The pastor of church in Compton, California has been charged with stealing $800,000 from the church he leads.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Rev. E. Joshua Sims, pastor of Double Rock Baptist Church in Compton, was taken into custody last week at his home in Corona after a lengthy investigation by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.

According to court records, Sims diverted church funds into a personal account between March 2000 and September 2008. Authorities told the Times when church members questioned Sims about his finances, Sims allegedly threatened them during his sermons.

The Compton Bulletin reported last year that Sims stunned members of his congregation when he revealed at a meeting in September that he took thousands of dollars a month in "household allowances" without first obtaining the approval of the church’s board. Sims was also said to have told those gathered that more than $1 million was missing from church coffers.

Sims, who has served as pastor since 1998, is scheduled for arraignment next week on charges of grand theft by embezzlement, money laundering and witness intimidation. Bail could be set at $1.2 million.

Please Login or Register to post comments on this article

Close Comment  |   Read More Comments Hide More Comments

Comments * :

Please do not enter the HTML tags(Maximum 600 characters).

What a thug looking playa

by   
Jiggy5
August 25, 2009, 12:24 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The biggest problem with church or being “Christian” is we allow other people to read the bible for us. We have been allowing crooked preachers who won’t even tell you their name or first name, in this case E. Joshua Sims, to lead us in Christ. Why did GOD not command Joshua to pick another leader for the children of Israel? It’s because he wanted each man to learn how and to lead their families to GOD on their own. If we learned to read on our own we would understand that John 10:10 (“The thief cometh not but for to steal, kill, and destroy…” is not talking about satan. Jesus is warning us…

by   
Drwill911
August 25, 2009, 12:08 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

…about preachers. Go back up to verse 40 in chapter 9 and you will see who Jesus is talking to and who he is talking about. He is talking about preachers who get PAID (hirelings) to preach. Yet, we let preachers tell us that Jesus is talking about satan. He was calling the church leaders thieves and robbers. Malachi chapter 3, that is used to teach you to tithe and asks “Will a man rob GOD?”, is not talking about you. It is talking about preachers. Read chapter one and you will see who HE was talking to. The preachers were the ones robbing HIM in tithes and offerings. If church going people…

by   
Drwill911
August 25, 2009, 12:05 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

…learn to read, they will discover that the tithe was actually for the tither. However, you have be led to believe that it is for the preacher because we simply refuse to read. Why does it take a person a whole year to read the bible when they can read, comprehend, and enjoy a novel of the same size in a week? Why do the Sunday School Quarterlies take 7 years to lead you through the whole bible? It is because church leaders know that if you ever learned and read the bible for yourself, you would not need them. Thus, you would not bring your money to them. Ephesians 4 gives you the reason that…

by   
Drwill911
August 25, 2009, 12:05 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

…GOD commissioned the 5 fold ministry and told you that they are there for a certain time… “till”. Much like graduating high school, once you graduate, you cannot come back. You are supposed to leave the 5 fold ministry, come to the Holy Spirit for teaching, as directed in 1 John 2:27, and be led into fulfilling your created purpose. This is how we get to glory. If we don’t fulfill our created purpose, we will never hear GOD say “Well done thy good and faithful servant.” But, we allow preachers con us out of our time, talent, and tenth that GOD gave us to complete HIS purpose.

by   
Drwill911
August 25, 2009, 12:04 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a case of people worshiping the man instead of God ..... Man will always let you down and if you are stupid enough to give them your money they will take that too .... The purspose of the church is the worship god and provide support and****istance to christians ..... Buying your minister a bentley and multimillion dollar home and church while the congregation lives in poverty is crazy...... Empower Yourselft

by   
Reality_Check
August 25, 2009, 10:56 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And pastors/bishops act as if they don't get it why people have issues about the lavish lifestyles. My ex-pastor lives in a multi-million $ home, drives a bentley, or custom made benz while the Mrs. drives a jag. At the same time some of the very church folk who can't pay rent or buy a car use their last monies to pay tithes and offerings religiously. The pastor prospers...at who's expense and is that really what God wants. Ever hear the sermon "God wants HIS messengers to prosper"? Well what about the rest of HIS children? Doesn't HE want us to prosper too?

by   
Marquette06
August 25, 2009, 10:38 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HERE WE GO AGAIN! People better wake up and know that every preacher is NOT called by God! THE ROOT CAUSE OF ALL THIS EVIL IS THE LOVE OF MONEY! Who making money now? PREACHERS, PROSTITUTES AND POLITIANS!!!!!!!!!!!

by   
Mspattymelt
August 25, 2009, 10:37 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If they were checks and balances, he wouldn't have had the opportunity to steal the money. He should not have had the single authority to divert the funds and church books should be audited by an outside firm with no relation to the church.

by   
Deaconkm
August 25, 2009, 8:38 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I wish someone gave me thousands of dollars a month for 'household allowances.'
www.joseph-henderson.com

by   
Jfhiii1968
August 25, 2009, 7:48 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is soooo sad. Did he think he was going to continue to get away with it? What you do in the dark comes out in the light!!!

by   
Topaz1955
August 25, 2009, 7:20 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i agree with you barackie but stealing isn't worth it.in my opionion, many people don't want to attend church because they might feel that they pastors would steal money and not preaching the word too.well, i hope this pastor ask GOD for his forgivness because stealing from your congregation isn't worth it.

by   
Quita32
August 25, 2009, 6:52 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I guess the brother said hes got to get paid since Bush, Cheney, Wall Street, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and ALL Republicans steal everyday too!!!!

by   
Barackie
August 25, 2009, 6:02 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------