COLORADO SPRINGS (CO)
ChurchLeaders [Colorado Springs CO]
October 28, 2026
By Stephanie Martin
After a church or ministry experiences a scandal, people expect changes and accountability. Otherwise it’s impossible to regain trust. Staying accountable is especially important when a church or organization has mishandled reports of sexual abuse.
That script has become familiar, unfortunately. After one or more victims go public, police and/or the church begin investigating. Some church leaders might resign or get fired; others issue denials or apologize for mishandling claims of abuse. An outside review usually leads to promises of new policies and more transparency.
But then the news cycle moves on. Outside of that congregation or organization, few people might remember the details or ask, “Did they do what they said they’d do?”
This article follows up on seven Christian institutions that acknowledged mishandling abuse and promised specific changes: the Southern Baptist Convention, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, Bob Jones University, Liberty University, the Church of England, Greater Grace World Outreach, and Bethel Church.
ChurchLeaders has covered most of these scandals, so this article doesn’t focus on the abuse. Instead, we’ll look at how the institutions responded, what leaders admitted, what they promised, and what happened next. See what “safeguarding” promises the organizations kept or broke, and whether stronger protection policies are now in place.
Abuse Accountability: A Look at 7 Christian Organizations
| Ministry | Promise | Verdict |
| Southern Baptist Convention | Ministry Check database of ministers convicted, found liable, or who confessed to abuse; reform task force; church training | Broken |
| RZIM | Become a grant-making organization within four to six months; rename; end apologetics | Broken |
| Bob Jones University | Respond to GRACE’s recommendations | Partly Kept |
| Liberty University | $2 million spent on safety; monitoring through April 2026 | Reportedly Kept |
| Church of England | Independent safeguarding beyond church control | Partly Kept |
| Greater Grace World Outreach | Independent investigation, public findings, action | Partly Kept |
| Bethel Church | New process for communicating substantiated allegations; victim care | Too Soon to Tell |
How we rated them: Kept means the core promise was delivered. Reportedly Kept means the institution says it delivered, but no independent public source confirms it. Partly Kept means some commitments were met but a central one wasn’t. Broken means the core promise wasn’t delivered or was abandoned. Too Soon to Tell means the promises are too recent to judge.
This information is current as of October 2026.
1. Southern Baptist Convention (SBC)
What Went Wrong. A May 2022 investigation by Guidepost Solutions found that SBC Executive Committee leaders had, for years, put the denomination’s liability ahead of survivors who reported abuse. In addition, officials kept a private list of accused pastors while publicly refusing to maintain one.
The Admission. The Executive Committee published that lengthy list within days. At the SBC’s annual meeting in June 2022, denominational messengers voted overwhelmingly for a package of reforms.
The Promise. Two commitments: an Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force to build training and policies for churches, and a Ministry Check database listing ministers who’d been convicted, found liable, or confessed to abuse.
What Happened Next. In 2023, the task force chose Guidepost to build the database; after receiving pushback, however, it signaled it might step back. The task force later disbanded with no names on the list. It spun off an independent nonprofit Abuse Reform commission.
In February 2025, Executive Committee president Dr. Jeff Iorg said of the database, “At this point, it’s not a focus for us.” According to Religion News Service, Iorg told the committee that costs from the abuse investigation and related lawsuits had passed $13 million, draining its reserves. Survivors and advocates doubted the reforms would deliver. By June 2026, the SBC had made progress on training but largely abandoned plans for the database.
The promise to provide training fared better, because the task force sent a prevention toolkit to state conventions. In July 2024, Lifeway Research reported that 58% of SBC congregations used background checks, though only about 36% said they’d been trained in reporting abuse.
Verdict: Broken. The key promise, a working Ministry Check database, wasn’t delivered, and the Executive Committee said that was no longer a focus.
2. Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM)
What Went Wrong. In February 2021, an investigation commissioned by RZIM’s board found credible evidence that founder Ravi Zacharias had sexually abused women over many years. Previously, the ministry had defended the apologist, who died in May 2020. A later Guidepost review found that RZIM spent donor money to sue a survivor.
The Admission. The board apologized publicly. In March 2021, CEO Sarah Davis (Zacharias’ daughter) told staff that RZIM “cannot—indeed should not—continue to operate” in its present form. The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) had already ended RZIM’s membership that February.
The Promise. Davis announced layoffs of about 60% of the staff, an end to apologetics work, a new name, and a transition into a grant-making organization. That new organization was to fund evangelism, the prevention of sexual abuse, and care for victims. Davis expected the transition to take four to six months, with leadership changes involved. She resigned in October 2021 to begin the Lighten Group, a new ministry that shuttered by September 2022.
What Happened Next. Staff were cut, fundraising stopped, the founder’s content came down, RZIM Canada closed, and the UK branch broke off with a new name. The grant-making never materialized. On Aug. 27, 2024, MinistryWatch reported no posted grants or grant applications, no financial statements, and no dissolution filing.
