MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Highpoint Church pastor acknowledges past sexual misconduct with a high school student more than 20 years ago.
Andy Savage released an official statement on the incident that happened while he was a college student on staff at a Texas church.
Savage is now the Teaching Pastor at Highpoint and said he told church leaders about what happened before he was hired.
The statement was released after the sexual allegation was made public on The Wartburg Watch website Friday.
According to the website, Jules Woodson was the high school student Savage had the sexual misconduct.
The Wartburg Watch reports Woodson sending an email asking if Savage remembered not driving her home, but instead sexually assaulting her after exploiting her emotions.
“Because I remember,” Woodson wrote.
Savage said he took every step to respond in a ‘biblical way,’ then resigned from his position at the Church and moved back to Memphis.
“I apologized and sought forgiveness from her, her parents, her discipleship group, the church staff, and the church leadership, who informed the congregation,” Savage said in a statement.
According to Savage, no other incident occurred before or after that incident in Texas.
“I was wrong and I accepted responsibility for my actions. I was sorry then and remain so today,” Savage said.