Anglican Church in North America finds breakaway chaplains group leader guilty of misconduct

An Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) court has unanimously found a bishop who oversees a breakaway chaplain group guilty of misconduct.

The ACNA Court for the Trial of a Bishop released an opinion Wednesday finding Bishop Derek Jones of the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JAFC) guilty of all four charges of misconduct.

Specifically, Jones was found guilty of “Willful refusal to follow a Godly Admonition,” “Disobedience to or willful contravention of the Canons of this Church,” “Having exhibited conduct giving cause for scandal or offense, including the abuse of ecclesiastical power” and “Having promoted and caused schism within this Church.”

“The episcopal office is fundamentally pastoral. A bishop is entrusted with the care of Christ’s flock and is therefore called to exercise authority as a shepherd, not as a lord who employs another’s livelihood as leverage to obtain financial support, loyalty, or submission,” ruled the court.

“The conduct of Bishop Derek Jones demonstrated in the record before this Court falls grievously short of that standard. … [this court] respectfully refers these findings to the College of Bishops for sentencing following the canonical thirty-day appellate period found in Canon IV.5.5.1.”

The court went on to conclude that Jones had “sought to force submission and wield power, rejecting Godly authority and inquiry in a manner that is as unlike Christ as one can imagine.”

In September 2025, ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood wrote a letter alleging that denominational leadership “received credible complaints” about Jones and alleged “abuse of ecclesiastical power.”

“These complaints did not involve physical or sexual misconduct, nor did they involve any doctrinal concerns,” Wood wrote. “Nevertheless, they were concerning because abuse of ecclesiastical power violates the trust that is essential for effective ministry.”

For its part, JAFC disputed the accusations and the investigation into them, claiming that Jones was the victim of “a targeted attack” by Wood because he had “been critical of errors, missteps, and mismanagement within the Archbishop's office.”

JAFC Chairman David van Esselstyn sent a letter to Wood stating that the chaplains group was terminating its relationship with ACNA and demanding that the denomination stop using its trademark or meeting with its members.

ACNA refused to recognize the disaffiliation, instead appointing new leadership for the group. In response, JAFC filed a complaint in October 2025 in district court against ACNA.

The JAFC suit accused ACNA leadership of attempting “a failed corporate takeover” of JAFC when it tried “to suspend Plaintiff’s corporate president” and assume their responsibilities.

U.S. District Judge Bruce Hendricks of the District of South Carolina, Charleston Division, issued an order in November 2025 partly granting JAFC’s request for a temporary restraining order.

Hendricks said that while the court “does not intend to entangle itself into an internal canonical dispute over the Anglican Church’s ecclesiastical structure,” some issues raised by JAFC “may be ripe and appropriate for the Court’s consideration, such as Plaintiff’s trademark claims.”

In December 2025, the ACNA Board of Inquiry released a statement announcing that Jones was facing four charges of allegedly violating canon law.