Author: Lois

This is a continuation of our coverage on former United Pentecostal Church pastor and presbyter, Robert Anthony “Tony” Langston, born November 9, 1964, who has been charged with sexual crimes against a minor in Colorado. Langston also had been the Colorado District Youth Secretary and the District Youth President. This is case number 25CR03894 in Denver County.

The alleged crimes happened while Tony Langston was the youth pastor of Landmark Tabernacle, a UPCI church in Denver, Colorado. The pastor was Billy Hale, now considered the bishop, who was also the Colorado District Superintendent at the time. Hale’s son-in-law, Dannie Hood, is the current senior pastor.

Back in 2000, we made two blogs about this, though no names were mentioned at the time as no arrests or charges had been made. You may want to read Colorado United Pentecostal Sex Abuse Cases Part 3 and Colorado United Pentecostal Sex Abuse Cases Part 4 for additional information. See also Part 1,  Part 2  and Part 3 of our recent posts.

In our previous posts, we shared the charges, bond, and a basic summary of what has happened from July 10 through July 24, 2025, as well as a rundown of his UPCI licensing and positions from 1987 through 2011. We also shared the four page supporting affidavit for his warrant, which gives more insight into the charges.

There was a prior case in Montgomery County, Texas in 2005

Thanks to the investigative work of Reggie Love on Facebook, it has been discovered that 2025 is not the first time CSA charges were filed against Robert Anthony Langston.

In 2005 in Montgomery County, Texas, there was an indecency with a child case, Statute 21.11(a)(1) a 2nd degree felony, against Anthony Langston which was filed on August 2, 2005. This is case 05-08-06814.

It is with a very heavy heart that I share with you the information in this post. I will refrain from saying everything I would like to say.

A grand jury heard testimony against Tony Langston and on August 2, 2005, an indictment was filed against him for an incident which happened on or about June 27, 2005. It states that Langston engaged “in sexual contact with [name redacted], a child younger than 17 years and not the spouse of the Defendant, by having said child touch the Defendant’s genitals.”

Tony was living in Jersey City, New Jersey and was pastor of Tapestry Church, now Freedom Church Jersey City, which was called the International Christian Center at the time. The following year he was voted in as a presbyter of the New Jersey Metro District of the UPCI.

On August 8, 2005, bond was set at $15,000. It appears it was paid on September 3, 2005. He retained Gilbert G. Garcia to represent him.

On December 8, 2005, a motion was made for DNA testing and it was granted the same day. Anthony Langston was given until January 13, 2006 to provide this. Prior to this on November 8, 2005, another order for DNA testing was made, as well as him needing to be tested for AIDS/HIV and STDs. I have not included the first order in the attachments.

Here is where my heart sank. On January 12, 2006, a motion to dismiss was filed and marked “in the interest of justice.” Just below that, the reason given was that “The victim is Deceased.” This happened in just a few short months.

Langston may have never submitted his DNA as the deadline happened after the victim died. Had the right thing been done when things came to light at Landmark Tabernacle, this alleged crime probably would never have occurred. That teenager might still be alive.

Attached are the indictment, bond, motion and order for DNA testing, the order of dismissal and the judge’s docket sheet. I redacted the victim’s name from the indictment and the personal info on the bond record.

I originally posted about this on July 31, 2025 and August 1, 2025 on our Facebook Page.

You will find a complete list of articles in this series by clicking here.

********
Shop at our Amazon store! As an Amazon Influencer, this website earns from qualifying purchases.

Galatians Study Part Thirteen: 4:17-20

NLT: “Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them. 18 If someone is eager to do good things for you, that’s all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I’m with you.

“19 Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. 20 I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you.”

NASB: “They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18 But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you— 20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.”

The NIV puts verse 17, “Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.” Paul knew about being zealous. In the first chapter of his letter he shared that he was advancing in Judaism faster than other Jews of his age and was very zealous for their traditions. But too often zealousness takes a path away from God and focuses on people and groups and their way of doing things. Jesus exposed what following man-made traditions could do when he chastised the Pharisees saying, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?” (Matthew 15:3)

Traditions can cause people to set aside how God wants us to live and even worship God in vain. (Remember what Paul said earlier in his letter to the Galatians.) Consider Mark 7:6-9 (NASB). “And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. 7 ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ 8 Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” 9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.” Verse nine is pretty strong.

