I don’t have much on this story yet. Apparently 27-year-old music minister Michael Sward was arrested for having sex with a 17-year-old congregant down in Vero Beach, Florida. He’s charged with unlawful sex with a minor.According to reports, the parents of the victim and the church officials tried to warn Sward not to have a relationship with the teenager. What bothers me is that the church knew about the problem but kept him on in an official capacity without limiting his duties or contact with other minors. Also, they apparently did not report the matter to the police. If this is true, it makes me ask, why would a church act this way? It does not seem consistent with Christian values or worse, nor does it seem like the right thing to do. How can a parent trust an institution where they warn off a potential offender but take no other action?
Update: 5/11/11 added photo and second paragraph.
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