Warning: This report contains graphic accusations of sexual abuse.
In August 1979, Wendy Guay told her best friend that her father, Paul Guay—then a pastor at John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church—was regularly molesting her.
Her friend, Lisa (Tucker) Ward, told The Roys Report (TRR) that when she’d sleep over at Wendy’s house, Wendy would insist that they both go to bed fully clothed. Sometimes, Paul Guay would come in Wendy’s room in the middle of the night and would “hover over us,” Ward said.
But one night, the girls woke up and Guay was rubbing their backs. “Wendy woke up, freaked out, and grabbed me,” Ward said.
Soon afterward, Wendy divulged her secret to Ward. They then told Ward’s dad, John Tucker, a former missionary and then-member of Grace Community Church (GCC), about the abuse.
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This began a process that led Paul Guay to confess his abuse directly to John MacArthur weeks later, according to Tucker, an alleged eyewitness to the confession. Yet, Guay continued to pastor at GCC for three more years. And later, after being removed from GCC for sexual misconduct with a secretary, Guay went on to pastor other churches for 30 years.
In 2003, Wendy, who now has a different last name, discovered her father had more victims and reached out to MacArthur for help. But to her shock, MacArthur denied knowing anything about her father’s abuse, and in emails obtained by TRR, reproved Wendy for her “obsession” with the decades-old matter.
Wendy, who had struggled since the abuse with an eating disorder and addiction to pain medication, spiraled further into self-destructive behaviors. Meanwhile, her father continued pastoring at Grace Brethren Church in Mabton, Washington. And MacArthur gained a reputation as “the world’s premier expository preacher.”
Guay’s confession to MacArthur
Tucker said when his daughter and Wendy first told him of Guay’s abuse, he immediately urged Wendy to call her mother, which she did.
Wendy, who recently spoke with TRR, said she was 16 years old at the time and living with her father and stepmother, Jane Guay, in California. However, her mother, Marlou Fronapel, lived in Oregon.
Fronapel told TRR that when she got Wendy’s call, she quickly arranged for Wendy to fly home. Fronapel then called GCC, asking to speak with MacArthur, but MacArthur wouldn’t take her call.
Fronapel said she then reached out to Tucker and her brother-in-law, Gary Davis, pastor of West Covina Church of Christ in West Covina, California.
According to Fronapel, Davis spoke to someone he knew in leadership at GCC about Paul Guay’s abuse of Wendy, but the church took no action. TRR contacted Davis about what transpired, but Davis declined to speak on the record.
However, John Tucker told TRR in an interview that after receiving Fronapel’s call, he went to Paul Guay’s house and confronted Guay about the abuse. In a 2003 written statement, Tucker wrote that Guay admitted to “sexual acts” with Wendy, telling Tucker “I know I touched her.”
Tucker said Guay then called Pastor MacArthur and asked if the three men could meet in MacArthur’s office and MacArthur agreed.
Tucker wrote that at the meeting with MacArthur, “Paul agreed to my charges and confessed to MacArthur of repeated sexual acts involving Wendy at nighttime during normal sleeping hours.”
Tucker said MacArthur did not mention reporting Paul Guay to police. Instead, MacArthur said he would assume “the Biblical responsibility for counseling, discipline, etc,” Tucker wrote. Given MacArthur’s position as pastor of GCC, Tucker said he trusted MacArthur to handle the situation appropriately—a decision he said he now deeply regrets.
Wendy said her father called her the same afternoon that he met with MacArthur and told her that he had confessed the abuse.
On August 29, 1979, MacArthur handwrote a letter to Wendy, which Wendy shared with TRR. (TRR sent a copy of the letter to MacArthur and the pastor on call at GCC for comment, but no one responded.)
“I am so sorry about all the problems you have been through, but I believe the Lord is working in very special ways,” MacArthur wrote. “Your dad is really sad about it all and we have met and talked at length about the situation.”
MacArthur added that Wendy’s father was “a wonderful Christian” and wrote: “He has been a faithful part of our staff and will continue to be in the future.”
MacArthur then encouraged Wendy to forgive her father. “I’m glad for your love toward Christ that gives you a forgiving heart toward others,” MacArthur wrote. “I know the Lord will be glorified as we work together w/ your dad to see him be all that God wants him to be.”
TRR reached out repeatedly to John MacArthur and GCC for comment about MacArthur’s handling of Paul Guay’s abuse, but no one responded.
Guay stayed at GCC until 1982, when he was reportedly caught hugging and kissing a secretary and fired.
According to his sons, Dan Guay and James Guay who both spoke with TRR, Paul Guay then went on to pastor First Baptist Church of Reseda, California (now The Bridge Bible Fellowship)—a church just eight miles from GCC.
After that, Paul Guay worked as a pastor at Placerita Bible Church—a church less than a block away from GCC’s partner school, The Master’s University, said Dan and James Guay.
TRR reached out to The Bridge for confirmation that Guay had worked there in the 1980s, but no one at the church was familiar with Paul Guay.
However, Terry McClain, an office manager at Placerita Bible who’s researched the history of the church, confirmed that Guay served in leadership at Placerita, but wasn’t sure of the years or Guay’s position.
In 1997, Paul Guay became pastor of Grace Brethren Church (GBC) in Mabton, Washington, where he served for 15 years, retiring just months before his death from cancer in November 2012.
Abuse, confusion, and betrayal
According to Wendy, her father began abusing her in 1977, when she moved from her mother’s house in Oregon to live in California with her father and stepmother, hoping for a “Brady Bunch life.”
Wendy said her father would come into her bedroom at night several times a week. Sometimes, she would wake up with her shirt over her head and her dad would be staring at her. Other times, she remembers her father rubbing her back under her shirt and working his way to her nipples. At least once, she says, her father exposed himself to her.
“I remember crying many nights pleading with Jesus to not let him in,” Wendy wrote in a 1977 diary entry she shared with TRR. In another entry from 1978, she wrote, “He just groped and made me feel dirty.”
When confronted, her father would claim he was sleepwalking, Wendy said. Wendy’s stepmother believed her father, Wendy said, and began placing a chair in front of the couple’s bedroom door to prevent the nighttime visits.
Wendy’s brothers, Dan Guay and James Guay, confirmed Wendy’s account, saying they remember hearing about the chair to prevent the visits. James Guay added that their father never “sleepwalked” into either his or Dan’s rooms. (TRR did not try to interview Jane Guay because family members said she suffers from dementia.)
