I’m sure by now many of you who live in the area have seen the local news: The founder and former Sr. Pastor of Victory Church in Henrietta NY, Joe Burress Sr., has plead guilty to sexually abusing children. He has been released from police custody on his own recognizance and will face sentencing on September 2nd in Pittsford Town Court.
With that being said, I want to address the still silent survivors of childhood sexual abuse:
I BELIEVE YOU!
I stand with you.
I’m here for you.
Please know you are NOT alone!
Many who still live in NY may not realize that their legal rights were dramatically expanded…
Jennifer Freeman (attorney advocate for victims of childhood sexual abuse) said it best when she penned the following for the Miami Herold:
“In 2019, New York State enacted landmark legislation that makes it possible to seek justice for decades-old child sex-abuse crimes — the Child Victims Act (CVA). For a short time, this new law suspends the statute of limitations for child sex-abuse claims and provides a unique opportunity for survivors of such abuse, which happened in New York, to seek accountability and finality.
But the time to take action is almost up. The CVA provides a one-time, two-year window for survivors to sue for abuse regardless of when the abuse occurred. Survivors have until early August 2021 to seek justice against institutions such as the Catholic Church, New York medical institutions, public and private schools, foster-care providers, athletic organizations, religious groups, summer camps and any other entity, as well as individuals who perpetrated or enabled these heinous crimes.
This law doesn’t just apply to current New York residents, it extends to anyone who was ever abused in New York, no matter how long ago and regardless of where they live now. If you grew up in New York State and suffered abuse at the hands of a clergy member, youth director, doctor, teacher, coach, family member or anyone else, this law applies to you. Over the past year, following New York’s lead, several states have reformed their statutes of limitation.
The wrongdoers, insurance companies, and others have used every tool at their disposal to stop these lawsuits from moving ahead. They’ve tried to discredit and intimidate survivors and the public. They’ve fought statutory reform for years. They’ve covered up evidence — and even declared bankruptcy. Thanks to the CVA, these tactics can no longer hide the truth. This is the opportunity to finally hold these powerful organizations and individuals — who were often aware of the abuse ,but looked the other way — liable and to provide restitution and reparations.
It’s not easy to bring a lawsuit, especially when it involves unearthing something so private and painful, long pushed into dark corners. Many survivors are reluctant to pursue their claims and have long made peace with leaving the past in the past.
I get that. Litigating won’t erase the pain and suffering, allow survivors to confront deceased perpetrators or restore lost time. Yet the CVA opens up a soon-to-disappear path forward to hold abusers or institutions accountable and to shift the responsibility for, and cost of, the abuse from the thin shoulders of a young child onto the backs of abusers and their enablers.
Many survivors have felt empowered now that they can do something about the horrors of their childhood. They’ve inspired others to seek justice. Survivors who don’t want to be identified can file claims anonymously, under a pseudonym.
Survivors have the chance to stand up, take action and change the way child sex abuse is viewed, understood and addressed. Survivors have the chance to identify hidden predators. Survivors have the chance to make sure that children never face these unspeakable dangers again.
Even if the ultimate choice is to do nothing, survivors have a right and a choice to decide whether and how to remedy this injustice. But they must heed the call before it’s too late.”
Marsh Law Firm PLLC
31 Hudson Yards, 11th Floor
New York, New York 10001
(332) 228-2346
I saw the following tweet first thing this morning and it brought me to tears (read: I was ugly crying ya’ll):
Feeling heavy hearted at the moment for the many abuse survivors who are home tonight feeling alone and isolated as they continue to suffer in silence, losing hope that the nightmare has an end. We will never give up you…
— Boz Tchividjian (@BozT) March 10, 2018
I am so grateful for everything this man and the organization he founded is doing to help those who have experienced sexual abuse within the christian organization!
And, if I’m going to be completely transparent, I am also emotionally exhausted, and becoming increasingly hard-hearted despite the few really good, fruit producing seeds.
For the past nine months, I have been on my knees, open-handed, and begging God to help me undo the brainwashing and navigate the feelings associated with reliving trauma, related to the 30+ years of abuse that I survived at Victory Church, in Henrietta, NY. Thanks to additional victims coming forward, and the media coverage in 2014 and again in 2017 that surrounded these new abuse allegations, the unhealed parts of me continue to bubble up and resurface.
