“Nothing draws fire like drawing attention to sexual abuse and coverups in white evangelical churches. Nothing even comes close.” These are the words Kristin Du Mez chose to reflect on as she prepared herself on the eve of the release…
A controversial horror film embodies the real-life horrors of church abuse
There’s a thin line between reading a memoir written by somebody who grew up in conservative Christianity and watching a horror movie. As Christa Brown, a frequent contributor to Baptist News Global, releases her new memoir Baptistland: A Memoir of Abuse,…
Alabama bill would make clergy sex abuse with teens a felony
A bill currently working its way through the Alabama Legislature would make it a felony for any clergyperson, church volunteer or staff member to have a sexual relationship with church attendees under age 19 and protected persons under age 22….
What is IHOPKC? Who is Mike Bickle? And what do I need to know?
It’s ironic that in a movement built on prophetic dreams where God supposedly reveals the secrets of the world, apparently nobody ever receives a dream about the credible allegations of sexual abuse going on in the church. Mike Bickle is…
Little Rock church hired Josh Duggar’s lawyer then reversed course after lay leaders protest
It has been less than three weeks since the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette broke the story of a Little Rock church’s failure to notify members of alleged sexual abuse of minors, and the story continues to take twists and turns. The latest…
Prominent Arkansas SBC church accused of hiding knowledge of former staff member’s abuse of child
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…
I can’t stop dreaming about our clergy pedophile, but maybe this will help
Just a few days after my 45th birthday, I had another dream about my childhood pastor. This final dream was the coup de grâce: My great-grandparents’ home was ablaze. It was dark. Early morning still, and I was standing outside, talking…
Restoration without restitution is complicity
The largest evangelical megachurch in Alabama just spent $4.5 million to open a center for pastoral restoration. The center provides counseling and support for pastors working through issues that cost them their jobs — issues like marital infidelity and sexual…
Preying preachers: Confronting clergy sexual abuse
There should be zero tolerance when it comes to clergy abuse of congregants. However, we learned years ago of how child sexual abuse by priests has been tolerated within the Roman Catholic Church. Since then, it has become unequivocally clear…