“I knew that what he was doing didn’t feel right,” Wendy recalled. “But I also knew that he was a ‘godly’ man. . . . He taught ‘Home Builders’ with his family at Grace (Community Church). And so . . . I just couldn’t reconcile the two.”
Wendy said she finally told her friend about the abuse when the pressure inside became too great. But the process was excruciating.
Wendy’s journal entries, which were excerpted and compiled in 2003 by a family member, reveal Wendy’s trauma. (Wendy said she destroyed the original diary several years ago out of a desire to move on. But Wendy and her siblings confirmed the authenticity of the document with excerpts shared with TRR.)
In a journal entry on August 15, 1979, Wendy wrote, “I’m staying in Oregon for good. I’m really hurt cause I wrote my dad an eight page letter with all of my feelings in it and he got upset and called it ‘garbage’!”
She also wrote in an August 25, 1979, diary entry, “It’s hard to believe Mr. Tucker and Uncle Gary are going to talk to my dad about stuff. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.”
But after her father called and told her about confessing the abuse to MacArthur, Wendy expressed optimism.
In a journal entry on August 30, 1979, she wrote, “Everything has worked out with my dad! He and John MacArthur are gonna work something out!”
Wendy told TRR she believed MacArthur was going to get her father professional counseling to deal with his perversion.
Lisa Ward, who said she spent most of August 1979 with Wendy at her mom’s house in Oregon, said she was also under the impression that GCC was going to get counseling for Wendy.
But according to Ward and Wendy, GCC failed to get counseling for both Wendy and her dad. And in the years after 1979, Wendy’s mental health plummeted.
In 1988, Ward said she visited Wendy, and was distraught to learn her friend was struggling profoundly with self-destructive behaviors. Ward added that Wendy, who was then married with kids, was still in relationship with her father and even allowed him to visit overnight in her home.
Ward said she then wrote MacArthur a letter, asking him why GCC did nothing about Paul Guay’s abuse and never arranged counseling for Paul and Wendy.
Ward said she never received a response from MacArthur.
“Dark Ages”
For decades, Wendy said she naïvely believed she was her father’s only victim. But in 2003, her Aunt Donna, Paul Guay’s sister, made a stunning disclosure to Wendy—that both Donna and Wendy’s cousin, Pam, had been sexually assaulted by Guay.
Pam, whose last name TRR is withholding for privacy’s sake, confirmed to TRR that Paul Guay forced her to give him oral sex in 1964, when she was just 7 years old. Pam said Guay also tried to get her to participate in sex acts several other times, but she refused.
Pam added that during a short time that she lived with Paul and Jane Guay, Paul would come in her room at night and rub her back and become aroused. Pam said she would make “enough noise” and then Paul would leave.
Donna, whose last name TRR is also withholding, told TRR that in 1963, Paul Guay climbed on top of her when she was asleep and tried to have intercourse with her. Donna said she angrily shoved him off and he relented.
Fronapel also told TRR stories about Guay from her four-year marriage to him, revealing a pattern of predatory behavior.
She said in 1960, when Guay was attending Pacific Christian College in Fullerton, California, the administration reprimanded Guay for “flirtatiously” pursuing a freshman coed. She added that Guay got in trouble for pursuing high school girls at two churches the couple attended. She said one of the churches asked Guay to leave.
In 1964, Guay got his second wife, Jane Guay—then a teenager in a youth group he led—pregnant, Fronapel said. Guay then divorced Fronapel “illegally” in Las Vegas and married Jane, Fronapel said. (Guay and Fronapel legally divorced in California in 1966.)
Wendy said the revelations in 2003 that her father had abused Pam and Donna ushered in what she called “the Dark Ages”—a time that was even “more traumatic” than Wendy’s original abuse.
Wendy said she was terrified her father might abuse again, especially given his access to children as a pastor. So, Wendy told her siblings about the additional accounts of abuse. Wendy’s brother Dan also learned about Wendy’s abuse for the first time. (Her other siblings had known about the abuse for many years.)
The family then decided they would confront Paul Guay in front of his elders at Grace Brethren Church.
Wendy also emailed John MacArthur through his secretary, Pat Rotisky, telling him about the additional victims and asking for help.
In an email on February 17, 2003, Wendy wrote MacArthur about her father’s ongoing pattern of minimizing and lying about his abuse. She also told MacArthur of the family’s plan to confront her father in front of his elders. And she invited MacArthur to attend the confrontation “if the Lord puts that on your heart,” or to “send a letter for us to take with us, either to Paul or to the elders.”
The next day, Rotisky emailed Wendy back, stating, “Unfortunately, John is unable to shed any further light on the issue . . .”
Wendy responded to Rotisky with questions for MacArthur, but said she assumed MacArthur likely would not speak to her “because of unforeseen liability.” In the email, Wendy asked why Paul Guay wasn’t fired or “forced to get help” when he confessed the abuse to MacArthur in 1979. Wendy also asked whether Grace Brethren had asked MacArthur for a recommendation when the church had hired her father.
Rotisky responded on February 19, 2003, that MacArthur is not concerned about “unforeseen liability,” but “has nothing more to add.”
“Paul never confessed anything to John or to our elders at that time about any kind of molestation,” Rostisky wrote. She said Paul Guay instead was fired for his “affections for one of the secretaries.”
TRR tried to contact Rotisky for comment but was told she no longer works for GCC, and we were unable to reach her.
Wendy said she was shocked by MacArthur’s denial and sent an email to MacArthur the next day.
“John, are you saying that prior to me writing you for the past few weeks, you had NO prior knowledge of my father molesting me?” Wendy wrote. “My entire adult life I have believed, (and was told), that upon confrontation, BY YOU, my Dad broke down in tears and confessed that he had indeed molested me. He said that he was in your office. Now you are saying that what I have always thought to be true is not true? Can you even begin to imagine how that makes me feel?”
Wendy then conveyed what she had been told about John Tucker’s and Gary Davis’s involvement in the matter, though she admitted she needed to verify the details. She then urged MacArthur to talk to Tucker and Davis himself, so they could help him “reconstruct the series of events.”
Instead, Wendy told TRR that MacArthur called her father.
Three weeks later, on April 12, 2003, Wendy sent another email to Rotisky, threatening to contact the Los Angeles Times “to force John to pay attention . . . and to make sure that Grace has steps in place to prevent this from happening again.”
