Rock Harbor Church pastor steps down

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- Usually blaring with harmonious tunes of praise music,

Rock Harbor Church was eerily quiet Sunday after its elders announced the

church’s founder and pastor, Keith Page, was asked to step down as a

result of an extramarital affair.

At each of the four services, church officials told the congregation

of nearly 2,000 about Page’s affair with a female church member whose

name and age were not released. Although the 36-year-old Page was not

present, elders read a letter Page had written to his church “family.”

“I feel deep sadness and anguish over my inappropriate behavior over

these past months and I confess my sins of adultery and deception,”

Page’s statement read.

The Costa Mesa resident admitted to sinning against God, his family,

himself, friends, his mistress, the church body and the entire body of

Christ.

“I’ve broken a sacred trust as a husband, a minister and a Christ

follower and I’m truly sorry for what I’ve done and the pain and

consequences I have caused -- and will cause -- each of you,” the

statement declared.

Page’s statement said the relationship was over, and he desired to

restore himself in the eyes of God and all others he has disappointed. He

asked for the prayers of his followers and the forgiveness from those he

betrayed.

In his statement, Page also asked his mostly mid-20s congregation

members to keep their confidence in the church and to God.

“My prayer for you is that you remain faithful to the race Christ has

called you to and that you continue to mature into loyal lovers of Jesus

Christ and one day forgive me for what I’ve done,” Page’s statement

continued.

Spencer Burke, chairman of the board of elders, said Page came to the

church leadership willingly and honestly Saturday night and told them

about his inappropriate relationship with a female congregant.

Page confessed his sin in detail and prayed with church leaders in a

process Burke called “restoration.”

“I feel as if Keith has stepped up in a very powerful way by not

hiding,” Burke said Monday. “He has been forthright, honest and open, and

the church as a family will help him get through this.”

Nonetheless, the church leadership asked Page -- who founded Rock

Harbor almost four years ago -- to step down. Although the elders stand

behind him, they believe Page must heal himself before attempting to lead

others.

“If a pastor slips into sin, the desire is to restore the person but

not necessarily the position. We feel it is important for the individual

to find health and healing with their God, then with themselves, their

family and lastly, the church,” Burke said.

Page is married with a daughter. He started Rock Harbor in an effort

to reach out to youth, to bring faith back into their lives and reinforce

it in a way that was more meaningful to them, Page said in previous

interviews.

Burke said the church wished to uphold the trust of its members by

being painfully honest and forthcoming.

“Real people in real life have brokenness and dark nights of the heart

as well as good times. I believe in honest and open and real

communication, filled with love and grace and mercy while balancing

life’s truths,” Burke said.

Church officials said they will begin searching for another pastor.

About 300 people began the church -- which now meets at the Costa Mesa

Senior Center -- wanting to worship God in their own way. It has grown so

much since then that even its four services overflow at times.

In their search for a larger location, church officials have

considered the Orange County Fairgrounds, where every few months the

church holds “stirrings,” services made up of collaborations between

churches of different denominations.

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .