Did McLean Bible Cover Up a Child Sexual Predatory Situation? A Comment on The Wondering Eagle Raises that Question

A comment on a post about Harvest Bible Chapel brings about a brief post. Did McLean Bible Church cover up a child sexual predatory situation?  According to the comment it appears as if McLean Bible went to great lengths to cover the alleged situation in The Rock Ministries. This blog would like to get more information about this incident.

“The single most important ingredient in the recipe for success is transparency because transparency builds trust.”

Denise Morrison

“I find that when you open the door toward openness and transparency, a lot of people will follow you through.”

Kristen Gillibrand

But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Matthew 18:6 NLT

David Platt at McLean Bible

This blog has been busy writing about the scandal and problems at James MacDonald’s Harvest Bible Chapel. One of the issues that is ongoing is the alleged sexual predatory behavior by a former Harvest youth pastor named Paxton Singer.  Illinois law enforcement is currently involved. A mother who wrote an open letter about the situation did so because Paxton Singer was her son’s cabin counselor at Camp Harvest. She and her husband  had a talk with her son and inquired if he was being groomed. You can read open letter in, “Guest Post: An Open Letter from a Concerned Mother Disheartened About how Harvest Bible Chapel Mishandled Paxton Singer’s Arrest.”

In the comments section of that post was a comment that deserves to be made a stand alone post. This blog writes about McLean Bible and the issues, growth and theology that impacts it. Mclean Bible is a mega church in the Washington, D.C. area. The comment below opens a new door and raises the question. Has child sexual abuse been covered up at McLean Bible? In light of the comment below this blog would like to find out. If anyone has information about this let’s talk.

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I am so sorry for the pain, anger, and sense of betrayal as you search for answers within your church. I am so glad it appears your son was not directly affected.

I fully understand, because almost the exact same thing happened at McLean Bible Church. The hurt and pain changes your life forever.

A sexual predator, who was a leader in the camps and small groups in the youth group (The Rock) was uncovered. He had been working with the youth group for almost five years. Instead of informing parents that there was a sexual predator in the youth group, MBC quietly made extensive changes to their security and background checks. MBC leadership kept it SO quiet that many of the MBC staff members were not informed for OVER A YEAR. I know because I was one of the parents of the children in the pervert’s small group; was never informed by MBC; saw firsthand the evidence against the pervert; and when I spoke to several MBC staff members (at the regional pastor level—not low-level staff level)—they were completely unaware of the situation. If regional pastors were not aware, then which leaders/elders were involved in the cover-up?

When MBC finally informed parents (more than a year after the predator’s actions were exposed), they did so in a very controlled manner by sending out a letter to limited groups of parents. They didn’t even name the predator or even give the time period when he worked with the children. There was no information session held by church leaders to answer questions or to minister to victims. The pervert was never publicly named and charges were not filed due to the statute of limitations. However, what he did was illegal and immoral. Why were parents not informed? How many other children are hurt, damaged, hiding, shamed, and potentially running from the church and God because of this sick man AND the cover-up by the leaders/elders of MBC. Who are they protecting—the sheep, the MBC “brand”, or the pervert?

David Platt-you spoke so supportively of Anne Marie Miller when you were at IMB. Have you EVER spoken to the victims in your own church? You stated, in a recent news article, “In any church and any ministry, we must do everything we can to protect children and adults from abuse and harassment, and we must do everything we can to hold anyone who is guilty of these things fully accountable.” Does this include MBC leaders/elders who withheld the info from parents and the predator who preyed upon the children at MBC?

Maybe the children of MBC are not as important as the MBC brand, the best-selling books, or the radio shows. God will hold those accountable who hurt His sheep. Not a sermon, just a thought.