I just can’t anymore. The silence of the pain is deafening.
After meeting with five of these amazing girls last month, and hearing their heartbreaking and all too familiar stories, it eventually broke me. I jumped in my Jeep and drove Wednesday night. I drove and drove until I finally “came to” and found myself two states away (typical Jonah move, I realize this now in my newfound clarity).
I always do this. I always run when this specific emotional trigger gets lit with the metaphorical fire poker. Ugh!!!
(God forgive me and my itty bitty faith. Thank you for remaining faithful even when I am faithless (2 Timothy 2:13))!
So, I slept in my Jeep with my hundred and forty pound Great Dane, Athena, on a twenty eight degree night, and then drove another twelve (absent minded, tear filled) hours back home on Friday. I can barely remember the journey or what transpired in between. When I eventually returned home, I cried and started fights with my family and cried some more. I finally swallowed my pride, broke down, popped an Ativan (for such the times as these), and eventually passed out until this morning.
I know You are holy, and good, and just (Psalm 99:8-9, Psalm 136:1, Deuteronomy 32:4).
Your word tells me that You are close to the broken hearted (Psalm 34:18). And, that You collect all my tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8).
You see. You know (Hebrews 4:13).
You promise to never leave nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5).
You loved me so much You sent Your only begotten son to die in my place (John 3:16, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Acts 3:19, Romans 10:13).
You give the elect Your gift of unconditional love and eternal grace (Romans 8:28-29).
Lord, I believe these things (help my unbelief (Mark 9:24))!
The church body, and even unbelievers, are slowly becoming sick of hearing all these stories of abuse. Have we become desensitized already? Because of…
after story
after story
after story
after story
…of finger pointing, twisting scripture, coverering over, and mishandling situations surrounding allegations of abuse. Don’t let your hearts grow cold. Let them burn with righteous anger. Let that righteous anger be your fuel to act!
Abuse survivors, including myself, are watching and waiting for the church to stand up and do what is right. To do what Jesus would do. Stand up to your institution if abuse has taken place and leadership has failed to properly act!
Do not return to the building.
Do not tithe.
Quit your volunteer position.
Quit your paid staff position.
God is bigger than all of this!! Those still voluntarily involved with Victory Church: Why are you more worried about attending your big programs, maintaining your position, or job? Aren’t you more valuable to God than a sparrow? Doesn’t he provide for even the least of these? The message you send when you stay in an abusive institution parading around as a church is that this abuse taking place and being explained away or covered up is ok!! IT’S NOT OK!!!!!!
Make a stand! Stand boldly (Hebrews 13:6)!!!
Encourage others, in truth and love, to do the same!
Abuse survivors need to know we are not alone. We need to know that these abusive tactics being used to shame and silence us is not how a true church body should behave. In the bible, those who loved like Jesus would immediately stop what they were doing to minister and counsel and tend to the wounds of the hurting and broken. The world needs to see you make a stand and set this example. The world needs to see the false gospels and preachers being pointed out and pushed back. The Gospel mesaage is being added to in order to protect church leaders, the institution, and tithe income. This needs to stop! There are souls at stake here!!!
As Rachael Denhollander , former gymnast who confronted her Sexual Abuser, Larry Nasser, in court once asked, “How much is a child worth?”
So I will ask you, Victory Church: How much is your daughter or son worth?
We need to be more worried about protecting the most vulnerable in our church body than we are about saving a church reputation. Our sovereign God does not need His holy church or infallible word defended!
Choose you this day whom you will serve (and whom you will defend).
Lord, give us the strength to do what is right and the discernment to know what that is. IJN, amen
*NOTE: If church leadership does not immediately report abuse to the police (NOT just any police guy or lawyer contact they’re friends with or who happen to go to the same church), they are not properly acting or responding to abuse allegations. If this is the case, it is imperative a third party be brought in to do a proper investigation of said allegations. You need to demand this type of investigation take place!
One such organization I would HIGHLY recommend is G.R.A.C.E. (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment). GRACE was founded by former child abuse prosecutor, Basyle “Boz” Tchividjian. Boz currently works as a law professor, and is an acting member of the board of directors for GRACE. He also happens to be the grandson to Billy Graham.
