#USA #AR – Six women filed a civil lawsuit this week accusing leaders of Refuge Church, formerly known as Jonesboro First Assembly of God, and the Assemblies of God denomination of ignoring repeated warnings about a children’s pastor who sexually abused girls over a 15-year period.
The suit, filed May 20, 2026, in Craighead County Circuit Court, named Refuge Church, former senior pastor Mike Glover, the Arkansas District Council of the Assemblies of God, and the national General Council of the Assemblies of God as defendants. The plaintiffs — Stephanie Davis, Samantha Davis, Elizabeth Dryer, Victoria Collins, Taylor Perrin, and Jane Doe 1 — alleged that church officials failed to protect children despite multiple reports of misconduct by Anthony “Tony” Waller.
According to the complaint, Waller served as children’s pastor starting in 1999 and used his position to groom, molest, and secretly film young girls. Warnings surfaced as early as 2000, when school officials reportedly banned Waller for inappropriate behavior. In 2004, church leaders allegedly discovered a hidden camera in a bathroom but responded only with a brief suspension for “spiritual restoration” before reinstating him with continued access to children.
The lawsuit claimed that Waller drugged drinks, installed hidden cameras in bathrooms and showers, and abused girls across two generations. Despite these red flags, denomination leaders prioritized “tenderness and forgiveness” toward Waller over child safety, the plaintiffs alleged. Arkansas law required reporting suspected abuse, but the church did not notify authorities at the time.
Waller was arrested in 2015 after police discovered dozens of videos of naked children on his computer. In 2016, he pleaded guilty to rape charges and received a life sentence in prison. He was not named as a defendant in the new civil suit.
The case formed part of broader scrutiny of the Assemblies of God, the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination. NBC News previously reported on a pattern spanning decades in which the organization allegedly shielded predators. Refuge Church reportedly strengthened child safety policies, including background checks and mandatory reporting, after Waller’s arrest.
The plaintiffs sought compensatory and punitive damages. Church representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the latest filing. Glover denied the allegations of negligence.
This lawsuit highlighted ongoing questions about institutional accountability in religious organizations when faced with reports of child sexual abuse.
Image: Refuge Church (formerly Jonesboro First Assembly of God) in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
