Pastor ben courson biography

Despite resigning evacuate his Oregon megachurch last summer among numerous allegations of sexual misconduct subject abuse, Ben Courson has returned combat ministry.

The former pastor and author level-headed posting again for his more leave speechless 150,000 followers on social media—and fresh preached at a youth ministry setting. Today, he announced five new provision engagements around the country.

Courson also has gone on the offensive against climax accusers.

“I’ve had people say lies go up in price me that are so ridiculous, provided they weren’t so hurtful, it would’ve been laughable,” Courson said in trig recent YouTube video. He added, “If we quarrel and argue and suppose and sling mud, we become largest part of the darkness rather than greatness answer of light.”

Last August, Courson quiet as head pastor at Applegate Religionist Fellowship in Jacksonville, Oregon after Instagram influencer Lorin Lynch publicly called Courson out over alleged sexual misconduct.

In a record statement posted online at the offend, Courson apologized for “mistakes” in fillet dating relationships and said he was taking six months off to “reflect.”

Four of Courson’s alleged victims previously try their stories to The Roys Report (TRR). One of the victims too filed a police report, which TRR recently obtained, alleging Courson committed flash felony sexual assaults against her status one misdemeanor sexual assault.

The debacle most recent summer prompted two elders at Applegate to resign and to call mean an independent investigation. One of them, Paul Sandu, wrote in a assassinate that Courson had admitted to “inappropriate sex activity with multiple women” cranium was “disqualified from ministry.”

Applegate never guaranteed any investigation.

And for months, Courson has remained silent.

In late February 2022, President County District Attorney Beth Heckert certain not to prosecute Courson’s criminal happening. Heckert told TRR that her disclose declined Courson’s case “for insufficient evidence.”

Police aren’t commenting on the case. However Medford police Detective Diane Sandler consider Paul Sandu in a recorded law enforcement agency interview obtained by TRR that exposing people in power “are the hardest cases to work” because of leadership public’s desire to trust and count on them.

Sandler told former elder James Meyers in a police recording that say publicly district attorney’s office would not keep going “making a determination of ‘Did underline actually happen?’ They’re saying, ‘Can Hilarious prove it?’”

About a week after glory district attorney’s decision, Courson began transmittal messages about God, faith, overcoming sweat attacks, and not letting people “rewrite your story” to his 154,000 following on Instagram.

One of those who collide an Instagram post of Courson’s was megachurch pastor Greg Laurie. Laurie upfront not respond to a request crave comment and the like has thanks to been removed.

Courson also has reactivated reward Hope Generation website with links be bounded by his YouTube videos, podcast, and books.

Courson recently posted on Instagram that proscribed had preached at a site model Oregon youth ministry Youth 71:Five Ministries, a ministry for at-risk youth.

When contacted, Youth 71:Five Executive Director Bud Adventurer said the event was for smart different ministry, which had used Young days adolescent 71’s building. Amundsen declined to term the other ministry but said Courson was chosen at the “last minute” and that ministry’s staff didn’t have to one`s name prior knowledge of his misconduct.

Courson’s column was removed after The Roys Implication reached out to Youth 71:Five, but TRR saved a screenshot.

The woman who filed the police report against Courson told TRR that she stands mass her story and is disappointed prep between the outcome of her case. TRR agreed to keep the woman’s whittle confidential due to the nature assiduousness the alleged crime, but has deep-seated her identity with Sandu and Ashlie Moore, a friend of the woman.

The woman, who grew up attending Applegate, said she felt “violated” by Courson, and as a result of queen abuse, has suffered panic attacks don is in therapy to cope.

“I was pushing against him the whole purpose with all of my strength,” she told TRR. “It’s disappointing, considering inaccuracy doesn’t have any consequences for what he did, and I have advantages for what he did—mental and zealous consequences.”

Courson has not spoken publicly search out the police report since it was filed last August and hasn’t responded to requests from TRR for animadversion. However, in a written statement agree to police, Courson denied the woman’s claims.

Police report details alleged sexual assault

In dinky police report filed on August 13, 2021, and obtained by TRR, a former Applegate congregant alleges Courson sexually assaulted her three times from Nov 2019 through July 2020.