As per the GRACE website…
The mission of GRACE is to empower the Christian community through education and training to recognize, prevent, and respond to child abuse.
Understanding Protection
Protecting individuals and educating churches and other faith based organizations how to protect the vulnerable.
Understanding Survivors
Helping churches love and serve survivors of abuse who are in their midst.
Understanding Offenders
GRACE’s team includes former prosecutors and top Christian psychologists with a background in dealing with child predators.
Understanding the Church
GRACE has a strong theological background and practical experience in organizational leadership.
With over 60 million child abuse survivors nationwide, we are a country riddled with abuse and the effects of it. Too often, those within the Church have been uninformed about the complexities of child abuse. This has compounded its damaging effects on individuals, families, and faith communities with inappropriate and even negligent responses to signs and disclosures of abuse. Our collective failure as Christians to properly care for the most innocent and vulnerable among us has often been staggering.
As followers of Jesus Christ, the GRACE team seeks to be faithful and obedient to his teaching and the teachings of the whole of Scripture, which we believe put great value in the compassionate care and advocacy for children.
He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
-Mark 9:36-37 (NIV)
We believe that our care of children—our “welcoming” of them among us—is a direct reflection of our love for and obedience to God. Whatever we do for children, is done for him.
We hope to equip others with a vision for authentic responsibility, accountability, and compassion in the care for children and adult survivors of abuse. Though the history of the Church can make this approach seem radical, we believe it is nothing more and nothing less than the fulfillment of Jesus’ teaching.
We believe with proper education and training every church and ministry organization can navigate its responsibility to appropriately care for those who have been impacted by abuse.
GRACE exists to equip and assist faith communities to mirror God’s justice, mercy, and compassion for children and survivors of all ages
- GRACE assists Christian organizations with educational programs and effective child abuse prevention policies.
- GRACE assists organizations to deal with with abuse cases and develop appropriate response protocols
- At a church or organization’s request, GRACE’s team of experts and former prosecutors conduct a thorough and objective investigation of abuse allegations.
- A wealth of resources can educate and assist churches in being prepared to avoid problems, and to address the offense of child abuse if it occurs.
CONNECT WITH GRACE:
WEBSITE: http://www.netgrace.org
EMAIL: [email protected]
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/netgrace_org
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Godly-Response-to-Abuse-in-the-Christian-Environment-GRACE-102403896480483/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/netgrace_org/
RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS OF ABUSE:
MARY DEMUTH: http://www.marydemuth.com/sexual-abuse-resources/
NSAH: The National Sexual Assault Hotline has free, confidential, secure support available. Call 1-800-656-HOPE to speak to someone.
RAINN: https://www.rainn.org/national-resources-sexual-assault-survivors-and-their-loved-ones
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How long, O God?
Have you ever found yourself lamenting in prayer this phrase?
Nearly two decades ago I assumed the online name / alter ego Jael. The Old Testament story of her courage in exposing an evil man spoke to me at a deep, spiritual level. I wanted to be Jael. I wanted to have her strength and bravery. I wanted her story to be my story (Judges 4:1-23, 5:1-31).
But it wasn’t.
I wasn’t brave; I was weak.
Scared.
Silenced.
I struggled back then to understand my worth. It was never said aloud to me, but hidden actions screamed that I was less than, insignificant, an object to be used and abused. I longed to be accepted and protected. I confused being desired with being loved.
All these years later and I am still trying to heal from those wounds. They claw at my mind in the dark as I struggle to retreat into sleep. I wake in the middle of the night, covered in sweat, heart racing, eyes leaking memories of things I’d much rather forget.
How long, O God?
Turning on the TV or browsing social media has been super triggering lately. Story after story of (men and) women coming forward with claims of sexual harassment, rape and abuse. Cries of “me too!” and “church too!” echo off the lips of the sons and daughters of the Holy One. I want so badly to turn it off. Figuratively and quite literally. But, I can’t. And, isn’t this what I prayed for? Didn’t I beg God to bring these atrocities to light? Isn’t this a clear answer to a very recent prayer?
