“Krista” believed it was God’s will that she marry her husband.
She believed it was His will for her to deny herself.
To endure the pain each time her husband reportedly raped her mere hours after giving birth.
To not intervene when her seven children cried out for mercy as her husband reportedly beat them.
“Every day when the kids are screaming in pain. . .I’m defying every natural thing as a mother—to stand up for the doctrine that I was taught,” she recalled.
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Krista, who asked to remain anonymous to protect her and her children, says she learned this doctrine at John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church (GCC).
Photos and church documents show Krista’s husband was a longtime GCC member and lay leader.
Police records obtained by The Roys Report (TRR) detail the years-long abuse Krista and her children suffered, though she found out just this year that prosecutors decided not to press charges against her husband due to insufficient evidence. And by the time she reported being raped, the statute of limitations had expired, according to documentation from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Detective Nancy Nelson, who’s handled more than 1,000 abuse cases during her 32-year career, said many abuse cases don’t lead to charges because of the physical evidence required.
Abused women are “usually so beat down and they’re so frightened that they’re not going to take pictures and do anything like that, or save evidence somewhere, because they’re so afraid of the suspect,” Nelson said.
Krista added another reason she didn’t take pictures of her battered and bruised children: GCC had conditioned her not to “keep a record of wrong.”
For years, Krista kept her husband’s alleged abuse secret, though she said some GCC leaders noticed, and even commented on signs of abuse they saw. Krista said when she finally divulged the abuse to GCC leaders, they did nothing to protect her or her kids. Instead, GCC urged her not to divorce.
Church leaders were so persistent, Krista said, she had her attorney call GCC and tell them to stop contacting her.
Krista’s attorney, Tim McArdle, told TRR he made the call because he believed GCC leaders were violating the restraining order, which barred her husband from contacting Krista, either directly or through someone else.
TRR reached out to John MacArthur and GCC Pastor and Elder Phil Johnson for comment, but neither responded.
We also reached out to Krista’s husband, but he declined to speak on the record.
Krista’s story comes after other recent TRR exposés of GCC’s teachings and practices surrounding abuse.
One report revealed that John MacArthur shamed and excommunicated Eileen Gray for not allowing her child-abusing husband back into her home. TRR also reported that MacArthur covered up a GCC pastor’s sexual abuse and that the head of counseling at MacArthur’s school urged wives to endure abuse as missionaries endure persecution.
‘She shall submit’
Carey Hardy, a GCC pastor when Krista and her husband attended the church, signed the baptism certificate when Krista’s husband was baptized at GCC in 1994. Another GCC pastor officiated the ceremony when the couple got married about seven years later, in 2001.
Several photos show Krista’s husband serving on three different mission trips, including a four-man trip to Germany the year before their marriage.
Krista told police her husband raped her “countless times,” including hours after she gave birth to her first child in 2003. Krista “cried through the entire assault,” the police report states, adding that her husband assaulted her similarly every time she gave birth.
According to the police report, Krista submitted to her husband’s abuse “due to her religion, that she shall submit to her husband.” She told TRR that had she known it was OK for a wife to refuse her husband, she would have told him to stop.
Only when Krista spoke with a therapist from the local domestic violence center did she realize that her husband was abusing her and their children, she told police.
By then, the family had begun attending another church, Krista told TRR. But she said they were still in touch with people they knew at GCC.
GCC leaders reportedly ignore signs of abuse
Krista said she never told people at GCC the allegations she described to police until after obtaining a restraining order in 2018. But she said one GCC Sunday School teacher saw how her husband treated the kids—and even encouraged it.
The police report alleges Krista’s husband “would give the children ‘10 lashings’ for each form of misbehavior,” and up to 60 if the children resisted.
Krista told TRR the GCC teacher witnessed one instance of what the police report describes and urged her husband to strike the child more than 20 times.
The Sunday School teacher also advised Krista to clothe her children in long sleeves and take other measures to hide the children’s abuse and avoid attention from social workers, she said.