The false brothers sought to win over the Galatian believers, but it wasn’t for something good. They wanted people to follow them. In this, I am reminded of something Jesus said about the Pharisees in Matthew 23:15, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” (NASB) Oftentimes those who preach performance based religion are zealous in their cause and they seek to create a following. This is part of what separates Christian groups when we parade ourselves as denominations or followers of an individual. The focus is not on following Jesus, but on following the belief system and those who teach it.

Consider how jealousy becomes a problem when people wish to gather converts unto themselves. The Pharisees were jealous of how the people responded to Jesus. After Jesus died, the Jews were jealous of the Christians because people were listening to them. The Bible teaches that those who are jealous are fleshly (1 Corinthians 3:3) and that love is not jealous (1 Corinthians 13:4). James 3:16 tells us, “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” The people Paul was warning the Galatians about were jealous of the freedom they saw and wanted to turn them into slaves. They were zealous in a bad way, wanting to alienate them from Paul and other Christians, so that the Galatians would be zealous for them.

Think about how this is seen in performance based churches. Does it not create division? Does it not cause people to be zealous, but in a bad way? Does it not cause people to want to create a following for themselves? Look at how many become more concerned with what the pastor thinks than what God thinks. Look at the infighting that can happen between members of a same Christian group. People are not walking in love, but are displaying the works of the flesh. They are zealous, but not for good.

********
Shop at our Amazon store! As an Amazon Influencer, this website earns from qualifying purchases.

Galatians Study Part Twelve: 4:8-16

NLT: “Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. 9 So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? 10 You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years. 11 I fear for you. Perhaps all my hard work with you was for nothing. 12 Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws.

“You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you. 13 Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News. 14 But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. 16 Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?”

NASB: “However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

“12 I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; 13 but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; 14 and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. 15 Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16 So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? ”

Paul continues with his references to slavery. Before the Galatians came to know God, they were slaves. They were set free when they believed the gospel message Paul brought to them while he was ill. Now Paul inquires as to why they wish to return to slavery. From verse ten, it would appear that those distorting the gospel had not only caused the Galatians to believe they must be circumcised, but that they also must obey other aspects of the law.

When one enters into a performance based relationship, one rule is never enough. Consider the dozens of rules the Pharisees added to just keeping the Sabbath. You have to keep nailing things down because it is better to be safe than sorry. That line of thinking never comes from a faith position.

One might think that Romans 14 is contrary to what Paul is teaching in Galatians 4. In Romans, Paul teaches that some may consider one day more sacred than another, while the next person esteems them alike. He also speaks of eating meat or only vegetables and that we should not judge one another in these matters. (You may also want to read Colossians 2:13-23.) I believe there must be a difference between here in Romans and where we are in the Galatians study. For those in Galatia, Paul feared for them, yet in Romans he did not. Could it be because in Romans no one was doing it as a means to become righteous before God or in order to be saved? What do you think?

Paul brings them back to when he first shared the gospel with them and asks “Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then?” The NASB says, “Where then is that sense of blessing you had?” and the NIV puts it, “What has happened to all your joy?” Something in them had changed since Paul first told them about Jesus and they had believed. We previously touched on this in comparing how those who are pulled into following church rules often lose their joy. It is because their focus has changed and faith is replaced with their performance.

Paul then asks, “So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” It can be difficult to reach a person who has been pulled into the performance trap. They have learned to trust in their own adherence to keeping a list of rules. The gospel has been distorted in their mind and now they believe their salvation and righteousness depends upon their actions. It is something that people can grasp. They go to work and do what they are told and as a result they earn a paycheck. We find it hard to believe that something could really be free. Paul had set before them freedom through Christ Jesus in his missionary journeys and they had believed. Now he was fighting for their spiritual lives, trying desperately to show them why turning to the law was detrimental to them.

