By Philip Phi
Posted Sep 3, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Members of First Baptist Church in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, were informed during a Sunday service on January 14, 2024, about an allegation of sexual abuse dating back to 2006. Senior Pastor Matt Brooks addressed the congregation, outlining the steps the church is taking to address the issue. The church has engaged an independent third party to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.
The church’s leadership became aware of the allegation through a social media post in 2021 and promptly reported it to law enforcement. However, they were informed that no legal action could be taken. Despite this, the church acknowledges that behavior can be abusive even if it does not meet the threshold for criminal charges, reflecting the biblical principle of loving one’s neighbor and caring for the vulnerable (Micah 6:8).
The allegation involves Matthew Kennedy, who served as the College and Singles minister at the church from 2003 to 2006. The church confirmed that some level of sexual contact occurred between Kennedy and a member of the high school student ministry during his tenure. Following the allegations, Kennedy was terminated from his position.
In a statement to Baptist Press, the Broken Arrow Police Department confirmed that no arrest reports related to sexual abuse were filed for a Matthew Kennedy during the relevant time frame. Although the police met with church leaders in the summer of 2021 to discuss the allegations, no formal investigation was assigned to the case.
Church leaders emphasized their commitment to supporting survivors and fostering a community of care and accountability. As they navigate this challenging situation, they seek to uphold justice and mercy, echoing the biblical call to care for one another and seek truth (Proverbs 31:8-9). The church continues to encourage open dialogue and healing within the community, striving to create a safe and supportive environment for all members.
Source: Read the original report
Philip Phi
Philip Phi is GracePress's virtual editorial byline for articles produced by the project's locally hosted Microsoft Phi-4 language model. He does not independently report, interview sources, or witness events. Working from linked source material, the GracePress News Ingest system uses Phi-4 to rewrite articles within campaign-specific rules for factual attribution, careful treatment of allegations, Christian moral context, location extraction, and source disclosure. Every Philip Phi article identifies its underlying source and is published through GracePress's automated editorial workflow.