Wendy also complained about MacArthur’s choice to call her father.
“By choosing to call my Dad, the perpetrator . . . to help him (John) remember what it was that my Dad told him that day in his office, was not a wise decision. . . . My Dad lied to me for 25 years . . . what would lead John to believe that Paul would even KNOW the truth now?”
Soon afterward, MacArthur called Wendy, which MacArthur mentions in an April 18, 2003, email to Wendy. (TRR sent MacArthur a copy of the April 18, 2003, email, requesting comment, but MacArthur did not reply.)
On the call, Wendy said MacArthur sounded mad and frustrated, and asked her why she was “hanging on to this after all these years?”
When Wendy mentioned the additional victims and her fear that her father might abuse again, she said MacArthur lamented hiring Guay because he had been divorced. Wendy said MacArthur refused to address Paul Guay’s confessed abuse, but instead talked about how Guay was fired for hugging and kissing a secretary.
Then, in his April 18, 2003, email to Wendy, MacArthur insisted that GCC had a “zero tolerance standard” for moral offenses by staff and claimed Paul Guay never confessed any abuse to him.
“I had no knowledge of molesting as you claim,” MacArthur wrote. “When there was some accusation against him, he told me it was his bitter first wife and the only thing he ever did was rub his daughter’s back while she was going to bed—something any loving father might do . . . Since the accusations were only second-hand and hearsay to me, and Paul was a trusted person, there was nothing to do but accept his word.”
MacArthur added, “I recently spoke with (Paul Guay) by phone to ask if my recollection was accurate. He said it was.”
MacArthur concluded, “I’m not sure why all this has become an obsession for you after so many years, but neither myself nor anyone at Grace can do anything more than encourage you that we conducted ourselves with biblical integrity . . .”
Wendy said the response by MacArthur, whom she had placed on the “high, high, highest pedestal,” devastated her and sent her into an emotional tailspin.
It also profoundly impacted members of her family.
Wendy’s older sister, LaDawn Fronapel, told TRR that she grew up listening to MacArthur’s preaching, which had a “huge impact on my Christian development, on my spiritual walk.”
“For him to not do anything about this . . . it rocked (my faith),” Fronapel said. “If he had responded in love and compassion and with a goal to heal and understand, what a huge, huge difference that would have made in our healing and in our spiritual lives, as well.”
Wendy’s brother, James Guay, called MacArthur’s response “the ultimate betrayal of trust.”
“Not only did he blame the victim and pathologize the means of value of the victim’s mother for being a disgruntled ex-wife,” James said, “but he after the fact acted like he didn’t know what actually occurred. And then he used language that she was being obsessive because it wasn’t fully resolved. . . . It was grossly un-empathic and very targeted and dismissive.”
Wendy’s mother, Marlou Fronapel, said MacArthur’s response in 2003 was deeply disappointing, but the damage had been done decades earlier when MacArthur refused to talk to her or take the accusations seriously.
“I can honestly say that my life changed right then,” Fronapel said. “It deeply, deeply affected me that a church would do that—that they would not believe a young girl, that this had happened to her, and they would not believe me. And it affected my esteem. It affected who I could trust.”
Intervention fails
In what several Guay family members describe as one of the most traumatic experiences of their lives, they confronted their father about his abuse on March 1, 2003. The “intervention” occurred in-person at the Mabton, Washington, home of an elder at Grace Brethren Church (GBC) and included several GBC elders, Paul Guay, and numerous Guay family members, including all of Paul’s children.
Pam, who wasn’t able to attend, sent a letter to the elders documenting Paul Guay’s abuse of her.
John Tucker also sent the elders a statement concerning Paul Guay’s 1979 confession to John MacArthur. And Marlou Fronapel sent a letter recounting Paul Guay’s predatory behavior during their marriage. According to James Guay, when the elders heard the in-person and written accounts of abuse, their faces reflected “shock and horror and disgust. It was a real mirror of the gravity of what we were sharing with them.”
James said his father admitted the sexual abuse of Pam and Wendy, which several other family members confirmed. “But there were also a lot of things that he was saying to try and save face and to minimize the impact,” James said. “You know . . . blaming it on Satan and an altered state of consciousness.”
Donna told TRR that Paul denied her account of assault at the intervention. However, she said Paul later met with her and admitted the incident had occurred, but blamed it on Donna, falsely alleging that she was open to having sex with him.
At the end of the intervention, the elders said they would weigh the allegations and get back to the family about consequences, James Guay said.
On March 13, 2003, GBC Elder Board Chairman Ron Juris sent a letter to the family, announcing that Paul would stay in his position as pastor.
“The scriptures are pretty plain as they describe the character of an elder . . .” Juris wrote. “The challenge for us is to decide how these principles are to be applied.”
Juris then noted that the apostle Paul had been a “blasphemer and a persecutor.”
“The over arching (sic) message that is seen over and over in the scriptures is God’s amazing love for us even when we fall,” Juris wrote. He added, “Through this whole ordeal we have witnessed a man who is broken over the sin . . . We also have witnessed a man who is not what he used to be. . . .
“Therefore, it is the unanimous decision of the Elder Board of Mabton GBC that we will not accept his resignation but will retain Paul Guay as a Pastor . . .”
However, Juris added that “to ensure a full healing of Paul and his entire family,” the church would get counseling for Paul Guay until a counselor determines it is “no longer necessary.”
Juris also shared GBC’s “accountability/safety precautions,” which included leaders avoiding being alone with small children “not their own,” as well as youth or adult members of the opposite sex.
TRR reached out to GBC and Juris, who’s still an elder at the church, for comment, but no one responded.
Dan Guay told TRR he was shocked by the elders’ decision. “It was hurt, like, ‘Oh, here we go again. He’s getting away with it again,’” Dan said.
James Guay said his father went to eight to 10 sessions with a counselor and wrote apologies to his victims, which minimized the abuse, misinterpreted Bible verses, and created more pain.
After the ordeal, James said the family felt it had done all it could do to hold Paul Guay accountable. (In 2003, all the crimes reported by Guay family members were outside California’s statute of limitations and not prosecutable.)
“In some ways, we transferred our responsibility onto (GBC),” James said. “But it didn’t feel like great resolution by any means. I think we were all pummeled and exhausted and traumatized. I think at a certain point, we were like, ‘Okay, I don’t think we have any more together to invest in this.’”
