Salon.com > Megachurch http://www.salon.com Wed, 22 May 2013 17:40:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Sex abuse claims stem from Tulsa megachurch http://www.salon.com/2012/09/20/sex_abuse_claims_stem_from_tulsa_megachurch_2/ http://www.salon.com/2012/09/20/sex_abuse_claims_stem_from_tulsa_megachurch_2/#comments Thu, 20 Sep 2012 22:29:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13017547 TULSA, Okla. (AP) — A 17,000-member megachurch deep in Oklahoma’s Bible Belt has been rattled by allegations that five employees waited two weeks to report the rape of a 13-year-old girl in a campus stairwell, allegedly by a church worker.

Tulsa police say the girl is among at least three victims of alleged sex crimes by two former employees of Victory Christian Center who face criminal charges. A child crimes investigator says more victims could surface as police continue to investigate.

Authorities, however, fear some parishioners in the large, tight-knit south Tulsa congregation may choose to pray about the allegations rather than provide concrete evidence.

Police said this week that the worldwide ministry’s pastor and co-founder, Sharon Daugherty, whose daily broadcasts are beamed via satellite to more than 200 countries, knew about the abuse allegations, but trusted ministry employees to follow in-house policies on reporting such incidents.

Former church employee Chris Denman, 20, was arrested Sept. 5 for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl in a stairwell before a church service on Aug. 13. He also is charged with molesting a 15-year-old girl sometime between Aug. 13 and Aug. 17. He has pleaded not guilty and faces an Oct. 11 preliminary hearing, court records show.

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