Past Lighthouse Baptist member supports sexual assault victim, denounces Baker's response

Columbia-native Ray Jeter, a past member of Lighthouse Baptist Church, spoke out in support of Aimee Spires, 32, who experienced sexual assault at the hands of a church member years ago.

Spires says she felt then pastor of the church David Baker, now a candidate for mayor, "threw me away," by standing by the perpetrator.

In response, Baker released a video on Facebook titled, "A Big Lie," calling Spires not a credible source.

After watching Baker's You Tube video, Jeter, who lived with the Baker family as a child, was appalled and felt compelled to release his own response to Baker on Facebook.

"It is appalling. It is reprehensible. It is disgusting," Jeter said about Baker's video. "... his attempt to minimize and discredit this young lady."

Spires recently shared her experience with The Daily Herald that she experienced sexual assault from age 11 to 13 years old after taking a babysitting job at a fellow church member's home.

"I simply want to show support to the young lady who has come forward," Jeter said.

"He claims all of this is being politicized because he is running for mayor. I say Mr. Baker all of this has come to the surface. That’s what happens when there is pain and hurt and sorrow."

Jeter explains ties to Baker

At just 12 years old, Jeter said his biological family, who attended Lighthouse Baptist Church, "abandoned me in the middle of the night," packing up and moving to Oklahoma, leaving him behind.

"That's my story," he said.

Jeter attended Lighthouse Baptist Church at the time, though the church went bankrupt in 2011 before reopening under new leadership. Baker now pastors Family Baptist Church in Columbia.

"[David Baker] brought me into his home until I graduated high school," Jeter said. "I didn't speak to or see my family for about six and a half years."

Jeter said he is grateful for Baker's intervention and for welcoming him into his home.

"There is a lot of good in my life that comes from that," Jeter said.

The past chief deputy with the Maury County Sheriff's Office, Jeter is currently running for the 8th District Maury County Commission seat on the Republican ticket. He was elected as one of two Republican nominees at the Maury County Republican caucus in January.

He currently serves as operations director at a construction company.

"I don’t want to be ungrateful," Jeter said. "I feel like I can no longer remain silent. Dave has recently released a You Tube video discrediting a young lady that has decided to come out with her story, her story."

'It hurts': Hoped for an apology

Jeter said he wished he had heard an apology instead.

"It hurts because I feel had Dave Baker gone to social media and begged for her forgiveness, if he had said, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I failed you," Jeter said. "I am sorry that I was not there to protect you when other men hurt you. If he had gone to social media and come with an open heart in his attempt to make this right, if he had pointed to what he had did in the past, I would not be on here making this video."

"David went to social media and shared very personal information about this young lady. Who asks a victim of sexual assault what they want done about it," Jeter said. "That’s not how it works. You report and prosecute, bottom line."

Baker's response to incident

Past Lighthouse Baptist Church member James Earl Lovett was charged, pled guilty, and was convicted in 2004 of sexual battery and aggravated sexual battery, a Class E Felony against Spires who was then 13 years old. He is on the Tennessee child sex offender registry as of 2021.

Lovett currently attends Family Baptist Church in Columbia.

Spires said Lovett began making sexual advances by touching her breasts and backside, which progressed she said.

Lovett confessed to Baker, according to an August 2003 report by the Columbia Police Department.

“James Lovett was confronted by the pastor of Lighthouse Baptist Church David Baker and James Lovett did confess to pastor David Baker that he had assaulted [redacted] on Aug. 19, 2003,” the police report says.

Spires says that when she told Baker about the sexual assault, he asked her not to report it, but to allow it to be taken care of in the church.

Baker has refuted Spires' claim, emphasizing that he cooperated with police at the time.

Baker responded last week.

“Absolutely not,” Baker said. “I have turned in probably more people with my job in what I do to the authorities than just about anyone.”

“The allegation came that Mr. Lovett touched her outside of her clothes, and I asked him what happened and he verified exactly what she told me. When I asked her what she wanted me to do, she said nothing, just have him not come around me. At the time, I did not think that was something that needed to be reported because the allegation was touched outside of clothes,” Baker said.

Baker’s affiliation with Indiana pastor David Hyles, who has been accused of raping a 15-year-old while he was a youth pastor, has also been questioned.

Hyles has never been charged.

Baker confirmed that he runs a ministry with Hyles, Fallen in Grace, which includes a retreat center called The Red Barn in Georgia. According to the website, all donations for Fallen in Grace go to Baker's current church at a P.O. Box. Baker confirmed that donations go directly to the Fallen in Grace fund.

Hyles is the son of the founder of Hyles-Anderson College, an unaccredited private Independent Baptist college, which Baker attended.

Separating from Lighthouse church

Jeter said when he graduated from high school, he also attended college at Hyles-Anderson Bible College, but decided to take another path, entering the field of law enforcement.

When he returned from college, he again attended Lighthouse Baptist Church but stopped attending around 2003 when he lost an investment of $2,500 in a supposed budding construction company, or a "multi-level marketing scheme," he said.

"I lost money I didn't have," Jeter said.

He also explained his experience at the Bible college regarding the principles that surround leaders of Independent Baptist churches.

"The pastor is thought to be a man of God, who is appointed by God. The pastor is the final authority. When a pastor advises, you are expected to take that advice, even to your own detriment," Jeter said.

"I am not holding grudges. I am my own man, I learned my lesson, and I walked away."

Baker offers classes as part of an Independent Baptist Online College, serves as pastor of Family Baptist Church, 1562 Old Hwy 99 Columbia, and operates the family life coaching ministry, Baker Bunch Family Ministry through Baker Bunch LLC, which he said the “LLC” has recently been removed.

Baker also operates the Onesimus Discipleship Program, a home for men who are trying to get back on their feet after serving time in jail. He has served as a volunteer at the Maury County Jail for 28 years and was the past chaplain of the Maury County Jail.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Past Lighthouse church member shows support to sexual assault victim