Former Russell County Church Bishop Faces Sexual Abuse Charges

[Ian David]

Atlanta Bishop Christopher Bennett who recently served as a local church employee faces second degree sodomy charges. Sheriff's deputies brought Bennett back to the Russell County jail late Thursday evening.

Bennett is featured on several websites detailing his ministry. He was an employee at Higher Power Outreach in Phenix City at the time the alleged incident happened in 2004. An allegation that has many of them in shock. "Initially when I heard this I was outraged because we hired him and trusted him as a man of God," said Pastor Johnnie Robinson.

Lt. Heath Taylor says Bennett is accused of the same crime in Atlanta as well. "The similarities of that case in College Park where he was arrested by authorities and our case are extremely similar," said Taylor.

One woman who knows Bennett, says it will be interesting to see how these allegations impact his ministry. "Sometimes people in the church use things as their testimony and say okay I came through this. However, it could have a negative affect because people could look at him and say how could you," said Friend Viola Gilyard.

More:
http://www.wtvm.com/Global/story.asp?S=6726828&nav=8fap

[Ian David]

1. Update: "Generation Impact Movement" Bishop Christopher Bennett charged with sodomy

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Christopher Bennett, 30, of Apt. Z6, 200 Franklin Road NE, Atlanta, was arrested Wednesday in the Atlanta area and charged with second-degree sodomy, said Russell County Sheriff's Lt. Heath Taylor. The charge stems from a Russell County High student's disclosure a few days after graduation that Bennett had inappropriately touched the then 14- or 15-year-old boy in 2004, the lieutenant said.

"In that disclosure, he stated that (Bennett) was befriending him, mentoring him, and that on a particular occasion in Christopher's apartment in Phenix City, that he sexually molested him," Taylor said.

Bennett is the president and CEO of Chris Bennett Ministries and presiding bishop of the Generation Impact Movement, according to kingdompeople.org. The Web site claims that Bennett travels across the country and world to preach about the word of God.

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Bennett was charged with another sexual offense in College Park in 2006, Taylor said. He called the circumstances in both allegations, while unrelated, very similar.

More:
http://onanite.blogspot.com/2007/07/pastor-charged-with-sodomy.html