TRR reached out to the GCC teacher through a relation, but the person replied, “Leave us alone . . . your solicitation is not welcome.”
Krista also recalled that a staff nursery worker noticed bruises on one of Krista’s children one day when Krista brought the kids to the church nursery.
The nursery worker told TRR she didn’t wish to comment on the record.
Krista told police her husband had an alcohol abuse problem and had searched for prostitutes on the internet. She filed for divorce after finding other evidence of infidelity, the police report indicates.
After divorce proceedings started in 2018, Krista said she began opening up to GCC members about her husband’s alleged infidelity and alcohol abuse. She said she also revealed to people at GCC what she had told police regarding her husband’s alleged child abuse.
God ‘ordained this’
In the fall of 2019, about a year into divorce proceedings, Krista said she agreed to meet with two women from GCC—Marleen Avery, a former GCC deaconess, and Jeanne Beaudoin, whose husband Pete has led a GraceLife study for more than 20 years.
“They told me, you know, ‘God planned this,’” Krista recalled from the meeting. “So no matter what you’re thinking, He ordained this.”
Krista said she believes the two women were trying to help—they just weren’t equipped to do so. “There are no resources at church to help women in this situation,” she said.
TRR reached out to Avery but didn’t hear back. Jeanne Beaudoin confirmed to TRR that she and Avery met with Krista but declined to discuss details of their conversation on the record.
At the meeting and in follow-up conversations, Krista said the women asked repeatedly if she needed anything. Krista remembered asking for two specific things: help finding a buyer for the family van and help mentoring her boys.
She needed to sell the van to keep her mortgage out of foreclosure, she explained. Court transcripts corroborate this, and reveal the cause of her financial distress: her husband wasn’t paying court-ordered support despite his five-figure monthly income.
Krista also hoped finding a mentor would relieve some of her worries about keeping the kids happy while she juggled everything else.
Krista said the women recommended Sheldon Ko, a pastoral assistant with GCC’s local outreach, as a potential mentor for the boys.
Ko soon called Krista, she said, but his message wasn’t what she expected. Krista said Ko told her that if she wanted to be above reproach, she needed to drop the divorce immediately.
“I said, ‘Well I can’t do that. It will endanger my kids,’” Krista recalled.
Krista said Ko responded that he knew how to work around the system so her kids wouldn’t be taken away if she allowed her husband to return.
“I just said, ‘No, I have to divorce him,’” Krista recalled. She said she told Ko some of the details mentioned in the police report, including the alleged infidelity and child abuse.
But none of what she said seemed to matter, she added. “It was almost like I said nothing.”
When contacted by TRR, Ko said confidentiality prevented him from commenting on his conversation with Krista, even if he remembered it.
After speaking with Ko, Krista said she asked her attorney to make people from GCC stop calling her.
McArdle, Krista’s attorney, confirmed he was given the name “Sheldon” and likely asked for him when he called GCC’s offices in November 2019. McArdle said he understood that people from GCC were telling Krista not to go through with the divorce because it was sinful.
McArdle said he believed GCC was trying to guilt-trip Krista at her husband’s behest—in violation of the restraining order.
Injuries and coverups
According to a police report, Krista’s husband’s abuse of her and her children lasted until her husband was barred from the home in 2018. However, the police report notes that Krista could not provide pictures of any injuries.
Records from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office show prosecutors decided not to press charges against Krista’s husband. While the children told police they were beaten so badly they developed bruises, couldn’t sit down, and cried for hours, prosecutors had “no additional corroboration to support children’s claims,” according to a charge evaluation worksheet.
As a result, authorities determined they couldn’t verify whether the abuse constituted a misdemeanor or felony. The statute of limitations had expired on the potential misdemeanor. Prosecutors decided it would be “difficult to prove (the) felony without additional corroboration,” so they declined to move forward with charges.
Krista told TRR that at the time, she believed taking pictures of her children’s injuries would violate Scriptural mandates to forgive.
