I Accidentally Joined a Cult: Part 5
A 40-Year-Long Sexual Abuse Cover-Up
I have written in my previous posts about why I believe Sovereign Grace Churches (SGC) to be a cult, rather than “a network of churches.” To review, this organization fits the classic definition of a cult. They were founded by a charismatic leader and blindly loyal followers. They teach toxic messages that they claim will lead to a happy and transcendent life, but that in reality destroy people. They administer calculated, systemic control over their members.
The last cult-like characteristic we will examine is their long history of mishandling and covering up sexual abuse. For decades, they have sought to handle these abuse cases internally rather than reporting to outside authorities for fear of tarnishing their public image.
They prize their reputation, power, and status above the safety and protection of children.
When writing about this, it is difficult to even know where to begin. One can easily get lost down the rabbit hole of SGC’s dark history of abuse and subsequent lies and cover-ups. I will seek to summarize this history while including links and many of the full statements of both SGC and those asking for further investigation. Simply comparing SGC’s statements with those who have thoroughly researched these matters makes it painfully obvious that SGC has much to hide.
An Epidemic of False Allegations?
Either there is an epidemic of sexual abuse or an epidemic of false allegations within SGC. It must be one or the other. For decades, there has been a staggering number of allegations of sexual abuse that have arisen, independent of each other, in most SGC congregations across the nation. This is profound. What’s more, statistics show that the vast majority of sexual assaults are not reported. That means that the allegations within SGC are only the tip of the iceberg.
Are the victims telling the truth, or are they all lying? Are hordes of people independently making up elaborate, detailed accounts of abuse for the sole purpose of maligning the church and bringing down good men of God?
If there truly is an epidemic of false allegations within SGC, surely SGC leaders would want these false allegations thoroughly investigated and scrutinized so that their innocence could be confirmed. Given SGC’s claims of gospel-centrality, and since abuse allegations in the church disparage the gospel, one would think SGC would be eager to clear their reputation and absolve themselves from the cloud of suspicion that has followed them all these years. Strangely, SGC has avoided such scrutiny and adamantly refused a third-party, independent investigation.
Above Reproach and Well-Thought Of by Outsiders
I also find it suspicious that for a group that claims to revere the Bible, they so blatantly ignore the Bible’s clear qualifications that pastors must meet, namely to be “above reproach” and “well thought of by outsiders” (1 Tim. 3:2, 7). According to the Bible, leaders within SGC are disqualified from the pastorate because they are patently not above reproach nor well thought of by outsiders. This is demonstrated by the many headlines and news articles that question their morality. From TIME magazine to Christianity Today, from USA Today to Fox News, from ABC news to the Washingtonian, it is painfully obvious to “outsiders” that SGC has piles of skeletons in their closet. Tellingly, the only ones who think well of SGC are “insiders.”
A Culture of Abuse from the Beginning
While the pattern of sexual abuse cover-up within SGC has made national headlines relatively recently, these crimes have been committed since the very inception of SGC, according to survivors.
Since the early 80’s, this cult has fostered an environment that breeds abuse, discourages reporting to outside authorities, and spiritualizes matters of justice into cheap grace and forced forgiveness.
This pattern of sexual abuse and subsequent cover-up is baked into the very foundational culture of Sovereign Grace. Their historic and consistent teachings directly lead to abuse. The allegations are not merely regarding a few isolated incidents that happened in only two churches that are no longer part of the denomination, as SGC has alleged. I have read many heartbreaking accounts of children as young as two years old who were violated in the most shocking and vile manner, children who have grown up and tried to piece their lives back together, still awaiting justice for unspeakable crimes committed against them. I have read story after story of children forced by their pastors to sit in a room across from their abuser and “forgive” them after being told by their pastors that they are also sinners, which is consistent with SGC’s mantra of “better than I deserve.” Meanwhile, the vast majority of abusers in SGC have not been convicted and continue to enjoy a life of power and freedom, untouched by accountability for their depraved actions.
