Pastor Embraces Michael Tait in Viral Photo, Prompting Heated Response from Christians
A pastor recently went viral for posting a picture of himself with former Newsboy and DC Talk singer Michael Tait, and stated how God forgives regardless of the singer’s past of sexually abusing others.
“Just gave Michael Tait a hug! So glad to see him at a KC MO gathering for pastors,” pastor Nathan Mudd, lead pastor of Ottawa Community Church in Ottawa, Kansas, wrote in a post on Oct. 1 that included a photo of him and Tait at Macedonia Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri.
He added, “We all stumble in many ways but in Christ our past is God’s weapon!!!”
Mudd’s photo and caption were met with a polarized response on social media.
“He should have been asked to leave. And you thinking this is acceptable. Should have also been asked to leave,” one person commented.
Another wrote, “What about his victims or don't they matter? Smh.”
While the response on Instagram and social media in general to the pastor's photo was overwhelmingly negative, not everyone was appalled or outraged.
"Why are you deleting comments? Clearly you're not ashamed to be hanging out with a predator," the comment read.
Meanwhile, other people commended the pastor and his message on forgiveness.
“That would be awesome to run in to him,” someone posted.
July Roys of The Roys Report posted the photo on X/Twiter with a comment from one of Tait’s victims, Randall Crawford. Crawford, who stated that calling the abusive incidents a “stumble” is “exactly what is wrong with celebrity Christianity.” He added that the singer never asked him for forgiveness and that "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 "receive God’s grace without ever receiving another microphone,” while encouraging the public to “please don’t confuse rebuilding a man’s life with rebuilding his celebrity.”
“Stop reducing serious allegations to a “stumble.” Stop taking one truth about grace and using it to erase everything Scripture teaches about repentance, justice, accountability and protecting people. Before the Church rushes to restore the platform, maybe it should finally reach out to the people who say they were harmed.
Tait, who had abruptly stepped away from the Newsboys Jan. 16, 2025, after joining the band in 2009, issued a public confession on June 10, 2025, after he was alleged of grooming, drugging, and sexually assaulting three men who were in their early 20s in separate incidents between 2004 and 2014, includingwatching a young woman be raped in 2014 while the Newsboys were on tour.
“Recent reports of my reckless and destructive behavior, including drug and alcohol abuse and sexual activity are sadly, largely true,” Tait said. “For some two decades I used and abused cocaine, consumed far too much alcohol, and, at times, touched men in an unwanted sensual way,” Tait wrote in his confession in part.
Regardless of his public confession of his sins, Tait disputed some details alleged by several accusers.
“While I might dispute certain details in the accusations against me, I do not dispute the substance of them,” Tait continued. “When I abruptly left Newsboys in January I did so to get help. I was not healthy, physically or spiritually, and was tired of leading a double life.”
“I accept the consequences of my sin and am committed to continuing the hard work of repentance and healing—work I will do quietly and privately, away from the stage and the spotlight,” Tait concluded.
In response to online criticism, Mudd, on Facebook, mentioned that he had "deleted all the merciless and toxic ones" and then went on to rebuke those who criticized him for his post with Tait.
“I’m adding to this comment for these people who call themselves a ‘Christian’ and can’t forgive a man who has confessed his sin (1 John 1:9),” Mudd said. “People hated Jesus for spending too much time with the worst of sinners too."
Photo Credit: ©Instagram.com/Badlandsmudd - ScreenGrab
Originally published October 05, 2026.
