Trinity Chapel Church Pastor inappropriate behavior

Cobb pastor steps down for ‘inappropriate behavior’
Son speaks to congregation of Trinity Chapel Church of God

By KAY POWELL

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Thursday, December 11, 2008

The pastor of Trinity Chapel Church of God, Jim Bolin, has been sanctioned by the Church of God for inappropriate behavior and will step down from the leadership of the 7,000-member west Cobb congregation he founded.

Bolin’s son, Jason Bolin, assistant pastor at the Powder Springs church, spoke to a gathering of the congregation Thursday night to address the “inappropriate behavior” charge. Neither Jason Bolin nor members of the congregation would elaborate on what the inappropriate behavior entailed.
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Jason Bolin did say before the Church of God acted on the charge of inappropriate behavior, that his father had confessed.

The one-hour meeting was devoted to talk of healing for Jim Bolin, for his wife, Robin Bolin, their family and the church. Jim and Robin Bolin together lead the congregation.

“We can choose to be blessed right now. We will turn to God with everything in us and truly be healed,” Jason Bolin, 32, said.

Seeking redemption, his father is taking time to heal himself and his marriage, he said.

Jim Bolin will step down as bishop of the Macland Road congregation, his son told the gathering of several hundred people.

Saturday, the denomination’s leaders and appointed council will meet with elders of Trinity Chapel to plan the church’s future. It’s not clear what role Jason Bolin will play in the future.

Other Trinity Chapel leaders spoke at the meeting and led the congregation in prayer for Jim Bolin’s wife.

Assurance that the congregation Jim Bolin founded in 1983 will survive and thrive was a central message throughout the night.

As church members filed out of the sanctuary, they were hesitant to speak to a reporter about the situation with their pastor.

Jim Bolin, 56, was reared in Powder Springs. He and his wife founded the church in an Austell Road storefront with a congregation of five families. Today, Trinity Chapel is a racially mixed, charismatic, Pentecostal church with multiple ministries and a private school.

Touch not mine annointed...Pastor Bolin has won thousands of souls to Jesus. He is still a man of God and as a member of Trinity, I will continue to lift he and his family up in prayer. He is human just like we all are. I think that it is important at this time to continue in the work that he has started and pray that God covers our congregation. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone..... be careful people...God is still God now and forevermore.

Nonya, I couldn't agree with you more. I never imagined I would face a situation like this with my pastor. Now that I am, I am determined to lift him up in prayer.

For the past thirty plus years Pastor has taught "Love, Acceptance, Forgiveness"; without exception or precondition. No one is turned away. No one is shunned. It sounds as if we, his flock, have learned our lessons well. "All fall short ..."! Reading from Nonya and Celena, I for one am proud! God Bless!

No one can cast the first stone because everyday we sin in some little way. This is why God said in his own words to repent daily. I lift Jim Bolin up in prayer because he was a mentor during my cursillo and have heard him preach several times and his messages is always about what I am feeling. We must not judge. God forgives and so should we. NO one is perfect being a human being. May God bless him and his wife and children and heal them through this ordeal.

I wonder what he did that required such drastic measures

The one I feel bad for is the one he took advantage of .. That's who needs prayer

We need not to wonder what he did trying to find details and trying to question his actions because the moment we open our heart to such a behaviour, we are judging him with our mind. God is the only Judge that there is. God's ways are perfect. God is faithful. God's thoughts are bigger than ours. So, do not be worry as to what the details are on what he did or did not do, because God has a plan for all of us. It is sad that Bishop Bolin and those affected by his actions were part of this, but lets be assure, that God's has won the battle by the power of the blood of his Son Jesus Christ, oour Lord, and the enemy has long been defeated. God Bless you all

Wow this is a horrible thing to have happened and I must concur. I have been a member of Trinity for many years and what we must do now is lift everyone who is involved in this situation up in prayer continuously. And to Dandy; no one said that he took advantage of anyone. Just that he did something inappropriate. It may not even involve anyone else. All I know is that it does nothing to sit and speculate. God is a magnificant God and he will work everything out in the end. God bless everyone and I pray that we can all receive some peace and understanding about this situation.

Come on people don't worry about what he did. I've been a member for 13+ years and he has always led us into the right way. No matter what he does, we have no right to judge him on what he did. So we still love you Bishop Jim Bolin and hope tp see you back in the pulpit.

I hope he wasn't a child molester.

Bishop Bolin has always been the first to love, accept and forgive everyone. The last time I checked, no one is perfect. God is the only judge so be careful not to make yourself the judge. God will judge you by the same manner in which you judge others. It is time for our community to embrace Bishop Bolin and his family with the same love acceptance and forgiveness that he and his family has extended to us. The church family needs prayer as well. There is going to be a time of healing for all involved. To think he was a child molestor is totally insane. Making statements like that only add fuel to comments made by those who never met Bishop Bolin. I will be sure to pray for you as well Dana.

I wonder what secrets are in the Church. Some of the members my have some dirty laundry. The devil wants to destroy, what good works have been done. The world needs to know that God forgives even Pastor's. If we all got what we deserve, we all would be in hell. Our Jesus, our heavenly father died for our sins, and is just and faithful to forgive us. Stick together and don't let the media
destroy Church. This is a message from a sinner that was saved by Grace.
God Bless you all.

Dana said, he hoped he was not a child molester. I am sure he would be in jail if that was true. Don't try to make it worse. PRAY!!!!!!!!!!

just read the word for you DEC15 from http://www.bobgass.com/word/default.aspx
Keep your eyes on the Lord. God Bless your thoughts.

Thank you Bishop Bolin for bringing my family to the Lord. I judge not your actions. We are praying for you and your family. Love, Acceptance, and Forgiveness. Thank you to everyone that have such nice things to say about our leader. We all fall short. The Bishop has helped us through our "Mess", it's time to support him!

Although I agree that WE are not to judge someone else because we all have sin in our lives, anyone who commits a crime, could use the same line. Pastors are held to a higher accountability and should definately pay a higher price. They are supposed to Lead the congregation, and not lead them astray...so if you can't lead, get out and let somebody else do it..and don't wait until you get caught. I wonder how sorry he would've been if he hadn't got caught? Yeah, he may be a great man who lead a lot of people to Christ, but where is he now? He DEFINATELY does not need to be back in the pulpit. And no, I'm not casting the first stone- it looks like he threw that one himself!

Bishop Bolin and the Trinity Chapel members are in my prayers at this time. I visited there often when I lived in Atlanta, although it wasn't my home church, I went when they had guest speakers. There has always been such a sweet spirit in that church. I have many friends and family members that attend the church and school. You will all be in my prayers for complete restoration.

Looking In - You have really done quite a bit of assuming in your blog. Do you have the "inside scoop?" Who told you he had gotten "caught" doing anything wrong?? And if Bishop Bolin "committed a crime", wouldn't he be in jail. I agree, people in places of leadership should be held to a higher sort of accountibility, but you do not know what he has done. We are all human, and the ONLY man that is/was without sin is Jesus Christ. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God"...... So now tell me, who would you put in your pulpit?

I won't argue the details of this case. But it has been noted that he confessed he had sinned against God, NOT that he was caught doing anything....

I am saddened to hear about this situation, but will be in prayer for this pastor and this church. What Satan meant for evil, God will turn around and use for good. As a resident of Powder Springs myself, I do not doubt that God is not done with this church and it's affect on the community!