However, in 2008, after visiting with Wendy again and seeing how much she was still suffering, Lisa Ward said she sent another letter to MacArthur.
She said Pat Rotisky reponded on MacArthur’s behalf, claiming the church didn’t know who Ward was and telling her not to contact MacArthur again about the matter.
For 14 years, neither Ward nor Wendy did.
And in 2009, Wendy said she made a major turn for the better. Wendy now works as a mental health and addictions counselor and is an active member of a church in Molalla, Oregon.
However, last month, Wendy read TRR’s articles documenting how MacArthur shamed and excommunicated Eileen Gray for refusing to take back her child-abusing husband and even supported Gray’s husband after his abuse and molestation convictions.
Wendy said that similar to how she naïvely assumed her father had not sexually molested anyone else, she also assumed MacArthur had not covered for other pedophiles like her father. Wendy said she now believes covering for abusers is a pattern with MacArthur that needs to be confronted.
“It’s not okay to believe the perpetrator,” Wendy said. “I just don’t want other people to be damaged by Grace Church or other churches not handling things in an appropriate manner.”
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195 Responses
I wonder how much more is going to come out about the criminal handling of these abusive males formerly on staff at JMac’s church. This is so very tragic and damning
Absolutely. Not just staff, how many others in his church have been protected by John MacArthur while JM heaps abuse on those poor women and children who have had their lives ripped apart by abusers.
This report is really shocking! I know we all make mistakes, but as a John MacArthur supporter, I really hope he’ll speak up and admit that he didn’t handle this case well. I don’t want Dr. MacArthur to be demonized. I still find him to be an amazing expository preacher and a godly man. I know we’re only hearing one side of the story, so I hope Dr. MacArthur will publicly address this issue and not just ignore it.
MacArthur did not report a child molester to the police. That was his duty! MacArthur protected the molester years ago bc he was part of the good ol’ boys club. 25 years later MacArthur will lie about it to cover his ass.
Do you serve men or Christ? Because Jesus doesn’t tolerate this evil. I am thankful that Julie is exposing the evil rather than winking at sin the way you MacArthur-lovers do.
Amen Lori. Good for you.
Unfortunately, a pattern is being exposed about John MacArthur. This is not the first time he has been exposed for being a fraud. He behaved in a similarly grotesque way in the way he handled the Eileen Gray case. Unfortunately, I bet this is only the beginning of what we will find out about his pattern of negligence.
He has had 43 years to deal with this and apologize. What makes you think he will change his behavior now? John MacArthur is habitually negligent when it comes to defending women and children who have been victims of abuse. Almost makes me wonder if the reason he is protecting the abusers is because he may have some skeletons in his closet. Perhaps he protects them because he is also an abuser. Just hypothesizing what makes him so daft.
Zachary, I will agree that John MacArthur in earlier times was an excellent expository preacher.
I’m sure that this particular article by John MacArthur made him disliked for years, and it probably still does make him disliked.
Should Fallen Pastors Be Restored?
https://www.gty.org/library/print/articles/A256
This excellent article was originally done in 1991. I would hope that John MacArthur still lives up to it for his own pastors. It would have been better If John and other pastors of his age retired and turned over the pastorate to a younger person!
He will ignore it like he ignored the Eileen Gray case.
Your reporting is shameless sensationalism. May you seek the Lords repentance. You are the Enquire of the Christian news media. Shameful.
I agree Jonathan, Her sin will be found out! All she is looking for is publicity, First comes Pride, Then Destruction!
Jonathan and Shawn. For your own good. Use google and you tube. These evangelicals are heathens. If it happened to your family members would you just accuse the victims. Journalists like Julie bring out the truth behind these wolves. Ask the victims of the Catholic abuse if those animals were reported years ago how many victims would not have been victims. Quit sticking up for evil just because they show piety. Even satan can quote scripture. And in that church and school. He is.
Gary,
I look to Christ, “not these evangelicals”….maybe he did cover it up—-but my point here is that Julie Roy has not proven this —and everyone on here accuses and slanders MacArthur with no evidence he knew this pastor sexually molested his daughter and covered it up. Julie keeps putting articles out slandering MacArthur and gets people so worked up. She drops bombs and watches the carnage. Bad journalism.
Hey Jonathan. Just read article after article of JM covering up the criminal acts from the people at his church. I have no skin in the game to like or dislike JM. My reading tells me that if this was the Catholic Church he would be like one of the cardinals who sent the pedophiles off to unsuspecting churches and several of his co- pastors and teachers are the priests who was protected for the good of the church. Keep it quiet, All so we just be a shining example to the world. Didn’t Jesus mention something about tying a weight around your neck and something about to water to those that hurt children. I personally think maybe it’s time to use all scripture in our lives. Not just the ones that the kings want us to remember.
I agree with you there should be evidence before accusation, but what do you make of the copies of the correspondence from 2003 at the end of the report? The letter from Pastor MacArthur to Wendy in April and the affadavit from John Tucker to the elders at Grace Brethren Church where he speaks of the 1979 meeting between Pastor MacArthur, Paul Guay and himself where sexual abuse of Wendy and his sister are admitted. That’s pretty compelling.
Her sin of reporting on a pedophile will be found out? Yeah I’m sure God is really upset she spoke out about a pedophile pastor. He’s probably going to strike her down soon. LOL!
Wow really? There’s nothing salacious or sensational about the reporting at all – it’s just the facts of the case. If the Lord seeks repentance in this case it’s from JMac, and it sounds like it is too late for Paul Guay. Seriously, retaining a man as pastor with the excuse that the Apostle Paul was a blasphemer etc? That was BEFORE he met Jesus. Jesus’ own words about taking care not to allow little ones to stumble!
Ignoring the abuser and protecting the man in ministry seems to be a pattern of behavior for John MacArthur:
I’m twenty-one. It’s 2006 and I’ve spent almost three glorious years at The Master’s College.
… A stranger who I have met maybe once, sits by me at dinner and asks if he can get me a soda… Half an hour later I start to feel foggy. My words are slurring and I can’t move my legs….
My head is starting to clear now. I’ve been raped…
(My Resident Director’s) reaction surprises me. …Maybe this is all my fault. Maybe I have to marry him… (My) female Biblical counselor (said) “You know, marrying him will fix this whole thing.”.. She speaks of God’s will and joyful suffering..
