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Orland Church of the Nazarene

Rodger Daily Strong, 69, of Angola, Pleasant Township, Steuben County, Indiana, United States served as a pastor of the Orland Church of the Nazarene in Orland, Steuben County for around four decades. He is currently in jail.

Since September 2020, Tim Kellerman has been the district superintendent of the Northeastern Indiana District Church of Nazarene in Marion, Grant County, Indiana. Orland is around 102.8 miles away from Marion.

From January 1, 2024 to May 8, 2024, Strong allegedly molested a girl, then 5. After almost a year, the girl displayed certain behavior that alarmed her parents, who then confronted the pastor.

In a recorded interview, Strong the girl’s parents that he accidentally touched the girl’s vagina. The pastor told the parents, “If you want me to say I did, then I did it (but) it was not intentional.”

The girl’s father reported the alleged crimes to the Indiana State Police. Strong tried to say the girl was lying when he was interviewed by Indiana State Police detective Matthew Teusch but eventually, the pastor admitted to touching her five times, including three that involved vaginal penetration.

On March 6, 2025, Strong contacted Kellerman. After having a conversation, the latter removed the former as pastor of the Orland Church of the Nazarene.

Rodger Strong

On March 7, 2025, Strong told Teusch at the police department of Huntington, Huntington County, Indiana that he was going to announce his retirement at the pulpit on March 9, 2025 and would preside over his final service on March 16, 2025. The pastor was arrested on March 17, 2025, the same day a warrant for his arrest was issued.

Strong was charged with five counts of child molesting. On March 18, 2025, he attended his initial hearing before Magistrate James Burns.

Bail for Strong was set at $200,000. He will attend his pretrial conference on May 5, 2025 and his jury trial will start on September 4, 2025.