Ahr, a partner at Nelson Mullins, the firm that's representing Brave Church and the board members, cited "significant misunderstandings" between Brave Church and PenFlorida, which have been resolved through a "very friendly settlement."
and its board have amicably resolved the matter with the Peninsular Florida District Council," attorney Kristin Ahr informed New Times in a written statement. "PenFlorida found that Stocker is guilty of sexual misconduct based on significant evidence that he was sexually involved with at least three separate women from the congregation, all while he was not married to them and some while he was still legally married to his now ex-wife," the complaint states.Ī post shared by BRAVE Church "Brave Church of Miami, Inc. The lawsuit, filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, names Stocker, Brave Church, and four members of the church's board of directors, alleging that the board repeatedly ignored PenFlorida's findings and discouraged congregants from reporting Stocker for fear of ruining his career. But worshipers at Brave Church, the Miami congregation where Stocker served as pastor, likely disagree.Īccording to a 307-page lawsuit filed on May 24 by Peninsular Florida District Council (PenFlorida) - an Assemblies of God umbrella organization that oversees more than 300 churches in Florida and the Virgin Islands, including Brave Church - Stocker violated church bylaws by engaging in sexual relations with at least three congregants and using the church's credit card to fund at least one of the affairs, then refusing to step down as pastor after PenFlorida investigated and found him guilty of "gross sexual misconduct and immoral actions." The couple returned the following month to stay at a luxe hotel in the Lower East Side, snapping intimate photos and selfies along the way. In May 2019, about a month after taking a woman from his church on a first date, David Stocker, Jr., flew her out to New York City to partake in all the quintessential touristy activities in the Big Apple: visit Broadway, snap photos around Times Square, ride in one of those cheesy horse-drawn carriages. It’s unclear what this means for pastor David Stocker, Jr., who remains a defendant in the suit.)
Update published 7/8/22: On July 6, PenFlorida, Brave Church, and the four board members named as defendants in the lawsuit detailed below filed a joint stipulation dismissing the matter subject to the terms of their settlement agreement.
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