Why then does it seem like He’s so distant. Is there unconfessed sin in my heart, Lord? Bring it to mind if there is so I can confess it! This distance and silence is breaking me. I am crumbling under the weight of a load I was never meant to carry.
Did I do the wrong thing? Was it not your will for me to finally speak out? Did I go about it the wrong way? Have I burdened the leadership of your church and caused them to distance themselves and shun me? Is this guilt and shame I am feeling simply an attack from the enemy?
How long, O God?
I retreat to the quiet places and look for you. I pick up the bible and read, but my heart is only temporarily softened. It’s as if my entire being has turned into a hardened sponge and only drops of water are being absorbed at a time. I spend hours reading, praying, seeking, begging God for relief.
Is that the problem? Is it that I idolize relief and comfort over truly knowing You, Lord? Have I fallen into that trap again? If so, I beg You God, break me of that habit and give me eyes to see You in a way I haven’t before. Humble me, Lord. Break down my pride and subdue me. Do whatever it takes! I still struggle to trust You over my feelings, Lord. Give me the power to persevere, believe, and obey. Help me to make this life more all about You and less not about me!
Show me Your goodness!
And, thank you for this opportunity for my faith to grow.
Ode to Jael by Katie Botkin
He thinks that you, a woman
will give him all that he desires:
warm welcome, the work of your body,
a pillow to repose upon and sleep.
So when he speaks, he uses his own language;
the glint of his armor and the dried blood on his sword
will do the translating for him.
He is a commander.
You are a woman as women ought to be,
and your deferential bows will bring your forehead to the floor.
And his, as well:
His head will never leave it
when you show him what a woman can do in the strength of her own power,
and drive the tent stake through his temple
as he sleeps in your perfumed bed.
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalm 51:1-17
1 Have mercy on me,[a] O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right[b] spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Romans 5:3-5
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
ATTENTION!!!! If you were a victim of abuse at Victory Church, it’s not too late, please! consider joining these most recent victims who are bravely speaking up. You are not alone. The Sheriff’s Office encourages other possible victims to come forward. They may do so by calling 9-1-1 or calling the Monroe County Sheriffs office directly at (585) 753-4400.
NEW, RELATED POST: Former Sr. Pastor of Victory Church in Henrietta NY (Joe Burress Sr.) has plead guilty to sexually abusing children
Since the inception of this blog (January 2015), I have been faithfully writing on a daily basis, with blog posts written on my “good days” and scheduled in advance, to ensure seamless content being published. Unfortunately, around the beginning of Lent I started to struggle again, both emotionally and physically. It would be putting it lightly to say the last couple months, especially the month of April, have been extremely tough for me.
While I strive to be transparent in my writing, I don’t usually get too personal with my blog posts. Today’s post will break that trend. This month the Lord has put it on my heart to dig deep and share in a way that I am super uncomfortable. Even if there is only one of you out there that can identify, I know it’s worth making myself vulnerable. If you find yourself relating as you read along, this blog post was probably meant for you!
April marks the end of Lent and celebration of Easter. Here in New York, flowers begin to break ground and the Birds return, waking us with their beautiful song.
April is a month that points to new life and new beginnings. I was born in April. I’m an April Fool’s baby.
April is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month and I am a survivor of Childhood Sexual Abuse.
“Sometimes God redeems your story by surrounding you with people who need to hear about your past, so it doesn’t become their future.” ~Jon Acuff
I don’t remember much from my childhood, but I remember a man in my church who befriended kids. He was probably in his mid to late 30’s at the time and married to a woman named Sharyn. They both lived with Sharyn’s mom, Grace, in Honeoye Falls, NY. He was a tall, charismatic man who wore suits that looked like they were from the 60’s. Powdered pink. Baby blue. His hair was dark, parted to the right, and slicked back, like Ward Cleaver from Leave it to Beaver. He had a smile that would rival Mr. Rogers’. Most of the adults in the church seemed to really like and respect him. Steve Erickson. The name of my first abuser. He had his favorites and I was one of them.
When I turned eleven the repeated sexual abuse I experienced at the hands of this man finally stopped. The pastor’s son caught him trying to grope me in the back hallway of our church and confronted him. He told Steve to leave me alone or he would tell everyone what he had been doing.
