What did Aaron Ivey do? Austin Church Pastor dismissed from church over explicit texts scandal  

The Austin Stone Church’s head worship pastor, Aaron Ivey, was dismissed after allegedly engaging in “inappropriate and explicit ongoing text messages with an adult male” on Monday, February 5. According to Religion News, MinistrySafe, a company that trains the church’s staff to prevent child abuse, was also alerted about the matter. As the news took over the internet, Aaron’s wife, Jamie, who is also a celebrated author, paused her upcoming public appearances.

The Austin Stone Church released an official statement on its website regarding the expulsion of Aaron Ivey. They revealed that the pastor’s removal was deemed necessary as his actions contradicted the biblical standards outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and 1 Timothy 5:19–20. The former refers to one being faithful in their marriage, while the latter addresses the reproval of those who have sinned openly.

The church revealed that they discovered patterns of:

“Predatory manipulation, sexual exploitation, and abuse of influence.”

The religious organization noted that Aaron Ivey had allegedly been involved with adult men in three instances. Additionally, it was discovered that he had inappropriately interacted with a minor.

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The Austin Stone Church shares the timeline of Aaron Ivey’s alleged transgressions

The religious group revealed on their official website that the first instance of alleged sexual exploitation was discovered to have taken place in 2011. They claimed that Aaron Ivey was involved with a teenage male victim, and their interactions included “explicit communications, indecent exposure, and the use of alcohol and illegal substances.”

In 2020, 2021, and 2024, the pastor was allegedly involved in inappropriate communication with an adult male.

The church’s statement also read:

“As elders, we are heartbroken for the victims and their families. Knowing the Lord’s sheep are worth our protection and our love, we are committed to loving this body and rooting out evil. We know this may affect your trust because we know it certainly has rattled ours.”

At the time of writing this article, Aaron had deleted his official Instagram account. However, his wife, Jamie Ivey, who is also the author of Why Can’t I Get It Together, took to the social networking site to seemingly address the situation. Her team released a statement that read:

“Jamie recently received devastating news while on book tour. She is pausing all public appearances at this time. On her behalf, our team asks for prayer and support for everyone involved who are hurting.”

In 2021, Aaron and Jamie co-wrote the book Complement. They often shared their beliefs by subscribing to a marriage theology that emphasized male leadership. The pair are parents to four children, three of whom are adopted black children. They have publicly discussed the challenges of being a multiracial family in a majority Caucasian community and church in the past.

At the time of writing this article, Aaron Ivey’s official website had been removed from the internet. Reports indicate that he served as a pastor at the church and also participated in the SBC’s 2019 Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission panel titled “Faithful Husband, Strong Father: Embracing God’s Design for Manhood in Marriage.” The seminar discussed the role of biblical manhood in marriage.