I also feel the need to point out the sheer ignorance and callous manner in which SGC has treated the brave survivors who have come forward to speak about the unspeakable. As I pointed out in parts 3 and 4, SGC adamantly opposes what they call “psycho-babble” and believes in a “sin only” approach to understanding abuse, rather than trauma-informed care. As such, they refuse to even acknowledge the existence of trauma and display their ignorance of how to properly care for victims. They do not honor the bravery of survivors nor understand the re-traumatization that occurs for victims who come forward.
They have consistently demonstrated that they care only about preserving their image, rather than honoring the image-bearers who have risked so much to tell the truth.
Why This Matters
As we delve into the specifics of the sexual abuse claims and subsequent responses from SGC, it’s easy to lose the forest for the trees. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the back-and-forth between SGC and those calling for accountability. It’s easy to lose sight of why this all matters and why this depressing story is worth telling.
I think the following clip from the movie “Spotlight” demonstrates the urgency of all of this:
“They knew, and they let it happen to kids!” SGC knew what was happening, right under their noses, and they let it happen to innocent kids who deserved better. That’s why this matters.
The details might be monotonous, but the victims deserve better than the dismissive response from most Christian leaders to look the other way, avoid controversy, and say “not my problem.” The victims deserve better than Christians choosing allegiance to an influential leader over protecting children. Justice delayed is justice denied, and children as young as toddlers have been denied justice their entire lives for the most horrific abuse imaginable. They deserve to be heard. They deserve justice.
The Civil Lawsuit of 2012
On October 17, 2012, a civil lawsuit was filed for criminal conspiracy to cover up sexual abuse. The original lawsuit was filed with three victims. It was amended on January 11, 2013 with eight victims. It was amended again on May 14, 2013 with eleven plaintiffs, ten of which were victims. Each of these lawsuits are a matter of public record as legal documents and can be read in full using the provided links. It’s not an easy read, but it’s essential to understand the depths of depravity we are talking about here, not merely “mistakes” or “errors in judgment.”
The defendants of the civil suit include institutions and individuals. The institutions being sued were Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM, now SGC); Covenant Life Church (CLC), the former flagship church of SGC that was founded by CJ Mahaney; Sovereign Grace Church of Fairfax, another prominent and foundational SGC church; and Covenant Life School, which according to the lawsuit “provides an education based on SGM’s philosophy in exchange for tuition payments. The School is controlled by defendants SGM and CLC.”
Individual defendants named in the lawsuit were SGC co-founders C.J. Mahaney and Larry Tomczak, along with prominent SGC leader and Maryland pastor John Loftness; Grant Layman, Maryland pastor and brother-in-law of C.J. Mahaney; Gary Ricucci, Maryland pastor and brother-in-law of C.J. Mahaney; and Fairfax pastors David Hinders, Louis Gallo, Frank Ecelbarger, Mark Mullery, and Vince Hinders.
Unfortunately, the victims were never given the opportunity to speak about their abuse in court. The evidence was never weighed, and the lawsuit never made it to trial.
On May 22, 2013, the lawsuit was dismissed by a Maryland judge due to the state’s restrictive civil statute of limitations for child-sex-abuse cases. Justice was never served in a profoundly disappointing verdict that gave victory to neither party.
Statute of Limitations
The issue of the statute of limitations is integral to understanding both SGC’s defense and the victims’ obstacles to justice.
SGC has, not surprisingly, upheld the statute of limitations laws as a good and necessary protection against false accusations. The way SGC communicates about the statute of limitations makes it sound like the real crimes are false allegations against good institutions rather than soul-shattering, life-altering child sex abuse.
SGC claims,
“The civil statute of limitations did not protect perpetrators of abuse or conspiracy to cover-up abuse from criminal charges. No abuser or conspirator escaped justice.”
They further claim that the statute of limitations
“Protects people from false accusations made many years after the fact.”
These statements display their ignorance of the dynamics of child sex abuse. They conveniently ignore the reality of how long it takes child sex abuse survivors to come to terms with what was done to them, particularly when the abuse occurs at a very young age. They are ignorant about survivors’ reluctance to name what happened to them because to say it out loud is to make it true. They are ignorant of the re-traumatization that occurs when survivors must relive and describe in detail what happened to them.
