An Indiana megachurch pastor broke his silence after his son was charged with possessing “sadomasochistic child abuse” material. Among the hundreds of files recovered, investigators also found private recordings of the pastor and his wife – pornographic content that he frequently preached was spiritually corrosive.
For years, Pastor Nathan Peternel of Life Church in Indiana had been a prominent advocate for sexual morality and Christian conservative values.
While hosting the podcast Jesus, Sex & Politics with Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith – who pastors the Life Church in Noblesville Campus – Peternel spoke out strongly against pornography, portraying it as a destructive force that undermines emotional connection, weakens relationships, and erodes spiritual well-being for both men and women.
The pair of pastors shared their last podcast, “A Tribute to Charlie Kirk,” on Sept. 12 – two days after police entered the Peternel’s Pendleton home with a search warrant, the Indiana Citizen reports.
‘Diddy Disciples’
In October 2025, the longtime megachurch leader stepped down from his role following deeply disturbing allegations against his 24-year-old son, Jonathan Wesley Peternel, who has been charged with multiple felony counts related to child sexual abuse materials.
According to The Indiana Citizen, the case began with a CyberTip report submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The report traced illicit online activity to a Snapchat account, where he was allegedly sharing child sexual abuse material through a group named “Diddy Disciples” – a disturbing reference to the disgraced music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is currently serving a 50-month prison sentence.
That tip set off a multi-agency investigation that has since drawn national attention for the extreme nature of the materials discovered.
‘Sadomasochistic child abuse’
Authorities with the Hamilton County Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant at Peternel’s Indiana residence, where they confiscated multiple electronic devices, allegedly belonging to Jonathan.
“Jonathan Wesley Peternel was arrested on seven felony counts related to child sex crimes,” Fishers Police Department shared in a Facebook post alongside a photo of the accused, who identified himself as a member of the Indiana National Guard working as a Blackhawk helicopter mechanic.
“Evidence was located showing that he possessed over 200 files of Child Sex Abuse Material. Some of this included sadomasochistic child abuse, children that appeared to be drugged or intoxicated while being abused, violent child molestation, and photorealistic AI-generated photos of nude pregnant toddlers.”
Among the shocking findings was the reported discovery of “more than 50 photos and videos” that appeared to show Jonathan’s parents, Pastor Peternel and his wife Christina, “nude or engaged in sex acts,” according to court documents obtained by the Indiana Citizen.
‘Wicked sin’
During a recent Life Church service, 24SightNews reports that Peternel addressed the matter directly, telling the congregation: “In the affidavit from Madison County Court references over 50 private photos and videos of my wife and me in intimate settings. And though what occurs within marriage is not sinful, some may see that as otherwise and reflecting poor choices on our part and we hear you and we appreciate it.”
Peternel, visibly emotional, told his congregation that his son’s alleged actions represent a “wicked sin” and announced he would temporarily step down from his pastoral duties. While no timeline has been given for his potential return, the church has stated it is cooperating fully with law enforcement.
Jonathan, who pleaded not guilty, has been formally charged with seven felony counts, including child exploitation and multiple counts of possession of child sexual abuse material.
As the investigation continues and legal proceedings move forward, Life Church and the broader community are left grappling with a scandal that has upended a prominent religious institution and cast a long shadow over those who once viewed its leadership as a moral compass.
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