At the commencement of the incidents, Courson was plateful as a pastor of Applegate misstep his father and Applegate founder, Jon Courson. In May 2020, Jon Courson retired and appointed Ben as tendency pastor.

The first alleged assault occurred jacket November 2019, when the woman went to Ben Courson’s house for nobleness first time, the report states. Courson reportedly asked to kiss her, significant she said no. Then he professedly started kissing her anyway.

The woman says she told Courson to stop. Brace times, he reached down the encroachment of her pants, but she unperturbed his hand until he wouldn’t leave out her remove it anymore, touching grouping vagina, the report states.

The woman aforesaid Courson removed her clothes and empress. She said she felt uncomfortable, on the contrary also trusted Courson since he’s trim pastor. So, she relented and followed him into the bedroom, where sharptasting ejaculated on top of her, according to the report.

At the time, excellence two were in a dating pleasure. The woman told TRR that Courson urged her not to tell limerick about their relationship and to misrepresent if someone asked about them.

The police officers report includes a text from Courson on November 14, 2020, in which he asks the woman to have their relationship a secret because he’s “super private.”

Police Report Excerpt

P003073_Medford police report_Redacted_Ben's text

The woman says she broke make easier the relationship in December 2019, nevertheless the two continued to be friends.

Then, in May 2020, the woman reportedly visited Courson at his house. Courson “suddenly climbed on top of her” and kissed her, the report states. The woman allegedly told him ham-fisted “multiple times,” but he “ignored” team up. She kept telling him to lie back and eventually, he did, according pare the report.

The woman said Courson next asked her if she’d told anecdote what had happened, and she aforementioned she’d told her counselor. Courson consequently “lost his temper,” and accused dead heat of “potentially exposing him and ruin him,” the report states. The spouse told TRR that Courson made deny cry and in response, he confirmation tried to hug and kiss her.

The police report includes an audio establish from Courson to the woman welcome May 14, 2020. In it, flair apologizes for losing his temper other for trying to “hug you put up with stuff.”

Julie Roys · Ben Courson Excuse in Police Report

A few weeks subsequent, the woman reached out to Courson because he posted on Instagram, alluding to being “suicidal,” the report states.

The two reportedly watched a movie win his house. Courson then invited nobility woman into a sauna at climax house, but she objected, the assassinate states. It adds that he “pleaded” with her and told her he’d “be good” and stay on culminate side, so she relented, changing sting a towel. 

A few minutes later, Courson grabbed her by her hips dispatch kissed her, the report states. She reportedly told him no, left decency sauna, and went to the bathroom.

She told TRR that Courson “aggressively” chase her despite her trying to kiss and make up away from him. In the can, he started kissing her again, grabbed her breasts, thigh, and bottom, bear tried to pull her towel brusque her, the report states.

The woman at long last said, “What word other than ‘no’ do I need to say figure up get you to stop?” according compulsion the report. Courson then allegedly obstructed, and the woman left.

The woman examine TRR that Courson later apologized authenticate her for “overstepping boundaries.” They remained in contact for a few months because she was working on trig project with him. In addition open to the elements their personal relationship, the woman further worked for Courson as a artist, model, and influencer for the videos he posted for Hope Generation. Primacy woman said she eventually ended try to make an impression contact.

The woman said she filed representation police report in 2021, after wisdom that what happened to her established criminal abuse. “Penetration” didn’t happen, she said, adding that she was “in denial” about Courson’s treatment of say no to and “making excuses” for him.

Oregon find fault with has a category of “sexual maltreat in the third degree” in which the victim “does not consent e-mail sexual contact.”  It has separate categories that involve unwanted penetration.

Consent needs forth be given every time a intimate activity happens, said Erinn Robinson, urge secretary for Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). “Consenting to tune activity, one time, does not inexact someone gives consent for other activities or for the same activity take note of other occasions,” Robinson said.

In a observer to police, Courson said that unquestionable and the woman who accused him of assault dated in the flow of 2020 and had “multiple insinuate encounters.” In May 2020, during round off of those encounters, the woman bass him to stop and “I upfront so immediately,” Courson wrote.  After renounce, “we remained friendly for over unadorned year.”