They are ignorant of the very dynamics of abuse, that no survivor ever wants to seek out an audience to describe their most painful and humiliating sexual experiences.
Additionally, statistics show that out of every 1,000 sexual assaults, 975 will walk free. This means only 2.5% of perpetrators will be convicted. Any allegation of sex abuse, statistically, has a very low probability of convicting innocent parties. SGC’s hysteria about false allegations sending innocent people to jail is simply unfounded.
Additionally, false allegations are relatively easy to spot, as there is usually a motive, such as revenge or the need for an alibi. False allegations are extremely unlikely to convict innocent people.
So, why does the statute of limitations exist?
According to attorney Rachael Denhollander,
“Statute of Limitations is primarily a doctrine for judicial expediency — to force injured parties to act on a claim rather than dragging it out. A secondary reason is the potential for evidence to deteriorate. However, as the burden of proof rests with the person bringing the charge, the potential deterioration of evidence typically makes these cases harder to charge, not easier. Moreover, experts have been recognizing for years that this doctrine is incorrect to apply in sexual assault cases due to the nature of the abuse and the length of time needed for survivors to disclose. It is for this reason that there has been a steady upward trend in all states of loosening or removing the statute of limitations for both criminal and civil claims related to sexual assault.”
Nonetheless, SGC took the lawsuit dismissal as a victory, wrote an open letter to their members, and they continue to refer to the victims’ testimony as “unsubstantiated allegations,” even though those allegations were never presented so the justice system could determine whether or not the allegations were of substance.
A Bizarre Attempt to Discredit Victims
On March 8, 2016, the Maryland Senate committee heard testimony for Bill SB0069, which would extend the statute of limitations of child sex abuse from 7 to 20 years. Many victims and advocates offered testimony in favor of the bill, sharing powerful and heartbreaking stories of abuse and the ongoing effects victims endure. Parents of one SGC victim of child sex abuse testified as well. Their testimony can be seen here, beginning at 1:39:19.
The only two individuals who testified in opposition to extending the statute of limitations were two SGC leaders’ wives: Charlotte Ennis and Terry Mayo. Charlotte Ennis is the wife of Pat Ennis, former executive director for SGC, and Terry Mayo is the wife of David Mayo, a longtime SGC small group leader. David Mayo has also been credibly accused of sexual assault of a child. Both women claimed in their testimonies to be sexual abuse survivors, as though that justified their insensitive comments.
Their testimonies can be seen in its original context here, beginning at 2:19:00, or in the following clip:
They both claimed that the church did not send them. Charlotte Ennis even claimed, “I don’t even know if they know if I’m here or not.” This claim is laughable to anyone familiar with dynamics of SGC patriarchal culture. No SGC pastor’s wife does anything of this nature without her husband’s approval, and a pastor’s wife would only go so far as to testify in a Senate hearing at the urging of her husband. Terry Mayo was asked by a senator, “How did you find out about the hearing? Did you find out yourself, or did somebody call you and ask you to testify?” She seemed surprised as she stuttered, “I think… I think I heard about it on social media.” As if she saw it on Facebook and wandered into a courtroom.
Charlotte Ennis testified first, claiming,
“I do not see any difference in the anguish, long-term ill effects, or personal devastation experienced by those abused, or those falsely accused.”
She claimed that Covenant Life Church was “the subject of an egregious and even bizarre” lawsuit “that was undoubtedly false.”
Senator Jamie Raskin then questioned Mrs. Ennis, saying,
“It looks like [your] church, whether it’s deliberately involved in these cases or not, has become something of a clearinghouse for predatory sexual activities against children….
“One dynamic that I notice in these hearings that we have is that we have very powerful, specific, detailed, individual recollections and testimony by victims of the abuse, and then sometimes we have people come forward like you, perfectly well-intentioned, who are standing up for an institution and you seem to be very defensive and guarded about the institution generally, this particular church, and the point is to try to discredit all of the testimony, at least speaking for myself… my patience has run out for that approach to this problem. I find the evidence overwhelming and devastating that this is really happening in these cases.”
