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Photo: Grace Community Church former lead pastor, John MacArthur; via Wikipedia.
This Christian Post (per BishopAccountability.org) reported yesterday on a new lawsuit that claims that Grace Community Church of Sun Valley, California, a large nondenominational church previously led by John MacArthur, aided and abetted a man accused of abusing his child. The lawsuit was filed in Sacramento County Superior Court by a woman and three minors. The suit names the church and Clinton Jung as defendants.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff reported in early 2021 that Jung had sexually abused their toddler. She alleges that Grace Community Church leaders attempted to conceal his conduct instead of reporting it as required by law. Plaintiff claims she was told to “submit” to Jung’s authority even as the abuse continued. The complaint states that “at numerous points, the Church colluded with Clinton to force Plaintiff to remain in the home with him and under his control despite knowing he had engaged in domestic violence and was likely to do it again in the future.” The filing further alleges that Jung “was emboldened to repeatedly engage in his conduct, including by sexually abusing his toddler again and again.”
The plaintiffs claim that after Plaintiff and her children left Jung, church leaders testified on his behalf during proceedings that allowed him weekly supervised visitation. At one of those visits, Jung allegedly forced J.J. to touch his penis, and at another visit he allegedly took her into a hotel bathroom and forced her to look at his penis.
The complaint asserts claims of childhood sexual abuse, negligence, domestic violence, and aiding and abetting domestic violence. It requests a jury trial. After a lengthy investigation, prosecutors declined to file charges due to difficulty proving intent beyond a reasonable doubt.
The lawsuit cites a 2023 letter from the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office that criticized Grace Community Church for its handling of the allegations. The letter states that “the pastor and elders at Grace Community Church muddled what could have been helpful evidence as to [Clinton’s] intent” and argued that their decision to handle the matter internally, instead of following mandatory reporting requirements, hindered the investigation.
A plaintiff’s attorney representing the Plaintiff and the children said “the allegations in this case are about an ongoing pattern,” explaining that the plaintiffs allege consistent misconduct over a prolonged period. The attorney added, “Parents should be able to trust that houses of faith and worship protect our children from harm, not facilitate it and cover it up. And this case alleges that Grace Community Church did exactly the opposite.”
The plaintiff’s lawsuit is not the first to allege mistreatment connected to Grace Community Church leadership. In 2022, allegations surfaced that the church publicly shamed and excommunicated a woman in 2002 after she filed for separation from her husband, David Gray, a former Grace Community Church teacher later convicted of child molestation. Reports claim church leaders failed to notify authorities and pressured her to reconcile. In 2024, another woman, Lorraine Zielinski, stated that the church disciplined her after she sought separation from her allegedly abusive husband. Zielinski reported feeling dismissed, bullied, and subjected to pastoral counseling that ignored her physical health concerns, including treatment for brain lesions. She described this treatment as part of a larger pattern of inappropriate church discipline and disregard for her wellbeing.
