Teens for Christ has focused on its international outreach amid a criminal investigation into claims several former ministry leaders and volunteers engaged in sexual misconduct and mishandling of abuse allegations.
Photo by Mackenzi Klemann | The Lima News
LIMA — Teens for Christ may restart its local ministry next fall, according to its November newsletter.
The Christian outreach organization, which hosted its annual fundraiser in October, temporarily halted its local ministry this fall amid a criminal investigation into claims of sexual misconduct.
The Allen County Sheriff’s Office closed its portion of the investigation earlier this month without pressing charges, but the findings were turned over to federal authorities coordinating a multi-state investigation into the claims.
The status of that investigation is unclear.
Teens for Christ has emphasized its international ministries in the meantime, promoting Director of International Ministires Rich Rakay to interim executive director, sharing stories about the ministry’s overseas missionary work on Facebook and bringing missionaries from its outposts in Kenya, Nepal and Bangladesh to visit the Lima headquarters this fall.
“Please know that while we celebrate all that God is doing through TFC around the world, we have not forgotten the home base of Lima, Ohio or the USA,” Rakay wrote in the November newsletter.
Rakay, who declined to comment in an email to The Lima News earlier this month due to the investigation, wrote in the newsletter that the TFC board of directors will begin its search for a new ministry director for the Lima region in 2023.
“Our prayer is to relaunch local chapters in the fall of 2023,” Rakay wrote. “We know the ministry will look a little different as new leaders and volunteers come on board. We know it will take time to rebuild. We also know that the spiritual need is great and God has called us to reach teens with the Good News of Jesus Christ—especially those in our own neighborhoods.
“I ask you to prayerfully discern how God wants you to be involved in the next iteration of Teens for Christ. It’s going to take all of us to make it happen.”
The TFC board took control of the organization in July after an anonymous letter detailing an alleged pattern of sexual misconduct, emotional abuse and mishandling of abuse allegations by several former ministry leaders and volunteers was circulated online.
Board members said they would review the ministry’s internal policies and “thoroughly investigate” the claims, raising the possibility that they would seek outside assistance with the investigation “if needed,” according to a response letter the board published on Facebook in July, which has since been removed.
All staff allegedly involved were placed on administrative leave, according to the board’s letter.
The board of Living Hope Church, which is affiliated with TFC, issued a similar letter notifying congregants that all staff members allegedly involved had “voluntarily stepped aside” while an investigation was underway.
