Thread: Pastor Arrested for Child Molestation

Longtime Pastor Arrested for Child Molestation Tried To Blame 5-Year-Old Victim
March 19, 2025
By Stephanie Martin

Former Indiana Pastor Rodger Daily Strong, who led Orland Church of the Nazarene for four decades, was arrested Monday (March 17) for allegedly molesting a 5-year-old girl last year. Strong faces five counts of child molestation; three are Level 1 felonies, and two are Level 4 felonies. If convicted on all counts, he could be sentenced to more than 170 years in prison.

Court documents indicate that the alleged offenses occurred between January and May 2024. Police questioned Strong on March 7, 2025, two days after the victim's parents contacted authorities about suspected abuse. During that interview, the 69-year-old pastor told police he planned to announce his retirement on March 9 and lead his final church service on March 16.

Pastor Tim Kellerman, district superintendent of the Northeast Indiana District of the Church of the Nazarene, told ChurchLeaders he terminated Strong on March 6. Then on March 9, the small congregation decided to close Orland Church of the Nazarene.

Touching Was Accidental, Indiana Pastor Told Parents of Alleged Victim

The court filing indicates that the alleged victim, now 6, recently began displaying concerning behavior. When her parents confronted Strong about it—and recorded that conversation—he said he accidentally touched their daughter, who was to blame for the incidents. The girl's mother, according to a probable cause affidavit, told Strong, "You don't unintentionally touch a kid's vagina."

When the pastor indicated he should have told the parents what had happened, he said "he did not want [the girl] to get into trouble twice," the affidavit stated. The girl's mother pushed back, saying it sounded like Strong was "blaming their daughter for something he did."

Then, according to the filing in Steuben Superior Court, Strong told the parents, "If you want me to say I did, then I did it. It was not intentional."

When police interviewed Strong, he said the alleged victim was lying. In the charging document, Indiana State Police Detective Matthew Teusch wrote, "I explained to [Strong] that kids can tell lies, but nothing like one with great detail like this. I advised him kids do not make up big lies like this and could never have kept the details straight over this long period of time."

After Teusch referenced Strong's faith, the pastor admitted he had touched the girl five times, including three incidents of vaginal penetration. As the interview concluded, Strong "advises me that he really is not a bad person," Teusch. "I told him that I don't think he is a bad person, but he is one that has made some bad mistakes. He agreed and stated that he will probably serve 20 years for it."

In fact, the sentence could be much steeper. Each Level 1 child-molesting felony in Indiana carries a 20- to 50-year prison sentence, because the alleged offender was 21 or older and the alleged victim was 12 or younger.

At an initial hearing on March 18, a judge set bail for Strong at $200,000. A jury trial for the former pastor, who was assigned a public defender, is scheduled for September.

In an email to ChurchLeaders, District Superintendent Kellerman said he was advised not to comment on Strong's arrest and pending trial. But he wrote, "I can say that the Northeastern Indiana District Church of the Nazarene (of which Orland is a part) and the Church of the Nazarene as a whole condemns this alleged misconduct. Such behavior is inconsistent with who we are as a Church."

Kellerman added: Upon hearing Rodger was being investigated, I met with him on March 6 which resulted in me removing him as pastor effective immediately. Subsequently, I met with the 7 remaining members of the Orland congregation on March 9. Since they are unable to provide the resources necessary to keep the church open, the consensus was that the church should close which occurred immediately following my meeting with them.

The district superintendent ended by writing, "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and family."

ChurchLeaders also requested comment from Strong and Orland Church of the Nazarene and will update this article with any reply.



Longtime Indiana Pastor Arrested for Child Molestation Tried To Blame 5-Year-Old Victim

You can bet money that if there's one child forty years into his ministry, there are many, MANY more. The average pedophile has dozens of victims.

This is crazy......time to make MAJOR changes the way they employ ministers

Originally Posted by Cardinal TT

This is crazy......time to make MAJOR changes the way they employ ministers

I would start by asking the question "are you truly saved". If they get made at you, tear up the application.

Originally Posted by FireBrand

I would start by asking the question "are you truly saved". If they get made at you, tear up the application.

The religious type is often able to bring his sins into a role among his like minded, with ease. The RCC is a good example of that.

"Are you Catholic?"
"Yes sir!"
"Are you a pedophile?"
"No true Catholic could possibly be that"
"Oh. Okay. Welcome to the priesthood"