At age 16, Christa Brown was repeatedly raped by her youth pastor.
“He said I should never again speak of it,” Brown said, adding that she “was made to apologize to his wife.” Plus, “The senior pastor said I should rededicate my life to Christ.”
Brown’s devastating account is one of many in a significant new documentary, highlighting the stories of survivors of clergy sex abuse in evangelical churches, produced by respected author Kristin Kobes Du Mez and directed by Emmy-award-winning filmmaker, Carl Byker.
The half-hour film, For Our Daughters, premiered Thursday on YouTube and is free to watch worldwide.
In addition to Brown, it features survivors Tiffany Thigpen, Jules Woodson, and Cait West. The women each recount horrifying abuse at the hands of pastors, along with commentary from Du Mez, attorney Rachael Denhollander, and others.
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“What was important to us is to let the women speak for themselves,” Du Mez told The Roys Report (TRR) in an interview. “They have such disturbing stories, but they also have a clear understanding they’ve gained over the years of the dynamics at play with abuse in the church.”
Abuse survivors reveal trauma upon trauma in the film, with church leaders’ duplicity and cover-up of reported abuse a key theme.
Survivors “just assumed that, of course, this was bad and people with authority would make sure it wouldn’t happen again,” said Du Mez. “Then they had to grapple with the fact that, no, that actually is not how this goes.”
Sheila Wray Gregoire, a Christian author on dating, marriage, and sexuality issues, watched the film and spoke to TRR about her response.
“The women’s stories are really powerful,” she said. “I just find it so heartbreaking and infuriating that women are seen as collateral damage . . . That’s what it seems like. Like we’re just discounted, and we don’t matter.”
Featured voices in For Our Daughters try to show how an ideology of power and patriarchy underlies the church abuse crisis. The film also draws out societal and political implications from the observed patterns, with some clips of former President Donald Trump, seeming to brag about sexual assault.
But survivors’ voices are paramount to the narrative, noted Du Mez.
“The gift that these women have given to so many other survivors is to say you are not alone, and to help them see exactly what they’re up against,” she said
‘The most horrifying thing’
The women featured in For Our Daughters recount in some detail the physical abuse and assault that they faced at the hands of clergymen.
Tiffany Thigpen described the “god-like” aura her parents had for Southern Baptist pastor Jerry Vines of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. They trusted Vines when he championed popular youth minister Darrell Gilyard, who preached frequently on Jerry Falwell Sr. ‘s TV program. Gilyard, based at a Dallas church, frequently interacted with Vines’ youth group in northeast Florida.
“What we didn’t know is that Darrell had many victims already (and) had attacked so many other people and molested children,” says Thigpen.
During a series of church revival services, where visiting speakers stayed at a hotel, Gilyard asked to meet with Thigpen in the lobby.
“That’s where everything went haywire,” said Thigpen. “He chased me, all the way through the hotel. He was right on my heels . . . it was in a dark, desolate area in the city. And, just like a horror movie . . . he’s on me from behind. And he’s on top of me.”
Thigpen said adrenaline kicked in and she escaped in her car. “I finally managed to get the key in the lock and just shove him. And I managed to get in the car. But he was still coming.”
Similarly, Jules Woodson recounts how her youth pastor in a Tennessee church, Andy Savage, offered to take her home following a church function. When he drove his truck past the turn to her family’s house, Woodson asked why and he said, “You’ll see.”
“Suddenly he had turned down a dark dirt road and parked the truck and turned the lights off,” said Woodson. “And the next thing I knew, he was taking his penis out of his pants.” Few further details are stated, except Savage’s words to her when he gets out of the truck: “Julie, you have to take this to the grave with you.”
In a recent survey of more than 7,000 women conducted by Gregoire’s ministry, Bare Marriage, 20% of women reported being sexually harassed or abused in church as teens.
“These issues need to be talked about early,” said Gregoire. “Girls need to know that it’s not their fault and that they can speak up to their parents.”
According to think tank Child USA, more than half of childhood victims of clergy sexual abuse who report abuse first disclosed at age 50 or older.
Woodson, however, came forward in 2018 with her story, when she was 37 and Savage was campus pastor at multi-site Highpoint Church in Memphis, Tennessee. In a shocking scene, Savage is shown confessing to criminal clergy sexual abuse, to the applause of his church.
“The most horrifying thing wasn’t actually that there was a bad guy here or there, even one with authority,” said Du Mez. ”It was the repeated patterns of complicity, of cover-up by other pastors, by elders, and often by just churchgoers.”
