A Wheaton congregation will meet Saturday to consider whether to dismiss its longtime pastor for misconduct after several women accused him of improperly touching them in a gym.
Rev. Andre Allen, pastor of the 101-year-old Second Baptist Church of Wheaton, faces a backlash after members recently learned he was charged with battery and disorderly conduct after being accused of touching three women in a provocative manner at a Schaumburg gym in November, according to police.
Under a plea bargain, Allen pleaded guilty only to falsely presenting himself as an employee of the gym, according to Cook County court records.
In January, Judge Pamela Karahalios sentenced him to 10 days of community service and one year’s court supervision.
Two weeks ago, the church cabinet voted 16-3 to request his resignation, but Allen refused.
“This is not the type of activity you would expect from a minister,” said Deacon Frank Jarrett. “I mean, that’s the obvious. And as a congregation, we just need to address this.”
Reached by phone at home Friday, Allen, 54, declined to discuss the case.
“I think probably the best forum for me to address this issue would be with my congregation before I speak further about it,” said Allen, who has led Second Baptist for about 22 years and has been a leader on civil rights issues in DuPage County.
Police were called to Lifetime Fitness, 900 E. Higgins Rd., on Nov. 7 after three women said Allen, representing himself as an employee, had offered to demonstrate martial arts tactics. He then grabbed the women, lay on top of them and thrust himself against them, authorities said.
Wheaton attorney Vincent Cornelius said Allen is adamant that there was no sexual conduct. In a statement released by the lawyer, Allen emphasized that the only charge he admitted to was disorderly conduct in misrepresenting himself as a health club employee. Although he insisted he hadn’t lied about that, his “zeal” may have led others to that conclusion.
Allen was hoping to recruit interest in teaching a self-defense class at the Schaumburg gym, the statement said, adding that Allen has an interest in the martial arts.Allen was a Big Ten wrestling champion for Northwestern University in 1975. He became pastor of Second Baptist, 1520 Avery Ave., after graduating from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston in 1984.
He has been active in groups such as DuPage Voices for Racial Justice, and he served on Gov. Jim Edgar’s Task Force for Human Services Reform-DuPage Federation.
Membership at Second Baptist is about 400, drawing from Chicago and more than 30 suburbs.
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