A megachurch pastor has responded to allegations made against his son after investigators uncovered horrific materials at their family home.
As previously reported, Pastor Nathan Peternel's 24-year-old son, Jonathan Wesley Peternel, was arrested on horrific child pornography charges after authorities received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, per Christian Post.
The tip led to a raid that uncovered hundreds of files described by investigators as among the most sickening they had ever encountered.
Credit: Hamilton County Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
According to the Daily Mail, police have said the stash included violent molestation, sadomasochistic content, intoxicated minors, and AI-generated images of nude pregnant toddlers.
Also discovered were private sex tapes featuring Pastor Peternel and his wife, up to 50 in total, which the pastor later admitted to filming for personal use.
Now facing seven felony charges, including child exploitation and multiple counts of possessing child sexual abuse material, Jonathan has pleaded not guilty and is being held on a $25,000 bond.
He is also a Black Hawk helicopter mechanic in the Indiana National Guard. Officials have not confirmed whether he has been suspended.
Pastor says son was 'high' when he hacked family videos
Speaking to his congregation at Life Church last week, Pastor Peternel admitted the sex tapes were real but insisted they were created consensually within his marriage and never meant to be shared.
“Within the covenant of our marriage, my wife and I created private, intimate photos and videos,” he told congregants in an audio recording first obtained by 24SightNews. “Although those files were password-protected, they were hacked… and that was done by our son, who was high at the time.”
He described the decision to make the tapes as “unwise”, and issued a heartfelt apology to his church.
“I want to apologize for the pain that this has brought to this church and to this community,” he said. “I am sorry for the distraction and division that this has caused.”
According to police, Jonathan was sharing material via a Snapchat group called “Diddy Disciples” - an apparent reference to disgraced rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is currently serving time for trafficking-related offenses.
Authorities are still investigating others in the group.
Jonathan Peternel. Credit: Fishers Police Department
Church In Crisis As Fallout Spreads
Life Church, which spans four campuses, has been thrown into turmoil.
Peternel, a longtime conservative Christian leader in Indiana, co-leads the church with Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith, and their influence runs deep.
The two co-host a podcast called Jesus, Sex & Politics, where they preach about sexual purity, denounce pornography and homosexuality, and advocate for abstinence until marriage.
The scandal has prompted emergency meetings behind closed doors, as church leaders scrambled to reassure congregants and donors. While some members have called for a vote on Peternel’s future, insiders say leadership has insisted decisions will not be made publicly.
“There has been transparency,” one member told the Daily Mail, “but we’re not voting on whether to keep the pastor. That’s not how this church works.”
Beckwith confirmed he was made aware of the allegations on October 23 but declined to comment further. He previously told the congregation the “enemy” was “spreading lies".
Micah Beckwith (left) and Nathan Peternal (right). Credit: Instagram / Micah Beckwith
Congregation Is Divided
Members of Life Church are now grappling with the fallout. Some are questioning the very institution they trusted.
“I don’t really know what to say, other than that this is ironic,” one long-time attendee said. “Pastor Nathan was so obsessed with talking about sex, and now we see what he’s been up to, and what his son was up to. What is done in secret will always see the light of day.”
Another, Juli Westbrook, added: “I liked this church. I’m not sure what I’m going to do, but yes, it’s funny that this was such a topic of conversation. They talk about sex more than they talk about feeding the poor.”
As Pastor Peternel steps back from his role, the future of Life Church is unclear, and the scandal continues to loom over the influential Indiana church.