“It’s such a setup for people who can do wrong, because the person that’s being wronged is not allowed to acknowledge it in any form,” Krista said.
Other former GCC families have told TRR that MacArthur’s church fostered a culture of abuse exemplified by an instrument used to inflict pain known as “the whacker.”
In a follow-up article, TRR will detail these additional allegations, corroborated by Krista’s testimony to police that her husband used an object fitting the description of the whacker to beat their children.
Sarah Einselen is an award-winning writer and editor based in Texas.
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53 Responses
You come across as the accuser of Gods people, have you not read scripture about first going to the parties and getting firsthand info even from the pastor?
I have read that, although Matthew 18 refers to personal offenses, not sin or false doctrine in church leaders. It would seem 1 Timothy 5:20 is more applicable, where we’re instructed to publicly expose sinning elders. Also applicable would be Ephesians 5:11, which encourages us to expose the “fruitless deeds of darkness.”
That said, we did go to every party named in this piece and seek their side of the story. If they chose not to engage, that’s their prerogative. But their refusal to answer does not kill a piece.
Also, it never ceases to amaze me that people can read about such atrocities and care more about confronting the reporter/outlet than dealing with the perpetrators of the evil described in the articles. Why is that?
As a domestic abuse survivor, your reply here is spot on, Miss Julie. Please keep calling out abuse in every form. Pastors and church leaders must have eyes to see and ears to hear AND the courage to believe the victim and be a mandatory reporter of ANY form of abuse under their leadership.
We have MUCH work to do training church leaders in what abuse actually looks like! ????
I am currently going through this amazing program below and wish all pastors were required to take it before being ordained. They would then KNOW what abuse looks like in their own church. Life Skills has blown away all the Christian counselors I’ve gone to. No comparison. It’s a long and intensive program and it’s an amazing investment in one’s own mental and emotional health. These new tools and skills helped me renew my mind and they forever changed my life.
http://www.integritylifeskills.org
I am beyond grateful for all the churches you are helping clean out and all the lives YOU are forever changing and validating because of your integrity, courage and strong belief that God wants His bride FREE of abuse and He is a God of justice and mercy for the oppressed. ❤️
Prayers go out for your continued courage. Just an observation from a long time church goer and attendee of Christian schools since 1960’s. Somewhere through the decades, especially gaining momentum after John MacArthur, Protestant church leaders adopted the world’s business model. Now, it seems we have a lot of “Showmen” in the pulpit. Gone are the humble, middle class preacher heroes, seen sweeping front steps of church throughout the week. And psychological manipulation? You betta!!! Grace sells. Preach Free Grace once a month, then temper it with endless, mean spirited Lordship Salvation for next three weeks. Like Pavlov’s dog, people will follow the guilt carrot stick, volunteering thankless hours, just so they can get that one thirty minute sermon on “Abundant Grace” the next month. Rinse, cycle, repeat. Vicious cycle, which lines the pockets.
Spot on Sam. I’m 68 yo and long for the days where godly men humbly brought us the word of god living humble lives in modest homes. These buildings are now fiefdoms run by kings living in their castles tax free called parsonages with the sycophants as staff clinging to every word the king decides is fact to keep their great paying gigs that really is more show then tell. Living with n their glory for all the world to worship. Meaning don’t rock the boat or you’ll find yourself in the waters. And again telling the mom to have kids wear long sleeve shirts to hide the bruises? That alone should get that person arrested. Matt 7:21 folks.
Yes! Thank you for posting ❤️
Yes, spot on Sam. It it hard to see men who act nothing like Christ being put in positions of great leadership, wealth, and power. The church is not a business. We need a return to the humble servants of the past – those who actually responded to a calling rather than a career.
I quote…
“TRR reached out to John MacArthur and GCC Pastor and Elder Phil Johnson for comment, but neither responded.”
“We also reached out to Krista’s husband, but he declined to speak on the record.”
“TRR reached out to the GCC teacher through a relation, but the person replied, ‘Leave us alone . . . your solicitation is not welcome.'”
“The nursery worker told TRR she didn’t wish to comment on the record.”
“TRR reached out to Avery but didn’t hear back. Jeanne Beaudoin confirmed to TRR that she and Avery met with Krista but declined to discuss details of their conversation on the record.”
“When contacted by TRR, Ko said confidentiality prevented him from commenting on his conversation with Krista, even if he remembered it.”
Kinda reminds me of .. what was that…something about the catholic church and sex abuse and cover up?
The existence of this website and Ms. Roys’ work and others (Wartburg Watch, comes to mind) is evidence that there is abuse (spiritual or physical or sexual) and cover up in all faith communities. It is a human problem. All abuse should be brought to light, addressed, and justice sought but it is everywhere.
accuser of Gods people??? Getting Information from the pastor?? you mean the ones who use the word “confidentiality”. So, if one of these “gods people” commits acts of terror and rape and abuse were just to hope that the “church” does something. FYI: History seems to show the churches never do anything. Ya knows that image thing. Between the priests and now the evangelicals do any men of God actually have a soul. I bet Jim you would the first in line to burn those darn witches at the stake. Your Christianity is based on some of the godless wonders basically saying women are second class citizens. Let’s try this. Hi Pastor, my husband is abusing me and my kids. Hey husband we need to talk NOW, or we call the cops NOW. How is that Jim for an answer or like many useless evangelicals it’s all about the narrative and the view from the outside. Here is my view. Your all cowards if you use scripture to protect the “godly men who do godly work” and tell the woman “How dare you accuse a godly man of being ungodly”. You evangelicals are a strange group. Its why I keep my fellowship to a small church.
“Let’s try this. Hi Pastor, my husband is abusing me and my kids. Hey husband we need to talk NOW, or we call the cops NOW.”
This seems to suggest that the pastor has a meaningful role in intervening with the husband. I don’t agree. If child abuse has been reported to the pastor, he has a legal obligation to contact child protection authorities. Negotiating with the accused abuser is not his job.
Partial agreement Cynthia. If people are hung up on abusing scripture in that we first must go to the church then yes the pastors can hear the other side. But if you’re of the mindset (I am) that who cares about your religious beliefs if abuse is going on call the cops. Then no need to go to the undertrained and scripturally confused kings. Err pastors.
Thanks for the clarification, Gary Weigel. Nonetheless, pastors in many, if not all, states are required to inform the authorities about reports of child abuse. No option.
Cynthia – not all states require pastors to be mandatory reporters. I know my state (Kansas) doesn’t. There was an effort a few years ago to add that to Kansas law, but unfortunately it didn’t make it through the process.
Jim, it is interesting that you selectively quote Scripture but say nothing of the atrocious abuse that these “little ones” suffered. It is obvious and corroborated that they suffered abuse. Then, you attack the reporter who has evidence. How about this: Jesus states that it is better that a person have a stone around your neck and cast into the sea than to hurt His little ones. We, as a church, have to be better than this. God have mercy on us. There will be no mercy for those who do not repent!
Jim Abraham, how is it that people such as yourself have the unmitigated gall to come across as someone who seemingly portrays “biblical” perspectives and yet is so desperately ignorant of the very Scriptures which condemn the criminals who victimize helpless women and children, not to mention those who encourage and cover-up for them who commit such horrible acts of violence? However, I do offer you my thanks in that you have shown what and who you really are.
Ah, touch not the lords anointed? Yes, that’s what my former pastor said when the abuse was discovered. (CSA here) ????
Jim this happens more than you know. Our leaders have betrayed us and they reward those who protect them. And crush the innocent. If you demand proof read Zechariah 11. Better yet read the bible cover to cover. This is not new.
Jim – Who are God’s people? Is there a list somewhere on the internet so one can see who is on and off that list?
