Controversial Kelowna pastor steps down amid abuse allegations

A controversial Kelowna pastor is stepping back from his role after allegations of abuse have stacked up over months.

Former members of Art Lucier’s congregations have for months pressured Harvest Church to investigate claims of alleged sexual and “spiritual” abuse before the church’s own “oversight committee” agreed.

Lucier told his congregation he would be stepping back from his public-facing role, but he’ll stay on has a leader of the organization, Harvest Ministries International.

“The enemy is now bringing up these past sins, even though they are under the blood,” he said to Harvest attendees on March 30. “And I do not hold anything against them… I forgive every single day.”

He didn’t address specifics of the allegations in the recorded church sermon.

“I would like to address the ongoing, kind of, investigation that is going on to deal with allegations against myself, our ministry,” he said, going on to say it’s being handled internally.

He was “told to remain quiet” throughout the process, which was “hard to do.”

Lucier and Harvest Church earned notoriety during the COVID-19 pandemic for organizing against and protesting lockdown measures. The church was fined for violating BC lockdowns and launched legal action against the Quebec government in 2023 for cancelling a planned anti-abortion protest.

Hundreds of people have signed an online petition calling for a third-party investigation including some former members of Lucier’s Kitimat church, which he ran for years before moving to Kelowna.

“I would also say I am the first to admit… I have not been perfect and I do not have a spotless past,” Lucier told his congregation on March 30.

The “Survivors of Harvest Church” group continued to push for months until the committee eventually relented.

It’s not clear how long the internal committee’s investigation will take or when it began, but member Marc Brisbois said in a recent livestream they are following “biblical protocol”.

The committee told Salem Webb, who has led the charge for an investigation, it had so far found “no substantiated or factual basis” to support claims in January. It told another of the survivors it would “categorically reject” a third-party investigation, unless it was a police investigation.

Brisbois, speaking to claims the committee has refused or even covered up claims, said the volunteer group is sifting through claims, many of which lack “evidence,” he said.

“There’s no cover-up. We’re just trying to be fair with what we know,” he said.

He said they are attempting to get more information about the allegations.

“It may be that it has to be resolved in the courts,” he said.

iNFOnews.ca has spoken to multiple former members of the church who are among the 640 petitioners.

Some, including Webb, expect Lucier’s recusal as a pastor will be temporary.