Lexington church that once employed a suspected rapist announces closure

The Lexington church that previously employed a rape suspect announced its permanent closure on Wednesday.

LexCity Church, a large church on West Reynolds Road near Fayette Mall with over 4,000 followers on its Facebook page, cited the impact of the investigation into a former employee and financial reasons as reasons for closing. The announcement came just over a week after former pastor Zachary King was arrested after allegedly having sex with a minor for over a year.

“Our sympathies are broken for those who have been hurt and are suffering, and we will continue to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation. However, with a heavy heart, we feel it is in the best interest of the Kingdom and our community to cease our ministry,” LexCity Church said in a statement on its website.

King, 47, is charged with first-degree rape, third-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, first-degree sexual abuse and soliciting or encouraging the abuse of a minor by electronic means, court records show. King was formerly senior pastor of LexCity Church and resigned from the church after being confronted with the allegations by church staff.

LexCity said the city is fortunate to have a wide variety of churches in its community that its followers can join after the shutdown.

“Although our chapter ends today, we are incredibly encouraged by the larger community of Christ-followers throughout our city and know that there is a place within it for everyone who once called LexCity home,” LexCity Church said in its statement.

Update on the investigation of the former pastor

King’s case was referred to a Fayette County grand jury on Friday after he and his attorney, Russell Baldini, waived their right to a preliminary hearing.

King is currently being held at the Fayette County Detention Center on $250,000 bail, according to jail records. After waiving the preliminary hearing, Baldini argued for a lower bail for his client, citing King’s low risk of flight and his cooperation with the investigation to this point.

The request was ultimately denied by Fayette County District Judge Melissa Murphy, who said King was a flight risk due to his lack of connections in Lexington and his lack of family resources.

Church had previously been involved in a scandal as Quest Community Church

This is not the first time that LexCity Church has been involved in a scandal. In September 2014, Quest Community Church, now known as LexCity Church, announced that the public ministry of its senior pastor had been terminated after Pete Hise admitted to an inappropriate relationship with a female pastor on staff.

Hise told the church staff that the relationship “led to the crossing of physical boundaries without sexual intercourse occurring,” a statement on the church’s website said at the time.

Hise founded Quest in 1997 and was best known as a sponsor of the annual Questapalooza Christian music festival. His public work was discontinued and Management and teaching responsibilities have been transferred to other employees, the statement said.