George Bell, a 72-year-old former pastor from Anchor Baptist Church in Columbus, was arraigned in Franklin County Common Pleas Court this past Tuesday. Facing serious accusations, Bell pleaded not guilty to six felony counts, including four instances of rape and two of gross sexual imposition involving a juvenile reported to be under the age of 10.
The indictment alleges that the offenses took place over three years, from 2021 to June 2024. As confirmed by authorities, these charges do not involve a member of Bell's congregation. Despite the serious nature of these charges, the court set a $20,000 recognizance bond. In addition to the bond, Bell is required to abstain from any unsupervised contact with minors and is barred from internet access, as stated in The Columbus Dispatch.
Bell resigned from Anchor Baptist Church in June, citing personal reasons. Following his resignation, the church claimed it was unaware of the full extent of the circumstances surrounding his departure until the allegations surfaced. In reaction to the charges, the church declared in a release obtained by WBNS, "We now know that there was more to the unexpected resignation of our former pastor, George Bell, than we were originally led to believe."
As the congregation grapples with the revelation, Adam Freed, a former church member of 27 years, expressed his feelings in an interview with CBS AUSTIN, "It feels like a betrayal; I know that I was misled for a long time, and my eyes are opened up to that now, and I feel guilty being part of that environment, culture." The church continues to urge prayer and transparency, seeking to navigate this ordeal by embracing scriptural principles as they cooperate with law enforcement and the justice system.