A Conspiracy to Cover Up Child Sex Abuse
Mrs. Ennis also sought to disparage the claim of “conspiracy to cover up child sex abuse” as a mere “conspiracy theory,” as though victims got together and devised a scheme to take down the church. In reality, “conspiracy” is a legal definition.
“Legally, a Conspiracy exists when 2 or more persons join together and form an agreement to violate the law, and then act on that agreement. The crime of Conspiracy was created to address the inherent dangers posed to society when people come together and join forces to commit criminal acts.”
Those of us who are familiar with SGC’s handling of sexual abuse cases within their congregations would recognize that their dealings fit that definition. I personally watched as two or more pastors in my former church conspired to violate the law as they chose not to report a known sexual predator in their midst (these pastors were mandatory reporters at the time). They also consulted Chip Grange, SGC’s longtime attorney and next-door neighbor of C.J. Mahaney. Grange regularly advised SGC pastors against reporting abuse and advised victims to “forgive and forget.”
After the civil lawsuit was dismissed, it seemed as though SGC successfully rewrote the narrative, and everyone moved on… until January 2018.
Rachael Denhollander
As quoted from her website,
“Rachael Denhollander became known internationally in 2016 as the first woman to pursue criminal charges and speak publicly against USA Gymnastics’ team doctor Larry Nassar, one of the most prolific sexual abusers in recorded history. As a result of her activism over 300 women — including numerous Olympic medalists — came forward as survivors of Nassar’s abuse, eventually leading to his life imprisonment. Her courageous tenacity and ongoing advocacy helped trigger a complete upheaval at both USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, where former executives and high-ranking officials face numerous criminal charges for their complicity in covering up Nassar’s abuse and lying about what they knew. Rachael was instrumental in helping secure a record-setting $500 million settlement with Michigan State University for Nassar survivors in 2018, and a further $380 million settlement with USA Gymnastics in 2021. In 2019 she published an autobiographical account of her experience entitled, “What is a Girl Worth?: My Story of Breaking the Silence and Exposing the Truth about Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics.”
Denhollander was named one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” and one of Glamour Magazine’s “Women of the Year” in 2018. Additionally, she received the “Inspiration of the Year” award from Sports Illustrated, was a joint recipient of ESPN’s “Arthur Ashe Courage Award,” and was named a “Michiganian of the Year” by the Detroit News, along numerous other awards and recommendations.
Denhollander was also recognized and praised in the evangelical world for her final victim impact statement against Larry Nassar, in which she communicated a clear and powerful message about both the mercy and justice of God. She offered her forgiveness to her abuser while pointing him to his deeper need for God’s forgiveness.
A week after her impact statement, The Gospel Coalition expressed their admiration for her, saying,
“Rachael Denhollander spoke of Divine judgment and mercy. She affirmed her belief in the God of the Bible as one who rightly punishes evil, and yet who lovingly offers mercy.”
For one week, evangelical leaders praised Denhollander’s courage and upholding of the gospel, and recommended her to their followers.
All that changed on January 31, 2018, when she spoke to Christianity Today. Denhollander took her courage one step further, one step too far for evangelical leaders. She pointed out the hypocrisy of praising her for speaking out against Larry Nassar while covering up sexual abuse within the church. She said,
“The ultimate reality that I live with is that if my abuser had been Nathaniel Morales instead of Larry Nassar, if my enabler had been [an SGM pastor] instead of [MSU gymnastics coach] Kathie Klages, if the organization I was speaking out against was Sovereign Grace under the leadership of [Mahaney] instead of MSU under the leadership of Lou Anna Simon, I would not only not have evangelical support, I would be actively vilified and lied about by every single evangelical leader out there. The only reason I am able to have the support of these leaders now is because I am speaking out against an organization not within their community. Had I been so unfortunate so as to have been victimized by someone in their community, someone in the Sovereign Grace network, I would not only not have their support, I would be massively shunned. That’s the reality.”