The organization still used the RZIM name, had filed annual registration in Georgia for 2023 and 2024, and didn’t answer repeated requests for comment. A building that RZIM owned sold for $14.5 million in 2024, and MinistryWatch also reported that Zacharias’ son, Nathan, had written on his blog that a $45 million life insurance policy on his father was payable to RZIM. Family members of Ravi Zacharias have continued to insist that he was innocent.
Verdict: Broken. The public record still shows no grant-making and no accounting for the assets.
3. Bob Jones University
What Went Wrong. After survivors asked for a review, the university asked GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment) to examine how it handled abuse disclosures. GRACE released a report in December 2014 after conducting 100+ interviews. It found that the university’s discipline emphasis and its biblical counseling approach harmed survivors.
The Admission. On its website, the university posted an official apology and a response to the report.
The Promise. Bob Jones University promised to respond to GRACE’s recommendations. Those included referring all counseling for abuse survivors to outside licensed trauma counselors and barring a former dean of students who was named in the report from counseling or teaching about abuse.
What Happened Next. In 2024, the university said it had created an Office of Student Care so students could disclose abuse to a department that was separate from discipline. The school requires sexual abuse awareness training through Ministry Safe for all employees and students. It also removed online sermons and materials considered insensitive to victims.
Two core recommendations weren’t adopted. The university’s website says its biblical counselors still respond to student survivors, and survivors said faculty members whom the report criticized remain employed.
Boz Tchividjian, who led the GRACE review and spoke in a personal capacity, said he was disappointed, calling the response “a lot of form over substance.” A 2020 lawsuit by a former Bob Jones University student challenged the school’s handling of a later disclosure; the university denied wrongdoing.
Verdict: Partly Kept. Bob Jones made structural and training changes, by the university’s account. But it didn’t adopt the recommendations about counseling and personnel.
4. Liberty University
What Went Wrong. In March 2024, the U.S. Department of Education announced a record $14 million fine after a review stemming from 2021 ProPublica reporting. Investigators found that Liberty had underreported crime, failed to issue required safety warnings, and discouraged victims from coming forward, including in sexual violence cases.
The Admission. Mixed. Liberty’s statement said it concurred that numerous compliance deficiencies previously existed. But the university maintained it had endured “selective and unfair treatment” from the Education Department.
The Promise. Under the settlement, Liberty was to spend $2 million on campus safety and compliance improvements over two years. An outside accounting firm would monitor the auditing progress, and federal monitoring would take place through April 2026.
What Happened Next. In April 2026, Liberty’s spring board report said the monitoring period had concluded. School reporting listed $2 million invested in security assets and equipment, more staff in ethics and compliance, and new training for employees who are responsible for reporting crimes.
Verdict: Reportedly Kept. According to the university’s April 2026 board report, every item was completed. But the outside accounting firm’s audit hasn’t been made public, and the Department of Education hasn’t publicly confirmed that Liberty met the settlement’s terms.
5. Church of England
What Went Wrong. The Makin Review, published in November 2024, found that church officers had known of John Smyth’s abuse of boys and young men decades earlier yet failed to prevent further harm. It concluded that church officials, including Archbishop Justin Welby, should have reported Smyth to police in 2013. Smyth died in 2018 without facing trial.
The Admission. Welby resigned, saying he took “personal and institutional responsibility.” His successor, Sarah Mullally, said in February 2026 that the church had “fallen tragically short” on safeguarding members.
The Promise. The Church of England said it would move safeguarding beyond the control of the church hierarchy. In February 2025, the General Synod chose independent oversight, with the National Safeguarding Team moving to an independent body. Diocesan and cathedral safeguarding staff, however, would remain church employees.
What Happened Next.
- October 2025: Dame Christine Ryan was appointed independent executive chair of the Safeguarding Structures Programme Board. Her appointment was for one year.
- November 2025: The Charity Commission closed a compliance case without finding mismanagement or misconduct by trustees. But it told the Archbishops’ Council to implement independent structures within 18 months, a year sooner than planned.
- February 2026: Synod approved a new national safeguarding charity. It has a majority-independent board, plus “protected” operational powers meant to keep day-to-day decisions free of church leadership. Operational changes were deemed possible by year’s end.
- 2026: In May, the church published its first independent audit of the National Safeguarding Team. In June, it issued a final report on its response to the Makin recommendations.
Verdict: Partly Kept. The promise moved from principle to approved structure, with an independent chair, a regulator’s deadline, and a published schedule. But the new body hasn’t yet taken over, and the full independence that some advocates wanted doesn’t yet exist.
6. Greater Grace World Outreach (Baltimore)
What Went Wrong. In mid-2024, a Baltimore Banner series reported dozens of allegations of childhood sexual abuse connected to the church, its schools, and affiliated churches. The outlet’s investigation alleged that leaders had dismissed reports of abuse.
