The Richmond Outreach Center has turned to Jonathan Falwell to advise the church's board of directors after its founder and senior pastor, who is facing child sexual-abuse charges in Texas, resigned Wednesday.
It is one of several steps being taken after a scandal-filled month in which the South Richmond megachurch known as the ROC has seen its popular pastor go from the pulpit to a jail cell and then back home as he faces a potential life sentence.
Board member Billy Croxton said Saturday that Falwell, who is pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, and one of his executive pastors would serve as spiritual advisers and offer counsel as the ROC looks for a new leader while continuing to operate the church's ministries.
"Pastor Falwell continues to support the mission and vision of the ROC," he said.
Texas authorities have charged former pastor Geronimo Aguilar with seven felonies in two cases of sexual assault of two young sisters. Four of those charges carry sentences of up to life in prison.
Aguilar and three other ROC pastors resigned Wednesday.
Croxton and the church's attorney, Stephen C. Lewis, spoke candidly for about 40 minutes Saturday afternoon about the ROC's future.
They discussed steps the church was taking to replace Aguilar, the half-million dollar parsonage where he is living and his potential severance package.
Both men said it has been a difficult time for the church and its parishioners, but said the leadership is committed to its ministries.
"The board's role, from which we have not strayed, is to continue to position the ROC so it advances its mission of changing lives and making life changers for many years to come," said Croxton, who choked up several times when speaking. "The ROC plays a critical role in helping the less fortunate in our city."
Lewis touched on the church's finances, saying that the ROC's certified public accountant does regular internal audits and that the church was audited by the Internal Revenue Service two years ago.
He said given the additional attention in recent weeks, the church could face another outside audit. Lewis is comfortable with the controls placed on the finances and said he is prepared.
"We stand ready," he said. "We're an exempt organization; we have to make sure we keep our exempt status."
The ROC operates about a half-dozen nonprofits and owns several properties in the area.
Saturday was the first time church officials have spoken publicly since Aguilar was arrested May 21.
Croxton said the church's staff and board are prepared — and eager — to move forward.
"There are too many hurting people still in the city of Richmond, and we need to go get them," he said. "There are too many people that need help: the drug addict, the child we pick up, the people that need groceries."
In addition to Falwell, several local pastors will assist the church's board as it looks for someone to replace Aguilar, Croxton said.
Croxton said he is not sure how long the pastoral search will take or what parameters will be set.
"We're pretty new at this, and you need to understand that we're an extremely young church; we've never had to do this before. We're going to wait and see what God has in store for us," he said.
The ROC's board of directors is scheduled to meet again Monday evening to discuss Aguilar's severance and how long he will be allowed to remain in the church-owned home.
Lewis said a committee has come up with recommendations for severance, but the board needs to be briefed and has to vote on a final package. He would not disclose the committee's recommendation.
Once a decision is final, "we'll tell Mr. Aguilar the terms and when he'll have to move out of the parsonage."
Lewis said that in the meantime, the church will pay real estate taxes on the property.
Lewis said no decision has been made on whether the church will sell the home, which has been assessed at $591,000, after Aguilar vacates it.
The board also will decide on Monday whether the three other pastors who stepped down this week will get severance.
Aguilar's brother Matthew, Andrew Delgado and Jason Helmlinger, a former Henrico County police officer facing charges in Richmond for threatening a former ROC pastor and Aguilar critic, all quit Wednesday.
Aguilar has been charged in Texas with sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl and her older sister for more than a year while he was living in their parents' home in in the 1990s.