Savage later resigned and the church campus he led was shuttered. A year later, Savage launched Grace Valley Church in Memphis while his lead pastor, Chris Conlee, started One City Church in the same metro area. Both men are still pastoring at those churches.
Power, patriarchy, and political undertones
Despite the incidents of abuse occurring decades apart, the film is unified by showing how a harmful ideology has crossed denominational lines to take root in Protestant churches. Du Mez refers to it as a “boys will be boys” mentality that stems from a faulty theology.
“God filled them with testosterone,” she explained. “With respect to sex, that means men are the conqueror, the colonizer, the penetrator. He doesn’t have a lot of restraint. Therefore, it is up to the woman to protect virtue.”
Gregoire praised how For Our Daughters links an ideology of patriarchy with patterns of abuse.
“Jesus saves women, so women can save men. That’s the way it is often taught in churches,” Gregoire told TRR. “It’s like you can’t expect men to do the right thing because men are made to lust, which makes women responsible for their own assaults.”
It’s a framework where women are always to blame, said Du Mez. “If you are not married, you have to be modest and never seduce a man. And if you are married, you need to make sure you fulfill all of your husband’s sexual desires, so he is not led astray.”
Much like the book it’s based upon, Du Mez’s Jesus and John Wayne, the film shows how power and patriarchy play out in U.S. politics.
In montages at the beginning and end of the film, viewers encounter video clips of rioters at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021; offensive remarks by Trump degrading women; and images of pastors and Christian figures praying over Trump.
The film also shows images of Gateway Church Founding Pastor Robert Morris, a member of Trump’s faith advisory council. In June, Morris resigned from Gateway, following allegations he had sexually molested a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s.
Du Mez has taken a strong stance against Christian nationalism, helping draft a recently released Christian Faith and Democracy statement and speaking at a Democracy House event in Chicago alongside Rev. Jen Butler, days before Butler was named director of faith outreach for the Harris campaign. Still, Du Mez admitted she and the filmmakers grappled with how much of the political angle to depict.
“Some people may be turned off by it,” she said. “But we hope enough people will choose to sit with these women’s stories. If you’re not happy with some of the framing, please just listen to the abuse survivors and then decide what it means for you in your context.”
Shining a light
In 2021, longtime SBC General Counsel August Boto described the work of survivor advocates as “a satanic scheme to completely distract us from evangelism.”
“Why is it that simply raising your voice about the mistreatment of women in the church and about the reality of sexual abuse in the church, is enough to try to categorize you as a demonic influence and to silence your voice?” asked Denhollander in the film. “What is at stake for these men that it engendered that response?”
Despite disturbing content, both Du Mez and Gregoire stated that, with parental discussion, even 12-year-olds could see the film.
“My emphasis is on making sure that young people are aware of assault—girls especially, but boys too,” said Gregoire.
The film briefly addresses how young males are also preyed upon in church, mentioning longtime SBC leader Paul Pressler, implicated in abuse of men.
In April, a similar half-hour doc, titled Let There Be Light, was released online by noted worship leader Matt Redman. It detailed the misconduct of UK-based clergyman Mike Pilavachi, who engaged in sexual and spiritual abuse, primarily of young men, over decades.
Gregoire praised the short film from Du Mez and urged people to find churches that aren’t patriarchal.
“What I really want people to know is, you have a choice. You can get out and you can worship God in a way that is not degrading to women.”
Watch the entire half-hour film ‘For Our Daughters’
Update 9/30: Details of Du Mez’s participation at a Chicago event, and details about Gilyard’s involvement at a Florida church, have been clarified for accuracy.
Freelance journalist Josh Shepherd writes on faith, culture, and public policy for several media outlets. He and his family live in central Florida.
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29 Responses
I viewed this video the day after it was released. Very powerful – recommend highly to all who visit this website, and to all who are survivors of clergy sex abuse or who are friends and relatives of survivors.
I watched that documentary. It was so intense, from time to time, I’d get this discomfort in my chest and realized that I forgot to breathe. Maybe it’s because I’ve got daughters, although they are adults now. Is this what our Christianity has come to? Of course, there are many, many godly Christ-like people in churches, I get that.
That said, the indifference towards the plight of abused women and children in churches today is sobering and deeply saddening. Those who name the name of Christ are supposed to be Christ-like in a lost and dying world. Yet, we do things that would make many unbelievers blush (1 Corinthians 5:1). Ore even creating enemies and scoffers among the unbelievers by such behavior (2 Samuel 12:14). We name the name of Christ, yet have no interest in speaking up for the mute, defenseless and vulnerable (Proverbs 31:8-9).
SMH
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS call the police first. Immediately. Report any abuse to those charged with going after the abusers. Pastors often view abuse as a distraction rather than a crime.
