Home Christian News 14 New Charges Brought Against SBC Pastor in Child Sex Abuse Material…
14 New Charges Brought Against SBC Pastor in Child Sex Abuse Material Case
By Dale Chamberlain June 26, 2024
A former Florida pastor has received 14 additional charges in connection with a child sex abuse material case. Jonathan Elwing, now-formerly of Palm View First Baptist Church in Palmetto, Florida, was arrested after an investigation revealed that he allegedly used cryptocurrency to purchase child sex abuse material.
Elwing, 43, resigned as pastor of Palm View First Baptist Church before being taken into custody on Friday, June 21.
The new charges include six counts of possession of child pornography, six counts of use of a child in a sexual performance, and two counts of sexual battery on a person less than 12 years old—which is a capital offense.
Elwing had previously been charged with four counts of possession of child pornography, bringing the total number of charges against him to 18.
Palm View First Baptist Church is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), and Elwing appears to have been invested in Southern Baptist denominational politics. He was a member of the Florida chapter of the Conservative Baptist Network (CBN), a group formed in 2020 to address what it believed to be “liberal drift” in the denomination.
Following the news of his arrest, Elwing’s membership was revoked.
Palm View First Baptist Church had also been featured on Founders Ministries’ list of “gospel-preaching, Christ-exalting” churches. Led by Florida SBC Pastor Tom Ascol, Founders is “committed to encouraging the recovery of the gospel and the biblical reformation of local churches.”
The church has since been removed from the list.
“Pornography is wicked and a scourge on our nation. It should be outlawed at every level of our society. Child pornography is a compounded wickedness because it necessarily involves the abuse of the most vulnerable among us,” Ascol told ChurchLeaders. “Those who engage in it should be punished to the full extent of the law.”
Per Founders Ministries’ website, churches that appear on its recommended list of “healthy, biblically-grounded” churches “are listed voluntarily, and Founders Ministries is not able to evaluate and endorse each church individually.”
Dale Chamberlain (M.Div) is Content Manager for ChurchLeaders. With experience in pastoral ministry as well as the corporate marketing world, he is also an author and podcaster who is passionate about helping people tackle ancient truths in everyday settings. Dale lives in Southern California with his wife Tamara and their three sons.
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The congregation at First Baptist Palm View Church was trained on how to identify children who are sexually abused. Perhaps they suspected their pastor because of the testimony of one or more children. But they needed proof. Maybe a sting operation was conjured up, whereby pornography was made available for the pastor to purchase online. The pastor made the purchase which allowed for his arrest and search of his electronic devices, and as they connected the dots, searching his devices and gaining further testimony from victims, further charges were made. May God bless the abused children, his own wife and children and the congregation of First Baptist Palm View Church. Heartbreaking.
I served in ministry with Jonathan Elwing from 2004-2012 when he was a youth leader. He was nothing at all like the monster described here. Did he have this stronghold of sin when I served with him, flying under the radar? I have no idea. It is truly a shame that it was never brought out and dealt with, so it would not have festered and gained a root. I feel like the church deacon at Palm View Baptist Church who said it seemed like it was a bad dream and he was waiting to wake up. I still can barely take it in. The church is in shock, and so is everyone who knew him including myself. The most appropriate scripture in my opinion for this incident is the following: Luke 17:1-2 King James Version “Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.” May Jonathan find true repentance. Pastor Steve <><
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Latest Updates…
The TRUTH SPEAKER TV just started a Premiere: This Pastor Is A Monster! Rev. Jonathan Edward Elwing
https://www.fox13news.com/video/1477375
Jonathan Elwing, a former Palmetto pastor, is facing new child sexual abuse charges after deputies with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office say they found images of him sexually battering a child. TIFFANY TOMPKINS ttompkins@bradenton.com
Read more at: https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/crime/article289576428.html#storylink=cpy
Palmetto pastor took pictures of himself sexually battering child, Manatee deputies say BY VICTORIA VILLANUEVA-MARQUEZ UPDATED JUNE 27, 2024 12:38 PM
Read more at: https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/crime/article289576428.html#storylink=cpy
Palmetto pastor took pictures of himself sexually battering child, Manatee deputies say BY VICTORIA VILLANUEVA-MARQUEZ UPDATED JUNE 27, 2024 12:38 PM Jonathan Elwing, a former Palmetto pastor, is facing new child sexual abuse charges after deputies with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office say they found images of him sexually battering a child. (TIFFANY TOMPKINS ttompkins@bradenton.com) A Palmetto pastor arrested Friday after he was accused of buying child sexual abuse images is now facing more charges, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said. Jonathan Elwing, 43, senior pastor of Palm View Baptist Church, has been charged with two counts of capital sexual battery, six counts of production of child sexual abuse material and six counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. A forensic search of Elwing’s cell phone revealed images of him sexually battering a child, along with the production and possession of 12 images of child sexual abuse material, according to a sheriff’s office news release. According to an arrest report, Elwing said he sometimes purchases adult pornography and claimed that he deletes any child sexual abuse material that “may get mixed in.” But when investigators extracted hidden files from his phone, deputies say he was using a private photo vault app to hide at least 14 pictures of him sexually abusing a 2-year-old. The update comes almost a week after Elwing was charged with four counts of possession of child sexual abuse images. Detectives received a tip that Elwing used cryptocurrency to buy child sexual abuse material, according to a previous news release. The sheriff’s office said deputies found the images on his phone after searching his home and the church, 6803 34th Ave. E., Palmetto. Elwing resigned from his job before his arrest, the previous news release said. Detectives continue to examine Elwing’s cell phone and expect to find more illegal material on his computer, the news release said. More charges could be on the way, deputies said. Elwing is being held without bond at the Manatee County Jail. (Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com) This story was originally published June 27, 2024, 10:27 AM. RELATED STORIES FROM BRADENTON HERALD CRIME Palmetto pastor arrested after Manatee deputies say he bought child sexual abuse images JUNE 21, 2024 4:46 PM VICTORIA VILLANUEVA-MARQUEZ Victoria Villanueva-Marquez is a breaking news and general assignment reporter at the Bradenton Herald. She also has experience writing about education and social services.
Even Steven 