On Friday, June 24, we learned a painful and heartbreaking reality that causes us to carefully acknowledge grief, loss, and the ever-needed presence of our Savior. We bring forth to you the truth in the hope that transparency and humility will unite us in our Lord.
On Thursday, June 23, 2022, Rollingbrook Fellowship’s (Baytown’s First Baptist Church) then Associate Pastor, Dr. Lawrence Clayton Hopkins, was arrested by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department for online solicitation of a minor during an operation to fight the exploitation of children. Consequently, Dr. Hopkins’ employment at Rollingbrook Fellowship was terminated.
We are grateful to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department for their efforts to protect our children and pursue those who would seek to harm them. We are cooperating fully with the authorities.
This information was shared with church leadership on Saturday, June 25, the church as a whole on June 26, and the Southern Baptist Convention (Guidepost) on Monday, June 27.
To help our church family process the pain brought on by Dr. Hopkins’ actions, RF is offering professional counseling for anyone affected by the recent events.
Dr. Hopkins’ actions oppose the message of the Gospel and have caused immense pain to both his immediate family and his church family. We humbly ask for your prayers. Our hearts find hope in God’s faithfulness, and we will stand firm on the promise: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Rollingbrook Fellowship will continue to proclaim the Good News in a fallen world: that Jesus Christ forgives the repentant sinner, and is “the way, the truth, and the life.”
Finally, we invite every person to consider giving a donation to Elijah Rising, a ministry in Houston dedicated to fighting human trafficking.