Investigations
Uncovering patterns of abuse, financial misconduct, and institutional failure in American churches. In-depth reporting that demands accountability.
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The Church That Investigated Itself: An Open Letter Demanding Independent Accountability at Blessed Hope Chapel
When sexual misconduct allegations surfaced, the elder board did not call for an independent investigation. Former congregants formally documented multiple charges. Leadership never responded.
Millstones, Not Motions: Robert Morris's Post-Conviction Appeal to “Ecclesiastical Abstention” Is a Theological Outrage
A convicted child sex abuser is weaponizing church doctrine to block civil accountability in a Dallas County courtroom. Christians must call this what it is.
Showing 27 investigations
Primary Source EvidenceApr 6 UpdateThe Church That Investigated Itself: An Open Letter Demanding Independent Accountability at Blessed Hope Chapel
Updated April 6, 2026: The Berean Examiner has obtained a recording of the men's retreat session in which Joe Schimmel and two men from Texas made statements multiple attendees have characterized as blatant slander against an absent family. As of January 2026, more than 30 families have reportedly left Blessed Hope Chapel — all citing the same unresolved allegations.
Child ProtectionMillstones, Not Motions: Why Robert Morris's Post-Conviction Appeal to "Ecclesiastical Abstention" Is a Theological and Moral Outrage
A convicted child sex abuser weaponizes "church doctrine" to block civil accountability — months after pleading guilty to five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. Christians must call this what it is.
Theological DeceptionThe Bible That Didn't Exist When He Got Saved: Kris Vallotton's Impossible Testimony Is Deceiving New Believers
He told thousands the Message Bible discipled him at age 19 — but it wasn't even written until he was 38. A deep look at Bethel's culture of prophetic embellishment and its devastating effect on new believers.
Financial Transparency$237,823 in Undisclosed Salaries and an 85% Asset Drop Raise Serious Questions for Good Fight Ministries
A review of IRS Form 990-PF filings from 2016 through 2024 raises questions about organizational structure, leadership overlap, property use, and governance safeguards — and why former congregants began asking for clarity.
Leadership AccountabilityAoG Megachurch Pastor Steps Aside After Sex Videos Surface in Son's Child Exploitation Case
Life Church pastor Nathan Peternel placed on "structured restorative process" after homemade sex videos discovered during son's child exploitation investigation. Questions about accountability and biblical leadership standards in Pentecostal ministries.
Leadership AccountabilityMegachurch Founder Suspended Over Decade-Old "Inappropriate Physical Humor": Crossroads Church Reopens Resolved Complaint
Crossroads Church has placed founding pastor Brian Tome on indefinite leave over 2015 allegations previously investigated and resolved. The case raises questions about seeker-sensitive doctrine, leadership accountability, and when grace becomes a shield for avoiding biblical standards of conduct.
Clergy Sexual AbuseSpiritual Father, Sexual Predator: Bethel's Ben Armstrong Accused of Grooming and Assault
A former BSSM student alleges the Director of Prophetic Ministry used "spiritual fatherhood" to groom and sexually assault her in 2009, while Bethel dismissed it as a consensual "moral failure."
Financial Fraud & Cult AbuseFalse Profit: How the House of Prayer Defrauded Military Veterans of $22 Million
Eight leaders indicted in a decades-long scheme siphoning GI Bill benefits, orchestrating real estate fraud, and wielding cult-like control over veterans near military bases.
Leadership AccountabilityWhen Mercy Becomes Complicity: Bethel Church's Decade of Silence on Prophetic Fraud and Abuse
The Shawn Bolz scandal exposes a troubling pattern in charismatic leadership—where loyalty to reputation supersedes biblical accountability and the protection of God's people.
The Rudder Problem: When Church Doctrine Steers Away from Scripture
An analysis of 78 cases reveals that 89% occurred in churches where doctrine had begun to compete with Scripture for authority. When the compass is off by just one degree, the destination becomes catastrophically different.
When Moral Authority Collapses: The MAGA Faith Movement's Reckoning with Sexual Abuse
Multiple sex scandals are rocking the conservative evangelical movement that claims moral authority over American culture. From Pastor Robert Morris's guilty plea to child sex abuse charges, to the arrest of Covenant Eyes co-founder's stepson, to Anglican Church harassment allegations—the pattern reveals a crisis of accountability. The question: Does the theology of power and authority itself create the conditions for abuse?
The Archbishop Who Couldn't Lead: Sexual Harassment, Plagiarism, and the Crisis at the Top of the Anglican Church
Archbishop Stephen Wood, the highest-ranking prelate of the Anglican Church in North America, stands accused of sexual harassment, plagiarism, and bullying by former employees. Claire Buxton alleges Wood gave her an "intimate" hug and attempted to kiss her in his office. The accusations expose continuing turmoil in the conservative denomination and raise questions about whether hierarchical church structures enable abuse of power.
The Apologist Who Couldn't Apologize: Dr. Michael Brown, the FIRE School Scandal, and the Doctrine That Shielded Him
An independent investigation found "sexually abusive misconduct" by one of charismatic Christianity's most prominent defenders. His elder team cleared him anyway. His entire board resigned. And the doctrine of "apostolic covering" may be the very thing that made it all possible.
