Pastor Rod Loy and Megachurch Ask Court to Dismiss 20 Year Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

Megachurch Pastor Rod Loy and First Assembly of God Deny Sexual Abuse Allegations, Seek Lawsuit Dismissal

Assemblies of God Executive Presbyter Rod Loy and the First Assembly of God in North Little Rock, Arkansas, have filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by former church member Suzanne Lander, 45, who alleges Loy sexually abused her for 20 years beginning when she was 16 years old.

In a 12 page court response filed in the Circuit Court of Pulaski County, the defendants say they "vehemently deny" Lander's claims, calling them "fabricated in their entirety and part of a smear campaign."

Lander's complaint, filed in January 2026, alleges that Loy began abusing her in 1996, only months after she started attending the church as a teenager. The alleged abuse continued through 2016, including after her marriage to Patrick Lander, who served as a student pastor and later executive pastor at the church.

According to the lawsuit, Loy allegedly used Scripture, including Hebrews 13:17, to manipulate Lander into compliance, telling her "God wanted her to please him sexually." The complaint states the abuse occurred in multiple church locations including Loy's office, a storage closet, the nursery, the Junior Super Church Room, the church parking lot, and Loy's home.

Plaintiff never reported any allegation of abuse by Pastor Loy to the Church or law enforcement.

This statement came from the defendants' court filing, which also noted that Loy "has never before been accused of or faced allegations of such heinous conduct in his decades of service."

The defense cited an email Lander sent on March 18, 2012, to Loy, his wife Cindy, and her husband Patrick, stating:

Me and Patrick love First Assembly. We love what we do...you are not just our bosses, you are family...Our prayer has been and always will be something very similar to the words of Elisha...'As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I (we) will not leave you.'

The defendants argue this email undermines the abuse allegations.

Their motion also invokes the Ecclesiastical Abstention doctrine, arguing that civil courts should not decide disputes that require interpretation of religious doctrine or church governance, and requests the case be dismissed with prejudice.

Rod Loy Steps Back From Assemblies of God Leadership Amid Abuse Lawsuit

First Assembly of God is one of the largest Assemblies of God congregations in the United States, with more than 16,500 members as of 2017, and has helped plant over 1,350 churches in 63 nations. Loy has served as the church's senior pastor since 2001.

Following the allegations in January, Loy stepped back from his duties as one of 21 executive presbyters on the Assemblies of God's national Executive Presbytery board, a position he had held since August 2023.

Lander says she escaped Loy's control in 2016 when her family moved to Jonesboro. She began therapy in 2023 and was diagnosed with complex PTSD, severe anxiety, depression, and neurological impairment. The church has stated it is taking the accusations "extremely seriously" but that their own investigation found "nothing to substantiate the claims."

The Crusader's Opinion

The church must be held to a higher standard than the world. If these allegations are true, then a man in a position of sacred trust weaponized Scripture itself to prey upon a child and continued that predation for two decades. There is no doctrine, no ecclesiastical abstention, no legal maneuver that can shield a wolf in shepherd's clothing from the consequences of such evil. And if they are false, then bearing false witness against an innocent man is equally abhorrent before God. Either way, the truth must come out in full. The courts must be allowed to examine the evidence. Hiding behind religious doctrine to avoid accountability is not what Christ taught. He said the truth shall set you free. Let the truth be heard.

Take Action

• Pray for Suzanne Lander and all survivors of church related abuse, that they find healing and justice.
• If you or someone you know has experienced abuse within a church setting, contact RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) at 1 800 656 4673 or visit www.rainn.org.
• Support organizations that advocate for abuse survivors in church settings, such as GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment).
• Demand transparency and independent investigations from your church leadership. Ask your pastor what safeguarding policies are in place.
• Support the work of investigative journalists who hold church leaders accountable by following outlets like The Roys Report and MinistryWatch.
• Consider donating to www.TheShepherdsShield.org to help protect persecuted Christians and support accountability within the church.