Pastor Embraces Michael Tait in Viral Photo, Prompting Heated Response from Christians

A pastor just recently went viral for publishing an image of himself with previous Newsboy and DC Talk vocalist Michael Tait, and mentioned how God forgives despite the vocalist’s past of sexually abusing others.

“Just offered Michael Tait a hug! Thankful to see him at a KC MO collecting for pastors,” pastor Nathan Mudd, lead pastor of Ottawa Community Church in Ottawa, Kansas, composed in a post on Oct. 1 that consisted of a picture of him and Tait at Macedonia Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri.

He included, “We all stumble in numerous methods however in Christ our past is God’s weapon!!!”

Mudd’s picture and caption were consulted with a polarized reaction on social networks.

“He must have been asked to leave. And you believing this is appropriate. Need to have likewise been asked to leave,” someone commented.

Another composed, “What about his victims or do not they matter? Smh.”

While the reaction on Instagram and social networks in basic to the pastor’s picture was extremely unfavorable, not everybody was horrified or outraged.

“Why are you deleting comments? Clearly you’re not ashamed to be hanging out with a predator,” the remark read.

Other individuals applauded the pastor and his message on forgiveness.

“That would be amazing to run in to him,” somebody published.

July Roys of The Roys Report publishedthe image on X/Twiter with a remark from among Tait’s victims, Randall Crawford. Crawford, who mentioned that calling the violent events a “stumble” is “precisely what is incorrect with celeb Christianity.” He included that the vocalist never ever asked him for forgiveness which “forgiveness is not the same thing as restoration to a platform.”

Crawford also expressed concern that pastors, such as Mudd, are quick to forgive Tait while overlooking their own shortcomings and those of other survivors, which can ultimately result in the singer’s return to the spotlight.

He concluded his post by stating that Tait can “get God’s grace without ever getting another microphone,” while motivating the general public to “please do not puzzle reconstructing a guy’s life with restoring his star.”

“Stop decreasing severe claims to a “stumble.” Stop taking one fact about grace and utilizing it to eliminate whatever Scripture teaches about repentance, justice, responsibility and securing individuals. Before the Church hurries to bring back the platform, possibly it needs to lastly connect to individuals who state they were hurt.

Tait, who had actually quickly stepped far from the Newsboys Jan. 16, 2025, after signing up with the band in 2009, provided a public confession on June 10, 2025, after he was declared of grooming, drugging, and sexually attacking 3 males who remained in their early 20s in different occurrences in between 2004 and 2014, includingwatching a girl be raped in 2014 while the Newsboys were on trip.

“Recent reports of my negligent and devastating habits, consisting of alcohol and drug abuse and sex are regretfully, mainly real,” Tait stated. “For some 20 years I utilized and abused drug, taken in far excessive alcohol, and, sometimes, touched guys in an undesirable sensuous method,” Tait composed in his confession in part.

Despite his public confession of his sins, Tait challenged some information declared by a number of accusers.

“While I may challenge specific information in the allegations versus me, I do not contest the compound of them,” Tait continued. “When I quickly left Newsboys in January I did so to get assistance. I was not healthy, physically or spiritually, and was tired of leading a double life.”

“I accept the repercussions of my sin and am dedicated to continuing the effort of repentance and recovery– work I will do silently and independently, far from the phase and the spotlight,” Tait concluded.

In action to online criticism, Mudd, on Facebook, pointed out that he had “deleted all the merciless and toxic ones” and after that went on to rebuke those who slammed him for his post with Tait.

“I’m contributing to this remark for these individuals who call themselves a ‘Christian’ and can’t forgive a male who has actually admitted his sin (1 John 1:9,” Mudd stated. “People disliked Jesus for investing excessive time with the worst of sinners too.”

Photo Credit: ©Instagram.com/Badlandsmudd – ScreenGrab

Milton Quintanilla is a self-employed author and material developer. He is a contributing author for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast dedicated to sound teaching and scriptural reality. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.

Initially released October 05, 2026.