‘Unwavering support:’ Perry Stone ministry board stands by its man
The Voice of Evangelism board of directors on Thursday declared its “unwavering support” for Perry Stone as a state investigation into the prominent local televangelist approaches a new phase.
More than two years after allegations of sexual harassment and assault surfaced against the prominent Cleveland, Tennessee-based faith leader, a local prosecutor said by email Tuesday he has completed his review of the case and that a decision is forthcoming.
Through Cleveland, Tennessee-based Voice of Evangelism and related groups, Stone leads a multimillion-dollar ministry with a global reach. In July 2020, when the allegations of misconduct were first made public, the Voice of Evangelism board said in a statement it determined Stone’s conduct was “civil in nature and not criminal.”
In response to questions from the Chattanooga Times Free Press, a spokesman for Stone’s Voice of Evangelism ministry put out a statement late Thursday in continuing support of Stone and his wife.
“The VOE board stands firm in its decision and unwavering support of Perry and Pam Stone and will continue to operate in true biblical Godly integrity,” the ministry said in a statement released by spokesman John Rodriguez. “The financial health of the ministry is more vital than ever as we continue to experience unprecedented growth.”
The ministry’s statement did not answer questions such as whether Stone would continue to lead the organization if a criminal prosecution begins and whether the ministry is providing him an attorney.
According to a Times Free Press report last spring, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation began investigating Stone at the request of Steve Crump, district attorney general for Bradley, McMinn, Monroe and Polk counties. This came nearly two years after several women contacted Stone’s ministry with allegations of sexual assault and harassment, according to a Times Free Press investigation.
Stone had sometimes hired Bradley County Sheriff’s Office employees to provide security at his conferences and weekly gatherings, but in April, Sheriff Steve Lawson suspended ties with Stone’s ministries, pending a decision by the District Attorney’s Office, the newspaper reported.
This remains the policy of the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office, public information offier Paul Allen said Friday by email.
Crump, in the Tuesday email to the Times Free Press, said he has completed his review of the TBI investigation and that a decision about how to proceed would come soon.
In the spring of 2020, the Voice of Evangelism board of directors received several letters from women employed by or connected to Stone’s ministries, the Times Free Press reported in its investigation.
The letters described allegations of sexual misconduct against Stone. These allegations included groping, showing that he was aroused, asking women about their breasts and unwanted kissing.
The ministry board implemented a restoration plan for Stone, which included professional counseling, medical care, removal from social media and absence from ministry for between six and 12 months, with some exceptions.
In July 2020, when the allegations were first made public, the Voice of Evangelism board said the restoration plan consisted of “proactive measures” to give Stone much-needed “rest and restoration.”
“Secondly,” the statement said, “a couple of employees at VOE requested to meet with the board of directors to address concerns of inappropriate words and actions.”
The board, the statement added, “determined that the issues were civil in nature and not criminal, but that the behavior deviated from the biblical standards set in place for VOE leadership.”
Alleged victims and people connected to the ministry have criticized the board’s handling of the allegations, arguing the group did not thoroughly investigate or hold Stone accountable, the Times Free Press reported.
But Rodriguez, the VOE spokesman, told the newspaper the internal investigation was “appropriate and intensive.”