It is a crime. Perpetrators should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Dr. Norbeck,
You are 100% correct. Contact law enforcement first!
To be fair Donald, Julie has called out Cynthia on a number of errors including her (Cynthias’s) insistence that voodoo is being practiced by Haitians in Springfield OH.
This is a very important subject but as a women I don’t understand the need to put Trump in the story, The film maker admits she spoke at Evangelicals for Harris, why make it political . it takes away from the story
I agree. There is, sadly, more than one agenda here.
No, it doesn’t. It goes hand in hand with the story. The worship of a proud sexual abuser is a symptom of the sickness of evangelical churches. If evangelicals actually had genuine principles there wouldn’t be so much abuse, and there would not be a Trump cult.
Yes. 👌A sad one. I’m a Canadian but at age 70 I am thinking of U.S. president Eisenhower (for eg) who witnessed Nazi atrocities at the camps. So now, what would he say about the behavior and spoken attitudes “they are eating our pets” etc. etc. of a presidential candidate, clergy sexual abuse and the faulty thinking of Christian Nationalism? Would he despair, would he have hope? I don’t know his spiritual beliefs but can’t help but compare his integrity.
My thoughts exactly. Making this political takes away credibility for me , so I will pass on watching this documentary.
I was going to comment exactly that. Kennedy, Clinton, Roosevelt and many, many more were contemptuous of women. Not relevant.
Laurel Wynne, Yes, from the beginning of time this has been true.
But none of those are on the ballot to be elected as the leader of our country.
I’m Canadian, so possibly have a different perspective. There is corruption in both parties, and oppression and exploitation, such as seen on a massive scale under Biden/Democrats, grieve the Lord as much as sexual sin.
Proverbs 6: 16-19. I don’t think the trajectory the U.S is on will be altered by either candidate.
Laurel, can you share what oppression and exploitation you’re seeing on a massive scale under Biden/democrats? And what sources you’re using to assess this?
Yeah, the political slant detracts from a much-needed message. Does the film include Kamala Harris accusing Biden of being “credibly accused” of sexual assault, then going to serve as his VP? I’m no Trump apologist, but I’m tired of the dumping on the (legitimate) moral failings of Trump without ever addressing the “hive of scum and villainy” that is the Democratic Party.
Agenda aside, abuse needs to be addressed and the most vulnerable among us protected. We need to stop the “protect the brand” and more “protect the vulnerable” and if we fail in an instance, be the first to admit, address, and put protections in place to prevent it happening again.
With all respect, I’d submit Trump does need to be in the story, if for no other reason than to compare his assertions on the audio clip to the behaviors of his purportedly Christian supporters. Trump says it out loud. So called Christian leaders speak just as loudly when they suppress anyone who tries to speak of it. Both strategies issue from a presupposition of entitlement and presumed authority. (Or to the less squeamish, its all about power.) At the end of the day, whether by open assertion or by behavior its not unreasonable to consider them fellow travelers on this issue or we’d see public differentiation on the issue. Well into my 80’s, I can still recall my dear mama warning me to be careful who I ran with as I’d be presumed to be in agreement with my companions unless I intentionally set myself apart on behaviors in question. Everyone knows of the cost of differentiation in relationships like that. That cost is predictably the reason behind the failure to differentiate. But, there’s also a cost for not differentiating. TNSTAAFL* At the end of the day, we all simply choose which cost we’re willing to incur.
*There’s No Such Thing As A Free Lunch
Frederic,
I agree with everything you said…AND that it ALL applies to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as well. I think the issue is the clearly one-sided nature of the political references. Sorry, I’m sick of agendas, no matter what side they are from.
Because Trump himself was found liable for sexual assault and his spiritual advisor is a confessed pedophile. He raped a 12 yr old. (Robert Morris) it certainly seems like Trump should be mentioned to me.
How could Trump NOT be mentioned in this documentary? Because of him, sexual assault is no longer a deal killer on the Right. This is one of the Trump GOP’s endorsements in 2022. Greitens left office in disgrace. Trump tried to bring him back.
Missouri governor hit, groped and coerced woman into sexual contact, she tells lawmakers
By Eli Rosenberg
April 12, 2018 at 5:44 a.m. EDT
…Greitens taped her hands to the pullup rings with gauze tape and put a blindfold on her…kissing her neck and chest and ripped her shirt open to expose her, and pulled down her pants.
She said she heard him step back and then take what she believed was a picture on his phone, seeing the flash through her blindfold. She said Greitens warned her not to mention his name “to anybody at all, because if you do, I’m going to take these pictures, and I’m going to put them everywhere I can…and then everyone will know what a little whore you are.”