I am meeting with Rick Holland—the college pastor for the church that is affiliated with the college. … Rick leaves the room several times to go talk to John MacArthur. He comes back with John’s ruling on the matter. Rick tells me that I need to be disciplined for doing drugs, drinking alcohol and almost dancing. He said the consequence for breaking the rules is that I will be kicked out of the college. He is angry at me for going to the police and the doctor. I should have let the church handle this without outside interference…
“You are ruining that young man’s life!” He says.
He tells me I have to go to the police and drop the charges or I will be brought in front of the church to be disciplined.
http://www.marcipreheim.com/2017/09/18/do-you-see-me/
But sure, let’s punish the victim for “almost dancing.”
Unfortunately, I am beginning to believe there are at least 100’s of stories about abuse like this in JM’s Church/College, if not thousands.
No, it’s actually well-documented, thorough, and convincing. I’m sorry someone you admire has turned out to have extremely clay feet, but refusing to see evil for what it is is a pretty terrible look.
Well documented? I guess hearsay is part of good journalism these days.
I’m commenting on What John MacArthur knew—-not on the perversion of this man. My heart goes out to the poor victim. But, there is no direct evidence that John MacArthur knew and allowed a known pedophile to remain on staff.
You can’t be serious. Your heart doesn’t go out to the victim. You’re just saying that because your thoughtless, dismissive post got a reaction you did not expect. (If you had read the article carefully, without hyperventilating when adult matters were being discussed, you would have noticed that he had more than one victim. He had victimS, plural. If you truly cared about these women, you would have at least mentioned it. But you didn’t. I’m just guessing here, but I’ll bet you are old enough to not have a rag of an excuse for thinking the way you do. Your original post is a perfect example of why the world hears the word “Christian” and automatically thinks, “I don’t want what they’re offering.” Stop posting and start thinking.
This article is making accusations about John MacArthur—Claiming that he covered up a perverted pastor and his disgusting sexual abuse of his daughter. There is no evidence that he covered this up. Yet, everyone on here is casting stones at him. If he knew and covered this up—shame on him. However, there is not an ounce of evidence he knew and intentionally protected this pervert. I read it carefully, perhaps you should read it again. I look to Christ, not John MacArthur—and anyone who looks to me and doesn’t want what Christian’s are offering. Well, their looking to the wrong person. I’m defending a man who is being accused of something very serious with no evidence that he knew the girl was being molested and then intentionally covered it up. All of these articles slander him—they make many assumptions and claims which simply aren’t clear.
Are you really saying that John MacArthur heard his staff pastor confess that his daughter was creeped out by his innocent midnight back rubs, and left it at that? That he had no reason to believe there was any abuse involved?
And there is evidence: there’s a 2003 statement from the uncle who was present for the confession, and his testimony today.
Jonathan,
How can you say there is ‘no evidence’? We have an eyewitness to the confession to JM!
John Tucker told TRR in an interview that after receiving Fronapel’s call, he went to Paul Guay’s house and confronted Guay about the abuse. In a 2003 written statement, Tucker wrote that Guay admitted to “sexual acts” with Wendy, telling Tucker “I know I touched her.”
Tucker said Guay then called Pastor MacArthur and asked if the three men could meet in MacArthur’s office and MacArthur agreed. Tucker wrote that at the meeting with MacArthur, “Paul agreed to my charges and confessed to MacArthur of repeated sexual acts involving Wendy at nighttime during normal sleeping hours.”
This is not hearsay. This is a first hand account of the meeting with John MacArthur.
Nay, but this is shining the light in the dark corners where the Ezekiel 34 shepherds are hiding. Have nothing to do with the fruitless works of darkness, but rather expose them.
It’s not shining light —it’s slander.
The only one here using slander is you. Keep projecting.
How is it slander? JMac’s lack of curiosity is at the very least a sin of omission. But it seems much more than that.
Jonathan, what “poof” do you have that this is slander? Are you claiming a double standard that for MacArthur more than two witnesses (Wendy Guay and John Tucker) are needed to establish the truth, but for Julie Roys, your mere assertion that this is slander (def: untrue, known to be untrue and stated for the purpose of harming MacArthur’s reputation) is proof enough for you to claim it is true?
If it’s written, which it is, then it can’t be slander. Libel is the word you’re looking for. And if it’s libel, you don’t have to wait for God’s judgement. You can sue and seek whatever “justice” you think is to be had right now. Go ahead. All you have to do is show the reporting is false and malicious.
Good luck with that, because Julie’s reporting is solid and the furtherest thing from sensationalism. No decent person takes any pleasure in reading about someone having protected a predator. As for me, I wish it never happened. But the evidence says it did. Attacking the messenger is not the answer here. Trying to make sure there is some justice and that this kind of thing doesn’t happen again is part of the answer.
It’s easy to make assertions without argument or evidence. Where’s your argument or evidence that this article is sensationalism?
They have all the documentation and eye witnesses this happened.
They are the ones writing the story. I’m simply commenting that no poof has been offered that MacArthur knew sexual abuse was going on and knowingly covered it up to protect this pervert.
John MacArthur’s handwritten letter addressed to Wendy Guay from August 29,1979, and the 2003 written statement from Paul Tucker acknowledging that he spoke directly with John MacArthur regarding this matter in the summer of 1979, contradicts the idea that John MacArthur didn’t know what was going on.
The content of John MacArthur’s hand-written letter to Wendy Guay from August 29, 1979, and John Tucker’s 2003 affidavit mentioning of speaking directly to John MacArthur about this matter, contradicts the idea that John MacArthur didn’t know what was going on. And considering those two sources, it doesn’t matter whether Julie Roys or anyone else makes mention of this.
Jeff Rodrigues — yes exactly. The handwritten letter by JM himself and the affidavit are proof he knew exactly what was going on. Interesting how some on this thread completely overlook those aspects.
Even though I am a huge JM fan, I can look at this article objectively and see that he was absolutely in the wrong. It grieves me to see the hypocrisy with a man who I thought was godly. In fact, the blog post that was sent out with the GTY email newsletter today is titled: Judgment Begins with the Household of God.
The terrible irony. I pray that JM and Grace Community Church issue a statement of true repentance and apology regarding this evil situation.
Guay “admit(ted) his sexual sins and cr(ied) before God, MacArthur and myself.”
This is from a nearly 20 year old letter from a person who was part of the conversation where MacArthur was informed. That person confirmed to TRR that it is true and he stands behind the account to this day.
How can you say there is no proof?
