06-03-2025
Million-dollar sexual assault lawsuit filed against Arlington church and pastor
The woman who accused an Arlington pastor of sexual assault last June has filed a lawsuit against the pastor and the church, according to court documents.
The woman is seeking over $1 million in damages from Koinonia Christian Church and its pastor Ronnie Goines, according to the suit filed Feb. 28 in Tarrant County.
In the suit, the accuser details how Goines allegedly groomed her after she began attending the church in August 2022.
After she asked a question at the church's Bible study, Goines invited the woman to see him privately, according to the lawsuit.
During that meeting, Goines told the woman that she 'needed to learn how to trust again' and that it was 'essential for her to be part of a community and receive counseling,' the suit states.
Beginning in January 2023, Goines repeatedly tried to contact the accuser, calling her multiple times and texting her, she said. In March of that year, the woman alleges that Goines sexually assaulted her on two separate occasions at his home, according to the lawsuit.
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Goines turned himself in to Tarrant County authorities in July 2024, the Star-Telegram previously reported. He was charged with one count of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. The criminal charges are still pending, with the next hearing scheduled for May, according to court records.
Officials with Koinonia Christian Church did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit Wednesday.
Goines returned to the church in October to continue preaching and is listed as the lead pastor on the church's website.
