How Are Allegations at Oaks Church Connected to Multiple Church Leaders?
Tim Somers has been fired from his position as youth pastor at Steven Furtick’s Elevation Church in North Carolina following allegations of inappropriate conduct with former students at Oaks Church in Texas. The termination comes as part of a widening investigation that has already led to the dismissal of another church leader. According to Elevation Church officials, the allegations date back approximately 12 years to when Somers served as an intern and staff member at the Texas megachurch between 2009 and 2013. Red Oak Police Department confirmed they are investigating “serious allegations” involving multiple suspects, though no charges have been filed against Somers.
5 Key Points
- Somers was immediately placed on leave by Elevation Church when allegations surfaced and then subsequently fired.
- The investigation began after another former youth leader, Jerry Nickerson, confessed in January to inappropriate contact with a minor during his time at Oaks Church.
- Red Oak Police Chief Garland Wolf confirmed Somers has been named in their ongoing investigation, but no charges have been filed yet.
- Additional students have come forward with experiences ranging from “inappropriate text messages to inappropriate contact,” according to Oaks Church leaders.
- Somers served as an intern at Oaks Church from 2009-2011 and then worked on staff from 2011 to 2013.
Why Was Tim Somers Fired From Elevation Church?
“Recently, allegations were brought forward about Tim Somers’ conduct while serving at a church in Texas approximately 12 years ago,” a spokesperson for Elevation Church told The Christian Post on February 24, 2025. The spokesperson added, “As soon as Elevation learned about these allegations, we reached out to local Texas authorities and immediately placed Tim on leave.” Though no criminal charges have been filed against Somers, the church decided to terminate his employment. According to the spokesperson, “Tim understands how impactful these allegations are for his role in ministry, and we have agreed he will no longer serve on staff.” When contacted by The Christian Post, Somers did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the specific allegations against him.
How Did The Investigation Into Church Leaders Begin?
The investigation into inappropriate conduct at Oaks Church began in January 2025 when Jerry Nickerson was fired from his position as student pastor at Hope Fellowship’s Frisco West Campus. Nickerson’s dismissal came after he voluntarily confessed to engaging in “inappropriate contact with a minor” while serving at Oaks Church approximately 10 years earlier. Shortly after Nickerson’s confession, Oaks Church sent an email to congregants on January 11 confirming the connection. “This week, we became aware of a situation that was disclosed by a former youth ministry intern who served at Oaks Church,” wrote pastors Chris and Cara Railey. “[T]his former intern, who was serving as youth pastor at another church, disclosed to that church’s leadership that he had inappropriate contact with a minor who attended Oaks Youth at the time.”
What Have Oaks Church Leaders Said About The Growing Scandal?
Following their initial January 11 email to congregants, pastors Chris and Cara Railey provided additional details during a worship service on January 19, 2025. “We were devastated to learn this,” Cara Railey told the congregation. She then revealed a disturbing development: “Since that time [Nickerson’s confession], additional students have come forward to share their experiences from the same period approximately 10 years ago.” Railey elaborated on the nature of these new allegations, stating that “the experiences they shared with us range from inappropriate text messages to inappropriate contact between youth leaders and youth students.” She emphasized that church leadership “immediately reported this to the authorities,” adding, “To the Red Oak Police Department, we are very grateful for the thoroughness and the dedication that the police department has shown as we’ve given them this information.”
What Is The Status Of The Police Investigation?
Red Oaks Police Department Chief Garland Wolf confirmed to The Christian Post on February 24 that while no charges have yet been filed against Somers, he has been named in their ongoing investigation of “serious allegations that can or will impact a person’s life for many years.” Chief Wolf described the complexity of the investigation, saying, “We are still attempting to narrow down the timeline of events, the actual location of the offense(s), who may have been involved as suspects, and who may have been involved as victims.” The police are also working to “determine what and if anything occurred on church property or in the jurisdiction of Red Oak, Texas.” Wolf emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing and they will be “thorough” in their approach.
How Many People Are Implicated In The Investigation?
While the full scope of the investigation remains unclear, Chief Wolf’s statement to The Christian Post indicated that multiple individuals may be involved. “Our detectives are working and have been working diligently to gather facts and statements to further our investigation, which we hope will lead to an ultimate resolution of the allegations against several persons,” he said. Wolf added that they are “doing what we need to do to seek justice for the victims, prosecute the offenders, and exonerate the innocent as maybe the case.” The chief noted that authorities are “scheduling meetings with persons who have come forward” and “conducting interviews and taking statements from those who want to cooperate with our investigation.” An Oaks Church spokesperson confirmed with The Christian Post that Somers served as an intern at the church from 2009-2011 and then worked on staff from 2011 to 2013, overlapping with Nickerson’s time there.
FAQ
Q: Who is Tim Somers?
A: Tim Somers was a youth pastor at Steven Furtick’s Elevation Church in North Carolina. He was fired after allegations of inappropriate conduct with former students at Oaks Church in Texas, where he served from 2009-2013.
Q: Has Tim Somers been charged with any crimes?
A: No, according to Red Oak Police Chief Garland Wolf, no charges have been filed against Somers, though he has been named in their ongoing investigation.
Q: How is this case connected to Jerry Nickerson?
A: Both Somers and Nickerson worked at Oaks Church approximately 10 years ago. The investigation began after Nickerson confessed in January 2025 to inappropriate contact with a minor during his time at Oaks Church.
Q: What actions did Elevation Church take regarding Tim Somers?
A: According to an Elevation Church spokesperson, they immediately placed Somers on leave when they learned of the allegations, contacted Texas authorities, and ultimately terminated his employment.
Q: What types of misconduct are being investigated?
A: According to Oaks Church Pastor Cara Railey, the allegations range from “inappropriate text messages to inappropriate contact between youth leaders and youth students” at Oaks Church approximately 10 years ago.
Q: How many victims have come forward?
A: The exact number of victims is not specified in the source material, but Oaks Church Pastor Cara Railey stated that “additional students have come forward” after Nickerson’s initial confession.
Q: Are other church leaders being investigated?
A: Red Oak Police Chief Garland Wolf indicated they are investigating “allegations against several persons,” suggesting multiple church leaders may be implicated. However, specific names beyond Somers and Nickerson have not been released.
Citations
Blair, Leonardo (February 24, 2025). Elevation Church fires Youth Pastor Tim Somers amid abuse investigation at Texas megachurch. The Christian Post. https://www.christianpost.com/news/elevation-church-fires-youth-pastor-tim-somers-amid-abuse-probe.html
