A former Southern Baptist children’s minister accused of child sexual abuse has asked an Arkansas court to seal his record, an effort critics say would hinder other potential victims from coming forward. Meanwhile, the Southern Baptist church where he last…
In the name of the Lord’s Ranch: The exposure of an Arkansas residential facility’s elaborate ruse of child abuse
Prior to its closure in 2016, the Lord’s Ranch was known for decades as a place where children ages 7 to 17 would receive “unparalleled” treatment in a “uniquely beautiful, peaceful and safe environment.” Staff would foster their psychological, emotional,…
Wrongful death suit is latest challenge for former Agape Boarding School
Jason Britt’s parents hoped Agape Boarding School could help their troubled son Jason, but the abuse he suffered there led to his death, according to the latest of two dozen lawsuits filed against the now-closed school, also known as Agape…
This is why people are leaving the church
Recently I was surprised to see a post from one of my former seminary professors quoting leadership advice from John Ortberg. Perhaps he did not know what caused John Ortberg to resign from his church. Multiple credible media reports have noted…
Want to ‘protect the children’? Start somewhere other than fearing LGBTQ people
A rhetoric of “protecting the children” has been gaining momentum over the last two years, and it’s targeting the LGBTQ community. On June 9, the hashtag “LeaveOurKidsAlone” was used on Twitter to celebrate young kids trampling Pride flags. The hashtag…
Leader of Assemblies of God student group at Baylor arrested on child sexual abuse charges
A former campus minister serving an Assemblies of God organization on the campus of Baylor University was arrested May 23 on charges of continuous sexual abuse of two children in his charge. Waco, Texas, TV station KWTX reported Christopher Hundl,…
Missouri bill to increase statute of limitations for child sexual abuse victims dies in Senate
A bipartisan bill to extend the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse victims by 10 years has died in the Missouri Senate, despite being passed unanimously in the state’s House of Representatives. House Bill 367 was sponsored by Rep….
As summer approaches, how can parents help their children be safe at summer camp?
When parents search the internet for “how to make sure your child is safe at summer camp,” about 84,900,000 Google results appear. Most of the links are lists of tips parents can keep in mind when sending children away for…
Boy Scouts closer to settling abuse claims, but challenges remain
A proposed settlement plan for more than 80,000 abuse cases filed against the Boy Scouts of America came one step closer to reality March 28 when a federal judge affirmed a $2.46 billion settlement plan, overriding objections by some insurers…