Jonathan do your own homework. Google is a great source. Prove us wrong. Julie doesn’t have to prove herself right. She’s done the homework. Now it’s your turn. The evangelicals have abused there positions long enough. Try you tube and see these people in action. One guy did an entire story proving Pokémon is satanic based on the zzzz shaped tail and holding up only three fingers. Daddy Falwell said some cartoon because the character had a triangle on his head was promoting the gay lifestyle. These people in order to get the $$$ need to be over the top in exposing the worlds evil on a weekly basis. Very sad how something as basic as the message in Jesus gospel and dying on the cross has devolved into thousands of subgroups all knowing that they, not you or me, have the inside track to salvation. It’s exhausting.
Google is a great source? Really? And I suppose you will tell me next that the earth is flat—because I googled it. No direct evidence that JM knew this man was a pedophile and kept him on staff. That’s my point. All hearsay— about events that happened 40 years ago.
Jonathan you win. Everything that has happened at his church and school and stealing 400k in tax payers money and all the articles written in Roys’ report and RNS are all wrong and this innocent JM who apparently is being slandered by witnesses who say he knows. We are all wrong and JM is the victim. Because other than showing up on Sunday he has no knowledge of what’s operating around him. Yup that’s must be it. My bad. You win.
The earth isn’t flat? Dang.
According to an article I found on google —eyewitness from 1979 said they told Tom, who then told Bill, who then told Todd that the earth was flat. So, it must be true. And plus maps are flat so obviously the earth is flat.
Jonathan
Hearsay is information received from other people which cannot be substantiated. It is different from an eyewitness account. By way of example, if John Tucker told the reporter that he heard from a friend that Paul had confessed to John about molesting his daughter that would be hearsay. But John said he was in the room, he is an eyewitness.
Johnathan Pruett is a groomer. His opinion is moot because anything he says doesn’t matter to me. Cut him off.
Shame on YOU, friend, for your smug, self-righteous dismissal of these women’s pain. Do you have any earthly idea how callous you are? Is this how you generally respond whenever an uncomfortable truth comes to light? Something is deeply wrong if you can read this carefully documented story (in which equal time was offered to the accused), and to conclude that it’s the TRUTH BEARER who should repent. Shame on you.
You don’t care if it’s true or not?
What does MacArthur have to do to wake you people up? You are worshipping a man. Do you really think God needs MacArthur?
You are using the same journalism tactics as Julie—-did someone say we worship John MacArthur? Nope, just Jesus—-Of course The Lord doesn’t need MacArthur— but he has and still uses him, to your dismay.
Her journalism is even handed and lacking in sensationalism, as it always is.
Warren I’m glad to see a comment from you. I have not read your site lately on the what I I consider the entirely inappropriate political activities of John MacArthur lately.
I appreciate what you and Julie have been reporting on.
Is John MacArthur living up to the general qualifications for a pastor that is given in his own words in?–
https://www.gty.org/library/print/articles/A256
In any event I am through purchasing any more material written by him!
Jim what a hypocrite MacArthur is that he preaches this yet does not abide by his own words. To protect and cover up a paedophile who was in leadership in his own church , disqualified him from ministry years ago.
On the contrary, l find her reports to be informational, accurate and professional. John has invited public scrutiny of many other ministries, let’s see how he responds when the same happens to GCC. His supporters must hold him accountable, he is not above admitting he was wrong, and if he does not scripture says to not follow him any longer. Pride comes before a fall!!!
So, a pastor is a serial pedophile and rapist, other pastors hid the sexual assaults, and the person reporting the events should repent. Makes perfect sense in a Romans 1 world.
Calling it “shameful” to tell the truth is a lie. Calling it “sensational” is a lie because the only sensation a normal person gets from child molestation is the sensation of wanting to puke. You are projecting because it’s your comment that’s shameful and attention seeking.
I have good response to you – OK GROOMER!
And your willful blindness is worse sir!
As shepherd so go the sheep!
These are wolves!! Paul wrote why do you marvel these wolves for Satan himself comes as an Angel of light and so does his servants as apostles of righteousness!
Jonathan
I disagree. As far as she was able (because no accused person ever responds to these articles), she wrote on both sides of the matter. On one side, we have Wendy, her mother and Tom Tucker. On the other side, we have John MacArthur.
-Wendy states that after meeting with JM and Tom Tucker, her father called her and told her that he confessed everything. This gave her hope. Wendy also claims that JM wrote her a letter that consoled with her but stated that her father was repentant and would continue working for the church. The handwritten letter, with JM’s letterhead and signature is provided.
-Wendy’s mother states that she reached out to JM but he refused to speak with her, that was when she sought help from Tom Tucker.
-Tom Tucker states that he, JM and Paul met wherein Paul confessed his actions. A letter to that effect, written to Paul’s new workplace as an affidavit, was provided.
-John MacArthur, in a letter addressed to Wendy, states that Paul had never confessed the abuse to him and had explained that they were lies from his disgruntled ex-wife. John felt he had no reason to believe otherwise. This letter is also provided.
So you see, all sides have been accounted for. It’s up to the reader to decide who is telling the truth. Either Wendy is lying and somehow forged the letter from John MacArthur or Tom is lying and made up a story of how the three men met or John MacArthur is lying and he did know about the abuse.
Wow! I will be praying for Julie, praying for her strength and to continue to expose these things.
John MacArthur always protects his people. Former Pastor, Elder and Professor Jim Stitzinger Sr. was flying cross country having sex with someone he was “counseling” Jim was married to someone else. He was caught and fired but it was not his first affair and they had to know he was taking advantage of his position.
Regarding this claim I knew a former secretary who told about this abuse they said she was crazy. She was shunned yet still attended. She has passed on.
This is disgusting. I don’t know why he is still being broadcasted on Moody radio. I can’t even listen to him anymore. John MacArthur should be ashamed of himself.
I totally agree Barb!! I use to listen to him all the time!! Not anymore!! Prayers to all involved. I can’t believe he thinks that he is following scripture with this type of behavior. No wonder people don’t want to go to church!! We as a whole need to do better!!