Dallas Willard, in his book _The Divine Conspiracy _, confesses that, as a young man, he thought divorce was always wrong. He wrote that at the time he was “naive”, that he had no idea of the kinds of things one spouse in a marriage might perpetrate on the other. As he grew older he revised his position and realized that, ideally, divorce is initiated out of love for the abusive spouse. Decisively ending the abuse and taking away the abuser’s guise of Christian respectability is a loving action towards any man who is a threat to his wife and children.
You have no idea the evil that this man is capable of. He destroyed my family and my faith. Talk to the Masters students who were bullied, raped and suicide victims based on his teaching.
This man is evil because he’s right about most things. That’s more dangerous than a Peter popoff.John Mac goes after rich intelligent people and hides his evil very well but I saw things. He destroyed my family and faith. Jesus is love and forgiveness. All Mac does is criticize
Please, do not accuse people of “accusing God’s people” when you clearly are not eeven familiar with Matthew 18 as you should be if you are going to attempt to use it against someone. Matthew 18 is for private matters between two people. It is NOT about the public offense of pastors. Pastors are public teachers. When they offend with false teaching, they offend publicly. When they treat a brother or sister in Christ the way MacArthur treated this woman, he is offending publicly. His behavior affects everyone. You should care that he did this to a woman, probably thinking he could just get away with it. If anything, he should be going to her and asking for her forgiveness. Titus 1 is for pastors like John MacArthur. He is a fraud and a fake, and according to God’s word he is disqualified. You really should be putting your energy into supporting this woman in her situation and calling on MacArthur to repent.
So if the head of counseling at MacArthur’s school urged wives to endure abuse “as missionaries endure persecution”, what does that say about the abusers?
Who persecutes missionaries? Fellow believers? Hmmm…
Things that make you go ????
A few days ago on his daily radio broadcast on Bott Radio Network, he said that Christians should pray for the church to be persecuted so that all the “fake Christians” would be driven out.
I’m kinda not feeling the love with this guy.
I just re read the story. Nursey people saying to cover up the bruises and another saying God ordained this. How do so many people see abuse in churches and do nothing. I am so angry at these godless things who actually believe they are doing gods will. to the people that witness abuse and turn the other cheek remember MATT 7:21. I still can’t believe these people are such cowards to watch and hear and make excuses.
Gary, this is messed up. I grieve how this, and other churches have responded to abuse. It is criminal and should be reported. These folks do not understand the spirit, but only the law. This is not The Way. Jesus loved women and children. I want to emphasize that this is not true Christianity! We must all must read the Gospels, and we can see how our Founder and Husband of the Bride (Church Universal) treated the “least of these.”
Hi Gary, not sure your comment referred to nursing professionals. Let me just say as a registered nurse, I’d be the first one to start photographing the bruises as I gave physical and emotional care to the woman. And you can be sure that I would be contacting social services and the police as soon as possible. Your comment reflects a negative bias of nurses. Most I know care deeply for their patients and would do everything possible to assist and advocate for an abused woman and her children. We are not your grandmother’s nurse and I forgive you for your comment :-)
Hi Beth, it was the nursery people in the church’s nursey who suggested covering up the arms to avoid social Services seeing the bruises. I am confident a NURSE would go ohhhhhhhhhh no you’re not walking away from me and not protecting the child. Unfortunately to many times, IMAGE is everything for a church to show a godly environment to the outside world. JM also won a lawsuit and 400k of tax payors money. What he should have done is say “I meant to make a point and not to fleece the taxpayers of more money”. But hey, nothing says American evangelical complex like the honey that goes with the money.
Oh, “nursery”. That’s a completely different thing. Autocorrect is the prawn of Santa.
She wasn’t required to forgive him because he didn’t want it. This isn’t about forgiveness. It’s about self defense. She knew he was an abuser and he wasn’t seeking forgiveness. She needed to learn about boundaries and dealing with his sick behavior. The problem at MacArthur’s Church is they completely reject modern psychology because it’s based on evolution. Even Paul said God’s law is written in the minds of the gentiles because they make laws such as saying it’s wrong to murder, commit adultery and steal. Modern psychology has flaws but it’s right about human nature on the other hand. Personality disorders such as narcissistic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder and so are have valid reasoning. Unbelievers can see what’s wrong in human nature too. Her husband was clearly a psychopath with alcohol and sexual addiction. He probably had some demonic spirit pushing him too since alcohol and sex addictions opens you up to that. Her only option was to go no contact with him for her own safety.
