The scandal-hit Bethel Church has chosen a third party firm to investigate claims of grooming made against its prophetic ministry leader, Ben Armstrong.

California-based firm Sintra Group Investigations describes itself as specialising in “bringing issues to light”. Among its professional expertise are “pre-employment screenings”, “allegations of misconduct” and “harassment complaints”.

In February, Ben Armstrong was placed on administrative leave following allegations of sexual abuse dating back to 2009, including claims of grooming and nonconsensual touching. Bethel said that placing him on leave for now was “not a verdict, but a necessary measure intended to reflect the care and sobriety with which we approach matters of this nature.”

The allegations against Armstrong arose a month after Christian YouTuber Mike Winger released an expose video, calling out Bethel for its handling of alleged abuse by another previous prophetic ministry leader, Shawn Bolz.

In the same statement regarding the Sintra Group, Bethel said it was having “ongoing conversation” with its members about their experiences.

“We believe this kind of accountability isn’t just right, but necessary,” the statement said. “We will share concrete next steps for what that looks like in the coming weeks.