The State : Pastor Tells of Affair, Resigns

A married television evangelist and pastor of the Los Gatos Christian Church resigned after confessing to his congregation that he conducted a liaison with a woman who was not his wife. The affair occurred seven years ago, the Rev. Marvin Rickard said. Many churchgoers broke down in tears when they heard the news from their spiritual leader. Rickard, 57, built his congregation from 83 people in 1959 to an estimated current membership of 6,500, with a claimed television ministry of 100,000. Charles Ferrell, chairman of the fundamentalist church’s board, said Rickard’s resignation will probably take him out of the pulpit but not out of the church. Final decisions on Rickard’s future will be made by the board, he said. Rickard called the relationship “a friendship that became an infatuation that lasted about 11 months, and that shouldn’t have happened.”