Seminary VP arrested on child pornography charges

Mid-America Reformed Seminary Vice President for Advancement Michael Deckinga on Wednesday was scheduled to appear in court for a hearing in his case. Deckinga served as the chief fundraiser at the seminary based in Dyer, Ind., until authorities arrested him earlier this month. He is facing federal charges of distributing child pornography, according to a court document, and is being held in Hammond City Jail for pretrial detention. If convicted, Deckinga could face between five and 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. An indictment related to the case has not been made public, and Decker had not submitted a plea as of Wednesday morning.

What has the seminary said? In a statement posted online Monday, Mid-America President Alan Strange confirmed that Deckinga had been fired and said the school was searching for his replacement. Strange said he and the school could not comment directly on the case, but emphasized that they abhor the types of crimes and sins of which Deckinga is accused. The president encouraged listeners to pray for Deckinga, his family, and those impacted by child pornography. The seminary was founded in 1981 and is connected to the Reformed movement but not a specific denomination.

Dig deeper: Read Flynn Evans’ column for WORLD Opinions about the harm pornography causes to the soul and to society.