Do you have a text where Jesus says you don’t have to forgive a person unless they want to be forgiven? Because I don’t.
MacArthur teaches that wives should submit to their husbands in all areas of life. This teaching encompasses a couple’s decisions regarding careers, finances, child rearing and sexual relations.
But where does MacArthur teach that a wife who is forced or coerced having sex against her will is being raped?
Has he ever, or has the SBC ever, condemned marital rape?
Do they even think it is possible?
While the article indicates that the police acted with diligence regards documenting the approach of Krista to them, regarding the behaviour of her husband; I’m shocked that in the interaction between police and prosecutors, the testimony of the children failed to qualify as corroborating evidence that could have seen the husband subject to criminal trial for his behaviour. It seems equally strange to me that the offence in his behaviour was not taken as the felony it clearly was; as on every principle of child protection, child abusing was clearly occurring.
Regards abuse, there were two planes of abuse occurring: the behaviour of the husband; and the enabling behaviour of GCC. Regards safeguarding, there were multiple planes of failure: failure to protect Krista; failure to protect her children; and that by multiple parties and agencies.
So, beyond the clear issues with the theology and doctrine to which Krista (and her children) were subject, there are other serious issues attaching to all that saw this case not proceeding to criminal trial.
So grateful for the work Julie and her team does – they need prayer for many things, including protection – I believe the work they do is being used by God to expose sin all over this country, in the one place that should be safest – the church! My daughter went through abuse at a church that Julie’s team investigated. Once the details came out, it was horrendous – even with manipulative staff there, I got her and my wife out of there. My daughter went to a Godly counselor who has been tremendous, and she’s in a much better place. I remember being in Bible school decades ago, and thinking MacArthur hung the moon, but now – sad reality. And even sadder that this man at the top of this thread, thinks Julie and her team are apparently in the wrong? Jim Abraham, read the context of Scripture, even the Greek! There is no justifiable reason for abuse and even worse for church people to cover it up! I am praying for you and your team, Julie.
“For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” Luke 8:17
MacArthur and his church. Here we go again.!! Will this man ever repent. And those who make excuses and protect him, are just as guilty of his sin. I washed my hands of him and GCC a while ago after learning about Eileen.
I couldn’t agree more. Thank you for seeing through this man. My family can’t or won’t see it.
I was a missionary for 18 years. My husband and I sacrificed alot for that decision, including some persecution. Never for a second though, if the safety and welfare of my children became an issue, would I have considered staying. Our children did not make the decision to go overseas and be missionaries, we did. Their welfare was foremost in my mind though as we lived our dream.
My main point is that children are a sacred trust from God, and we as parents are tasked with protecting them. It would be nice to think that this church would have the same value on this. At some point along the way, this church should have not have enabled this husband, but instead intervened. They failed this woman and those 7 children whom I’m sure have many scars that will be with them for a lifetime. Maybe if the church did not expect them to be sacrificial lambs, this husband would have had more of an incentive to stop his sinful behavior, repent and get the help to understand why is so angry and needs to abuse his wife and children to God knows what end. I don’t see any of his behavior, nor their response as glorifying to God. Both are indefensible.
It’s obvious that this couple took the church’s teachings in a disturbing and tragic direction, and that the church never figured that out. The article never leads me to conclude that the church was actually teaching what the couple thought it was teaching. I do conclude that the church’s people were naïve and maybe mistaken themselves.
I share many/most of the concerns that this website has with GCC, but this article tries to assert bad intentions while only providing evidence for negligence. Negligence is bad enough, reaching farther is unnecessary and counterproductive.