It wasn’t long after this confrontation that the pastor’s daughter befriended me. She invited me over for a sleepover. It was the first time I had ever spent the night away from home.
One night when I was sleeping over, her brother, the same boy who had saved me from my first abuser, snuck into her bedroom. We were both asleep. He woke me up with an ugly goblin looking puppet (Boglin) and motioned for me to be quiet so as not to wake up anyone else.
He proceeded to touch me as I lay in his sister’s bed.
He had saved me from my first abuser, so I trusted him.
He told me he liked me.
I was too young to realize he was abusing me too.
For the next five years this abuse continued on and off, only at the time I thought I was in love. I would do anything this boy asked me to and he would use our little secret to control me. Our “relationship” continued until he finally went away to bible college.
It was the month of April when I saw this boy again. Only he was no longer a boy. He was now married. More than five years had passed. He and his wife had moved back to New York after attending bible college in Missouri. His father, the pastor at the time, had recruited them to run a young adult group for the church.
His life seemed to be going so well, while my life was falling apart. I was twenty-one and a single mom at the time. I had just moved in with a my boyfriend who was a drug dealer and ex-convict. I had turned from the church and the things of God long before his return.
This man and his wife started to call me at home. I remember dodging their calls for months. I had heard through the grapevine they were trying to recruit young adults to attend their new church group and I had no interest in joining. When things between my live-in boyfriend and I started to get rocky (ex: he was physically and emotionally abusive), I finally gave in and revisited my childhood church.
Despite being married, the pastor’s son (my childhood “hero” and “first love”) took special interest in me. He convinced me to break things off with my boyfriend and even recruited a bunch of men from the church to move me back into my parent’s home.
It didn’t take long for him to find ways to spend time alone with me. He convinced his wife to get a part time job as a waitress and to take on ballroom dance lessons.
I am ashamed to admit that up to this point I had never read the bible on my own. I was ruled by my emotions and easily believed his lies. It didn’t take long for him to convince me to take part in an adulterous affair.
He made me believe he loved me and would have married me, but that his father forced him to get married to this woman because they were having premarital sex.
He would use bible verses to deceive me into believing that in God’s eyes WE were married first because of the sexual things he had done to me as a kid.
He would use manipulative tactics to make me feel sorry for him, stating his wife didn’t love him and that she had already cheated on him.
He told me she made him wife swap with another couple when they lived in Missouri and that’s why they had to move back to New York (please see comments section below where it’s clarified that it was actually him that convinced her to take part in this).
He used scripture to imply that in God’s eyes they were already divorced.
He bought me jewelry and told me that it was “our little secret.”
He made up stories for me to tell about where I got the jewelry, how I was spending my time, and instructed me to repeat the stories to anyone that asked.
Within six months of moving back home, he and his wife divorced.
It didn’t take long for members of the church to start hearing rumors about the pastor’s son and his ex-wife. His father, the pastor, approached me privately. He made me aware of a deacon meeting that was going to be held to vote as to whether or not his son should step down from leadership.
The pastor convinced me to rally the troops to protest this decision. He asked me to get all the young adults in our church group to write up a testimony about how his son had helped them grow in the Lord since his return to New york. I was naive and eager to earn his respect, so I agreed to take part in his.
The deacon board voted and it was agreed that his son could stay on staff as the young adult leader.
There was a huge split within our church and those that opposed his staying on staff ended up leaving the church.
Shortly after, the pastor’s son and I ended up dating publicly, but the relationship didn’t last. I started to study the bible for myself, and he quickly became physically abusive any time I challenged his manipulative and sinful ways. I resorted to coping behaviors I had learned while he was away at college.
One time he caught me out drinking alone. He was livid. He forced me to ride home with him to my parents house where I was still living. On the way we got into an argument and I tried to jump out of the vehicle as it approached a red light. He caught me by the hair and pulled me back into the vehicle and proceeded to choke me out (the rear naked choke hold he used is a blood choke hold he practiced in his Mixed Martial Arts).
I wish I could say I wised up and left him after this incident, but I didn’t. I broke things off for a while, but he was relentless with his apologies and in pursuing me. I was eventually lured back into the relationship. It took yet another altercation where he knocked me out cold in front of my two year old daughter before I attempted to seek help.