These words have proven to be prophetic. Everything Denhollander predicted came true. SGC leaders would immediately respond precisely as she said by actively vilifying and lying about her. To this day, Rachael Denhollander is something of a pariah within SGC.
Down the Rabbit Hole We Go:
The rest of this article will chronicle the back-and-forth between various parties asking for accountability and SGC essentially saying “no.” I realize it is quite tedious to keep track of all these communications. Still, it is important to document all of this so that it can be seen that SGC has, to this day, not been held accountable for their objective failures in how they have historically mishandled sexual abuse. It is also important to note their deceptive tactics and even outright lies as they have communicated about these matters. Not only have these alleged crimes been committed in SGC, but they have continued to lie and avoid these issues being brought to light.
SGC’s Response #1: “She is mistaken.”
On February 2, 2018, SGC responded to Denhollander’s interview with Christianity Today. They released a statement that they have since buried in their website. They claim,
“We thank God for Rachael’s courage in confronting Nassar and commend her invaluable work on behalf of other abuse victims. Like so many, we were impressed by her faithful witness to Christ in such difficult circumstances. At the same time, it needs to be said that she is mistaken in her accusations made against Sovereign Grace Churches and C.J. Mahaney. The Christianity Today article publicly mischaracterizes Sovereign Grace and C.J. based on accusations of which Rachael had no involvement and which are not true and have never been true. It’s extremely difficult to respond to false accusations without appearing unsympathetic to victims of abuse. It is our sincere hope that this brief statement has done both by speaking truthfully, respectfully and in a way that honors God.”
Dehollander’s Response #1: “Submit to third-party, independent investigation.”
Following this statement by SGC, Rachael Denhollander responded with a statement on February 5, 2018. Please read her full statement here:
Denhollander asked SGC to back up their claims that she was “mistaken” and making “false accusations” by submitting to a third-party, independent investigation. She further summed up her concerns about SGC, namely that while C.J. Mahaney was the senior pastor of Covenant Life Church (CLC) and in leadership over Sovereign Grace, “there was an internal policy of not reporting sexual assault allegations to law enforcement, and instead handling them internally.”
“Elders in SGM churches did, in fact, follow this internal policy and did not report sexual assault allegations, did not warn congregants of known sexual predators, and did not place limitations on known predators to prevent additional access to children.”
“Numerous independent victims and victim families allege that SGM pastors discouraged reporting, were uncooperative with investigators, interfered with investigations, or supported the perpetrator.”
These are just some of the concerns Denhollander raised about SGC, and cited her sources. Her claims were clearly not spoken in ignorance.
SGC’s Response #2: “Zeal without Knowledge”
Predictably, SGC doubled down in their efforts to deflect blame. On February 13, 2018, SGC put out “A Response to Allegations Against Sovereign Grace Churches.”
This response was the most detailed SGC had ever been about the abuse allegations, but sadly, it was profoundly misleading and deceptive.
“The pastors and leaders of SGC are believers in Jesus Christ, and our churches are led by pastors who fear God with the sobering reality that we will give an account for our ministry (Hebrews 13:17). We are also unceasingly aware that our faith is rooted in the absolute truths of God’s Word. To all Christians, truth matters, and zeal without knowledge leads to error and strife.”
Denhollander Response #2: The Damning Evidence of SGC’s Guilt
On March 5, 2018, Denhollander responded with a lengthy post, unpacking the mountains of evidence that pointed to SGC’s guilt. Again, please read her entire statement here:
There is no way to adequately summarize this damning document; you really must read it in its entirety.
Denhollander not only responded to the misleading statement made by SGC but she also gave much more detail on the specific evidence that points to SGC’s guilt. She shared her background into how and why she began looking into these matters, far from a “Javert-like obsession” or “zeal without knowledge” or “false allegations… without the facts,” as SGC falsely accused her of.
Rachael Denhollander spent seven years carefully researching the alleged crimes committed within SGC. She reviewed the evidence with the insight of a trained attorney, familiar with the specific dynamics of abuse. At the time of her research, she taught worldview classes and sometimes recommended SGC materials. When widespread claims of sexual abuse cover-up began to surface in 2011, she carefully researched these developments in order to continue endorsing this ministry.
