Acts 29 Background / The Crowded House Report

In this episode, Jay and Johnna kick off the podcast and share why they started Bodies Behind the Bus. Before we get into survivor stories, we lay the groundwork with the story that started it all: Acts 29, a global church planting network, and The Crowded House, a church network in Sheffield, England, led by Steve Timmis. We cover Timmis's abrupt removal as Acts 29's chief executive officer (CEO) in 2020, the Christianity Today article that followed, and the independent investigation by thirtyone:eight, a charity that protects people from church abuse. We read parts of thirtyone:eight's 98-page report on The Crowded House, including firsthand accounts from elders and members, and show how a culture built around one man's leadership let the abuse continue for years, known to many but confronted by almost no one. References thirtyone:eight, "The Crowded House Learning Review" (Final Report, October 2020) https://static1.squarespace.com/stati... Christianity Today, "Acts 29 CEO Removed Amid 'Accusations of Abusive Leadership'" by Kate Shellnutt https://www.christianitytoday.com/202... The Roys Report, "Acts 29 President Matt Chandler Under Fire for Removing Staff Alleging Abuse & Changing Story About Removal of CEO" by Julie Roys https://julieroys.com/acts-29-preside... Support the show https://tinyurl.com/2jyd7eew