Fleming stated that Joiner’s resignation from North Point came not because of any speculation of abuse but because of North Point’s “growing frustration with the overlap of Reggie’s nonprofit.”
Causey first became aware of Joiner’s abusive relationship with the survivor four years ago after the survivor revealed what had happened to her. Fleming shared that Causey kept that information “confidential” at the request of the survivor and “as she is trained to do as a licensed counselor and care pastor.”
Andy Stanley ‘Truly Didn’t’ Know About the Abuse
“I want to tell you that if there’s any doubt in your mind whether Andy knew about this young woman’s abuse,” Causey said as she addressed the staff, “let me ease your mind and tell you he truly didn’t.” Causey explained that the reason she knows that is because she met with the survivor “weekly” and she didn’t know it was going on until “four years ago when she confided in me.”
In the brief time during which Causey spoke to the staff, she encouraged anyone who has had a similar situation happen to them, “whether it’s sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or just inappropriate behavior that makes you uncomfortable,” to come to leadership for help.
“We may not be able to catch everything that happens right away or fire every leader at the early signs of abuse, because we may need to investigate it a little further, but it will be taken seriously,” Causey said.
An emotional Stanley then expressed how seriously the leadership at North Point is taking this situation. “The last thing we want to do is to undermine the integrity of the full story of what this young woman experienced,” he said.
‘It’s Worse Than She Even Described,’ Stanley Tells Staff
Stanley shared that after his meeting with the survivor, he realized that her experiences were “worse than she even described” in the blog on Hagar’s Voice. “It’s beyond tragic,” he said. “It’s disgusting.”
“You’re free to share this information, because we’re, in a sense, trying to clear our reputation,” he said. “But at the same time, we do not want to undermine the integrity of the story, because all of us believe it.”
Stanley then said that he told the survivor in their meeting, which took place the day before the online staff meeting, that the “part of the tragedy of this is that I believed you then, and I believe you now.”
Stanley shared that he apologized to her “because there was a sense in which [had we] known more, we had the opportunity to stop something that has gone on for years, not just in her life, but in the lives of other young women, and that sits heavy on our hearts.”
Before concluding the meeting, Stanley reiterated his frustration towards Strickland for not forewarning him about the allegations the survivor levied against him, his staff, and his church.
“She has my cell phone number,” said Stanley in reference to Strickland. “She should have called me and said [she was] going to release a story. Not to get permission to release it, but to let us know ahead of time.”
