A former youth pastor has been convicted of abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft. Justin Baker, 41, was arrested March 14 after sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman on a flight from Burbank, California, to Seattle. 

Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of sex abuse that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the western district of Washington announced the conviction on Thursday (Oct. 24), noting that the jury only took 90 minutes to deliberate following a three-day trial. 

Baker was arrested after the Alaska Airlines flight on which he was boarded arrived at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. 

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According to the victim’s testimony, Baker was in the middle seat and the victim was seated by the window. Baker conversed with the victim, who disclosed her age and told Baker that she was preparing to go to college.

The victim alleged that Baker showed her sexually explicit text messages he had on his phone before draping his jacket over both their laps. Baker then proceeded to grope the victim’s leg and genitals over her clothing. 

The victim said that she attempted to move away from Baker and asked him to stop, but he persisted, attempting to grope her breast. 

RELATED: Florida Pastor, Previously Convicted in Sex Abuse Case, Under Investigation as Authorities Seek To Identify Other Victims

Eventually, the victim was able to get away from Baker, and she reported the assault to the plane’s flight crew. She said that as she passed Baker to get into the aisle of the plane, Baker groped her buttocks. 

This article contains spoilers for the film.

(RNS) — Despite constant buzz about Pope Francis’ age and health, the only conclave — the gathering of the Catholic Church’s College of Cardinals to elect a new pontiff — on the horizon is in theaters: A cinematic flocking of red-hatted, red-robed princes of the church portrayed in a star-studded thriller in theaters Oct. 25.

“Conclave,” Robert Harris’ 2016 novel, dramatizes the Catholic process for choosing a new supreme leader in a film that has already won top prizes at multiple film festivals and seems well positioned for awards show season.

Despite the barrage of the improbable, telenovela-worthy plot twists, the film’s tone is serious, with artistic shots of the cardinals and the Vatican and a string-heavy score backing theological discussions about doubt and power.

Director Edward Berger, who comes to “Conclave” after winning an Oscar for 2022’s “All Quiet on the Western Front,” told RNS he was drawn to the world of Harris’ novel both because of its “theatricality,” as well as the avenue it takes to explore what happens in an “institution where a top job is empty.”

While Berger was raised Protestant, he remembers visiting a friend’s Catholic church and being curious “because I thought it was so much more interesting than my service where I went, because of the theatricality, in a way, and all the rituals.”

But he also remembers being a little frightened by those rituals. The director explained, “They intimidated me because I always thought I would do something wrong.”

Ralph Fiennes, who stars as Cardinal Lawrence, the dean of the College of Cardinals, said the “human questions” are what he loves about the film.

“The church is peopled by human beings, and it’s interesting to reflect on their motivation,” said Fiennes, best known most recently for a lead role in “The Menu” and for playing the arch-villain Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies.

“I thought this script did not seek to satirize or somehow cynically exploit the Catholic church,” he told RNS. “I thought it was a very human look at a particular aspect of the Catholic Church, which is huge and complex.”

He also explained that those making the film had done their best to be “accurate to the details of ritual” with a religious adviser on set. “I hope at a physical, practical level, it’s accurate. I’m sure there’ll be people to tell us where we did things wrong, but that was the aspiration anyway,” he said.

Fiennes, who was raised Catholic but now describes himself as “lapsed,” said he still has “a very keen interest in what it is to have a spiritual guide or sense of a path” and described the Catholic church as “an object of great interest” to him.

The American church has a porn problem. Nearly 1 in 5 pastors (18%) in the United States currently struggles with pornography. Two-thirds (67%) have engaged with porn at some point in their lives. And 74% of practicing Christians “who have engaged with porn” say no one is helping them avoid it.

These sobering statistics are from the recent study, “Beyond the Porn Phenomenon,” by Barna and Pure Desire Ministries, a follow-up to Barna’s 2016 study, “The Porn Phenomenon.” While the findings are disheartening, the researchers nevertheless have words of encouragement for church leaders, as well key takeaways regarding how churches can be equipped to address the poison of porn.