********
Shop at our Amazon store! As an Amazon Influencer, this website earns from qualifying purchases.

Galatians Study Part Eleven: 4:1-7

NLT: “Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. 2 They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. 3 And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world.

“4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.”

NASB: “Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.”

Now that Paul established that we are Abraham’s descendants and fellow heirs, because we believed and had faith as Abraham did, he returns to the thought of slavery. He is going to start more directly addressing the specific problems among the Galatian believers. Keep in mind how in chapter two, he shared how false brothers in Jerusalem tried to pull believers into slavery, away from their freedom. The whole of chapter four speaks of slavery and freedom.

Paul contrasts a child waiting to become heir of an estate to people being children while under the law, being under guardians and no different from a slave. But at the right time, God sent his Son to redeem those under the law. This took people out of the slavery that came from being under the law and made them sons and heirs. (Remember the end of chapter two.)

Paul presses the thought that they are no longer slaves. That is, unless they decide to be pulled back into bondage and slavery.

Let’s look a little more at this thought of slavery. Romans 6 is good to read along with this as it mentions slavery several times, speaking of being slaves to sin or slaves of righteousness.

Another place where it is mentioned that we call out, “Abba, Father” is in Romans 8, “15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

If you go further back in Romans 8, it speaks of the law of sin and death and the law of the Spirit and life. These are the two choices people have. This is where we hear that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who have God’s Spirit. We have been set free from the law of sin and death. We haven’t received a spirit of slavery that leads to fear, which is what the law did.

Meditate on this some….a spirit of slavery leading to fear. This is the path that some in Galatia had moved to and caused them to lose their joy. Joy and fear do not mix. No wonder turning to trusting in our own works to make us righteous causes such fear. Can you not relate this to your own experience in an unhealthy church? Remember how you felt when you first turned to God and believed the gospel. There was joy. Some felt a lightness as their burden lifted. But as time went on and we were introduced to a performance based form of slavery, that joy started to lift. We became burdened with all the rules we must keep and how busy we had to be with church activities. We didn’t realize what was happening, but a trade off had been made- freedom for slavery.

********
Shop at our Amazon store! As an Amazon Influencer, this website earns from qualifying purchases.

Galatians Study Part Ten: 3:26-29

NLT: “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.”

NASB: “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.”

I don’t believe Paul could say it any plainer than he did when he wrote, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” Those of us from unhealthy churches need to grasp this reality. No matter what we were told was necessary according to our former churches, this is NOT up to us. We don’t become sons of God any other way than through believing the gospel and having faith. It is so simple and yet so often people distort it by adding in their own conditions. People fight against the simplicity in this message.

When believers are baptized into Christ, they are clothed with him. We become one in the Lord. This truth goes along with what Paul shares in 1 Corinthians 12. God has combined us all together in one body, the body of Christ. It no longer matters our nationality, sex, or status in life – or any of the things that make us different from one another. We are one in Christ.

Some believe that baptism here means water baptism and I don’t totally dismiss the thought. I lean much more toward it meaning being baptized with God’s Spirit (and I am not referring to speaking in tongues). Let me explain why.

A person can be water baptized and yet go no further in their walk with God. They could get baptized in the heat of a moment or could be pressured to do so by family or friends. Some of us have heard stories of how, in an effort to win over someone they wanted to be with, a person would fake things such as being baptized. A person could be water baptized and yet, like Simon the sorcerer, not have their heart right with God (Acts 8). In any of those cases, could we say that the people had clothed themselves with Christ and become one with all believers? I cannot grasp that being the case.

Is it not the Spirit of God who baptizes us into the body of Christ? Consider 1 Corinthians 12:13, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” Note in this passage that Paul also makes mention of Jew and Greek as well as slave or free, just as he did in Galatians 3:28.

Ephesians 2:22 says, “in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” Without the Spirit of God, we cannot be one in Jesus.

In the last verse of chapter three, Paul brings us back to the thought of our relationship with Abraham, that believers are the descendants of Abraham and are heirs, according to the promise. It is all because we believed and had faith, just as Abraham did.

********
Shop at our Amazon store! As an Amazon Influencer, this website earns from qualifying purchases.