“I hoped that this ministry, which I had long supported, would be found guiltless or, in the case of wrongdoing or mishandling, would confess their failings and make things right.”
Far from being an enemy of the gospel, seeking to tear down good men and good churches, Denhollander was initially a supporter of the ministry, and out of that support, hoped the allegations would be proven false.
Her careful research included reading legal documents, such as police reports and trial transcripts; speaking with investigative journalists who covered this scandal; speaking with survivors; speaking with witnesses to the alleged crimes; “personally reviewing documents given to me by survivors and witnesses, including email chains between survivors or witnesses and various SGM pastors and leaders”; reviewing internal documents and recordings of SGC and CLC; and speaking with supporters of SGC.
Ironically, Denhollander’s research as a concerned individual was far more extensive than SGC’s own “independent” investigation.
SGC has insisted that a third-party, independent investigation is unnecessary because they already completed an independent investigation. However, Denhollander thoroughly explains why SGC’s investigation was anything but independent.
Denhollander summarizes some of the key problems with SGC’s investigation:
“In short, the firm and investigators had none of the expertise normally required of any team charged with handling such an investigation. The firm used poor methodology. They chose not to speak with key witnesses, including those who had raised the allegations, and were not allowed to speak with others key witnesses, including leaders at SGM. Further, as discussed below, they did not disclose key evidence and blatantly misrepresented additional key evidence. Finally, they used attorney-client privilege as a shield against public accountability and refused to disclose evidence or even the final written report — save for an oral retelling of the report to the members of CLC. (I have transcripts of this report and access to the audio recording, which was provided to me by survivors.)”
To this date, SGC has continued to ignore these findings and claim that their investigation was sufficient.
C.J. Mahaney Steps Down From T4G Conference
However, six days after Denhollander’s bombshell post, C.J. Mahaney announced he would be stepping from the forthcoming T4G conference, and further claimed,
“I am innocent of the allegations that have been made against me personally, and the recent, public characterizations of Sovereign Grace as a whole are absolutely false. I categorically reject the suggestion that I have ever conspired to cover up sexual abuse or other wrong-doing. No one should interpret my withdrawal as an acknowledgment of guilt.”
That same day, Denhollander responded to Mahaney’s stepping down:
Denhollander pointed out that Mahaney’s stepping down from speaking at a conference does nothing to resolve the issues with SGC. Either the allegations are true, and Mahaney and SGC should be held accountable, or the allegations are false, and a truly independent investigation should be employed to clear Mahaney and SGC of this controversy. Stepping down from speaking at a conference distracts from and avoids the very real issues of justice in this case.
Christianity Today: “We Need an Independent Investigation of Sovereign Grace Ministries”
On March 22, 2018, “Christianity Today” joined the call for an independent investigation of SGC:
“We call for a fresh and thorough independent investigation not because we believe those accused are guilty of every one of its critics’ charges. We are as bewildered as anyone and simply don’t have enough information to make a confident judgment on the matter. We see, however, that SGC, churches current and former — and pastor C. J. Mahaney (founder and former president) in particular — are under a cloud of suspicion….
SGC’s Response to CT: “We Can’t.”
On the same day that CT asked for an independent investigation, SGC released a statement claiming that they are unable to submit to such an investigation:
“SGC leadership has no authority to mandate an investigation by an outside authority upon all of our churches. We are therefore unable to authorize an independent third-party investigation of SGC and its churches.”
SGC progressed from saying a third-party, independent investigation was “unnecessary” to further claiming it was “impossible.”
Denhollander Meets with SGC Leaders
In July of 2018, Rachael Denhollander met with SGC Leaders Mark Prater, Tommy Hill, Rich Richardson, and two third-party witnesses. She gave solutions to the supposed “impossibility” of an independent investigation. She explained exactly how an investigation could be performed without violating church autonomy, spelling out for them why their refusal of such an investigation was invalid.
