MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A former Student Pastor at Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis has been arrested in Arkansas, charged with sexual indecency with a child.
According to Benton County, Arkansas, jail records, Keenan Hord was arrested Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022, on a warrant issued out of Bentonville, Arkansas. He is being held without bond.
According to Bentonville Police, they received an Arkansas State Police child abuse hotline notification initiated by First Baptist Church on Aug. 19, 2022. Investigators said that led to a search warrant for a residence in Bentonville that same day.
The warrant for sexual indecency with a child for Hord was issued on Aug. 23, and he was arrested in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Aug. 25.
Bentonville Police ask that anyone with information on this investigation call them at 479-271-3170.
First Baptist Church in Bentonville released the following statement: "We have been devastated to learn that a former employee of our church has been credibly accused of abusing adolescents during his tenure at our church. While these accusations did not come to light until after his employment ended, when we learned of them we immediately contacted our local authorities, made a report to the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline, and continue to fully support the ongoing law enforcement investigation. We are ministering to the survivors and their families who demonstrated incredible courage in coming forward. We are praying for God’s perfect peace for those who have been harmed and God’s justice for the abuse of His people."
In a letter to the congregation at Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, leaders there said Hord was on the staff at Bellevue from 2011 to 2016, serving as an intern in the Student Ministry from 2011 to 2014, then a Student Pastor at Bellevue Arlington until 2016.
Bellevue leaders said they are launching “a thorough, internal review” and they will share their findings once that is completed. They are asking anyone with information regarding criminal activity to report it to local police, and contact them at https://bellevue.formstack.com/forms/bellevue_questions with any questions regarding the situation.
You can read the full letter sent to Bellevue members below:
"Bellevue Family,
It has been brought to our attention that a former employee of Bellevue, Keenan Hord, has been accused of inappropriate behavior with minors. There is an active police investigation underway, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest in Arkansas.
Keenan was on Bellevue’s staff from 2011-2016. He served as an intern in our Student Ministry from 2011-2014, then was the Student Pastor at Bellevue Arlington until 2016.
The safety of our children remains our top priority. In response to this new information, Bellevue is launching a thorough, internal review. The findings of this review will be shared after it is completed.
If you have any information regarding any criminal activity, please report it to the local police department. If you have any questions regarding this situation, please do not hesitate to contact us using the link below. Somebody on our team will reach out to you as soon as possible. If you or your child were affected by this, we want to help you navigate this difficult situation with access to professional counselors at no expense to you. You can request a conversation with a counselor utilizing the link below.
Scripture warns us that Satan is a roaring lion, always seeking someone he can devour. His only intention is to steal, kill, and destroy. We must keep our guard up and draw near to the Lord. In doing so, He promises to draw near to us.
Please take time to pray for all who are victims of this tragic situation. If you have any information that may be relevant, please reach out to us using the following link. - https://bellevue.formstack.com/forms/bellevue_questions"