Skip to content
Image credit: The logo of the Southern Baptist Convention, courtesy of Wikipedia.
A Southern Baptist megachurch in Houston has quietly settled a sexual abuse lawsuit filed by three women who accused a former youth pastor of sexual misconduct. The litigation centers around former youth pastor Timothy Jeltema of Champion Forest Baptist Church. The plaintiffs’ suit alleged negligence by both the church and the Southern Baptist Convention.
According to court records, the settlement was finalized on May 14, 2025, through mediation and remains strictly confidential, Mallory Challis of Baptist News Global reported.
The plaintiffs, all identified as “Jane Doe” in court filings, filed the joint lawsuit on April 19, 2024. They alleged that Jeltema used his position of trust as a youth pastor to sexually abuse them when they were between 14 and 16 years old. Jeltema began working at Champion Forest in 2009 as an intern and was eventually promoted to youth pastor overseeing middle and high school students.
The plaintiffs accused Jeltema of attempted rape, coercing one minor to send him nude photos, and sending explicit images and messages to multiple girls. Jeltema pled guilty in 2022 to charges including sexual performance by a child, indecency with a child, and online solicitation of a minor. He is currently serving a five-year prison sentence and admitted to abusing about 25 girls.
The lawsuit claimed that church leadership negligently hired and promoted Jeltema without enforcing proper safety protocols. It further alleged that a church leader once tipped off Jeltema about an ongoing police investigation, which allowed him to destroy evidence.
The Southern Baptist Convention was also named as a defendant. The complaint accused the SBC of general negligence, arguing that its failure to properly inform and train affiliated churches about recurring abuse contributed to a culture where misconduct could continue unchecked. A plaintiff’s attorney argued that greater transparency from SBC leadership about past abuse could have prevented the mishandling at Champion Forest.
The church’s attorney told Law360 that the settlement was paid by the insurance company, and that the church itself had no input regarding the timing or terms of the resolution.
The alleged abuse occurred prior to the arrival of the church’s current pastor, Jarrett Stephens, who began in January 2021. His predecessor, David Fleming, served as senior pastor during the years Jeltema worked at the church and during the time the abuse reportedly occurred. Jeltema was arrested in 2018. In 2022, Stephens was named to the SBC’s Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force.
Survivors of SBC Sexual Abuse: Discover Your Legal Rights
If you or someone you love experienced abuse in a Southern Baptist church or church-run program, you are not alone.
Learn more about your legal options and how we may help connect you with attorneys who specialize in SBC sexual abuse cases by visiting our comprehensive guide.