Barb. I have followed these people since the seventies. I actually was a fan of a few and a supporter. God in his grace gave me discernment and my eyes saw what these people became especially in the eighties and early nineties and especially during covid. Especially there unhealthy attachment to our previous president making excuses for his ungodly behavior (yes I voted for trump in 2016) my conclusion is that much of the right wing leaning evangelical industrial complex are malignant narcissist. I’ve commented before that a lot of these groups are not churches but fiefdoms run by kings and there loyal priesthood. And has history shows. Nobody challenges the king. And the serfs that do receive the punishment. And they misuse scripture to justify all they do. Parishioners have placed there faith in the king of the fiefdoms vs who I place my faith in who is the REAL king of kings.
It is time his books were pulled and his radio programs shut down. What’s wrong with those people.
Mr MacArthur should put an end to all this gossipy gossip and slander about things which happened long long ago and just sue Julie and a couple pesky bloggers and their spouses already. Think how well that worked for Mr MacDonald! /sarcasm
Agree. This is what the Bible calls slander.
Depositions. Also when you sue, truth is a defense.
Why does not article not surprise me. GCC has a record now and how many more may be out there where they cover for the sexual predator and pedophile and attack the victims of sexual abuse. GCC in my opinion can be classified as a “Groomer Church” and the ones who should be excommunicated are John MacArthur and this pastoral staff.
Wow Great article. It saddens me a lot.
All the leaders who ignored and kept this criminal as a pastor for years are disqualified and should resign or be fired immediately. It’s why states now have mandatory reporting laws.
All of the efforts made by “Pastor” John MacArthur to cover up the sexual misconduct and sex / child abuse of others makes me question his own moral integrity and also wonder what makes him so determined to conceal sexual sins. Are there events in his own past that he cannot admit to or acknowledge or confess? It is truly shocking that MacArthur could not even acknowledge that he had heard the confession of sexual abuse and had to deny it to Wendy. He has lost all credibility and trustworthiness in my eyes.
And in the very early 80’s is when John said that if you take the mark of the beast, then you could still repent and be saved. Coincidence?
MacArthur failed to know and apply scripture. He’s unqualified for leadership, fellowship, and he’s legally liable.
1 Cor. 5: 9-12
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
Spot on Lisa Crews for pointing to 1 Cor 5:9-13 as the appropriate scripture to apply when professing Christians commit heinous sins. I’ve been saying that for years at cryingoutforjustice dot
blog.
This is a hideous reminder of the grip of evil which holds our planet hostage to Satan. The followers of large ministry personalities often romanticize sin when it comes to believing reports of wrong doing by important leaders. It becomes so easy to say, “Oh. He is a man of God…he couldn’t do anything like that.” When in fact it happens all the time in the Christian world. The elders of the Grace Brethren Church determined, “Paul Guay was such a broken, repentant man over something that happened long ago..” (or words to that effect) This is an example of romanticizing away sin. Usually this is done to “protect the ministry” from being destroyed. But, no single ministry is “too big” to fail.
There is an appearance here of great evil. Do they even know this? Scripture warns us to separate from people like this. Whoever quoted 1 Cor 5 is right on here. This isn’t something they can keep ignoring.
Evil. At least the Catholic Church is defrocking the predators’ enablers.
So I am just trying to understand so be gentle. The article is written with the assumption that John MacArthur is the one lying in all of this. Is it possible that others could be lying? Or do we just go with the built in assumption in this story?
Well said Katherine—I think you articulate things better than I.
Katherine Smith says “So I am just trying to understand so be gentle. The article is written with the assumption that John MacArthur is the one lying in all of this. Is it possible that others could be lying? Or do we just go with the built in assumption in this story?”
The evidence provided shows a letter from John Macarthur stating that he didn’t know abuse was going on, but also an affidavit from one of the people involved stating that they told Macarthur that abuse was going on.
So Macarthur is either lying, or he had forgotten the incident when he wrote the 2003 letter. If the person who made the affidavit is lying, then they can be charged with perjury.
One doesn’t know if one doesn’t look. He was supposed to be looking and listening.
That’s my point. Is it “possible” that the man in the affidavit be lying?
What is the alternate scenario you are envisioning?
MacArthur says in the 2003 email “I had no knowledge of any molesting as you claim. When there was some accusation against him, he told me it was his bitter first wife and the only thing he ever did was rub his daughter’s back while she was going to bed–something any loving father might do–and he said it was completely innocent.”
Don’t you see MacArthur admitted there were accusations of molestation yet also claims he didn’t know about molestation?
The fact he blamed the victim for holding a grudge much later should show how little compassion MacArthur has.
Charged with perjury? Definition of perjury: ” The crime of intentionally lying AFTER being duly sworn to tell the truth by a notary public, court clerk or other official “
Kathrine
Here is what I find troubling – say John Tucker is lying about the meeting and Wendy forged the handwritten letter from John MacArthur, it still leaves us with the typed letter from John to Wendy where he says that while Paul never confessed to him, he knew about the alleged molestation but, on Paul’s word, dismissed it as lies from a bitter ex-wife. Does this not trouble you as well?
So, to completely relieve John from any wrongdoing, we would have to believe that even that letter is a fabrication. I don’t think the writer would take on such a risk just to make a megachurch pastor look bad.
And the McArthurite worshippers show up and complain that their idol is in real life a viperous snake! There is a big brood here leveraging God for their own fortune and fame. I was once shown a cell in hell reserved for false believers. John and his criminal accomplices will very shortly all be in rooms like that. There is nothing Christian about this. These are truly Sons of the Devil just like Jesus said…
Wow. That is quite the charge.
Excellent article, but such a disturbing case. It is my desire that the families involved will have a semblance of healing. Words cannot express sorrow for this great tragedy.
Are there any pastors/elders who actually use their heads? When you read this guy’s back round prior to being hired at Grace Community Church how did he ever get hired? Even after his confessions why was he retained for another three years? How did he go on to get hired in Reseda, at Placerita Baptist Church, and later at his last church in Washington? What is the point of being the world’s most known expositional preacher when you make decisions like those in the article?
Brad Hurst
Graduate and Former Employee of The Masters University.
And this is his response:
When Wendy mentioned the additional victims and her fear that her father might abuse again, she said MacArthur lamented hiring Guay because he had been divorced.
Talk about somebody not getting it.
Exactly. And a pastor can sexually molest his daughter and that doesn’t disqualify him from ministry but being caught kissing and hugging the secretary gets him fired. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not right either but the hierarchy of forgivable offenses seems to be a bit off to me.
Apart from criminal statutes of limitation, we have here are multiple accounts of felony-conviction-worthy child molestation, predation, and sexual offensives – by one known man – Paul Guay. A man and pastor whose person and offenses were made known to many California fellow church leaders and pastors – including John MacArthur – none of whom ever reported the egregious criminal acts to the real jurisdictional government authorities for such matters.
