A Columbus, Ohio, pastor has been arrested for alleged child sex abuse. George Bell, formerly of Anchor Baptist Church, faces six felony charges.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex abuse that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
The charges against Bell, 72, include four counts of rape and two counts of gross sexual imposition. These crimes are alleged to have occurred between 2021 and 2024. According to The Columbus Dispatch, the alleged victim was less than 10 years old.
According to the church’s website, Bell founded Anchor Baptist Church, a KJV-only Independent Fundamentalist congregation, in 1989.
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In July, the church announced that Bell had resigned as pastor of the church, citing “personal reasons.” At the time of Bell’s resignation, the church said that “there was nothing untoward involving church members or church property.”
However, the church amended its statement only days later, saying, “We now know that there was more to the unexpected resignation of our former pastor, George Bell, than we were originally led to believe.”
“It breaks our heart to discover that there have been serious allegations and an indictment that have been brought,” Anchor Baptist Church said. “Any conduct that is contrary to the Bible and our laws as citizens are unacceptable and not tolerated.”
The church said that it would cooperate with law enforcement, support victims and their families, and maintain transparency throughout the process.
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One church member, who said he has been with Anchor Baptist Church for 27 years, told WSYX that what has happened feels like “a betrayal.”
