A petition posted online this week that calls for firing John Blanchard, a senior pastor at Rock Church International and an early supporter of former President Donald Trump, has gained more than 10,000 signatures as of press time.
The petition is from Faithful America, which is meant to serve as an online community for Christians. An accompanying message on the petition said Blanchard should be removed from his pastor position at the Virginia Beach, Virginia, megachurch due to his 2021 arrest in an underage prostitution sting.
Blanchard was arrested by Chesterfield County, Virginia, police for allegedly trying to meet with a 17-year-old girl who was actually an undercover detective. The charges were dismissed months later by Chesterfield County prosecutors following multiple hearing delays.
A special prosecutor was appointed to consider refiling charges against Blanchard, but his final report said additional evidence provided by police did not support charging the pastor with the same offenses. A judge last month agreed to expunge Blanchard's record. Blanchard has denied the accusations against him.
Newsweek reached out to Rock Church International for comment.
Despite Blanchard being cleared by authorities, Faithful America has called on Rock Church to fire him "immediately."
After detailing Blanchard's 2021 arrest, the petition says that "one would think that shameful moment would have marked the end of Blanchard's career in family ministry."
The message added that "the legal system may have let Blanchard off lightly, but churches have a responsibility to hold those we place in positions of spiritual authority to a higher standard—and to protect congregants from those who might do them harm."
When contacted for comment, a representative from Faithful America replied with a statement.
"As Christians we look to our religious leaders as an example of moral leadership. John Blanchard's alleged actions are not only illegal but demonstrate a distressing breach of trust," Karli Wallace Thompson, a digital campaigner at Faithful America, told Newsweek.
She added, "Clergy must be held to a higher standard, especially when there are vulnerable children and youth involved. Blanchard's presence in the pulpit poses a threat to young women and minors in his community; he must be removed from his post."
During the 2016 presidential race, Trump attended a meeting in New York City attended by around 1,000 evangelical leaders from around the country. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee moderated the conversation with Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee at the time.
Blanchard was among the leaders at the event, and he later spoke highly of Trump's words to the Christian community.
"I couldn't believe my ears! I found myself wanting to jump up and cheer because it had been far too long since someone stood up for the faith community like that," Blanchard recounted in a piece he wrote for the website Charisma News.
About Trump, Blanchard added, "I realized I was witnessing a potential modern-day Cyrus being birthed right before our eyes."
Last summer, Faithful America also protested Rock Church's decision to host a ReAwaken America Tour event that featured Eric Trump and former Trump adviser Michael Flynn.
ReAwaken America events have been criticized for spreading QAnon conspiracy theories and COVID-19 misinformation.
Update 09/07/23 1:29 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to include comment from Faithful America.
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