A RESPECTED Megachurch pastor has been dismissed from his congregation after concerning allegations came to light.

Aaron Ivey, was a much-loved worship leader at Austin Stone Church in Austin, Texas, before being accused of “inappropriate and explicit ongoing text messages with an adult male”.

Who is Aaron Ivey?

Aaron was “the head worship pastor” of The Austin Stone, where he led “the church of mostly 20-somethings from the stage in rock concert-style worship,” according to The Washington Post.

The Megachurch employee is married to wife Jamie and the pair have four kids, including one biological son and three adopted Black children.

Their biological son, Cayden, was born in 2004, per The Washington Post.

In March 2021, the couple published the book Complement: The Surprising Beauty of Choosing Together Over Separate in Marriage.

The book promotes “the ideas of complementarianism, which generally teaches male headship and female submission within a marriage and in church roles.”

What has Aaron Ivey been accused of?

The Megachurch pastor has allegedly used “predatory manipulation, sexual exploitation and abuse of influence” on a teenage male.

Austin Stone Church released a statement announcing the ordeal on February 11 which revealed he was fired on Monday, February 5.

It stated: “Several elders were made aware of this situation on the evening of Sunday, February 4 and after reviewing the explicit nature of these messages, it was clear that termination of Aaron’s eldership and employment was necessary in accordance with the clear biblical standards outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and 1 Timothy 5:19-20.”

The church claimed they “uncovered multiple similar instances with different individuals” from 2011.

Their statement described the pastor’s alleged actions as “predatory”, with three of the claimed instances involving adult men, but one “minor male outside our formal programming” in 2011.

Wife Jamie broke her silence regarding the allegations in an Instagram statement released by her team on Sunday while she was on tour promoting her new spiritual self-help book.

She described it as “devastating news” and said that she would be “pausing all public appearances at this time.”

“On her behalf, our team asks for prayer and support for everyone involved who are hurting,” the statement reads.

Who is Aaron Ive’s wife Jamie?

Jamie Ivey is an author, podcast host, and speaker who preaches at The Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, Texas.

She has written multiple books, including:

• Why Can’t I Get It Together?: Kick Unrealistic Expectations to the Curb and Rest in God’s Truth – Expected to be released on February 13, 2024
• God Made You to Be You – Released in 2021
• You Be You: Why Satisfaction and Success Are Closer Than You Think – Released in 2020
• If You Only Knew: My Unlikely, Unavoidable Story of Becoming Free – Released on January 30, 2018

Her podcast, The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey, “is a place where friends gather to talk about the big things in life, the little things in life, and everything in between,” its description on her website states.

“Each week Jamie and a guest invite you into their conversation, and you will be inspired, encouraged, and pointed to Jesus through every show,” it continues.

The evangelical influencer is also popular on social media, with 113,000 followers on her Instagram page, @jamieivey.

According to her website, Jamie’s “journey began in the golden age of blogging” when she “documented our first adoption story back in 2005.”

“Fast forward to today, and you’ll find me wearing the hats of wife, mom, podcaster, author, and speaker—often at the same time!” it continues.

“This space has become a haven for honest conversations about big moments, small moments, and everything in between.

“Through the words I’ve written in books like ‘If You Only Knew’ or ‘You Be You’ or in the discussions behind the mic on ‘The Happy Hour Podcast’, I want you to know you’re not walking through life alone!”

Per her website, Jamie used to work as a DJ in Austin and was previously engaged before meeting her husband, Aaron Ivey.

She also ran in the Junior Olympics, which inspired her motto “Once an athlete, always an athlete.”

According to The Washington Post, Jamie enjoys country music, Skinny Dipped Almonds, and mayonnaise.