John Ortberg, senior pastor at Menlo Church in the Bay Area, was placed on leave in November 2019 over his handling of a volunteer who confided in him a sexual attraction to children

The leader of a 4,000-member megachurch in California's Bay Area was placed on leave after his own son revealed that the influential pastor had allowed a church volunteer with a sexual attraction to children to continue working and traveling with minors unsupervised.

Writer Daniel Lavery, the estranged son of Menlo Church senior pastor John Ortberg, further claimed that not only had his father failed to stop the volunteer from working with children, he even encouraged the person to accompany minors on trips as a method of treatment of their sexual obsession.

Ortberg, 62, a married father-of-three, has not delivered a sermon since last November and is currently said to be undergoing a process of 'restoration' after consulting with the church's Elder Board, reported The Mercury News.

There have been no reports of criminal behavior involving the unnamed volunteer, but Ortberg's handling of the situation has come under fire and sparked an internal investigation.

In late January, Beth Seabolt, chair of the Menlo Church elder board, sent an email to the congregation explaining that in July 2018, a volunteer came to Ortberg and shared with him 'an unwanted thought pattern of attraction to minors,' as The Christian Post reported.

Menlo Chruch in Menlo Park, California, is a 4,000-member Evangelical Presbyterian congregation

That person assured the pastor and prolific Christian author that he or she had not acted on the sexual desire, and Ortberg 'provided prayers and referrals for counselling'.

But instead of consulting other church leaders about the situation, Ortberg allowed the volunteer to carry on working in the community, including with minors.

Ortberg's estranged transgender son, columnist Daniel Lavery, 33 (pictured), reported his father to the church's elder board after learning of the incident with the volunteer

The matter came to light 18 months later, when the volunteer reached out to Ortberg's estranged transgender son, Slate magazine columnist Daniel Lavery, and told him that 'for most of their life, they had experienced obsessive sexual feelings about young children.'

Lavery said in a statement he released on Twitter on Sunday that the church volunteer also spoke to him about seeking out unsupervised volunteer roles with children as a 'method of treatment' for their unhealthy attraction, including volunteer work that involved overnight travel with children.

The person told Lavery that they had never consulted a therapist about this treatment plan, but had shared it with Ortberg and his wife, Nancy, in July 2018.

Lavery released a detailed statement concerning the matter involving the volunteer and his own role in it on Sunday

Lavery said when he and his transgender wife, Grace (pictured together at their wedding) confronted Ortberg, the pastor purportedly told them they were in no position to to offer an alternative form of treatment for sexual attraction to children 'because of our transitions'

'John Ortberg has continually encouraged this person in their pursuit of unsupervised work with children,' Lavery stated.

The author and magazine writer went on to say that he and his wife Grace, who is a transgender woman, confronted Ortberg about the volunteer and expressed their 'gravest reservations about the scheme.'

The pastor allegedly responded to his son by likening pedophilia to homosexuality, stressing the need to keep the entire matter a secret, and arguing that Lavery and his wife were not in the position to offer an alternative form of treatment for sexual attraction to children 'because of our transitions'.

Lavery said when he asked his father whether the volunteer had stopped accompanying children on overnight trips, the pastor replied, 'I'm not sure.'

On November 18, Lavery said he contacted the volunteer and gave them a list of therapists specializing in counselling pedophiles. He also encouraged the person to stop working with children, which he said they did.

Next, Lavery and his wife sent a letter to Orberg urging him to come clean about the matter to church elders.

'He did not,' Lavety said.

In late January, Ortberg returned to work at the church, by the elders said he will only be working internally with staff and the elder board for the time being

Three days later, Daniel and Grace Lavery reported his father to the leaders of Menlo Church, resulting in his Ortberg's suspension from pastoral duties the very next day.

'I have real compassion for anyone trying to treat sexual compulsions with accountability and oversight,' Lavery wrote. 'But the situation they had created was risky, unsafe and unsustainable.'

Lavery concluded by stating that this affair has been devastating to him and has broken 'the trust that once exited between myself and the Ortberg family.'

Seabolt, the elder board chair, wrote in her letter to the congregation that as soon as the church board learned of the situation, they retained an independent investigator, who found no misconduct in the parish.

'Nevertheless, the investigation showed John exhibited poor judgment that was inconsistent with his responsibilities as Senior Pastor,' Seabolt said.

Menlo Church's board has made statements saying the volunteer in question has not worked at any church functions since the issue was first brought to light.

Officials also stressed that all church volunteers undergo background checks and are not allowed to be alone with a child.

Following a three-month suspension, Ortberg returned to work. While undergoing 'restoration' and 'seeking to rebuild trust,' the veteran clergyman will only be working internally with staff and the elder board, not delivering sermons to the congregation.

Ortberg did address the community from the pulpit in late January to apologize for making a decision he 'should not have made' concerning the volunteer, and which 'lacked transparency, collaboration and wisdom.'

'I am so very sorry,' the embattled pastor continued. 'I am sorry I failed to do the right thing, and I'm sorry for the weight and burden this has created for some of you.'