He Preached on Sundays, Then Spent $11,000 of Church Money at Louis Vuitton
Huntsville, Alabama — Adrian Davis, a former pastor of a now-defunct campus of a megachurch in Alabama, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of diverting over $400,000 from church funds. Prosecutors allege the money was spent on luxury purchases, vehicles, personal debt and mortgage payments.
Davis was the lead pastor at All Nations Worship Assembly and also served as a marketing consultant for the church. According to court records, he received a salary and parsonage as compensation. He appeared for an arraignment on Thursday and entered a not guilty plea, despite originally agreeing to plead guilty earlier this month.
Davis appeared in federal court last week by video from California for his arraignment. He pleaded not guilty and was released by Magistrate Judge Herman Johnson Jr. on a $5,000 bond.
Court documents show that between 2018 and 2020, Adrian Davis used funds from All Nations Worship Assembly in Huntsville to buy an Audi A7 for $30,920 and a GMC Yukon for $45,982. He is also accused of using $42,000 of church money for entertainment and retail purchases, including $10,993 on Louis Vuitton merchandise, $5,300 at the New York shoe store Flight Club and $28,000 at the luxury jeweler Peter Marco.
In addition to the vehicle and retail spending, the government alleges Davis spent $24,000 to pay off his mother's mortgage and used church funds to pay down more than $117,000 in personal credit card debt. Court documents say Davis paid off over $268,000 on his personal credit cards over the course of 2019 and 2020.
Court filings say Davis understated his income on his 2020 federal tax return, reporting $138,621 when he actually earned more than that, according to WAFF. The documents allege he knowingly misrepresented the amount.
Davis reportedly agreed to repay $434,340 to the church and $114,859 to the Internal Revenue Service. The repayment deal was acknowledged in court filings seeking leniency, which cite Davis' "apparent prompt recognition and affirmative acceptance of personal responsibility."
He is also expected to forfeit any property acquired using the diverted funds.
All Nations Worship Assembly was founded in 1999 by Pastor Matthew L. Stevenson and is considered one of the country's largest urban charismatic movements. The church has around 15,000 members and 25 locations nationwide, but no longer operates in Huntsville.
If convicted, Davis faces a maximum sentence of 23 years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines.
THE CRUSADER'S OPINION
Adrian Davis stood before God's people as their shepherd. He had their trust, their tithes, and their spiritual authority. And he used it to fund a luxury lifestyle that would make a rapper blush.
$30,920 Audi. $45,982 GMC Yukon. Nearly $11,000 at Louis Vuitton. $28,000 at a luxury jeweler. $268,000 in credit card bills paid with church money. While the congregation sacrificed their hard-earned income to build God's kingdom, their pastor was buying designer handbags and custom jewelry.
He even used church funds to pay off his mother's mortgage. That's not generosity. That's theft dressed up in family values.
Now he's pleading not guilty despite already agreeing to plead guilty earlier this month. Despite agreeing to repay over $434,000 to the church and $114,859 to the IRS. Court filings even cite his "prompt recognition and affirmative acceptance of personal responsibility." But when it came time to face the judge? Not guilty.
The gymnastics are stunning. You can't simultaneously accept responsibility for stealing nearly half a million dollars and then tell a federal court you didn't do it. This is the kind of double-mindedness James warned destroys faith communities.
Pastoral abuse isn't just about sex scandals. Financial corruption wounds the body of Christ just as deeply. Every dollar Davis stole was given by faithful believers trying to advance the gospel. Instead, it advanced his sneaker collection.
Churches must demand financial transparency. Independent audits. Multiple signatories. No pastor should have unchecked access to church accounts. The Bible calls leaders to be "above reproach," not above accountability. Davis faces 23 years in prison. He deserves every day of it.
TAKE ACTION
Support Church Financial Accountability and Reform:
- MinistryWatch - Promoting transparency and accountability in Christian ministries
https://ministrywatch.com
Email: info@ministrywatch.com
Phone: 1-704-841-8066 - Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) - Setting standards for church financial integrity
https://www.ecfa.org
Email: info@ecfa.org
Phone: 1-800-323-9473 - The Roys Report - Investigating abuse and corruption in the church
https://julieroys.com
Email: julie@julieroys.com - ChurchLawAndTax.com - Resources for church financial best practices and legal compliance
https://www.churchlawandtax.com
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