Dueling Reports, Divided Loyalties: How Mercy Culture Chose Institutional Protection Over Victim Justice
Mercy Culture Church is standing behind an elder facing sexual misconduct allegations despite competing investigative reports reaching different conclusions. The case exposes the fault lines in how churches handle abuse allegations: investigation transparency, institutional loyalty versus accountability, and whether organizational interests are being prioritized over victim protection. The doctrine question looms: Does the theology of "covering" and loyalty make true accountability impossible?
Former American Idol Contestant and Church Worship Leader Charged with Murdering Wife
Caleb Flynn, a worship leader at Christian Life Center in Dayton, Ohio, has been charged with murdering his wife Ashley in what investigators believe was a staged crime scene.
Texas Baptist Church Employed Registered Sex Offender at School, Pastor Temporarily Steps Down
Heritage Baptist Church in Haslet, Texas employed Caleb Crawford, a registered sex offender and the pastor's son, at their church school, sparking community outrage and safety concerns.
Fired for Wrongdoing, Nazarene Pastor Starts New Church While Investigation Continues
Jarrod Allen Geistdorfer was terminated from Owego Church of the Nazarene for undisclosed wrongdoing, yet immediately launched an independent church while the investigation remains ongoing.
Georgia Pastors Face Criminal Liability After Alleged Cover-Up Sparks New Law
Myles and DeLana Rutherford allegedly failed to report child sexual abuse as mandated reporters, sparking legislative action to establish criminal penalties for clergy failures.
National Assemblies of God Leader Steps Down Amid Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
Rodney Loy, a prominent figure in the Assemblies of God, has stepped aside from national leadership positions following a civil lawsuit alleging sexual abuse and grooming.
Rock Church: When Silence Becomes Complicity
How a megachurch's failure to report visible abuse led to an 11-year-old girl's death and a $31.5 million settlement.
Leadership AccountabilityThe Shepherd Who Failed His Flock: John MacArthur's Legacy of Institutional Failure
Multiple allegations spanning decades paint a troubling picture of a ministry culture where abuse victims were blamed, abusers were protected, and institutional reputation was prioritized over biblical justice.
The Hillsong Exodus: How a Global Scandal Shattered an Empire and Exposed a Culture of Abuse
From Carl Lentz's affairs to Brian Houston's resignation, from leaked abuse reports to mass U.S. disaffiliations—the Hillsong collapse reveals what happens when celebrity worship culture replaces biblical accountability.
Leadership AccountabilityThe Fall of a Reformed Prince: Steven Lawson's Five-Year Deception and the Calvinist Reckoning
One of Reformed theology's most celebrated preachers confesses to a five-year affair with a woman 50 years his junior. As institutions sever ties and silence stretches on, critics ask: Does Calvinist doctrine itself enable moral failure?
House Arrest for a Sex Crime: How Lenient Sentencing Fails Victims and Endangers Communities
A former Mississippi youth pastor who pleaded guilty to a sex crime has been sentenced to house arrest rather than prison time, sparking outrage from the District Attorney's office. The sentencing decision raises urgent questions about accountability in clergy abuse cases, whether the justice system adequately protects communities, and if religious authority creates a two-tiered system where clergy receive preferential treatment.
The Christian Scouts Who Weren't Safe: Royal Rangers' Decades of Alleged Abuse and Institutional Cover-Up
The Royal Rangers, a Christian alternative to the Boy Scouts operated by the Assemblies of God, faces multiple lawsuits alleging decades of sexual abuse and institutional cover-up. Former members claim the organization failed to properly screen leaders, ignored abuse reports, and prioritized protecting the ministry's reputation over child safety. The lawsuits allege abuse across multiple states dating back to the 1970s, with victims saying the organization's response was inadequate or non-existent.
From the Pulpit to Prison: Mercy Culture Pastor Arrested on Child Abuse Image Charges
The lead pastor of Mercy Culture Church in Fort Worth, Texas, has been arrested and charged with two counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. Landon Schott, who founded the 3,000-member church in 2021, was taken into custody following an investigation. The church board has placed him on indefinite leave. The case raises questions about screening, accountability structures, and whether rapid church growth without proper oversight creates dangerous blind spots.
The Vineyard That Withered: How Spiritual Abuse Allegations Fractured a Movement
Vineyard Anaheim, the founding church of the Vineyard USA movement, has left the denomination following a third-party investigation into spiritual abuse allegations against senior pastor Alan Scott and his wife, Kathryn. The investigation found evidence of abuse of power, spiritual manipulation, and a toxic leadership culture. The church's departure marks a significant fracture in the Vineyard movement. Critics argue the exit allows leadership to avoid accountability, while supporters claim denominational interference undermined local church autonomy. The doctrine question: Does the theology of "apostolic authority" make accountability structurally impossible?
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Doctrine & Accountability
Abuse Patterns by Theological Tradition
“Watch your life and doctrine closely.” — 1 Timothy 4:16. Analyzing how doctrinal frameworks correlate with patterns of abuse, misconduct, and institutional failure across 76 investigated locations.
Case Distribution by Doctrinal Family
Other Traditions
5 sub-traditionsCharismatic / Pentecostal
3 sub-traditionsReformed / Calvinist
1 sub-traditionSeeker Sensitive
1 sub-traditionBaptist
0 sub-traditionsMethodist
0 sub-traditionsNon-denominational
0 sub-traditionsStatistics are derived from 76 documented investigation locations. Doctrinal classifications reflect the self-identified theological tradition of each church or ministry. This data is continuously updated as new cases are documented and verified.