NBC News has conducted an extensive investigation regarding allegations of sexual misconduct against Joseph Lyle Campbell, the pastor of Morningside Church, led by Jim Bakker.

This investigation, titled “The Children’s Pastor,” reveals that five women have accused Campbell of sexually assaulting them during the 1970s and 1980s.

Campbell, who is currently 67 years old, has served as the primary pastor at Morningside Church, located in Branson, Missouri—a site operated by the controversial televangelist Jim Bakker.

Notably, Campbell was featured on an episode of The Jim Bakker Show approximately five months ago. Following the emergence of these allegations, both Campbell’s biography and the Morningside Church webpage on Bakker’s Praise the Lord Network have been removed.

An archived version of Campbell’s biography describes him as the “beloved Pastor at Morningside Church,” highlighting a claimed prophetic gift in visions and dreams, alongside the title of “Pastor to Pastors” worldwide.

The women allege that Campbell assumed the role of a protective and paternal figure; however, they assert that he engaged in sexual abuse within private settings. They have sought justice since the 1980s, as reported by NBC News.

According to the women and documents obtained by NBC News, these allegations were reported to various authorities, including pastors, local law enforcement, child welfare agents, and federal investigators.

Despite these efforts, Campbell has consistently denied the accusations, evaded legal consequences, and remained in the ministry. The women express that officials have repeatedly failed to respond adequately to their testimonies.

Cheryl Almond, one of the women alleging abuse, stated, “Joe Campbell needs to be in jail. I just pray one day I can hear a judge tell Joe, ‘You are guilty, and here is your sentence.’”

NBC News reported that the women’s accounts are substantiated by interviews with more than two dozen individuals, including friends and family, former church members, and retired law enforcement personnel. Medical documentation, extensive correspondence, court records, and childhood journals further corroborate their claims.