Concerned citizens are calling for an investigation into a 63 year old church leader after he married a 19 year old girl he pastored.
Thousands of concerned Iowans are now calling for an investigation into Dwight Reed, a 63 year old Bishop who leads the Christ Apostolic Temple in Des Moines. The elderly Bishop married a 19 year old girl he had been providing special guidance to as dean of the church school back in November 2021.
According to the Des Moines Register, it is not illegal to marry a much younger individual in Iowa as long as they have reached the age of consent. In the state, the age of consent is 16. Bishop Reed's critics, however, have been vocal about his marriage to the 19 year old given their huge age gap. They argued on social media that he "used his position to facilitate a personal relationship with someone over whom he had authority" and are now calling for an investigation by the authorities.
The Roys Report revealed that an outside clergyman has accused the 63 year old bishop of "gross abuse of power" and years-long "grooming" of an underage congregant. Some of the teen's family members and fellow church members have also expressed concern that the teen is a victim of clergy abuse. Jordan Goodlett, the 19 year old bride of the bishop, is a longtime church member and a former student of the church's affiliated school, JW Reed Academy.
Meanwhile, Texas clergy man Demetrius Sinegal of Safehouse Unmuzzled criticized Reed publicly since March, alleging that Goodlett "grew up as a child under his pastoral care." In an April 8 press release from the advocacy group for church abuse victims, the group wrote, "We reject the notion of independent consent on the part of a teenager who heretofore was in a fiduciary relationship between Pastor and child/teenage congregant."
Sinegal and his group also began a petition on March 14, calling for Reed to be investigated. According to Sinegal, "Over 50 pastors, mental health workers, researchers, professors, and other community leaders have publicly given their name as standing in support and solidarity of our call for an investigation."
But Reed and his church fought back, launching a libel and intentional infliction of emotional distress case against Sinegal and seeking $1.5 million in damages. Sinegal claims that the lawsuit has not been formally served to him and that he believed the court would consider it frivolous.
People close to Goodlett suggested that the 19 year old was pressured into marrying the elderly bishop. She even "expressed reservations and made efforts to call the wedding off both the day before and the day of," the report said. Family members believed that she "ultimately succumbed to pressure from Reed and her father, a musician on the church payroll."
Church member Jazmn Napier also took to Facebook using a pseudonym to describe Reed as "a predator masking himself as a man of God" and accused him of groomin Goodlett. She recounted how a few years earlier, Reed announced to the congregation that he would take in Goodlett under his wing "for special attention" as she had been struggling through her parents' divorce. Goodlett was also reportedly spending time in his home and on outings with the 63 year old bishop. Reed also bought her a car as a graduation gift.
