Six women have filed a civil lawsuit accusing Refuge Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas, along with regional and national Assemblies of God leaders, of dismissing reports about children’s pastor Tony Waller’s sexual abuse over a 15-year period. The lawsuit, filed in Craighead County Circuit Court, alleges church officials received the earliest reports about Waller in 2000 but failed to permanently remove him from ministry until 2015.
Waller pleaded guilty to raping two girls in 2016 and was sentenced to life in prison. The lawsuit names the church, formerly known as Jonesboro First Assembly of God, and its former senior pastor Mike Glover as defendants, along with Assemblies of God leadership at regional and national levels.
Main Developments in the Lawsuit
According to the lawsuit, the earliest warnings about Waller reached church leaders in 2000, just one year after Mike Glover hired him as children’s pastor at Jonesboro First Assembly in 1999. That spring, Jonesboro police and school officials investigated Waller’s behavior around an 11-year-old girl, resulting in school officials barring Waller from campus.
Police, a school resource officer, and the principal met with Glover in April 2000 about Waller, according to court documents. The police investigation was closed that same month.
The lawsuit alleges that around 2004, girls discovered a hidden camera in a church bathroom. According to the plaintiffs, Waller was briefly suspended for approximately two to four weeks but was promptly returned to ministry. The women allege this decision allowed the abuse to continue for more than another decade.
The abuse finally ended in 2015 when Waller’s wife found images of naked children on his computer and went to police. Investigators subsequently found dozens of hidden-camera videos on Waller’s computer. He pleaded guilty to raping two girls the following year and received a life sentence.
What the Plaintiffs Allege
The six plaintiffs include Stephanie Davis, Elizabeth Dryer, Taylor Perrin, and a woman identified as Jane Doe. Davis, who is both a plaintiff and abuse survivor, stated the purpose behind the legal action.
“Tony’s in prison for the rest of his life, and that’s good. But he’s not the only one responsible for what happened to us,” Davis said.
Two sisters among the plaintiffs allege the abuse began in 2006 or 2007 when they were 10 or 11 years old. Two younger women allege they were abused between 2008 and 2014.
Joshua D. Gillispie, the plaintiffs’ lawyer, characterized the 2004 incident as a critical failure by church leadership.
“The Assemblies of God caught this predator red-handed in 2004, holding his camera and his list of nude exercises in their hands. Instead of calling the police or protecting vulnerable children, they actively chose to shield the denomination’s reputation and treat a child molester with tenderness and forgiveness at the expense of children’s innocence,” Gillispie said.
Courtney Blackburn, an abuse survivor who is not a plaintiff in this lawsuit, and her mother Rhonda Kelly also shared their perspective on the church’s response to concerns.
“They did nothing about it. Absolutely nothing,” one of them stated.
Blackburn added: “These things could have been prevented, if somebody had listened.”
How the Defendants Have Responded
The defendants have disputed the allegations of negligence and fault. Mike Glover, who left the church in 2007 and retired in 2024, denied knowing about sexual misconduct involving children.
“There was never an accusation of inappropriate conduct with a child,” Glover said through his lawyer, Glenn S. Ritter.
Regarding the 2004 hidden camera incident and other allegations, Glover stated: “That didn’t happen on my watch. He would have been long gone. That was never reported to me.”
Glover’s attorney noted that his client “denied all accusations of negligence and fault.”
The Assemblies of God General Council also responded to the lawsuit’s claims. A spokesperson stated: “Mr. Waller was promptly reported to the appropriate legal authorities, investigated, and his ministerial credentials were dismissed. This is consistent with the zero-tolerance policy in place at the General Council for decades prior to these allegations.”
Glover reflected on his departure from the church, saying: “Unfortunately, nobody else had the courage to put their foot down.”
Timeline of Key Events
In 1999, Tony Waller was hired as children’s pastor at Jonesboro First Assembly of God by Mike Glover.
In spring 2000, Jonesboro police and school officials investigated Waller’s behavior around an 11-year-old girl. School officials barred him from campus. In April 2000, police, a school resource officer, and the principal met with Glover. The police investigation was closed that same month.
Around 2004, according to the lawsuit, girls discovered a hidden camera in a church bathroom. The plaintiffs allege Waller was suspended for two to four weeks before being returned to ministry.
Between 2006 and 2014, according to the lawsuit, multiple plaintiffs experienced abuse. Two sisters allege their abuse began in 2006 or 2007. Two younger women allege abuse occurred between 2008 and 2014.
In 2007, Mike Glover left the church.
In 2015, Waller’s wife discovered images of naked children on his computer and contacted police. Investigators found dozens of hidden-camera videos.
In 2016, Waller pleaded guilty to raping two girls and was sentenced to life in prison.
In 2024, Mike Glover retired.
Context About the Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God is the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination. An investigation by NBC News identified about 200 Assemblies of God pastors, employees, and volunteers who have been accused of sexual abuse over a 50-year period.
The current lawsuit focuses specifically on the alleged failures at Refuge Church and the responses of denominational leadership to warnings about Tony Waller during his tenure as children’s pastor.
What Happens Next
The civil lawsuit filed in Craighead County Circuit Court will proceed through the legal system. The specific amounts of damages being sought have not been disclosed in available information. The current status of the lawsuit proceedings has not been detailed.
Refuge Church has not publicly responded to the current lawsuit at this time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Tony Waller and what was he convicted of?
Tony Waller was a children’s pastor at Jonesboro First Assembly of God in Arkansas. He pleaded guilty to raping two girls in 2016 and was sentenced to life in prison. Investigators found dozens of hidden-camera videos on his computer after his wife reported finding images of naked children.
What does the lawsuit against the Assemblies of God church allege?
The lawsuit alleges that Refuge Church, formerly Jonesboro First Assembly of God, along with regional and national Assemblies of God leaders, dismissed reports about Tony Waller’s sexual abuse over 15 years. The plaintiffs claim church officials received warnings as early as 2000 and briefly suspended Waller around 2004 after a hidden camera was discovered, but returned him to ministry.
How have the church and former pastor responded to the allegations?
Former senior pastor Mike Glover denied all accusations of negligence and fault, stating there was never an accusation of inappropriate conduct with a child reported to him. The Assemblies of God General Council stated that Waller was promptly reported to legal authorities and his ministerial credentials were dismissed, consistent with their zero-tolerance policy.
The case represents one of several legal actions against religious institutions over alleged failures to protect children from known or suspected abusers. Six women have now brought their claims to Craighead County Circuit Court, where the litigation will continue to unfold.
