THE longtime pastor of a northwest Indiana church has been dismissed due to an “improper relationship with a young woman,” CBS reported.
Dr. Jack Schaap, who has been pastor of First Baptist Church in Hammond for 11 years, was removed Tuesday, according to a church spokesman.
The spokesman would not provide the woman’s age, but said she was a member of the church.
In a written statement, church spokesman Eddie Wilson said Schaap was removed “due to a sin that has caused him to forfeit his right to be our pastor.”
“Our church grieves over the need to take this action and the impact it will have on our people”, Wilson added. “We ask that everyone pray for the families involved, and pray that the situation will be handled in a Christ honoring manner. We look forward to the days ahead as we continue to service the needs of our surrounding community and the Chicago area.”
Lake County Sheriff John Buncich said his department was notified by church leaders of allegations that are sexual in nature. CBS 2′s Brad Edwards was told that, when confronted, Schaap admitted to his sins to the church’s governing body of deacons.
The FBI has also joined the Lake County Sheriff’s office in the investigation.
FBI spokesman Robert Ramsey said: “It is too early at this point to release any further information.”
The church is a conglomerate that includes a 7,500 seat auditorium and is headquartered in the old federal courthouse in Hammond, IN. Schaap helped grow the church into its ‘mega’ status with 15,000 people attending weekend services, according to Wilson.
Parishioners were shocked when they heard the news.
Norma Hogan described the pastor as “very charismatic, very magnetic.”
“He’s always saying how his wife is beautiful and so much in his life,” Hogan added. “This is jaw dropping.”
The church has scheduled a meeting for the entire congregation for Wednesday night.
Schaap is married to the daughter of the church’s late leader, Rev. Jack Hyles.
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