Baltimore Megachurch Has History of Concealing Sexual Abuse

[iluvatar5150]

The Baltimore Banner's got a big 3-part series this week on Greater Grace World Outreach (formerly "The Bible Speaks"), a megachurch with franchises across the globe, and their history of concealing sexual abuse of minors, including the founding pastor Carl Stephens telling is own, victimized son, to keep quiet.

This megachurch warned of hell. Then it concealed its own sins.

A campfire confession exposes decades of child sex abuse claims at Baltimore megachurch — and inspires a group to seek justice for alleged victims.

www.thebaltimorebanner.com

Web of megachurch sex abuse leads to a trusted pastor and his sons

A group raised to revere their pastors reaches out to former classmates and friends. They discover dozens of abuse allegations, including several linked to one family.

www.thebaltimorebanner.com

One family’s agonizing journey to uncover secrets and abuse at a Baltimore church

Accusations of child sex abuse extend to Greater Grace World Outreach's churches in Ghana. One family confronts church leaders, but discovers the primacy of the church's "brand."

www.thebaltimorebanner.com

The Banner's paywall is pretty obtrusive, but 12ft might help

The men had been taught since childhood to ignore the controversies that swirled around the church, whose influence extends to hundreds of affiliate churches around the world. They had been told not to watch the “60 Minutes” segment from 1987 about “intimidation and manipulation” at the church. They knew little of the judge who ordered the church to return $6.6 million to a donor in the 1980s, accusing the founding pastor of “deceit and insincerity.” They ignored critics who described the church as “cult-like.”

Veader did not know it then, but this conversation around the campfire would spark an investigation that would consume the next four years of his life and threaten his relationships with loved ones still in the church. He and his friends would talk to 32 former Greater Grace members who said they had been sexually abused as children by men of the church, primarily prominent pastors or leaders. Sources they trusted would tell them of 18 additional abuse survivors.

 

[essentialsaltes]

My, that's quite a way to start a Wikipedia entry:

Greater Grace World Outreach (GGWO) is a nondenominational evangelical Christian church that is best known for its history of scandals, sexual misconduct, and cultish practices and teachings.

 

[iluvatar5150]

My, that's quite a way to start a Wikipedia entry:

Greater Grace World Outreach (GGWO) is a nondenominational evangelical Christian church that is best known for its history of scandals, sexual misconduct, and cultish practices and teachings.

The franchise I attended as a kid didn't have any sexual shenanigans that I'm aware of, but our charter apparently gave the lead pastor authority over all the money, which he took as he skipped town.

 

[RileyG]

Hmmm….for some reason that name sounds very familiar?

 

[SarahsKnight]

This megachurch warned of hell. Then it concealed its own sins.

A campfire confession exposes decades of child sex abuse claims at Baltimore megachurch — and inspires a group to seek justice for alleged victims.

www.thebaltimorebanner.com

Greater Grace World Outreach (GGWO) is a nondenominational evangelical Christian church that is best known for its history of scandals, sexual misconduct, and cultish practices and teachings.

"Greater Grace", all right. *rolls eyes*