Ohio megachurch says pastor was fired for sexual immorality

The megachurch New Life Chapel over the weekend announced the firing of its senior pastor and founder, Lonnie Snell. Snell, who was married to his wife Ruth for 32 years, engaged in consensual sexual immorality with a staff member at the church according to the church.

In a Friday statement, the church announced that Snell was no longer affiliated with the West Chester, Ohio, church, adding that New Life was working diligently to ensure the integrity of its entire staff. The staffer who engaged in sexual activities with Snell was of consensual age and development, the church continued. New Life concluded the statement with a request for prayer and unity as opposed to discord and speculation.

Daryl Blank, the district superintendent of the Southwestern Ohio District of the Church of the Nazarene, posted a statement on Thursday encouraging those in ministry to guard their hearts and their marriages. New Life staff member Eric Dolby thanked the congregation for showing up on Sunday during the first service to cheers from the attendees. WORLD reached out to the church for comment. This story will be updated with any response received.

Lonnie and Ruth Snell were married in 1994, have four sons, and have been in ministry for 23 years, according to a now-pulled page from New Life’s website.