A former youth minister from Muscle Shoals has been arrested on rape and sodomy charges.
Charles Kyle Adcock, 31 — who served as youth minister at Woodward Avenue Baptist Church, Muscle Shoals, from December 2008 to May 2012 — was arrested Aug. 20 in Texas. He faces 22 counts of rape in the second degree and nine counts of sodomy in the second degree, according to Muscle Shoals Police Chief Robert Evans.
The victim is reportedly a college-aged female who was 14 when the incidents started in 2010. Media reports indicate the sexual encounters took place between 2010 and 2012 and happened on church property and at Adcock’s home.
At press time, the Colbert County sheriff’s office was in the process of extraditing Adcock from the Dallas-Forth Worth area where he lives. Adcock left the ministry in 2012 and first moved to Arkansas before making his way to Texas.
Will Rushing, senior pastor of Woodward Avenue Baptist, said the news has hit the congregation hard.
“We’ve been doing some really great things … and now some feel like the wind has been sucked out of our sails,” said Rushing, who was named pastor in November 2013. He, nor any of the current staff, served with Adcock, but they are working to be as transparent as they can about everything, he said.
A statement released by the church also noted: “We are willing to work with law enforcement agencies in any way necessary to help in their investigation and would encourage anyone with information about the case to contact law enforcement.”
“There were a lot of tears during our prayer meeting time (Aug. 20),” Rushing said. “There is a sense of betrayal and hurt. … We are praying for the victim as much as we can and trusting God would take care of her.”
Staying focused
While the action of one person can leave a negative reflection on the entire group, Woodward Avenue plans to stay focused and move forward, he noted.
“We are still committed to being a positive influence to this community,” Rushing said. “That is my goal, that is my heart and that is what I want to see happen.”
Rushing asked Alabama Baptists to pray for wisdom for him and healing for the church. He also asked for prayer specifically for the victim.
“The news cycle will run its course, but the victim will deal with it for a lifetime.”
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