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“Since 2016, not much has changed about society’s porn problem. In fact, as you’ll see in this latest study, some things have become worse,” said Barna researchers. “And there’s even greater opportunity—and need—for the Church to respond.” 

“Our dream at Pure Desire is to see the Church as the safest place possible for someone to admit to their sexual struggles or the struggles of a loved one,” said Pure Desire Ministries Executive Director Nick Stumbo. “This can only happen as we all learn to respond well to those who are struggling or hurting and provide focused, intentional community around this topic.” 

“May we rise to this cultural moment and create healing space—for all men and women, married or single, struggling or partnered with someone struggling—to find lasting hope and freedom in Christ,” he added. “You are not alone.” 

Porn Problem in the American Church

In 2016, Barna released the report, “The Porn Phenomenon,” which showed that the use of pornography in American culture was pervasive and accepted. Now, porn use in the U.S., which was at 55% in 2015,  has increased to 61% in the present day. Porn use has increased among women, and younger generations report using porn more often than older generations do. 

“Beyond the Porn Phenomenon,” said Stumbo, shows that the “average Christian is not experiencing freedom in this area.” Moreover, church leaders are also struggling, and it is not common for churches to provide help tailored to sexual addiction.

One of the areas the report evaluates is the relationship between porn use and “betrayal trauma,” which results when “the people or institutions on which a person depends for survival significantly violate that person’s trust or well-being.” Researchers write that the new report demonstrates “just how crucial it is for church leaders to better understand betrayal trauma and pornography use within their congregations.” 

RELATED: Porn Is a Women’s Problem, Too. Our Solutions Need To Be Woman-Oriented.

“Faith community can be a place where betrayed spouses are reminded how God ‘rescues those whose spirits are crushed’ (Psalm 34:18, NLT),” the researchers said. “However, without recognizing the very real devastation of this trauma, church leaders risk mishandling the pain these individuals experience, leaving them feeling more hurt, unheard and invalidated.” 

Stephen Johnson, who served as a volunteer youth pastor and counselor for 12 years in Alabama, has been charged with living off the earnings of a teen prostitute. Police in Plantation, Florida, where Johnson now lives, arrested the 40-year-old, who is accused of sex trafficking a minor across several states.

Johnson, who was being held in jail on a $500,000 bond, appeared in bond court on Thursday (Oct. 24). A judge ordered him to stay offline and have no contact with minors, including the teenage girl he allegedly trafficked.

Charge: Youth Pastor Stephen Johnson Lived Off Teen Prostitute’s Income

According to court records, Stephen Johnson initially met a 12-year-old girl on a social media app, where she was selling sexually explicit material online. Authorities claim Johnson posed as a woman on that app and then offered the girl assistance for marketing her nude material more effectively. This virtual relationship allegedly lasted for five years.

RELATED: She Left Her Job to Help Sex Trafficking Survivors. This Is What She Learned.

When the girl was 17, the complaint alleges, she traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, where Johnson volunteered as a youth pastor for a dozen years, working with kids ages 5 to 18. In Alabama, authorities say, Johnson placed escort ads for the girl and had her engage in sex acts as a prostitute. That continued, police say, when the two moved to south Florida, after the alleged victim was accepted at a college.

Johnson has been charged with one count of living off the earnings of a teen prostitute. According to the complaint affidavit, Johnson took 40% of the girl’s $100,000 earnings as a sex worker.

In court Thursday, prosecutors told the judge, “[Johnson] trafficked a minor in another state, your honor, a 17-year-old.” They allege that the defendant did this across several states, including Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

How Predators Seek Out Human Trafficking Victims

Because Stephen Johnson had served in a position of trust among young people, prosecutors argued that he poses a danger to the community. “I don’t think it is safe for females in the community to have him traveling about, not knowing where he is,” they told the judge.

A check into Johnson’s background unearthed an attempted rape and strangulation case from 2019. But he was never convicted in that case.

ChurchLeaders was unable to pinpoint the church where Johnson had served. News reports haven’t indicated that he targeted anyone in his Birmingham youth group.

