The frontman of the Christian rock band NEEDTOBREATHE has issued a public response to serious allegations of childhood sexual abuse made by his younger brother and former bandmate.

In an Instagram post last week, Bo Rinehart shared that he is a survivor of childhood abuse by multiple people, including “a Camp counselor", “my youth pastor", and, most controversially, “my brother”.

Bo, who left NEEDTOBREATHE in 2020, shared that speaking out was part of his healing journey: “Even when my faith has been crushed, I know that God still has provisions for me... Don’t give up and don’t lose hope.”

Bo, who departed from NEEDTOBREATHE in 2020, later posted and then deleted an Instagram Story featuring a photo of Bear with the caption “Sexual Abuser.”

Bear Rinehart responded days later via his Wilder Woods account, saying: “I feel the need to comment on the deeply hurtful and misleading accusations that my brother Bo made.”

While affirming his love for Bo, Bear said he had chosen to stay silent until now out of a desire to protect his family, including his three young sons.

Bear acknowledged that both he and Bo were sexually abused as young children by a teenage camp counselor at a Christian retreat.

He wrote: “Neither of us received support for these events until well into adulthood.”

Bear said that during a joint counselling session five years ago, they had processed their shared trauma together: “To now label me an abuser in such a heartless way is not only deeply painful, but is also wildly misleading and feels intentionally harmful.”

Bear ended his message saying: “I truly do pray for this healing. I believe that all of us are broke and in need of a saviour. My brother and I are no different.”