When Ben Zobrist had his marriage destroyed by illicit affair between his wife and trusted pastor

Former Major League Baseball star Ben Zobrist has made shocking allegations against his pastor, Byron Yawn. He accused him of having an affair with his wife, Julianna, while providing marriage counseling.

Zobrist, a two-time World Series champion, filed a lawsuit in May seeking $6 million in damages from Yawn.

According to the lawsuit, Yawn, who served as the senior pastor and elder at the Community Bible Church, as well as the executive director of Zobrist's charity organization called Patriot Forward Charity, allegedly engaged in an "inappropriate sexual relationship" with Julianna Zobrist.

The couple sought counseling from Yawn, who was also their "spiritual mentor," in 2005 for pre-marital counseling and in 2013 for marriage counseling.

The lawsuit claims that Yawn began speaking with Julianna on a daily basis in August 2018, while secretly pursuing an intimate relationship with her.

The alleged affair escalated in the spring of 2019, when the two purportedly used burner phones to conceal their communication. The affair continued until the spring of 2020, all while Ben Zobrist was unaware of the situation.

"'Romantic involvement escalated in the spring of 2019, when he began meeting her for sex.' Byron and Julianna are accused in the complaint of using 'burner phones' to secretly communicate," Ben Zobrist said.

Zobrist accused Yawn of exploiting their counseling sessions to manipulate Ben into giving Julianna space. He alleged that Yawn used confidential information to further his relationship with his wife.

The lawsuit also alleges that Yawn took advantage of his position in the Patriot Forward charity. He is accused of engaging in unauthorized activities and fraudulently receiving salary payments even after being terminated.

"At the end of the day, a woman has the right to choose who she wants to be with." The lawyer added, "We're in the middle of litigation, so I can't really comment further at this point, but that's what it boils down to. My client deserves his day in court and for the truth to be heard, and so we're going to do that through the court process," Byron's attorney, Chris Bellamy said.

The divorce proceedings between Ben and Julianna Zobrist are ongoing, and the couple shares three children.

Julianna and Ben Zobrist's relationship history

Ben Zobrist and Julianna with their children

Ben and Julianna Zobrist's love story was one rooted in faith and a deep connection that began during their teenage years. Although they first crossed paths when Julianna was just 16 years old, it wasn't until she attended Belmont University that their romantic journey truly took shape.

Both Ben and Julianna's fathers are pastors, so the two shared a strong spiritual foundation. They tied the knot in December 2005 in Iowa, surrounded by loved ones. The couple has since been blessed with a son and two daughters.

Their relationship blossomed through meaningful conversations and shared values. Despite the physical attraction they felt toward each other, their connection was built on more than just surface-level chemistry.

Prayer played a significant role in their courtship, with chaste dates and long phone conversations delving into topics like God, family, and baseball.

When Julianna described the early stages of their relationship, she emphasized the importance of thoughtful communication and a sense of security.

Their conversations were purposeful, and she felt a deep sense of trust from the very beginning. Ben's thoughtfulness and caring nature made her feel safe, and their connection grew stronger with each passing day.

But then, the couple started having relationship issues in their marriage, and they sought the help of pastor Byron Yawn, who served as the senior pastor and elder at Community Bible Church.

Yawn exploited their counseling sessions to manipulate their relationship and emotions for his benefit, and he started an intimate relationship with Ben's wife, Julianna.

After that, Ben filed for divorce with a total of $6 million in compensatory damages, $3 million in punitive damages, and $3 million in punitive damages from Byron, and claimed in his filing that Julianna has been “guilty of inappropriate marital conduct that renders further cohabitation impossible.” He stated that he was “unsure if the marriage can be salvaged.”