…“I just kept saying, ‘Get me out of here. I’m not ready for this.’” After she tried to leave, he grabbed her in a bear hug and laid her down on the ground in the basement, she said.
“So he was laying there and I was laying next to him just crying — like uncontrollably crying,” she said… “And he was trying to, like fondle my body.”
Greitens eventually undid his pants and moved his crotch near her face, after which she gave him oral sex, she said, feeling that it was the only way she’d be able to leave.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/04/11/missouri-gov-eric-greitens-groped-and-initiated-unwanted-sexual-contact-with-woman-she-testifies/
You tell it Greg!!
I think there may be a large component of US voters (too young) or forgetful to recall the non stop hoopla in the MEDIA in the 1980″s over his adulterous affair with Marla Maples. It went on and on and on…ad nauseum. This is a former president and now presidential candidate?! “Does a leopard change his spots?!”
It’s hard not to compare Trump to former presidents who had dignity and integrity.
Good documentary. Thanks to producers and to The Roys Reports for link to it.
I read Du Mez’s book Jesus And John Wayne — at least twice all the way through. It was quite informative, though I felt at times that she framed patriarchal churches as being what all (or at least nearly all) evangelical churches are like. I have lived my entire life in the evangelical world, in many different churches and locations, yet I have rarely encountered this patriarchy, and now that I have learned of it in recent years, it seems to hover most strongly in the Calvinist portions of the church.
Du Mez’s framing of the sexual abuse of these women the way she does in this video hurts her cause. She chooses the most outlandish men of the Christian nationalist sector to begin this video, for no benefit. We have seen, particularly in the past couple of years, that sexual abuse is not unique to the patriarchal, Christian nationalist sectors of Christianity (key example: IHOP-KC). Bringing in people who espouse extreme Christian nationalist views and bringing in Trump just distract from the real message: Too many in the church cover up sexual abuse — and not just patriarchal types. This video was like two different unrelated topics thrown together. From reading her book, I know that to her they are not, but it was not communicated in the video and can’t be in 20 minutes.
Before seeing the video, I was expecting to share it with others, but unfortunately all the patriarchal and Christian nationalist stuff just confuses the message, so I will not. The problem is pride and power, saving face for churches, and that problem extends far beyond these patriarchal sectors of Christianity. This video needs to be redone with a focused message.
J. Lee,
You make some thoughtful points here. But the main focus would be concerns about abuse of power, whereever it occurs. And we can’t forget there must be a purpose behind the seeming explosiveness of the issue now. It started, I believe by exposing abuse in the Catholic church, then abuse of First Nation’s people in residential schools by church and political leaders. Now the evangelical world. Is it probable because the darkness must be exposed to the Light, and Jesus is making his bride pure and unblemished?
Reading more and more politically slanted articles here.
I guess objective journalism is dead here also.
We reported the political component of the documentary, but did so very even-handedly. Where do you see bias?
In Warning for Trump, Evangelical Leaders Urge ‘Biblical Principles’ on Immigration
https://julieroys.com/warning-trump-evangelical-christian-leaders-urge-biblical-principles-immigration/
“”open letter urging the presidential candidates of both parties to reflect “biblical principles on immigration.””
The letter is addressed to all candidates, not only Trump, who is listed 3rd in the greeting:
“Dear Vice President Harris, Governor Walz, former President Trump and Senator Vance,”
Sadly, Du Mez vitiates what should have been THE message- that the evangelical church enabled (and still does enable) abusers to harm multitudes of girls and women by considering them chattel property. It’s not just the wayward few who fell, but an entire religious culture that encourages patriarchy and defends the offenders. Du Mez couldn’t resist the opportunity to inject Trump into the video. Bad call. Abuse happened long before Trump, and unfortunately, is likely to happen after he leaves the scene. He is a symptom, not the cause. Unless she is prepared to show firm evidence of a causal relationship. And yes, I have read “Jesus and John Wayne.”
So why bring up Trump at the end? It seemed reasonable for the creators to do so since Trump has been revered by so many Evangelicals and has been cited as an assaulter of numerous women (Including making many inappropriate comments about his daughter) and has bragged about it. The corruption goes right to the top.
Dear Laura,
Is sexual abuse, innuendo, suggestiveness any less deplorable in a statesman? Consider my comment about a former US president imbued with integrity. Nor does the film take away the main issue; sexual grooming, abuse of power, be it clergy or any one in a position of authority. In order to make a fair or objective value judgment, one needs to see or hear more than one prespective. Otherwise it could indicate fear of the truth.