And concerning Wendy Guay – the child and victim of the sexual abominations – not one of these men who claim agency for the great Shepherd walked in truth – then or now – and stepped in harm’s way to open the door for the community to help her – after the churches had failed so miserably – and indeed had pushed her aside. The man, the pastor, the sexual predator, he was the priority for MacArthur and his like-minded male-only elders and pastors – no matter the carnage cost to victims.
MacArthur sees no higher authority than himself in how he operates. He will decide the fate of Paul Guay – and Wendy Guay. And if he needs to lie – fail to report a criminal act – or deny decades later any knowledge – he will do so. His behaviors belie any affirmation of accountability to government authorities. He prefers holding court in his church. It is not uncommon – if not heartily supported among his church fellows. Including it appears in places that give him platform and affirmation like Ligonier Ministries.
Let’s pray that John MacArthur will pass this spiritual test at this late stage of his illustrious life of service for the Glory of God and the blessing of God’s people. Let’s pray that the best is yet to come. The biblical solution is to these revelations of believing sexual predators and not their victims is simple. Confession of making several mistakes in accepting at face value testimony from sexual predators pretending to be bible believing servants of God. This is not at all unusual. Julie is very effectively exposing this nation wide infiltration of perverts into bible believing churches. It is in fact the order of the day in most evangelical churches to believe the criminal and disbelieve the victims. The predators have groomed the adults long before they started molesting their children. We have not read of any accounts of John MacArthur abusing any children or acting improperly with anyone of any age. Being mislead is a lack of judgement. Not confessing it is pride. Let’s pray that the Lord will show brother MacArthur the right Scriptural path of repentance, confession and making things right with the many who have been victimized. Then let’s pray that Brother MacArthur will set the tone of getting law enforcement involved at the first hind of child abuse. Bro MacArthur will set the example and many on his staff will follow and renewal will follow. PS My personal experience of trying to clean house can be read here: https://julieroys.com/pastor-alves-accused-grooming-girls-still-ministry/
How about you pray what you want and we’ll pray what we want. We don’t need you trying to control us.
The problem with your suggestion is that it appears that JM has been tested repeatedly on this and he has failed the test. Yes, it would be great if he were to repent, but the fruit of that would not be the continuation of an illustrious career, but of his resignation (what I’ve often heard him say should be done with an elder who sins – public rebuke and removal).
An underlying issue here might be the false maxim that as long as one preaches the truth, one need not practice the truth. This is hypocrisy. To the extent that JM has sat in Moses’ seat, we can agree with the truth, but we should not follow blind guides.
“Not confessing it is pride.”
Actually, it’s also siding with those whom Jesus said it’s better that they be drowned in the depth of the sea. Steven, you are grossly underrating this, and this is not the heart of Christ. The heart of Christ is that they be drowned in the depths of the sea, so strong is His love for children.
John MacArthur is currently listed as one of the featured speakers at Sing! 2022. I trust that Keith Getty and those in charge of the conference will remove John MacArthur from the September conference in Nashville.
https://gettymusicworshipconference.com/
Excellent point, Mr. Giordano. In February 2020 I protested Ravi Zacharias’s invitation to speak at Sing! 2020 because his many lies had discredited him. This was before the sex scandal broke. Covid-19 impacted that conference and Zacharias died, rendering moot all his speaking engagements except for the one where he must render account to the Lord of hosts. We are now at a point with MacArthur where we were with Zacharias (and Hybels and MacDonald and Driscoll). MacArthur’s constant lying (just look up what he said about his football career and civil rights involvement!), and taking credit for the work of others, and financial self-indulgence, and support for pedophile monsters in the ministry along with cruel attacks on their victims all make it plain that this fiend who had the gall to stamp his unholy name on a Bible is just a false brother.
I make my appeal directly to a former professor of mine, Don Carson – another invited speaker for Sing! 2022. By God’s grace I think I’ve learned more from you than from any individual except C. S. Lewis. You know that you cannot share holy communion with unrepentant MacArthur. You cannot speak along with him on the same platform. Don’t do this.
McArthur’s resume is Ful of hypocricy and corruption underneath the veil
Watch
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XXjDYaGleZM&list=UU4h08ypfrtFGdgu-OBwAUDQ&index=89
For the slander-ites, I want to point out that MacArthur incriminates himself:
“I had no knowledge of molesting as you claim. When there was some accusation against him, he told me it was his bitter first wife and the only thing he ever did was rub his daughter’s back while she was going to bed—something any loving father might do . . . Since the accusations were only second-hand and hearsay to me, and Paul was a trusted person, there was nothing to do but accept his word.”
Let’s dissect this. “Some accusation… only thing he ever did was rub his daughter’s back”. So, what was this accusation, then? Obviously something along the lines of “rubbing his daughters’ back”, but sinful. In other words, child molestation. So, MacArthur admits that he heard Paul Guay being accused of child molestation.
MacArthur’s letter to Wendy acknowledges something to forgive. So let’s put the facts together:
1) MacArthur admits that Guay was accused of child molestation
2) MacArthur refused to consider anything other than Tucker’s accusations, then dismissed them as hearsay
3) MacArthur wrote a letter to Wendy that her father was “sad” about the “situation” and she should forgive him
4) MacArthur admitted to accepting Guay’s account since he was a “trusted person” and accusations were “hearsay” yet he had to have known that Wendy and Lisa were victims and eyewitnesses, something he could have easily investigated. Whether he knew Guay molested, or refused to entertain accusations against Guay is immaterial. They are both considered a coverup.
Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
Especially important to bear in mind if you belong to a church or in any way identify with a spiritual movement or tradition that emphasizes hierarchical authority and demands loyalty and deferential obedience of its rank and file.
In this world, no system is foolproof, and it is becoming increasingly clear that no type of institution, sacred or secular, is immune to abusers and leaders who cover for them, hoping a messy situation will just go away.
As can be seen here, none of this is new. The difference is, in our current era, whistle blowers are very well-equipped to blow the lid off.
Be careful out there, folks; don’t set yourself up for a faith crisis by placing any particular leader or teacher between you and God. Jesus is our sole mediator and our great high priest. And if you’re in a position of institutional authority and trust, make sure you’re doing right by people, because sooner or later, it’s all going to come out.