That April, I wrote a letter to the director of counseling of the church and explained everything that had transpired over the last year, including how the relationship began in adultery and details of the physical abuse I endured.
What I didn’t know at the time was that I was not the only women the pastor’s son had been grooming. While he went on to publicly date me for the first time, he was seeing another women behind the scenes. The neighbor of his divorce attorney. Three months after I broke things off with him, he went on to marry her.
That didn’t stop him from attempting to pursue me again several times after his second marriage, and even after I was married myself.
At my husbands suggestion, I reached out to the director of counseling, again, to make him aware. The counselor was (and still is) good friends with the pastor and his son. I realize now this individual was more concerned with the church image and protecting the pastor and his family because nothing was done to address anything that I reported to him.
My first abuser went on to adopt a little girl. She is currently sixteen. I can’t fathom the heinous things that poor girl has faced at the hands of her adoptive father. My childhood church could have engaged law enforcement when I finally came forward about him, but they chose to handle the claim internally within the church instead.
My second abuser, the pastor’s son, went on to allegedly abuse a sixteen year old girl, a German foreign exchange student who was living with him and his wife at the time. A young man and his wife’s sisters had previously come forward to say they had been sexually abused by him too. Despite media attention surrounding these “sexual abuse allegations” he was promoted to head pastor and continues to maintain his innocence.
It has taken years of counseling for me to realize how deeply the grooming of these two abusers affected me. To this day I have night terrors, panic attacks, severe social anxiety, and issues trusting people in authority.
Some days are tougher than others. On the days I find myself struggling, I use that energy to pray for my abusers and for others like me.
I am a survivor.
I am not perfect.
I am not without sin.
The same God who sent His son to die on the cross as payment for my sins died for my abuser’s sins too.
If you are a survivor of sexual assault or abuse and have remained silent, I want to encourage you to speak out.
I lived in fear and silence for years… No more!
Those who abused me no longer have power over me. Their lies no longer control me. I refuse to allow my past to master me.
God is faithful and promises to bring truth into the light.
“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open (Luke 8:17).”
Please, Lord, protect the hearts of those closest to this story and comfort those who may still be hurting. I know you allowed for even the darkest moments of my life to draw others and myself closer to you. Thank you for the heart of compassion you have given me, especially for survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Thank you for being a shelter for the weak, and refuge for the oppressed. I pray those reading this who are still seeking will put their hope and trust in you. I pray this all for your glory, Lord, in Jesus name, Amen!
*RELATED POST – We Have This Hope: My Story of Sexual Abuse & Salvation
*updated July 3, 2017 to include a ping back to Brent Brookhouse with Vox Media’s investigative article on Victory Church and make timeline corrections regarding German foreign exchange student reporting timeline, as per her own account in the comment section below. Please also note, Paul Burress was fired from Victory Church in June 2017 after additional allegations were made. His father, Joe Burress Sr. was reinstated as head pastor in the interim.
**September 11, 2017 – update:
Paul Burress was arrested on Friday and faces two counts of forcible touching (source: Democrat & Chronicle, USA Today).
***September 12, 2017 – update:
local tv news station reporting (13WHAM video)
local radio interview with recent accuser (Radio 95.1 video)
****September 15, 2017 – update:
local tv news station interviews a second accuser where explicit allegations are revealed (13WHAM)
two additional charges – additional victims come forward (Democrat & Chronicle, 13WHAM)
****September 19, 2017 – update:
Paul Burress – Criminal Complaint
pleads not guilty to forcible touching (Democrat & Chronicle, 13WHAM)
****October 26, 2017 – update:
According to the DA’s office, “nothing of substance happened in court tonight and the case was adjourned to November 27.”
****November 27, 2017 – update:
According to a representative with the Hentietta Town Court, nothing of substance happened in court and the case was adjourned (again) to January 18, 2018.
****January 18, 2018 – update: According to a Henrietta Town Court Representative, (they still could not come to a plea deal or the lawyer in the case requested more time, so) court was adjourned until February 26 @ 5pm.
****February 26, 2018 – update: I spoke to a Henrietta Town Court Representative who advised court was adjourned (again) until March 14 @ 5pm. Prayer Warriors: Please continue to pray for all of those affected by this!!!!
