Pastor’s Son ARRESTED—Church Leader Claims Immunity

Indiana megachurch leaders are demanding accountability after their own church’s head pastor faced allegations of inappropriate conduct with minors—yet the pastor claims he’s untouchable, and a state official is telling congregants to stay silent.

Story Snapshot

Two pastors from Life Church Indiana’s inner circle resigned amid abuse allegations against church leader Nathan Peternel and his son’s child pornography arrest
Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and Assemblies of God officials urged congregants to ignore reports while dozens of families fled the church
Peternel claimed immunity from firing by the church board despite a 2016 incident involving explicit questioning of a 17-year-old girl during counseling
The scandal exposes troubling hypocrisy as Peternel and Beckwith campaigned against “grooming” while allegedly covering up misconduct within their own ministry

Leadership Circle Fractures as Pastors Resign

Life Church Indiana experienced unprecedented internal upheaval when youth ministry head Tina Pavy and campus pastor Ross Steele resigned from their positions in early 2026. These resignations marked the first departures from church leader Nathan Peternel’s tight-knit inner circle, signaling serious fractures within the Fishers, Indiana megachurch’s leadership structure. The departures followed mounting allegations against Peternel involving inappropriate behavior with minors and the arrest of his son on child pornography charges. Dozens of families have left the church in the past two months as details emerged about Peternel’s counseling practices and the leadership’s attempts to suppress discussion of the allegations among congregants.

Disturbing Pattern of Inappropriate Counseling Emerges

Nathan Peternel’s history of intrusive questioning during pre-marital counseling came to light, including a documented 2016 incident where he demanded explicit sexual details from a 17-year-old girl named Paige. The victim filed complaints with both the local church and the national Assemblies of God organization at the time, yet no meaningful action was taken against Peternel. A decade later, Paige filed a formal police report with the Fishers Police Department, prompting renewed scrutiny of Peternel’s conduct. This pattern of leadership’s failure to address misconduct represents a fundamental betrayal of pastoral responsibility and raises serious questions about institutional accountability within the denomination.

Political Cover-Up Attempt by State Official

Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith’s involvement in suppressing abuse allegations presents a troubling intersection of church and state authority. Beckwith, who leads a Life Church campus and co-hosts the “Jesus, Sex and Politics” podcast with Peternel, pressed congregants on January 2, 2026, to stop discussing the allegations. On November 17, 2025, Beckwith and Assemblies of God State Director McAtee jointly instructed the congregation to ignore the growing reports. This coordinated effort to silence victims and concerned church members represents government overreach into matters demanding transparency and justice. For an elected official to use his position protecting alleged predators rather than vulnerable citizens fundamentally violates public trust.

Peternel’s son was arrested following a police search of the family home, with the church leader claiming his son hacked and distributed sex videos of Peternel and his wife while under the influence of drugs. Following the police involvement, Peternel deleted podcast episodes, including content addressing child abuse issues. On November 19, 2025, Peternel boldly declared he cannot be fired by the church board, demonstrating an alarming sense of immunity despite serious allegations. The podcast “Jesus, Sex and Politics” has not released new episodes since the police search, and the scrubbed content raises questions about what leaders sought to hide from public scrutiny.

Hypocrisy of Anti-Grooming Crusaders Exposed

The scandal reveals staggering hypocrisy from leaders who built their platform campaigning against LGBTQ+ activists and libraries they accused of “grooming” children. Peternel and Beckwith spent years positioning themselves as protectors of youth while allegedly covering up actual abuse within their own ministry. This irony is not lost on observers who recognize that genuine child protection requires addressing threats from all sources, including religious institutions. When leaders weaponize child safety concerns for political gain while ignoring credible allegations in their own ranks, they undermine legitimate efforts to protect vulnerable children and expose their motivations as partisan rather than principled.

The Life Church Indiana crisis fits a disturbing national pattern of megachurch scandals. Since May 2024, fourteen North Texas pastors have resigned or been fired amid moral failures and sex offenses, with four arrested. Gateway Church covered up abuse for years before investigations forced accountability. Victims’ attorney Michelle Simpson Tuegel described a “domino effect” where one survivor’s courage emboldens others to come forward. These recurring scandals demonstrate that size and influence do not immunize institutions from corruption. Conservative Christians who value biblical authority and moral integrity should demand the highest standards from church leaders, recognizing that accountability strengthens rather than weakens faithful witness.