A yearlong investigation by NBC News has identified nearly 200 Assemblies of God pastors, staff and volunteers accused of sexual abuse since the 1970s, alleging a pattern of reinstating offenders, weak reporting, and heavy reliance on local autonomy.
The report claims that 475 people were allegedly abused, most of them children.
The report details cases where ministers returned to pulpits or youth work after prison or “restoration” counselling, with some offending again.
Survivors describe assaults in churches, homes and on trips, and say warnings were ignored or spiritualised.
“We trusted the church to do the right thing,” said Courtney Blackburn, who reported misconduct as a teenager in Arkansas.
Another survivor, Jen Doyle, urged reform, saying: Stop giving the lawyers a vote.”
NBC noted that efforts in 2019 and 2021 to mandate denomination-wide child-protection policies were rejected after legal advice warned of liability risks.
The General Council said it “grieves with anyone who has been hurt through the actions of an abuser", described itself as “a leader in preventing and combating child sexual abuse", and emphasised that affiliated churches govern themselves.
A restoration manual now bars returning anyone who abused children to ministry, but critics say gaps remain for non-credentialed roles and inconsistent local practice.
Advocates are calling for an independent review, a denomination-wide alert system for credibly accused leaders, mandatory background checks and training, and firm reporting rules.