Update #2: A source present at court last night let me know that there is a plea deal on the table that would involve one year probation (laughable), sex offender status (unfortunately NOT a level that requires registry), and an order of protection for the victims (which actually has already been in place since around the time the charges were filed).
***March 14, 2018 – update: Paul Burress, Henrietta Fight Church Pastor who faced four counts of forcible touching, accepted a plea deal in Henrietta, NY town court tonight (B Misdemeanor, Sexual Abuse 3rd. One year probation as a sex offender. On his record permanently (13WHAM, Democrat & Chronicle, Christian Post)).
Paul is scheduled to return to court for sentencng on May 29th (13WHAM).
June 4, 2021 NEW, RELATED POST: Former Sr. Pastor of Victory Church in Henrietta NY (Joe Burress Sr.) has plead guilty to sexually abusing children
ATTENTION!!!! If you were a victim of abuse at Victory Church, it’s not too late, please! consider joining these most recent victims who are bravely speaking up. You are not alone. The Sheriff’s Office encourages other possible victims to come forward. They may do so by calling 9-1-1 or calling the Monroe County Sheriffs office directly at (585) 753-4400.
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“If anyone causes one of these little ones –those who believe in me– to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.” ~Mark 9:42
“Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are.” ~Arthur Golden
When I was four or five years old. My mom had me stand at the top of the stairs in our thousand square foot, split level house, and jump into her arms in an attempt to explain Faith to me. Faith that she’d catch me. Faith that there was a God who sent His son to die for me.
I’m sure her intentions were pure, but unfortunately the only thing I took away from the conversation that night was that there was this really scary place called Hell. And, if I didn’t say a special prayer to God, I was going to burn in the lake of fire for all eternity.
I remember inviting my friends to church at a very young age, thinking that if I could only get them to hear this magical prayer, recite it and really mean it, they’d earn their “get outta Hell free card” just like me.
I must have said the sinner’s prayer at least a dozen times growing up, hoping I’d eventually get it right. When God didn’t save me from the darkness that consumed my life or fit in the perfectly wrapped package I had created for Him, I began to question and doubt His goodness.
Don’t get me wrong, if anyone asked me if I believed in God, I’d tell them, “I have faith!” I believed there was a God. I believed in the power of God, but I never yielded to Christ. Without even realizing it, I had jumped on the treadmill of Jesus plus something else…
Growing up, I can remember being left alone often as a young child. My mother had struggles of her own which made her physically and emotionally unavailable most days of the week. On the weekend she spent most of her time at church practicing for the choir or cleaning up for service. My father worked 2-3 jobs just to make ends meet. On weekends, he acted as the church treasurer and was an active member on the deacon board. As the eldest of four, a lot of the responsibility of managing my younger siblings unofficially fell on me.
I didn’t have many friends and looking back I realize now it was because my family led a double life. I learned not to speak of what happened in private, to smile even when things at home were tough. I often felt unloved and unsafe. I never felt good enough or that anyone could possibly understand or relate to what I was going through. I adapted and learned to be a chameleon in order to blend in and be accepted. I quickly realized that I couldn’t trust or rely on other people, especially those in a position of power over me. This caused me to feel even more isolated and alone.
I spent more hours in a church building than I did my own home. It wasn’t uncommon for families like mine to allow their children free reign of the church. We acted like we owned the place… I actually remember the pastor at the time scolding some of the parents, including my own, that would try and correct their kids who were running and laughing and playing, saying something along the lines of ,”The kids are just being kids, let them be.”
Unfortunately, as awesome as my childhood church seemed at the time, the gospel being preached was being watered down and the congregation started to believe all kinds of errors. The enemy used deception to pull members far from God.
Before I was old enough to write my name, I had been repeatedly sexually abused by a man that was very involved in this church. He not only abused me, but he abused my younger sister and some of the other girls who attended as well.
“ENDIT” movements like “NOMORE” and “LOVE146” hadn’t hit the scene yet, so most parents weren’t educated on the warning signs of predatory behavior or sexual abuse. When abusers started to raise up within the church, their behavior was covered over and victims were blamed in an attempt to protect the churches reputation and tithing income.