The Admission. On June 30, 2024, church elders called abuse of anyone, especially children, “sinful, abhorrent, and reprehensible.” In later statements, leaders acknowledged that their responses had often lacked compassion and trauma-informed care.
The Promise. Greater Grace World Outreach said it would hire a nationally recognized independent firm and be transparent about the findings. The church also retained survivor advocate Rachael Denhollander as an independent consultant. In September 2024, the church formally engaged GRACE, which kept sole control of the report’s content.
What Happened Next. The investigation promise was kept in form. GRACE delivered a report in December 2025, and the church posted it publicly. It described credible claims across the church, its schools, and its network. The report recommended that Senior Pastor Thomas Schaller and three other leaders be removed from positions of authority, concluding that lasting change couldn’t occur otherwise.
The church apologized in January 2026. According to the Banner, however, the church’s roadmap offered no concrete leadership changes and no timeline. On March 25, 2026, Greater Grace left the ECFA while under accreditation review.
A May 29, 2026, update described a new working group, a completed roadmap promised by September 2026, a staffed response team, revised youth policies, and a leadership transition “in the coming years.” However, among the signers were all four leaders cited by GRACE. According to the church’s website, Schaller remains pastor.
Verdict: Partly Kept. On investigating and publishing, the church kept its word. The firm was independent, and the report is public. But the church hasn’t adopted the central recommendation.
7. Bethel Church (Redding, California)
What Went Wrong. In 2019, Bethel leaders learned that a former member of Shawn Bolz’s team alleged sexual harassment against him. Concerns later surfaced about fabricated “prophetic” words. According to Bethel’s January 2026 letter, leaders confronted Bolz, who denied wrongdoing. The church didn’t tell the public.
The Admission. After Mike Winger drew attention to the case through a lengthy YouTube video, Bill Johnson, Kris Vallotton, and Dann Farrelly apologized in January 2026. They said the church hadn’t told the truth early, long, or loudly enough. Vallotton apologized specifically to people who’d been affected.
The Promise. Bethel promised a new “investigation-confrontation model,” including wider communication when substantiated allegations are met without repentance. Bethel also committed to victim care.
What Happened Next. Bethel said it began offering a third-party Safe Church reporting channel in early 2025. In a May 2026 update, the church said it will no longer platform four specific ministry figures.
Bethel also described governance changes since February 2026: a staff feedback process, an outside consultant reviewing governance and leadership culture, an executive team running day-to-day operations, and more elder oversight.
Verdict: Too Soon to Tell. The promises are only about nine months old. The steps so far are real but mostly structural. It’s worth watching how Bethel handles sexual abuse allegations against Ben Armstrong, the prophetic ministry director it placed on leave in early 2026.
What Separates Kept Promises From Broken Ones
So when a ministry admits to mishandling abuse and promises to change, does it follow through? Rarely in full, according to this sample. Even with just seven cases, a pattern emerges, and church leaders can learn from it:
- An outside party with authority and a calendar. Liberty’s promises were written into a settlement with the Department of Education, which set monitoring through April 2026 and an outside audit of the $2 million. The Church of England’s reforms were pushed to move faster when the Charity Commission set an 18-month expectation. The SBC went the other way. Executive Committee leaders said they had no control over the Abuse Reform Commission and said names couldn’t be added to a Ministry Check database without the committee’s approval.
- Money set aside. Liberty’s $2 million was named as part of the fine and settlement. The SBC’s reform effort had no permanent funding plan as of February 2025, and a proposed $4 million allocation for the task force was rescinded when the mission boards’ Send Relief pledged funds instead.
- A published timeline and a public scoreboard. Liberty’s settlement set a fixed end date, and the university reported its results when that date arrived. RZIM promised a grant-making organization within four to six months but never published an accounting. Greater Grace posts updates online, but elders haven’t set a date for the leadership change GRACE recommended. Without a deadline, a promise can stay “in progress” indefinitely.
- Independent investigators, plus someone to enforce the findings. Four of these seven institutions commissioned outside reviews: the SBC, RZIM, Bob Jones, and Greater Grace. Each review brought hard truths into the open. At Greater Grace, GRACE kept sole control of the report’s content. But an independent report didn’t guarantee follow-through. Two of those four promises were broken, and two were only partly kept. Independence gets the truth out. Acting on it takes outside authority, money, and a deadline.
Resources: Where to Report Abuse and Find Support
If you suspect abuse, contact your local police department and Child Protective Services office. Do so even if you’re not a mandatory reporter. (If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911.)
Survivors can report to police or CPS at any time. You don’t need to go through a church or denomination first. For help and support, call or contact:
- RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE (4673). Free, confidential, 24/7. Chat at rainn.org/hotline or text HOPE to 64673.
- Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453). Call or text, 24/7. Chat at childhelphotline.org.
- GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment): netgrace.org GRACE provides churches and ministries with education, consultation, and independent investigations. It also offers resources for survivors. For immediate crisis support, use the lines above.
This article was last updated in October 2026. We’ll continue to update it as details change.