Pastor Greg Locke@pastorlocke
Public Statement from Pastor Greg Locke: My Response to Mike Winger’s Recent Attack.
In recent days, Mike Winger has publicly called me out regarding a video I posted four years ago addressing serious allegations against Kenneth Copeland and Joel Osteen. This situation has been public for years and could have been addressed by him at any time. It has only resurfaced now after I challenged his continual public exposures and interruptions within the body of Christ. I owe him—and the public—no further personal information or private meetings on this matter.
Here is how we arrived at this moment.
Several individuals approached my wife and me with grave concerns about these men and their ministries. Chief among them was a woman who presented what she described as detailed timelines, photographs, and firsthand accounts of alleged criminal activity. Importantly, none of this material was ever placed in my personal possession, forwarded to me, or stored on any of my devices. It remained their story to tell. We simply viewed what they chose to show us in those moments and did not take ownership of it. Believing these claims to be credible and urgent at the time, I spoke out boldly in that video.
What followed was four years of careful, prayerful investigation. As we pressed for verification and sought legal counsel, the stories began to shift and unravel. Key details changed, commitments were withdrawn, and it became clear that my voice had been leveraged because of my public platform and reputation for boldness. I was not being given truth; I was being used as an amplifier.
I have owned this publicly. On multiple occasions I have stood before our church and repented for speaking where I should have first verified. Privately, I have sought reconciliation with a number of the individuals and families involved. Twenty-two years ago I wrote a book sharply critical of Benny Hinn. A few years ago I sat with him face-to-face, apologized, and discovered a man far different from the caricature I had helped perpetuate. That same spirit of humility and pursuit of truth has guided my private efforts over these past four years.
After prayerful counsel with my spiritual advisors, I have decided it is not wise to sit down with Mike Winger, despite my earlier public challenge on X to do so. Their unanimous recommendation is rooted in the fruitlessness of further engagement on a matter that has already been thoroughly examined, repented of, and largely resolved in private.
My commitment remains the same today as it has been for decades: preach the gospel, protect the flock, and walk in integrity. Where I have been wrong, I have repented. Where I have been misused, I have learned. And where reconciliation is possible, I continue to pursue it quietly and sincerely.
Grace and truth to all,
Pastor Greg Locke
Lebanon, Tennessee
