This is the true story of a church in America's Bible Belt, the First Christian Church in Florissant, Missouri--a church with a meager beginning and record of steady growth for forty-nine years until the weight of sexual abuse charges against a youth minister left it, and its congregation, broken. This is a case history and analysis of those events.
This is for the victims.—Joy S. Taylor, Author
Hear a just cause, O LORD. Attend to my cry. Give ear to my prayer. Wondrously show your steadfast love as I seek refuge in you. I am beloved and kept, hidden in the shadow of your wings. My enemies seek violence. They close their hearts to pity. They speak arrogantly to cast me to…
Preserve me, O God, because you are my refuge. I have no good apart from your lordship. You multiply the sorrows of those who run after other gods. You do not accept their drink offerings of blood; and their names are not known to you. You are my chosen portion. You hold my lot. I…
Father God, you are near. You hold my heart. Guide my steps to honor you. Show me how walk blamelessly and do what is right. Keep me from slander and reproach against a friend. Teach me to speak only truth and to use my assets to glorify your name. May I never be moved away…
Almighty and Everlasting God, the fool says in his heart that you are not. He is corrupt and perpetrates evil deeds. You look down on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, any who seek you. Have they no knowledge of you, these who eat up your people like bread…
Lord, have you forgotten us? Do you turn your face away from us in our iniquity? Forgive us, for we sin against you. Your face remains consistently upon us; we are the ones who have moved away from you. We trample truth in the streets. We forget our legacy as beings created in your image….
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