The move comes one year after a 220-page report was presented to the General Assembly about domestic abuse and sexual assault. The committee behind that report included Rachael Denhollander and Ann Maree Goudzwaard, as well as New York Pastor Tim LeCroy.
“The world is watching and they’re waiting to see how we’ll respond to the issue of abuse,” LeCroy told last week’s General Assembly before voting occurred. “Our church members are waiting to see how we will respond on the issue of abuse.”
After the overtures were rejected, Goudzwaard expressed disappointment that the “positive momentum” achieved by her committee had stalled. As part of her church-based ministry to assist survivors, she said she receives “an avalanche” of daily calls about abuse.
Tennessee Pastor Kevin Twit also was disappointed by the outcome. “To vote this down in an attempt to correct it in this cultural moment is incredibly unwise,” he said. “It is a reason to weep over how long it’s taken us to address this problem that is a barrier for truth and justice.”
 debated and voted on several overtures, or church-legislation measures, related to women in ministry, sexuality, and sexual abuse response.){kind=link}