An Ohio pastor is sorry after urging students to slap him during a "crucifixion lesson"

Copyright of the image
Facebook, courtesy of Impact City Church

An Ohio church is excused after the release of a student video of a youth program spewing, slapping and cutting a pastor at his request.

Images posted on Facebook showed young people lining up in front of Deputy Pastor Jaddeus Dempsey, who wanted it to be a lesson on crucifixion before Easter.

The video aroused the indignation of the parents, prompting an apology from Mr. Dempsey.

Mr. Dempsey stated that he wanted to show students "how much Jesus loved them".

"I'm really sorry to misrepresent the community, the church, the parents, the students," said Mr. Dempsey in a video posted on the church's Facebook page.

"It was not my intention, my intention was simply to show them how much Jesus loved them."

In the video, Mr. Dempsey and Pastor Justin Ross expressed regret over the incident that occurred Monday during a luncheon program after school. Impact City Church of Pataskala, Ohio.

"Jaddeus stood up in front of the students and he said:" I'm going to ask you to do something that may sound a little crazy, but if there is anyone here who would like to spit in my face, you can do it without any repercussions, "said Ross.

Mr. Ross stated that some students "were a little caught off guard", while others were "enthusiastic … because they had never had the opportunity to spit" at the mouth of someone "".

While some refused, many young people accepted the invitation, queuing to spit in Mr. Dempsey's face.

Mr. Dempsey then invited the students to slap him.

Again, although several students refused, some shouting "no" in the background, several students participated. A student rolled up his sleeve before openly slapping the pastor's face as others cheered and applauded in the background.

Mr. Dempsey then gave the students a steak knife, asking to be cut in the back. The video shows that he takes off his shirt and tells the students where to place the knife.

"He had the opportunity to share a message about Easter," Ross said of Mr. Dempsey. "He chose to use an illustration to explain a very important topic about the crucifixion, but this illustration went too far."

But for many members of the non-denominational church community, the excuses are insufficient.

Although Mr. Dempsey stated that the idea of ​​the lesson belonged entirely to him, other adults, including Mr. Ross, were present throughout the meeting.

Mandy, the 12-year-old boy's mother who was handling the steak knife, told WBNS, a subsidiary of CBS, that she had received a call from a friend who had viewed an online video and he was rushed to pick up his son.

"The guy who gets spat on turns around, grabs the knife and hands it to my son," she said. "I was very disturbed."

Mandy told WBNS that her son would not return to the church and that she had reported the incident to the local sheriff's office.

While most members of the community expressed concern about the video, others rushed to defend Impact City Church and Mr. Dempsey, who said he was a student leader since almost four years.

"Impact City has extraordinary pastors, an extraordinary congregation … and they do a lot for the city of Pataskala," commented the video of apologies. "As false as this lesson is, if you look at the whole picture, it's a lesson of what Jesus lived."

Copyright of the image
Facebook courtesy of Lola Hatfield

Holly Collier, who attended Impact City Church for two years, said she was "heartbroken" by watching the video.

"It was a terrible judgment," she told the BBC.

Collier said her daughter, Kelsey, 16, had attended a summer camp run by Mr. Dempsey two years ago.

"Jaddeus has a very pure heart," said Ms. Collier. "I honestly believe that he had good intentions."

Kelsey told the BBC that Mr. Dempsey "is the most fun man you can meet."

"Jaddeus and the people of this church were always there for us … they are the most understanding and the least critical people you can meet," she said.

"I do not think that someone should be judged solely on the basis of an error, this mistake does not define who he is."

Kelsey said that three of his friends were at the church that night, but none participated in Mr. Dempsey's assault.

"They did not participate," she said. "It made them lose their heads."

According to a second article on Impact City Church's Facebook page, the board of directors has launched a formal investigation and investigation.

"Our pastor is available to personally meet every student and their parents present at Monday's student rally," he added. "Our staff will contact these families as soon as possible."