Pastor confesses ‘adultery’ before congregation and is confronted by woman that says he sexually abused her as a minor

Warsaw, Indiana: Sunday, Pastor John Lowe II told the congregation at New Life Christian Church and World Outreach in Warsaw that he had "committed adultery" after delivering the Sunday sermon, when the church live stream has ended.

"It was nearly 20 years ago," he told the church as seen on a Facebook live. "It continued far too long. It involved one person and there has been no other, nor any other situation of unbecoming conduct for the last 20 years."

Lowe went on to say "I will not use the Bible to defend, protect and deflect my past sin. I have no defense, I committed the adultery."

"To say it plainly, I didn't make a mistake. I didn't have an issue. I didn't have an affair. I didn't make a misjudgment. I sinned. I need to say that, and you deserve to hear it."

He told the congregation he repented 20 years ago and asked for their forgiveness. Lowe went on to say that, in accordance with the church bylaws, he was stepping down and submitting to church discipline.

At the end of his statement, he received a standing ovation from the congregation.

That was when a man and his wife took the stage. The man started by stating, "If you love us, please let us talk," before handing the microphone to his wife.

"For 27 years I lived in a prison, it was not 20 years," she began by stating. "I lived in a prison of lies and shame."

"Lying to protect the Lowe family, for years I thought I was a horrible person having suicidal thoughts, no realizing what had been truly done to me."

She went on to disclose that her brother coming to her two weeks before, telling her of what he had witnessed as a teenager, helped her gain the courage to speak out. According to her statement, he had witnessed "his pastor in bed with his younger sister, in a tee shirt and underwear."

"People knew but were too afraid to come forward," she said. "The lies and manipulation have to stop."

"I was just sixteen when you took my virginity on your office floor. Do you remember that?"

"You are not the victim here," she told him. "A half truth is not the truth."

Her husband took the microphone back and disclosed that the abuse had gone on for nine years and only ended when they began dating. After returning several items that he didn't want in their home anymore, including a necklace that had been a gift from the ministry, they left the stage.

"Yes, we did it ... It's not all true, but it did happen, yes," Lowe admitted after calls from the congregation to admit it if it was true. They demanded to hear it directly from him.

The church issued a statement saying that "a woman in the church came forward and disclosed the relationship to various people within the church." The time of this disclosure was not indicated, but it went on to say that, "when confronted by others in the church leadership concerning that report, Pastor Lowe confessed privately that the adultery did, in fact, occur."

The statement goes on to say that the church has "preached a Cross-driven message of repentance, forgiveness and restoration; a ministry of reconciliation..."

On Monday, May 23, Lowe tendered his resignation.

According to the Courier Press, the Kosciusko County Prosecutor's Office is now investigating.