The pastor of a Gardena Baptist church claims charges against him by some members of the congregation have been dismissed by a judge as frivolous, while other congregants are wondering why and how the church leader has been allowed to return to the pulpit since his arrest late last year.
Surveillance video taken on October 7 showed a man pushing a female church elder down the concrete steps.
Pastor Lorenz Rothman was arrested that day in connection with the incident. He was released two days later on a promise to appear in court.
On March 1, a group of people at Beulah Land Missionary Baptist Church gathered outside the chapel for a demonstration calling for the pastor to be fired, and many believed it was Rothman who pushed the woman down the steps.
“This is what the pastor does,” said Najee Ali, a community activist with the Islamic Hope Project, pointing to the brace worn by the pastor’s alleged victims. “That’s why church members are asking him to step down.”
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Some congregants are calling for Beulah Land Mission Pastor Lorenz Roseman to be fired after surveillance video showed a female elder being pushed down the concrete steps outside the church on Oct. 7, 2025. (Najee Ali)
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Some congregants are calling for Beulah Land Mission Pastor Lorenz Roseman to be fired after surveillance video showed a female elder being pushed down the concrete steps outside the church on Oct. 7, 2025. (Najee Ali)
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Some congregants are calling for Beulah Land Mission Pastor Lorenz Roseman to be fired after surveillance video showed a female elder being pushed down the concrete steps outside the church on Oct. 7, 2025. (Najee Ali)
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Some congregants are calling for Beulah Land Mission Pastor Lorenz Roseman to be fired after surveillance video showed a female elder being pushed down the concrete steps outside the church on Oct. 7, 2025. (KTLA)
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Some congregants are calling for Beulah Land Mission Pastor Lorenz Roseman to be fired after surveillance video showed a female elder being pushed down the concrete steps outside the church on Oct. 7, 2025. (Najee Ali)
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Some congregants are calling for Beulah Land Mission Pastor Lorenz Roseman to be fired after surveillance video showed a female elder being pushed down the concrete steps outside the church on Oct. 7, 2025. (KTLA)
Elise McTaw, the woman who pushed down the steps and out the metal door, said she suffered a broken wrist and toe after the fall.
“I’m never the same after being hurt by someone you trust and love,” she said.
While Rothman did not want to discuss the ongoing legal issues on camera, he explained in a statement emailed to KTLA that his status as pastor of the Gardena church was confirmed by a majority vote of the congregation at a business meeting.
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The statement went on to say:
“The entire unfortunate incident began when I was informed that certain influential members in positions of power may be engaged in unethical or illegal activities. After an investigation was conducted and the allegations were confirmed, I removed them from their positions.
When these people were unable to expel me through our church policies and procedures, they began attacking my character and using the legal system against me. However, a judge dismissed the lawsuits as frivolous and lacking legal merit. “
Rothman concluded by saying he remained confident of prevailing in any future legal action.
For some in the church community, like Dr. Ta-Tanesha Thames, the pastor’s explanation of the situation did not address the issue at hand.
“He couldn’t put his hands on anyone,” she said. “That won’t do. He has to go.”
While KTLA has contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department about the circumstances and conditions of Rossman’s arrest and is awaiting a response, the case remains pending in court.
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