Megachurch in Atlanta, Georgia, dismisses pastor after child cruelty charge

Kenneth McFarland, 43, a pastor at 2819 Church, was arrested on November 10 and charged with second-degree cruelty to children. Reports differ on his title and location. One describes him as a pastor at the church in Atlanta, another as a pastor at the church in Stockbridge, Georgia, and a third as an associate pastor at Atlanta’s 2819 Church.

According to one report, school staff at Creekside Christian Academy noticed blood on the clothing of McFarland’s 15-year-old stepson, which led to his arrest. The teen reportedly told school staff that his stepfather struck him with a cord from a gaming system as discipline after he was suspended from school. A second report, citing a police report obtained by USA Today, says the boy told an assistant principal that his father struck him with a power cord and called the action “discipline” after an in-school suspension. That report describes the boy as McFarland’s son, while the first describes him as his stepson. The allegations have not been proven in court, and the case remains under investigation. Protecting a child who has been harmed is a duty that these allegations make urgent (Psalm 82:3).

A police report cited in the first account states that officers observed bruising on the boy’s upper thighs and bottom. The second report describes bruising on the boy’s upper right thigh and lower buttocks.

McFarland was booked into the Henry County Jail. One report says he was later released on a $2,500 bond. Executive pastor Lonnell Williams confirmed to The Independent that McFarland had been charged with a serious crime involving physical harm to a child in his family.

The church said it immediately suspended McFarland indefinitely and that he agreed to step down until a decision was made about his future employment. The first report describes his departure as a dismissal. The second report says the church announced his termination on November 18, following the initial suspension. The church has not issued further public statements beyond confirming McFarland’s suspension and the nature of the charges. McFarland’s legal proceedings are ongoing.