Survivors can call the Michigan Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.855.VOICES4 (864.2374) anytime for access to support and resources.
GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A century-old church with deep ties to West Michigan will spend up to $500,000 to address decades of sexual abuse and coverups.
But, leaders of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America (PRCA) this week denied a request to hire a new third-party investigator to dig into dozens of allegations of sexual abuse identified during an earlier investigation.
Instead, consistories — the elders and pastors at each church — will be allowed to investigate sexual abuse allegations, with $500,000 set aside for education, training and investigations.
They'll be allowed to use their own outside investigators.
Survivors told Target 8 they were disappointed, one calling it "business as usual."
Some survivors say they don't trust that individual churches will thoroughly investigate, especially if it involves their own leaders or church members they know.
"Most will choose to protect the church name and the perp families," said a man who was repeatedly molested by his teacher at Hope Protestant Reformed School in Walker in the 1970s. "The PRCA doesn't want an independent third-party investigation. It would be too ugly."
"All they want to do is keep it quiet and behind closed doors," said Heidi Woldhuis, a former church member who said she was molested by a teacher in the 1970s. "They don't want their members going to jail or prison. I get that, it doesn't look good, but they're doing it at the expense of people who are suffering."
The PRCA's top leadership met over parts of the last two weeks during Synod 2025 at Faith Protestant Reformed Church in Georgetown Township. They deliberated for hours about the sex abuse scandal.
PRCA leaders have gone back and forth on this.
Synod 2023 hired a third party, Guidepost Solutions, which uncovered 43 cases of abuse and mishandling of sexual abuse allegations, some dating back decades.
Guidepost conducted a church-wide survey, set up a hotline and interviewed survivors and others. That investigation cost the denomination $358,000.
Guidepost's report also accused the church of violating state laws that require clergy and educators to report child abuse.
But last year, before Guidepost could investigate specific allegations, church leaders reversed course — denouncing the report and deciding they should never have hired Guidepost in the first place.
That led to a Target 8 investigation, Private Sin, that relied on the Guidepost report, police reports, court documents and interviews with survivors and accused abusers.
This year, First Protestant Reformed Church of Holland sent an overture to Synod 2025, requesting that it hire a Christian-based group of former police officers who specialize in investigating sex crimes. That request was supported by Classis East, which includes leaders from PRCA churches in the eastern US, including Michigan.
"In light of Synod 2024’s decision, we believe that it is incumbent upon our denomination not to leave things where they currently are, but seriously to face the question: are there other courses of action that we should take to help our churches address and root out the sin of sexual abuse in our midst?" the Holland church wrote in its proposal.
The church's Guidepost Report Evaluation Committee, which met 15 times, also pushed for a third-party, denomination-wide investigation.
A member of the church, who is related to an abuse victim and didn't want to be identified, said he was disappointed that Synod 2025 denied those requests.
"That the Guidepost investigation was not completed does not mean, however, that it was all for nothing," he wrote in a text message to Target 8. "I’m hopeful that what Guidepost reported and recommended to the denomination will be utilized to help the PRCA become better equipped to care for those who have been hurt and so that the church can be the refuge it’s intended to be. I’m confident too that the members and leaders of the PRCA desire this as well."
"But, while I make no claim to speak for survivors of abuse, I do think that some survivors - especially those whose cases have been mishandled by a consistory - will find this decision of Synod disappointing, confusing, and ultimately unhelpful for their own particular case," the message said.
Most delegates of Synod 2025 declined Target 8's request for comment after this week's meeting, including Synod President Garrett Eriks, who had previously opposed an outside investigation.
Delegate Jim Regnerus, an elder, said he voted for the $500,000 sex abuse fund.
"I think the churches are making a clear statement that we care about all our members, and we want to do what we can," he said.
When asked about the third-party investigation, Regnerus responded: "No, I can't really speak to that."
"I pray for them," delegate Stephan De Jong said of the survivors. "I love them and wish God's blessing on them."
"I think we made choices that are best for the victims and we will keep doing that," he said.
Church member Jean Bylsma, who was molested by a PRCA coach when she was 14, said the issue continues to divide the church. She attended Synod 2025.
"The decision of synod to not use a Christian organization to help investigate sexual abuse and mishandling of some cases in the PRCA is very disappointing, but even more so, utterly confusing.
"Synod 2024 said that it was wrong for the PRC to use a secular organization to help with an investigation. Synod 2024 also said that it would not violate Scripture to seek help from an organization that is part of the church organism, that is, the universal body of believers who represent Christ’s cause in a fallen world.
"Synod 2024 said that hiring a third party to investigate abuse in the PRC does not threaten the autonomy of the local congregation. Synod 2024 reiterated that there are reasons that warrant a denomination-wide investigation.
"I don’t know of any official decision from Synod 2024 that made it clear that the PRCA will only handle investigations into sexual abuse at the individual consistory level. But that was a ground given by synod 2025 to turn down the overture.
"The shift in the denomination's position from 2024 to 2025 has led many seeking a continued denomination-wide investigation to feel that their time and energy has been wasted.
"This is telling of the deep division within the denomination over this issue.
"I’m thankful that Synod 2025 decided to designate money for education, training, and investigating specific cases of sexual abuse in congregations. History has shown, however, that even when offered funds, certain consistories choose not to reach out to third parties to help in specific cases and Classis cannot mandate that an individual consistory must do an investigation.
"It seems like the recent decisions of Synod 2025 will not help the individual survivors of sexual abuse. I hope and pray that I’m wrong. Time will tell."
Jean Bylsma wrote in an email to Target 8