults and God loves us (his children) with all our faults. The only way we can begin the healing process is thru forgiveness.

0 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 661 weeks ago

Any updates on this story?

1 reply · active 660 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

Boo · 660 weeks ago

Ben,
Seems like you don't know much about the story. The charges were not brought forward in Chesapeake, and therefore, he probably won't be tried in Chesapeake. You are also wrong about the children he adopted. Hearsay doesn't help anyone.

-2 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 660 weeks ago

The trail of informatoin seems to haved dimmed. No news of the arraignment or anything.

2 replies · active 658 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

Bob · 657 weeks ago

Still, one has to wonder whether this individual will be treated differently because he has connections in the justice system. There's no fence between VA Beach and Chesapeake and attorneys, judges, etc. know each other. Considering what he may be facing, my bet is that he will work any angle to his advantage now that reality is setting in. And why has this matter just dropped off the media radar?

1 reply · active 605 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

Guesty · 657 weeks ago

My thoughts, too, on the media converage.

Post a new comment

Comment as a Guest, or login:

Tweet this comment

Connected as (Logout)

Email (optional)

Not displayed publicly.

Submit Comment

Subscribe to

Comments by IntenseDebate

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)