An African-American preacher once popular in preaching circuits of the Southern Baptist Convention pleaded guilty May 21 to molesting a 15-year-old girl and sending lewd text messages to another at his former church.
Darrell Gilyard, former pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., faces three years in prison in a plea bargain. His official sentencing is June 11. After he is released from prison, he will serve three years probation and be required to register as a sex offender.
Gilyard, 47, was arrested Jan. 14, 2008, on charges of lewd and lascivious conduct after a church member told police she found inappropriate text messages from Gilyard on her daughter's cell phone. Another girl recorded alleged sexual conduct with Gilyard in her diary.
Gilyard resigned the large, predominantly African-American congregation after 15 years. Before that Gilyard was mentored by a number of high-profile leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention who promoted him as America's next great black preacher.
Gilyard rose to fame in the 1980s with support of future SBC presidents Jerry Vines and Paige Patterson. His testimony about growing up homeless and sleeping under a bridge in Palatka was distributed in video form by Jerry Falwell's "Old Time Gospel Hour" before unraveling when a newspaper reported that he actually grew up in the comfortable home of a woman who took him in as an infant and raised him as a son.
Gilyard's relationship with SBC leaders soured in 1991 when he resigned under pressure after admitting to several adulterous affairs with women he was counseling while pastor of a multi-racial SBC church in Richardson, Texas. Paige Patterson, at the time president of Criswell College in Dallas, counseled Gilyard to stay out of the ministry two years, but he ignored the advice and started a new church two weeks later with 125 former members of his previous congregation.
Dallas Morning News articles in 1991 reported allegations of sexual misconduct by Gilyard not only at Victory Baptist Church, but also at three previous churches in Oklahoma and Texas. The articles included claims by one woman that she told Patterson in 1985 that Gilyard tried to rape her, and Patterson told her and other women with similar complaints to refrain from speaking about it without substantial proof.
Those clippings resurfaced in 2008 when a support group for victims of clergy sex abuse accused Patterson of turning a blind eye to Gilyard's behavior, thereby enabling him to hurt others. Patterson denied mishandling the situation, saying he severed ties with Gilyard as soon as he had evidence that the allegations against him were true.
A woman who claimed she resisted sexual advances by Gilyard when she was 18 and a youth leader at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville in 1991, started a blog in 2008 urging others with similar stories to come forward.
Tiffany Thigpen Croft said in a recent posting she was not rejoicing about Gilyard's downfall, but she labeled him a sexual predator and said he should suffer consequences for his actions. Croft said if Gilyard had not been sentenced "I am confident that there would be more victims."
In April Gilyard settled a lawsuit with a woman who claimed he sexually assaulted and got her pregnant, but a paternity suit against him continues. According to the Florida Times-Union, an earlier sexual misconduct case against him was settled quietly by his church for $300,000.
Source: Associated Baptist Press
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We must demand a standard for all Pastors and Preachers of the Gospel this is terrible,the Body of Christ must not just pray but enough is enough. There are preachers that need help, what are we doing and allowing to continue in our Churches, it is not judging even though the Bible does say he that is spiritual judges all things.Jesus is truly coming soon !We must cry loud and spare not.Wow
accountability is a must. everyone has to be subject to Godly leadership. when u get preachers that R out there doing what they want 2 do, refuse 2 B sons/daughters and listen 2 fatherly & godly wisdom - we will continue 2 have sloppy, shameful & sinful preachers. what about being accountable 2 God that has no prob, striking down a Herod? Who r we 2 think we R above the law? Taking the trust of the people (especially children) and using it to the satisfaction of your own pleasures, gratification and lusts!!!! It is past time that we as ministers of the gospel begin 2 seek, hunger & long for the face and heart of God and circle ourselves with men and women that are sound in faith and will tell us no, and let us know when we R wrong. Then we need 2 take heed and follow the direction of God. God is requiring more out of us who speak the word and instruct others in the things of God. We cannot have the mentality "Do as I say, not as I do", that is called hypocrisy. I have learned that my sons tend to do what I do more so than what I say. They learn by exaample. What have we seen in some of our fathers? Half a man/woman does not make a whole and complete preacher, pastor, leader, etc. GET RIGHT CHURCH AND LET'S GO HOME. GET RIGHT PREACHERS AND LET'S BE THE LEADERS & STEWARDS THAT GOD CALLED US TO BE!!!!!!!
wjat's really going on? You fight so much about homosexuality in the church and you march about the issue which one should stand for righeousness but look what is happening in the church house and the pulpit. Why is no one marching against these issues...? san
wow....23 year old college student in tampa..amen to that
I am deeply saddened by Pastor Gilyard prison sentencing. He is one of the most awesome preachers I have ever heard in my life. It is my prayer that the Lord will restore his soul and his ministry.
Jesus!
I feel sick right now.If it;s all true,I pray God in His infinite mercies to restore this man.Though a righteous man falls seven times,he shall surely rise again.
This man is a sexual repeat offender, what about his victims. He should never be allowed along with a female.
I knew Daryl from the church in Richardson, TX. where he was thrown out of.
It divided the church when he stood up in front of us all and told us what he had done. I was a friend of his then wife, Jana. My heart went out to her and the kids for their embarrassment. I later went to the church in Jax., FL to warn the people there. Some of the people believed me "because there had already been some talk". That was in the mid 90's, Then he quickly married. He was "ordered" to marry to control his urges.
Gilyard has an amazing gift to preach the gospel. He brings the words to color with his way of speaking and explaining. I believe the devil took a very strong, man of God & just had his way with him. I pray for the Gilyard family and for Daryl. I was actually one of the people that he helped. I honestly believe that I might not be alive if it weren't for his gift of the word and his prayers. God was watching over me at a very tuff time in my life. He protected me from Daryl when I would go in for prayer or counseling. He really did have an amazing gift. My prayer is that he will someday use it again for the glory of God - but not with any kind of position in church. Daryl needs guidience/prayer/love/ and forgiveness. But he can never lead or teach around children again. I especially lift up Daryl Jr and Janice, his 2 children for they too have suffered under the hands of Daryl.