An Episcopal rector in Florida is hospitalized in stable condition following what police said seems to be a random stabbing incident. On Wednesday morning (Oct. 23), Father Matt Marino, lead pastor of Trinity Parish in downtown St. Augustine, was having coffee at a café near the church. According to witnesses, a bicyclist rode past the outside seating, then returned and stabbed Marino, who was wearing clergy attire.

Police quickly spread alerts about a possible suspect, and two hours later they arrested Arienna Gibbs. The 22-year-old, who’s being held without bond, is charged with second-degree attempted homicide, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and felony simple battery. According to court records, Gibbs was convicted of simple battery in September and released the same day she was sentenced to a 28-day prison term.

Florida Church Addresses ‘Deeply Concerning’ Incident

Theo Glory, who owns the café where the attack occurred, said he was chatting with regulars Wednesday morning when he spotted Marino on the floor. “We had initially thought that maybe he had a heart attack or something,” Glory said. After realizing the pastor had been stabbed, Glory said people were shocked and wondering “why would somebody do something like that.”

Another witness described seeing blood, as well as people jumping into action to help. “It was pretty wild,” said the unidentified man. “You don’t really hear about stuff like that happening in this area.”

Trinity Parish, located just minutes from the scene of the attack, temporarily put its church and school on lockdown as a precaution. In a statement, Trinity called the stabbing “deeply disturbing” and said Marino was being treated at a Jacksonville hospital. The church requested prayers for the pastor and his family. It also thanked local police and paramedics for their “immediate response.”

The Episcopal Diocese of Florida also released a statement Wednesday, requesting prayers and expressing gratitude to authorities and medical staff. It indicated that Marino was “in stable condition and awake.”

Stabbing of Pastor Was a ‘Senseless Act,’ Say Police

Police haven’t revealed a possible motive and are still investigating. So far, there’s no known connection between the pastor and suspect.

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Dee Brown, a public information officer for the St. Augustine Police Department, said the “whole community” was hurting as a result of the “senseless act.” He added, “We just want to continue to keep the clergy and the members of the church in your prayers.”

As election day looms, political activist Charlie Kirk made characteristically provocative remarks about the Democratic Party during a Trump rally in Deluth, Georgia, on Wednesday (Oct. 23). Looking directly into the camera, Kirk told American pastors what they should say in their next sermon. 

“We are here in a state that is a very Christian state, a state that loves God and loves Jesus,” Kirk said. “If there was my biggest concern of this election, it is the faithful. It is the pastors that are not engaging right now in this election.”

“We have 12 days left,” Kirk continued, “and you need to lovingly challenge pastors that are silent that you have a biblical obligation to engage in this election, that you have a biblical obligation to fight evil and to exalt righteousness.” 

“Donald Trump is the most pro-life president in American history as he was responsible for the reversal of Roe v. Wade,” Kirk went on to say. 

Notably, Trump has softened his stance on abortion this election cycle, framing the issue as a matter of states’ rights while also criticizing states that have enacted strict abortion bans, including his home state of Florida. 

“More than anything else, everybody, is on the other side: The Democrat Party supports everything that God hates,” Kirk said. “The Democrat Party is espousing the death of the unborn, the mutilation of our teenage kids, open borders, the destruction of our sovereignty, the elimination of our currency status.”

Kirk said that he believes “a spiritual battle” is taking place in America, and that pastors are vital for “spiritual victory.” 

“Do not expect a spiritual victory if our own pastors do not engage,” Kirk said, adding that for Georgia to continue to be a “Christian state,” it needs the “the faithful” to rise up.

“We need those of you that have influence over your congregation to put pressure on you pastors,” Kirk said. 

“And if you are a pastor watching this right now, I hope this touches you,” he continued. “I hope you have a Sunday sermon and you talk about how the Democrat party believes everything that God hates. I hope you tell your congregation how to biblically vote. I hope you challenge them and tell them to get into the arena.”

RELATED: Trump’s Eventful Weekend in California Features Pastor Greg Laurie, Dennis Quaid, and a Disputed Story of 3rd Assassination Attempt

A number of American pastors have caused a stir online for doing exactly what Charlie Kirk has suggested. For example, a clip of an Oct. 6 sermon given by Tennessee Pastor Jonny Ardavanis has generated discussion on social media.