SGC requested confidentiality of the meeting but later broke that confidentiality when they communicated to their congregations in private “church family meetings” that this meeting alleviated Denhollander’s concerns about SGC. This was an outright lie. I personally heard about this lie from a current SGC member who was present at this church family meeting, and this was confirmed as I researched online and found that many other SGC members were told the same lie by their pastors.
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler Retracts Support for SGC and C.J. Mahaney
On February 15, 2019, Al Mohler released a statement retracting support from his longtime friend, C.J. Mahaney, and SGC. Mohler had previously joined a statement of public support for SGC and C.J. Mahaney, while claiming he
“Did request that CJ and the ministry participate in an independent investigation, and I was pointed to the investigation that Covenant Life Church had commissioned. I did not realize until this past year that SGC and its leaders had not participated in that investigation, nor was I equipped to know the shortcomings of how that investigation was conducted. I wrongly believed that an investigation had been done, and relied on that assurance and the court dismissal of the civil suit, along with my personal knowledge of CJ, when I issued my statement of support in 2013. I deeply regret this….
“When this issue resurfaced a year ago, I was made painfully aware of my serious mistakes. I immediately urged that an independent investigation be conducted and agreed that CJ needed to step down from public ministry until that took place. This resulted in a severing of all personal and ministry ties, and I have had no relationship with CJ or SGC since that time.”
On that same day, February 15, 2019, SBC President J.D. Greear called on the Southern Baptist denomination to examine ten churches who were “alleged to have displayed a wanton disregard for the seriousness of abuse” to see if they indeed meet the standards for SBC churches.
One of those churches was Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville, KY, the church plant started by C.J. Mahaney after he left CLC in Maryland.
SGC Response: “We Continue to Support C.J. Mahaney”
SGC immediately issued a press release to both of these retractions of support, claiming:
“We continue to affirm C.J. as a pastor in good standing within our denomination…. We are not aware of any outstanding, credible accusations against him.”
SGC Reiterates That They Will Never Submit to a Third-Party, Independent Investigation
Finally, on April 12, 2019, SGC released two extensive public statements: an “FAQ- Concerning Allegations Against SGC” and “Thoughts on the Call for an Independent Investigation.”
Essentially, these two documents reaffirm their previously communicated stance on a third-party, independent investigation. They effectively dug their heels in even further, asserting their innocence and repeatedly claiming to care for victims of sexual abuse. However, they reiterated the same misinformation for resisting scrutiny and accountability. They gave “theological, ethical, and practical” reasons why they would not, could not participate in such an investigation.
Denhollander’s Response to SGC
On April 16, 2019, Rachael Denhollander gave a final summary and response regarding SGC’s claims that they cannot do a third-party, independent investigation. You can read Denhollander’s full statement here:
“Regarding the other objections SGC raises to an independent review, these simply are not valid objections…. Further, I have provided multiple suggestions to SGC leaders directly that laid out a framework for pursuing an independent review. These suggestions were in light of all these supposed roadblocks and did not violate SGC’s ecclesiology. I also made it clear I was not suggesting an automatic review of every church. In addition to providing multiple alternatives and structures for an examination, I offered to help identify multiple independent firms capable of carrying out such an examination, and offered to help with fundraising and financing to not place an undue financial burden on SGC.”
In other words, all the reasons SGC gave for why a third-party investigation was “impossible” are simply not true. There is no reason to refuse such an investigation unless there is something to hide.
Denhollander reasoned,
“Every institution that desires to pursue truth and accountability must sift through these questions, and numerous Christian experts are available to help properly exegete Biblical standards of justice and accountability. An independent review by a qualified firm requires higher, not lower, standards than the less-defined and basic standards set out in Scripture.”
In a desperate attempt to once again distract from the evidence, SGC twisted Denhollander’s words to discredit her by joining forces with a problematic abuser.
A Pedophile Protector Weighs In
In a telling move, pedophile-supporting pastor Doug Wilson offered his unsolicited two cents in support of SGC. Wilson is a highly controversial pastor who has written about the benefits of American slavery, promotes marital rape, and has a long history of harboring convicted pedophiles in his own church. One would think SGC would not want to be associated with such a man, but strangely, they welcomed his support. Wilson wrote a bizarre and misogynistic article seeking to discredit Denhollander, condemning what he coined “the feminization of justice.” His whole argument is a red herring, aimed at Denhollander’s statement, “An independent review by a qualified firm requires higher, not lower, standards than the less-defined and basic standards set out in Scripture.”