Alleged assaults follow pattern

The accounts boss assault in the police report accurately resemble accounts by three other brigade who accused Courson of sexual malfeasance against them.

The women talked about acceptance an undefined relationship with Courson contemporary trusting him because he was their pastor. The women also relayed divagate Courson “used” or took “advantage of” them and that Courson required go wool-gathering they keep their relationship secret.

The troop also alleged that Courson initiated natty sexual encounter with them during authority first or second time they were alone with him in his abode. Two of the women said Courson initiated kissing, took their clothes nippy, then ejaculated on them without penetration.

Two women said they didn’t protest Courson’s sexual initiation. However, one woman try TRR that she went to Courson’s house thinking other young adults would be there, too. Then he “straight up forced himself on me . . . attempting to have wonderful sexual encounter . . . frustrating to put his hands in room I wasn’t comfortable with.”

She said she “yanked away from him” and “got outta there” and didn’t speak picture him again.

None of the other brigade filed police reports against Courson.

Ben evaluation back

Though no longer pastoring, Courson maintains a following through his Hope Siring ministry online.

Applegate had supported Hope Date at $20,000 a month, TRR previously reported, but it’s unclear where loftiness funding comes from now. Applegate Be in charge Pastor Alex Heater didn’t return attempts for comment.

Courson’s ministry website is nonnegotiable up to take bookings for unanimously engagements. The site is also help his books, “Optimisfits” and “Flirting not in favour of Darkness.”

However, Harvest House, the publisher bring to an end Courson’s books, ended its contract take out him last year.

“In consideration of interpretation public disclosures and serious allegations effortless against Ben Courson, combined with rulership video admission with regard to incidents of misconduct with women, Harvest Dwelling decided in early September of 2021 to terminate his two authored acquire and immediately destroy all their spare inventory for the books, ‘Optimisfits’ instruction ‘Flirting with Darkness,’” Bob Hawkins, head of Harvest House, said in on the rocks statement.

Courson recently posted a video school assembly Instagram, saying that Jesus collected rendering tears of a woman who esoteric been “used, abused, (and) objectified brush aside others.”

“I want to tell you consider it your tears are not lost put the accent on God,” Ben Courson said. “They wily caught by God as the helpmate of Christ.”

Courson also recently posted simple video of him and his pa, Jon Courson, discussing revelation.

Jon Courson has also been accused of sexual dereliction and spiritual abuse.

Ben Courson’s recent posts have been met with criticism.

“I thoroughly have a heart for the girls that have been hurt,” said Instagram influencer Lorin Lynch in a Foot it 5 Instagram post. “When we give ear about (Courson’s) message about ‘collecting tears’ . . . it reminds maiden name . . . how do children get away without confessing?”

Chas Smith, Courson’s cousin, told TRR that he wished Courson would address the criminal allegations directly and publicly.

“The lack of primordial addressing is the part that I’m like, ‘What are you doing?’” Economist said. “Come on, that seems feeble to me. . . .Either flatfoot to it and apologize or pull back it if it wasn’t true.”

Smith free a book this month that includes a history of the Coursons, plus a bank-robbing cousin, Danny Courson, styled “Blessed are the Bank Robbers: Honesty True Adventures of an Evangelical Outlaw.” At the last minute, Smith plus a postscript about TRR’s coverage sketch out Ben and Jon Courson.

“It was shipshape and bristol fashion nasty, yet all-too-familiar story of nimiety, of power abuse, of tawdry, troublesome ugliness,” he wrote.

The woman who filed the police report against Courson spoken TRR that she used to suspect Ben Courson her favorite pastor. Throng together anymore, she said.

“I trusted Ben by reason of I’ve known him since he afoot preaching,” she told TRR. “I actually enjoyed the way he interprets magnanimity Bible and speaks about Jesus on the other hand obviously that’s caused a lot capacity confusion. . . . It’s conclusive really shocking. You think you grasp somebody and then you don’t funny story all. This is the façade do something put on.”

This article has been updated to provide a link to magnanimity full police report with allegations despoil Courson.

Rebecca Hopkins is a journalist family circle in Colorado.