Sheldon Ko was not negligent. He was given enough information that, to any reasonable person, would indicate divorce from the abuser was fully justified. Ko proceeded to try to (1) guilt trip Krista into staying married and (2) train Krista to deceive the child welfare authorities (you know, those authorities Paul describes as working out justice on God’s behalf). That is not negligence, that’s complicity with abuse.
“Krista” and children, if you are reading this, I’m so sorry. The abuse, the enabling, the false teaching, its all sinful and evil. I have given birth more than once and just the thought of the post-birth rapes is horrible. I know you know this, but this has nothing to do with Jesus whatsoever. I am so glad you are free now and I will be praying for healing for you all.
It is a sad and shameful thing that is happening in churches. My former pastor (and abuser) told me that God ordains it, if you remain faithful, He will mend your marriage. He then told me of a woman (no names) who was abused regularly by her husband and she continued performing all her ‘wifely duties’. One night her husband beat her and threw her out of the house. She (allegedly) slept on the porch. When her husband found her the next morning, he asked why she was still there. I was told she said that she was to submit to her as her husband was the head, and cited Eph. 6:5-8 and (allegedly) her husband instantly repented and asked Jesus into his heart. Suffering is biblical and brings salvation. Last I heard, salvation comes from the Lord. These teachings are why people are leaving the church in droves. ????
Unfortunately, this does not surprise me, given my experience with this group. They are extremely patriarchal in their approach, so women get very little say about anything of importance, certainly not about anything that might mean changing the status quo of the group.
There are definite cult-like tendencies in this group. I hope for but do not expect an apology or any significant change as a result of these events (or many others like it).
It makes me so sad. This is not what the church should be.
I am grateful for the work that Julie does, especially when so-called “leaders” do everything they can to cover up their individual and corporate sin. I simply wonder when other reputable media, for example The Los Angeles Times, Christianity Today, and others will pay attention to Grace Community Church and shine the light of truth on all this. It can’t come too soon.
Bob, don’t hold your breath on the “reputable media”. GCC headed up by none other than his royal Imperial highness, John MacArthur, carries with it an immense perception of being THE evangelical powerhouse of the United States and beyond. How dare you touch “the sacred cow”! And allow me to shout out lest I forget, God bless Julie Roys! May the Lord bless you and keep you, and your family as you fulfill the call He has on your life, not the least of which is exposing the rot that has slithered into our churches these many decades without being confronted. I say again, God bless Julie Roys!
Thank you for your continued reporting, Julie.
I don’t think any commentary on the damage the teachings of John MacArthur and Grace Community Church have wrought on women, is complete without mentioning another satellite in their sphere of influence – Martha Peace, author of “The Excellent Wife” – and found on the church’s official website here:
https://www.gracechurch.org/leader/peace/martha
As an abused woman sitting with a protection order against my own husband, in the middle of my own divorce proceedings, I can’t overemphasize how much damage this book did to me in my efforts to submit and rely on God’s sovereignty. Krista’s story is deeply triggering.
I may not have attended Grace. Community Church, but I certainly drank deeply from a well that was thoroughly poisoned by it.
Thank you Krista for coming forward with your story. There are more people behind you in the shadows who believe you and hurt for you than you will probably ever know on this side of the grave.
Thank God you are walking towards freedom now. ♥️
I’ve noticed that MacArthur hosts Shepherding Conferences at his church. I’m assuming that his definition of ‘shepherding’ beings ensuring all their theological ‘Ts’ are crossed and ‘Is’ are dotted but are doing little to protect their flocks from abusers inside their own churches.
I am just not feeling the love with John MacArthur.
I hope this is in your next article. Since, no charges were filed were the children ordered to go on visitation with their father? As a Christian therapist, some of the saddest things I deal with is the wrong teaching in the church about abuse. Women are truly alone as well as children. Where is the protection for them? I hope women wake up and leave these churches in droves. God’s children are being oppressed by so called men of God!
Give a warning on articles like this, please. The contents have affected my mental health. My mom was abused and I regret reading the article. Not saying it should have not been written. But not everyone has the skills to be able to read the contents.