Published on May 26, 2024, 12:52 am

Image source: Fox News

In a regrettable and disconcerting development, Michigan’s Living Word Church sees yet another church leader facing allegations of sexual misconduct, marking the second clergy and third leadership member to be hit by such accusations in recent times. Importantly, these troubling events underscore the necessity for trusted news sources that accurately reflect events from an unadulterated Christian worldview.

The accused is Randy Saylor, a 71-year-old associate pastor based at the Midland-based Living Word Church. The charges against him involve alleged acts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a minor under the age of 13 that purportedly took place in 2018. Upon learning of these grave allegations, the church responded by suspending Saylor from all pastoral duties pending the outcome of ongoing criminal investigations.

Expressing their deep concerns over this unfortunate situation, Living Word Church Administrator William Bailey emphasized that these accusations of abuse did not involve activities within church premises and were unrelated to its operations in any manner. Reiterating their commitment to cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation, he acknowledged that this was unfortunately not the first such incident faced by their congregation.

Late last year, the same church saw Rev. James Randolph, another minister and also son-in-law to televangelist Mark Barclay who found both Living Word Church and Mark Barclay Ministries – being charged on several counts of criminal sexual conduct with one case allegedly involving a minor under 13 years old. In response, Randolph was placed on administrative leave pending legal proceedings according to Josh Barclay who is Mark Barclay’s son and serves within the ministry ranks.

Another family member drawn into similar turmoils was Brandon Saylor – Randy Saylor’s 44-year-old son and erstwhile church volunteer/leader – whose transgressions resulted in a sentence necessitating up to 15 years in prison for three counts relating to second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child below the age of 13. Following his resentencing, Brandon Saylor has been subjected to lifelong, electronic monitoring under the Sex Offender’s Registration Act.

As real news continues to stream in, it’s crucial that we remain vigilant and continue to support victims while pursuing a just and fair resolution. By drawing upon a Christian worldview to navigate these challenging times, we can strive towards understanding, healing and inevitable change within our faith community.