Historical Allegations
It is an unfortunate reality that finds Sovereign Grace Churches in over a decade-long battle with slander, gossip, and even published works that are riddled with factual errors. As a result, it is important to state the following:
A civil lawsuit was filed on October 17, 2012, seeking financial damages relating to an alleged conspiracy to cover up abuse in two of our former churches. It is important to note that, when the suit was filed, we reviewed our 30 year history up to that point and did not find a single instance in which a Sovereign Grace pastor or staff member had ever been charged with -much less convicted of- sexual abuse or covering up abuse including those pastors named in the civil suit.
This lawsuit was dismissed in 2013 and the accusations of conspiracy have never been—before or since the lawsuit—supported by any judicial or investigative findings by law enforcement or any other party.
Unfortunately, these facts have not been sufficient toward the clearing of our name, the protection of our churches, or the discontinuation of false accusations and allegations.
We are grieved by the reality that child sexual abuse has happened, that child sexual abuse continues to happen, and that there are real victims of child sexual abuse. Because of this, we view any allegation of sexual abuse with the utmost seriousness. Sexual abuse is a crime. It is a grievous sin that does terrible harm to its survivors and their families. For this reason, we are, and have been, committed to reporting abuse to the proper authorities, to protecting children from predation, and to caring for survivors of abuse.
We live in a fallen world - a world that is rampant with sin. As a denomination of churches, we are not above or removed from this reality. Sin remains active, but it has not and will not win.
The following information includes historical statements, answers to Frequently Asked Questions, as well as responses to previously published articles. For further questions or comments, please feel free to contact us via email: editor@sovereigngrace.com.
On behalf of Sovereign Grace Churches,
Lauren Maples
Communications Manager
