The complete 'Jesus, Sex and Politics' investigation, so far
Pulling together my reporting on Nathan Peternel, Micah Beckwith and more here in this regularly updated page
In case you need to catch up on the “Jesus, Sex and Politics” investigation into Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith’s church and its lead pastor, Nathan Peternel, here’s a full listing of my coverage in chronological order starting from the arrest of Jonathan Peternel on October 23rd.
Please share widely and help get the word out and if you attend or have attended Life Church or anywhere else Nathan Peternel was a pastor, please get in touch. (And a big, big thank you to everyone I’ve been talking with for more than two months now. Honored to report your stories!)
Jonathan Peternel arrested on seven felony counts related to owning and distributing child sexual assault material - October 23
50 videos and photos of Jonathan’s parents, Nathan and Christina, discovered on son’s cellphone
Nathan Peternel was with Jonathan when police searched his house on September 10 - October 24
Beckwith adviser was with son in September when police executed warrant in child porn case
Nathan Peternel says that videos of him and wife may have been mistake, preaches about the prodigal son, in first comments since son’s arrest
Beckwith adviser Peternel responds to son’s child porn charges in Sunday video - 10/26/25
AUDIO: Nathan Peternel church message on sex videos, son’s arrest - 10/31/25
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Nathan Peternel demanded 17-year-old pregnant teen and fiance discuss sex with him in graphic detail during closed-door “pre-marital counseling” session in 2016
Peternel regularly preached to full congregation, including minors, about sex he had with his wife
Peternel pried teen girl about sex life in closed-door ‘counseling’, woman says - 11/6/25
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Jonathan Peternel, unable to post $2,500 needed for release gets public defender in case. His parents are not in court for son’s appearance.
Church staff says Nathan Peternel has his own lawyer, does not explain why. Turns out its local political powerbroker Ray Adler
Beckwith adviser’s son gets public defender as church scandal grows - 11/10/25
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Peternel named his first youth group in late ‘90s “Stormfront” over protests about sharing name w/ neo-Nazi group. Punished a youth group member by spraying Cheez Whiz up nose. Regularly demanded minors talk about sex with him and wife in “small group” settings at his apartment. Every February was “Sex Month” where that’s all they talked about. Talked about an assault on his wife and the sex he and his wife had.
Looking back on it, one former youth group member said Peternel was clearly “grooming” them.
When they re-connected in 2025, they called themselves the “Survivors of Stormfront”
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Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and head of Indiana Assemblies of God tell congregation to stop asking question, cite Jesus walking on water
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Peternel says he can’t be fired by church board - 11/19/25
Peternel says son hacked sex videos of him and wife while high - 12/7/25
Families flee embattled Life Church amid abuse reports, child porn arrest - 12/17/25
Indiana pastor Nathan Peternel regularly pried congregants about sex in pre-marital counseling - 12/22/25
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This post will be updated regularly with new items as I publish them and important moments from stories flagged to keep it easy to follow.
🚨🚨 Friends, I’m crowdsourcing this investigative series. My reporting is having an impact, but I need your support while I’m uncovering all this. Please contribute at PayPal or Venmo or via my GoFundMe page.🚨🚨
If you would like to get in touch to discuss what is happening in Life Church or have a news tip, please email: tom@24sight.news.
Also catch up on my earlier investigation of Indiana lieutenant governor’s staff and deepfake porn video in office:
Indiana deepfake porn scandal stories:
Topless deepfake video roils Indiana office, lawmaker’s wife targeted, per sources - 8/2/25
Indy prosecutor probes topless deepfake, Haggard blasts ‘pornographic smear’ of his wife - 8/5/25
BREAKING: Lt. Gov. spokesman quits amid deepfake probe - 8/7/25
Lawmaker whose wife was targeted launching Congressional bid - 8/11/25
Lt. Gov.’s office adopts new employee handbook, Gov. calls in Beckwith for meeting - 8/14/25