Former members of Greater Grace World Outreach Church in Baltimore expressed outrage and gratitude after a 14-month investigation revealed widespread child sexual abuse and cover-ups by church leaders. The report, conducted by Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE), found that senior pastors and high-ranking officials ignored, dismissed, and downplayed allegations of abuse.
Nikki Heidenreich, who was abused as a child by a pastor at her former church, felt vindicated by the report’s findings. “I think it lays bare what we have known for a long time that these men were callous and malicious rather than simply overwhelmed and incompetent,” she said.
The investigation found that some church leaders allowed problematic pastors to continue working with children despite allegations of abuse. In one case, a pastor was accused of molestation after he had been barred from volunteering at the church’s summer camp. The report also revealed that church members were aware of allegations against another notorious abuser before he was accused.
GRACE recommended that four top church leaders step down, and investigators urged the church to distance itself from its founder, who was also accused of sexual misconduct. Former congregants praised GRACE for being blunt in its criticism of church leaders and doctrine.
The Millstones, a group of ex-church members, wrote: “We’ve had over six years to process many of the allegations, still felt physically ill reading this.” They urged current church members to fight for change within the church.
Source: https://www.thebanner.com/community/criminal-justice/greater-grace-world-outreach-sexual-abuse-report-SEUQUVXTJVD6JPQEYQ4A5TMG7I