One video posted March 23 shows people confronting Allen inside the church building while singing is happening in the background. In the video, Allen says that people in the community knew about his past. When a woman says, “What you did ain’t right,” he says, “I understand that” but adds, “You can’t live in your past sins forever. There comes a time for forgiveness.”
The woman tells Allen he should step down as pastor and that his ordination was suspended “last night.”
Niemi attended part of the March 23 Sunday service and recorded two Facebook Live videos while there. The videos show October and Ronald Allen getting prayed over and getting their feet washed in front of the congregation. At one point, a man speaking in front of the church referred to “the enemy” bringing division to the church.
October stood in front of the church during the service and shared that when she left prison, she joined a Celebrate Recovery group, which is where she met Allen. She said that he shared his testimony with her, including what he had done to the 13-year-old girls, and she heard a “genuine, authentic, repentant heart.”
When Allen took the stage, he addressed the controversy and stated that the whole city knew about what he had done. Niemi interrupted at that point, saying, “Bull***.” An older woman tried to get her to leave, but Allen told his supporters to let her stay.
Niemi then went on to tell Allen that she had known him for eight years and that she never would have let her children around him if she had known what he had done to the 13-year-olds.
Allen addressed her comments, acknowledging that many people were angry. He said that many knew his story but that he didn’t have to “share it with the whole world.” To people who accuse him of hiding his testimony, he said, “It’s hidden under the blood of Jesus.”
Allen went on to describe his actions against the 13-year-olds as “opportunistic” and influenced by the circumstances in his life at the time. “I’m not a pedophile,” he said. “I don’t have a desire for children.”
RELATED: Former Pastor of President Jimmy Carter’s Church Arrested in Child Sex Sting
“Can I not be forgiven? Can I not be used by the Lord?” he asked. Niemi left in disgust as Allen was beginning his sermon.
According to screenshots of a post from October Allen, the church canceled its Monday night Celebrate Recovery group out of fear of violence from protesters. Multiple people denied that the protesters were violent. ChurchLeaders has reached out to the Duluth Police Department for comment.
