The pastor was caught in the act, with his pants down literally. And he was nearly gunned down as a result.
The Rev. O. Jermaine Simmons Sr., pastor of the popular Jacob Chapel Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Florida, was forced to run for his life, naked, when one of his parishioners found him in bed with his wife on Tuesday last week, The Christian Post reported.
According to the Tallahassee police, Benjamin Stephens III found his wife, Claynisha Stephens, 34, in bed with the 37-year-old Simmons. The pastor is married with one child, according to his church's website.
After seeing the pair having sex inside the room of his daughter, a furious Benjamin grabbed his handgun and reportedly screamed, "I'm gonna kill him," referring to the pastor.
Simmons panicked and ran out of the house even without any clothes on. Benjamin was about to shoot him but came to his senses when his wife pleaded to spare her lover's life and not to kill him in front of their son who witnessed the whole thing.
Simmons was not the only pastor who has been caught engaging in an adulterous affair. A 2016 survey showed that 2.06 percent of pastors in the United States have admitted to having had an extra-marital affair for the last five to 10 years, according to Church Leadership.org.
That figure was even considered a "pleasant surprise" since "previous studies showed percentages far greater."
One of the more sensational cases was that of ex-pastor and Billy Graham grandson Tullian Tchividjian who confessed to having had extramarital affairs at least twice.
He was deposed from his ministry at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church after he and his then-wife Kim both admitted having engaged in extra-marital affairs in 2015.
He was then hired for a non-ministry post by Willow Creek Church. But then he became involved again with another woman, which he again admitted, forcing Willow Creek to fire him in March 2016.
In South Africa, one pastor's adulterous conduct led to his death in September 2016. Pastor Letsego of Christ Embassy in Limpopo, South Africa reportedly hanged himself in shame after he mistakenly sent photos of his genitals to members of his church using his mobile phone. The married pastor intended to send the pictures to his mistress who, sources said, was a member of the same church.
The pastor sent the photos with a message that reads, "Wife is away, it's all yours tonight."
