Oceanway Church’s lead pastor has been sidelined for the month of July, a move that has rippled through the North Jacksonville congregation as it wrestles with renewed scrutiny over a former volunteer now accused in a Marion County child-sex sting.
The church’s board has asked Lead Pastor Al Force to step away from his day-to-day duties after the June arrest of John Goodman, a former attendee whose name has resurfaced along with questions about how earlier concerns were handled. Church leaders insist the pause is temporary and framed as a breather, while critics say it leaves major questions about child safety and oversight hanging in the air.
Board Asks Pastor To Take July Off
In a statement to News4JAX, Oceanway Church said its board asked Force to take the month of July “for rest, family and personal renewal,” with his day-to-day pastoral duties temporarily handed off to other leaders.
Force told the congregation that the earlier incident involving Goodman was brought to the church’s attention “six and a half years ago” and said the church reported its concerns at that time to the Florida Department of Children and Families. According to the church’s statement, Force remains the lead pastor, there are no restrictions on his presence on church property, and the board is treating the stepped-back role as a short-term measure rather than a permanent change.
Marion County Sting That Sparked New Scrutiny
The renewed attention follows Goodman’s June arrest in a Marion County undercover operation targeting suspected child predators. Deputies say Goodman arrived expecting to meet someone he believed would allow him to have sex with a 7-year-old. He now faces charges that include using a computer to solicit a parent or guardian for consent to engage in sexual activity with a minor, traveling to meet a minor after using a computer to solicit a guardian, unlawful use of a two-way communications device, and evidence tampering, according to FOX 13.
Authorities say the operation, called “Operation Bad Habits,” swept up roughly 58 people across the county, with Goodman’s case quickly drawing outsized attention in Jacksonville because of his ties to Oceanway Church.
Former Youth Leaders Push Back
Former youth leaders Luis and Larissa Peña told reporters they recognized Goodman in the arrest video and said he was regularly around minors while attending Oceanway, directly clashing with the church’s public statement that he did not serve with children’s ministries.
Photos and accounts shared with local reporters appear to show Goodman alongside youth at church events, and a former pastoral staffer, speaking anonymously, said Goodman and his family were involved with both youth and adult ministries during their tenure on staff, News4JAX reported.
In response, Oceanway, speaking through an attorney, said its internal records do not list Goodman as serving as a coach or mentor. The church did acknowledge, however, that he attended at least one youth event as a “caregiving parent,” a distinction that has done little to quiet concerns among some former leaders.
Legal Implications And What’s Next
Goodman remains jailed on multiple felony counts as his case moves through Marion County’s criminal courts, and any documentation tied to the earlier contact with the Department of Children and Families could play a role in related inquiries, FOX 13 reported.
Oceanway’s leadership says the temporary leave gives the board space to review its processes while the congregation processes the allegations and the headlines swirling around them. Day-to-day leadership has been delegated during Force’s absence, and former youth leaders are publicly calling for more transparency as officials say investigations are still ongoing.
