By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Friday, April 10, 2026

Brian Tome, the founding and senior pastor of Crossroads Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been suspended for one month after church leaders independently substantiated an allegation that he used a horse whip on a man who visited his church office more than a decade ago.

“The investigation is complete and has substantiated the original account of the community member who shared his concerns with us, including corroboration from a third-party witness who was not previously known,” the Crossroads Church Spiritual Board announced in a statement Thursday.

“While Brian’s actions may have been intended in humor, they were inappropriate and not above reproach. We’re thankful for the community member who came forward and shared his experience and participated in the third-party investigation. We’re praying for and offering support for everyone who has been impacted,” the church added.

Tome was suspended from his duties last month after he was accused of whipping and rubbing the man’s crotch with a riding crop during an encounter in his office in 2015, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Crossroads co-founder Brian Wells said in March that church leaders first learned of the incident in 2024 when a male church member told a staff member about it. The member reported that he observed a riding crop that had been given to Tome as a gift in his office and asked him what it was.

Tome responded by picking up the crop and stating, “Oh, yeah? You like that?” then whipping and rubbing the man’s crotch with it. When Tome was informed of the man’s allegation, he “immediately and very appropriately” recused himself from any investigation, according to Wells. He also told the staff member to contact the church’s board.

The board reviewed the allegation and discussed its findings with Tome and his accuser. According to Wells, the board “officially admonished Brian to be mindful of the weight of his words, his actions, and the need to be above reproach.”

It was assumed that the matter was settled, Wells said, but last month the church member contacted the board and expressed frustration with “what he felt is a lack of objectivity in the process.” That’s when the church decided to conduct an independent investigation despite having no new information about the incident.

In its statement Thursday, the Crossroads Church Spiritual Board further noted that in addition to the 2015 incident, “the past six weeks have highlighted concerns about Brian’s leadership style and its impact on staff culture, particularly where it falls short of the Kingdom culture we seek to embody.”

To foster a community of “accountability, truth, and repentance that leads to redemption,” church officials said Tome will be suspended for one month and will also take an additional four months off to undergo a season of repentance.

“Brian will be experiencing a one-month suspension followed by a four-month extended leave during which he will take part in appropriate steps of repentance and reconciliation. Brian’s response to these steps has been incredibly encouraging,” the board said.

“Over 30 years, we’ve witnessed and benefited from Brian’s best and seen him own and grow through his mistakes. He hasn’t been perfect, but he’s been faithful, and we are grateful. We love him, respect him, and are for him wholeheartedly.”

Tome is expected to share more about his repentance and reconciliation with the congregation over the April 11- 12 weekend.

In a personal statement, Tome said he realized over the past month that he had a problem with “inappropriate humor.”

“Over this past month, I’ve also realized that I haven’t just had problems with inappropriate humor, including this incident that has been reviewed. For that, I’m sorry, and I want to apologize publicly to this individual who came forward and others who may have been impacted. I’ve also not been creating a leadership environment for many on our staff to thrive. I’ve been driven too much by results and have too often not reflected the model of Jesus,” he wrote.

“I ask your forgiveness for too often allowing my flesh to overrule the Spirit in how I’ve used my words. God is doing a good and yet painful thing in me. I’m thankful for our Board serving tirelessly in a way that is making me and our entire church healthier.”

News Source : https://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-brian-tome-suspended-after-horse-whip-investigation.html