Mercy Culture Backs Church Elder Facing Dueling Reports on Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Analysis & Context

Mercy Culture Church in Fort Worth, Texas is standing behind a church elder facing sexual misconduct allegations, despite competing investigative reports reaching starkly different conclusions about the validity of the claims. The case has become a flashpoint in ongoing debates about how churches handle abuse allegations.

Two separate investigations were conducted into the allegations against the unnamed elder. One report, commissioned by parties sympathetic to the accuser, found the allegations credible and recommended the elder be removed from leadership. A second report, commissioned by the church, reached the opposite conclusion and cleared the elder of wrongdoing.

The existence of dueling reports has raised serious questions about the integrity of church-commissioned investigations. Critics argue that when churches control the investigation process—selecting investigators, defining scope, and controlling access to witnesses—the results are inherently compromised.

Mercy Culture Church has publicly affirmed its support for the elder, citing the favorable investigation as vindication. However, the accuser and her supporters contend that the church's investigation was designed to reach a predetermined conclusion and that key witnesses were not interviewed.

The case is particularly significant given Mercy Culture's recent history. The church's lead pastor, Landon Schott, was arrested on child abuse image charges in January 2025, raising broader questions about the church's leadership culture and accountability practices.

Abuse prevention advocates argue that the Mercy Culture case illustrates why churches should never investigate themselves. They call for mandatory use of independent, third-party investigators with expertise in sexual misconduct cases, and for investigation findings to be shared transparently with the congregation.