Statement Regarding Abuse Lawsuit

We are aware of a lawsuit filed Monday against Christian Reformed Church in North America and Grace Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Mich. alleging that two incidents of sexual abuse occurred, one by a minor abroad and one by a deacon at Grace Christian Reformed Church in the early 2000s. We commend the courage of survivors to come forward, even when abuse may have occurred many years ago. We take any allegation of sexual abuse seriously and are currently investigating the claims.

The Christian Reformed Church in North America desires for all our congregations and programs to provide a safe and welcoming environment for children and all members of the community. Each congregation is governed by a church council elected by its members. As a denomination, the Christian Reformed Church in North America has developed strict policies and procedures that support our commitment to keeping children safe and to encourage the prompt reporting of abuse. 

As we respond to the lawsuit, we want to remind you of the resources we have in place to safeguard against this type of abuse. We share our abuse prevention and response training with all staff and encourage all congregations to make use of our safe church resources. You can find more information here.

Please direct any questions to Kristen VanderBerg ([email protected])