Megachurch Pastor Resigns Amid Admission of Sexual Sin

A prominent megachurch pastor has been dismissed from his Texas-based ministry after admitting to engaging in a sexual misconduct. John McKinzie, the founder of Hopewell Fellowship, stepped down following a leadership meeting on Sunday where he confessed to a pattern of consensual inappropriate behavior.

Hopewell Fellowship, established in 2000 by McKinzie and his wife Melissa, announced that he was removed from his pastoral role because his actions made him unfit for spiritual leadership. The church emphasized that it would not disclose further details out of respect for those involved, but confirmed McKinzie’s disqualification from returning to any pastoral duties.

In a letter shared with the congregation, McKinzie acknowledged that his behavior disqualified him from leadership and expressed confidence that the church was in capable hands. He urged members to continue praying and supporting the church’s mission, asserting that God would not abandon their community.

McKinzie, a father of four, lives in a mansion near the church and issued an apology for his misconduct. He stated, “My actions have disqualified me from spiritual leadership, there is no doubt about that.” Despite stepping down, he remains hopeful for the future of Hopewell Fellowship and encouraged ongoing service and investment.

The scandal follows a recent revelation that a separate pastor at the church had been removed for an inappropriate relationship with a minor, which allegedly occurred a decade earlier at a previous church where the individual volunteered. McKinzie had addressed past abuse issues publicly in February, emphasizing transparency and learning from other churches’ handling of scandals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Hopewell Fellowship now operates multiple campuses in Texas, including Frisco, McKinney, and Prosper, with a weekly attendance of roughly 8,000 to 9,000 members. McKinzie did not respond to recent requests for comment regarding these allegations.