I can remember feeling embarrassed and scared to speak out. The few times I tried, I was shunned and ignored, or was told that no one would believe me because of sins from my past. I seemed to be a magnet for these types of individuals and was made to believe that I had somehow asked for the abuse with the way that I had dressed or behaved.
I would pray to God, BEGGING for His help, but I realize now I was more interested in the comfort or escape I thought He would provide for me. I wasn’t interested in surrendering myself to Him.
By the time I turned 18 my heart was completely hardened to the things of God and I left my childhood church completely. I began to look to the world for my identity.
In 2001 I met my husband, Derek. We were married two years later. On the outside looking in, I had what some would consider to be “the perfect life,” and I was working hard to maintain that image. We even started to attend a new church with our family. I tried not to let on that everything I was pursuing was only bringing temporary relief. On the inside, I was lacking REAL JOY and peace.
I can remember at my lowest points quoting Romans 9 and telling my husband things like, “The bible says that God is the potter and we are the clay. He creates vessels of Glory and vessels of wrath. I must be a vessel of wrath” and “I am no more than a Judas to God,” or “I guess God didn’t pick me.”
In October 2013, I totaled my car and shortly after was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder (Lupus) and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I battled with insomnia, paranoia, dissociation and distorted thinking. My cognitive skills and memory was affected which ultimately led to loss of my job. Medical bills started pouring in and we struggled to make ends meet.
My heart was heavy and consumed with anger.
One evening in particular stands out to me. It was only a couple weeks after I totaled my car. I was so low I wanted to end my life. I waited until my husband and kids were sound asleep. I was just about to leave my bedroom to carry out my plans when my cell phone buzzed and lit up the room. It was my best friend from childhood messaging me via Facebook, out of the blue, simply to let me know that God had put it on her heart to reach out and pray for me. We hadn’t spoke often since we were kids, so she couldn’t possibly know how much God was using her in that moment to extend His grace and love to me.
In February 2014 I went and did a really crazy thing. I drove out and met face to face with one of the men that sexually abused me as a young child. I approached him and his wife and the long and the short of it is, I was tempted to kill him. I almost tried… As I was about to drive away, I thought about running him over with my truck. Thankfully God put another vehicle in my path and gave me a moment of clarity to realize He was giving me a way of escape, a backdoor out.
But the spiritual battle didn’t end there. In March 2014, Rob Morris with LOVE146 visited my church. He did a service on compassion and told stories of young children he worked with who were sexually abused and sold into slavery. His message completely broke me.
To make matters worse, just before Summer some individuals from the Media contacted me to dig into some of the repeat sexual abuse claims that were reported with my childhood church. While I chose not to speak with the reporters, their relentless efforts really opened up some old wounds. This ultimately led me into a downward spiral.
Fast forward six months to November. The pastor of my current church did a service on Acts 8. It was about a man named Simon the Magician. Simon had this false belief that he was going to be able to take the things of God and add them to his already great life. He believed the things of God, but he did not submit to them as his authority.
While listening to the sermon being preached, I realized that I had this hollow idea that God was going to give something to me because of all the horrible things I had gone through in life. I realized that I was just like Simon the Magician.
It wasn’t like there were magic things that happened at this point or a magic prayer that I said. I simply repented and believed. A lightbulb went on, and my heart was opened to The Explicit Gospel for the very first time in my life.
God opened my eyes. He opened my heart. He rescued me in that moment. Hebrews 6:19 finally made sense to me!
“For we have this HOPE that ANCHORS the SOUL, firm and secure.”
The next morning I woke up feeling joy and peace. I thanked God for giving me breath. I thanked God for the trials he brought me through and prayed for the wives of the men that abused me. I begged God to do whatever He needed to do in order to bring those men to repentance, so they could be released from the burdens of sin and spiritual death.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” ~John 3:16-17
All the awful things I experienced has taught me that everything in life can teach you a lesson. You just have to be willing to learn. And, when you stop thinking life is all about yourself, THAT is when God can start to use you. THAT is when you begin to experience REAL JOY.
I know my journey is far from over, but I can be confident of this…
“He who began a good work in [me] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” ~Philippians 1:6
“Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things, I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and Sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” ~Philippians 3:7-14
**RELATED POST: Surviving Childhood Sexual Abuse
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