Pastor takes leave of absence over his online porn addiction*

    His church in New Tampa has 1,400 members.

By BILL COATS, Times Staff Writer
Published December 17, 2007

The Rev. Brian James, pastor of St. James United Methodist Church, is
taking an indefinite, voluntary leave of absence over his addiction to
online pornography.

NEW TAMPA - The pastor of a leading New Tampa church is stepping down
because of his addiction to online pornography.

The Rev. Brian James, pastor of St. James United Methodist Church, is
taking an indefinite, voluntary leave of absence, said Erik Alsgaard,
director of communications for the Florida Annual Conference of the
United Methodist Church, the Methodists' Lakeland-based governing body
for most of Florida.

Alsgaard said James disclosed the problem to a church committee early
this week. The committee consulted the hierarchy of the Methodist
conference, leading to James' leave of absence, he said.

Alsgaard said the church had no evidence that James' had broken the law.

"There was no dealing with pornography of children or youth, as far as
we know," Alsgaard said.

A computer firm under contract to the church is investigating the
computers at St. James, he said.

Legalities aside, viewing pornography is unacceptable, Alsgaard said.

"We expect our clergy to uphold the highest moral and ethical
standards," he said. "Online adult pornography does not follow those
moral and ethical standards."

James, 45, is married, with four children. He has been pastor of the
1,400-member church for seven years. Three years ago, he successfully
challenged his members to raise $1-million in 10 days to buy adjacent
property to expand the church.

"I look at the community we live in," James said then, speaking of
affluent, master-planned New Tampa.

"This is not a community that is lacking. It is a velvet ghetto. Most of
us live comfortable lives, but on the inside, we're struggling."

This year, St. James made a local splash by converting an empty Krispy
Kreme shop on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard into a Christian nightclub for teens.

"I feel enormous sadness for him, and especially his family," said Gary
Brosch, a leader in St. James' youth programs. "We do talk about how
we're all imperfect, and this certainly shows that."

Brosch said he had heard no church member express outrage.

"There is that stuff in the Bible about who should throw the first
stone, and there aren't many of us in a position to throw the first
stone," he said. "We're all imperfect, and we all struggle with
different kinds of things."

Alsgaard said James would issue a statement in church on Sunday.

Through Christmas, St. James' services will be conducted - and sermons
preached - by the Rev. Bert Blomquist of Plant City, the Methodists'
district superintendent for the Tampa-Lakeland area. Beginning Dec. 30,
the Rev. Riley Short, a retired pastor from Lakeland, is to serve as
interim pastor, Alsgaard said.

Methodist pastors in the Florida conference are appointed by the
conference's bishop, Timothy Whitaker.

Alsgaard said James would be allowed to stay in his church-owned home
for up to three months.

"The church is going to offer some support," he said.

"We're still the same church, and we're still the same people," Brosch
said. "We'll keep doing what we're doing."