Pastor facing sexual assault charges celebrated as he returns to pulpit

The lead pastor of a Texas church returned to the pulpit three months after turning himself in for allegedly sexually assaulting a female member of his church — greeted warmly by congregants as he told them he never stepped down from his holy position.

Arlington Police arrested Ronnie Goines, 51, in late July after a female congregation member of Koinonia Christian Church accused him of trying to kiss and touch her during two encounters in March 2023.

Goines made his controversial return Thursday for a Bible study at the Arlington, Texas congregation and another service this Sunday.

“This revival, I’ve been praying about it, looking forward to it for weeks,” Goines said in a video of Sunday’s service.

A hype video announcing the founding pastor’s comeback showed churchgoers praying over Goines as he knelt on the ground with his arms held high.

“I was never fired, I never stepped down from my position as pastor,” Goines told KERA, denying the charges he’s facing.

“That’s just something that I did not do,” he said. “Not guilty, [I am] innocent.”

The unidentified congregant accused Goines of kissing her neck, rubbing her legs and eventually exposing her by pulling down her top, his affidavit obtained by WFAA stated.

She went back top his apartment the next day after an event at a local theater, and he again started kissing her neck and trying to remove her clothing while she repeatedly told him “no,” according to the document.

Goines turned himself into the Tarrant County Jail in July, after being charged with indecent assault and another for sexual assault in connection to the incident

Goines told police that he did not “in no way shape or form” force himself upon the woman, according to his arrest warrant.

However, the accuser gave cops a recording in which the pastor allegedly told her that “the bottom line is that you were uncomfortable, I caused it and I’m sorry. Period,” according to WFAA.

Goines stopped preaching and was replaced by interim pastor James Ray Taylor after his arrest. Taylor announced his resignation last week, the outlet said.

“I love you, I honor you and I thank you because for seven weeks you did what not too many people could do. You held it down from this pulpit,” Goines told the congregation of Taylor during Sunday’s service. 

Goines was released from jail in July after posting $23,000 in bail for the two charges, court records show.