Wilson sought to disparage Denhollander based on this one sentence. Immediately after Wilson published this article, C.J. Mahaney’s wife, daughter, and sons-in-law tweeted this article, within minutes of each other. Even his wife’s and daughter’s blog, GirlTalk, tweeted Wilson’s article:
Denhollander later clarified what she meant by “higher standards”:
“The investigation is not a declaration that Scripture is insufficient or that man’s standards are morally superior to God’s law. A brief review of the English language makes this clear. While some Christians may think of
the term “higher” as meaning “morally superior”, this is far from the only usage and definition of the word. Dictionaries reveal a wide range of definitions, including “advanced in complexity, development, or elaboration” (Merriam-Webster).”
However, neither Doug Wilson nor SGC retracted their mischaracterization of Denhollander, and to this day, SGC refuses an investigation, even though all of their objections have been proven to be unfounded.
Denhollander’s final statement clarified her “higher standard” comment and summarized the objections SGC continues to make to oppose an investigation. She also linked to statements from three SGC churches, “urging the denomination to participate in an independent investigation to evaluate numerous allegations that SGC leaders have frequently mishandled sexual and domestic abuse issues in the church.”
In conclusion, a lawsuit for conspiracy to cover up child sex abuse was dismissed on a technicality; many more victims have come forward since the lawsuit; the evidence continues to point to SGC’s guilt; organizations such as GRACE are willing and able to thoroughly investigate these matters; fundraising efforts have been offered to help cover the costs of investigation; and all of SGC’s supposed roadblocks to investigation have been thoroughly shown to be unfounded. In short, there is simply no reason for SGC to continue to deny their victims justice.
Why would a church, which claims to be devoted to the truth, so adamantly avoid the truth being sought? Again, it is strange for an organization that claims to revere the Bible to completely ignore clear teachings of the Bible. Jesus said in John 3:20–21,
“For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
SGC has done wicked things, and unsurprisingly “hates the light… lest [their] works be exposed.” This is why I define SGC as a cult rather than a network of churches. Cults generally follow this pattern of isolating group members, handling abuse charges internally, not reporting to police, and prizing their reputations above people. For these reasons, cults are a breeding ground for abuse.
Good churches are led by qualified people, who are above reproach and well-thought-of by outsiders. They have a good reputation within their communities and do not have to constantly release public statements of defense. Good church leaders welcome accountability and are not afraid of the light exposing their works. Good church leaders know that God sees all and therefore, do not fear people looking into their history. Good church leaders are not perfect, but they are honest about their failings and own up to their sins, trusting in the finished work of Jesus to forgive them, so they can be honest and not fear the truth. Good churches do not behave in this cult-like manner, avoiding scrutiny at all costs and outright lying to the public about their practices.
To this day, SGC continues to deny any wrongdoing, and they continue to spread their lies about why a third-party, independent investigation is “impossible.” They ignore the blatant evidence that point to their guilt and have convinced thousands of followers that they are the victims of false allegations. They continue to idolize C.J. Mahaney and assert his innocence, dismissing all the evidence that points to the contrary.
To this day, victims of child sex abuse are denied justice. They have been disparaged and lied about for years… by church leaders.
These children were assaulted twice: first by their attacker, then again by the church.
Like any cult, the most vulnerable are also the most expendable for the sake of keeping leaders in power. To this day, none of these cult leaders have been held accountable for their wicked actions against children. There are no words for the despair and anger that are felt when such injustice is committed by those who claim the title of “shepherd.” Those who claim to love and follow Jesus speak and behave in ways that Jesus adamantly opposed.
The Good Shepherd and these false shepherds could not be more different.
We will look at this more in-depth in the next and final article in this series.
(This is part 5 of a 6-part series. Please also read part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4. Part 6 is forthcoming).
