A LEAD pastor who sang on American Idol and The Voice is facing criminal charges after being accused of identity theft.

Evangelist Steven Flockhart, who preaches at 901 Church in Tennessee, was reported to police after a churchgoer spotted an alleged “credit card scam”, say court documents.

The Shelby County pastor is currently in custody, said Fox Carolina.

He appeared on hit shows American Idol and NBC’s The Voice in 2012.

The Charlotte Observer reported that Flockhart, of Atoka, has been charged with identity theft, according to Shelby County records.

It is alleged that he opened a credit card under someone else’s name without their permission, said WREG-TV.

CREDIT CARD

Cops also charged him last Thursday with theft of merchandise between $2,500 and $10,000.

Citing court documents, WREG-TV said it is alleged that a fellow congregant had agreed in 2019 to open a joint credit card with Flockhart for the 901 Church, based in Millington, northeast of Memphis.

In the affidavit, the churchgoer alleged that he had been contacted by the pastor to obtain personal information to open the joint account.

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However, the man said in the court documents that he had recently received notification about his credit score plummeting.

He told deputies at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office he discovered that a credit card had been opened through PayPal under his name – which had an unpaid bill of $6,410.

The alleged victim added in his affidavit that he had spoken to the pastor about the matter. Flockhart allegedly admitted to having opened the credit card, the court documents added.

CHURCH RESPONDS

The 901 Church website says that Flockhart has been its lead pastor since 2012.

In a statement about his arrest, a spokesperson for the church said: “While we do not find the allegations factual, we believe that vindication from God and stand firm in His sovereignty and truth.

“Please pray for our pastor and his family, for the hearts of those who seek to attack him and the church, and our community.”

The U.S. Sun has contacted the church for further comment.

Back in 2004, Flockhart was described by the Baptist Press as “one of the greatest pastors in America.

“Staffers and members alike point to Flockhart’s passion for soul-winning as a key ingredient in the explosive growth of the suburban Memphis congregation.”

“FOUND”

The evangelist told the website at the time: “My personal driving passion is I know what it is to be lost.

“I know what it means to be lost and I know what it means to be found. I want to take as many people to heaven as possible.”

Flockhart was to make an initial court appearance on November 6.