Jesus Name Pentecostal Church rebrands as The Northwest Pentecostals amid lawsuit

Jesus Name Pentecostal Church rebranded as The Northwest Pentecostals following a civil complaint alleging sexual abuse by its former pastor. The church, based in Chehalis, updated its Facebook page with the new name and logo over the weekend. Its website is now accessible only with a password.

Senior Pastor Nathan Cox has led the church since February 11. In a video posted to the church’s Facebook page, Cox emphasized the church’s commitment to “real change.” The rebranding comes amid ongoing legal proceedings against the former pastor, Shannon Burgess.

The civil complaint, filed in Lewis County Superior Court in July, alleges that Burgess groomed and sexually abused two minors. The plaintiffs were approximately 15 and 12 years old when Burgess, who had previously been sexually abused himself, began targeting them. The complaint states that Burgess allegedly molested one plaintiff in the church office in 2011 when she was 16, continuing the abuse until 2014.

Burgess is also accused of inappropriate touching the second plaintiff when she was around 14. After she turned 18, he allegedly sent explicit sexual messages and requested nude photographs. The abuse reportedly escalated to a sexual relationship.

The complaint further accuses Jesus Name Pentecostal Church and Jesus Name Christian Academy of negligence and failure to protect the victims. It claims the church and school had a duty to prevent Burgess from using his position to groom and abuse children. The plaintiffs allege the church and school breached their fiduciary duties and seek damages for medical expenses, wage loss, and personal injuries.

Burgess resigned as pastor in February, citing a “moral failure.” He had led the church since 2009, taking over from his father, Glenn Burgess, who founded the church in 1976. Before becoming senior pastor, Burgess served as assistant pastor and youth pastor. He also acted as principal of JNCA since its opening in 2000.

The Chronicle attempted to contact the church but has not yet received a response. Multiple phone calls to the church’s number went unanswered. The case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by religious institutions in addressing allegations of abuse and ensuring accountability.

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