ACBC drops Grace Community Church from its list of approved training centers without explanation. The Sun Valley, California, megachurch still markets itself as “vetted and approved by ACBC,” so the change creates confusion. ACBC now lists 90 approved programs, but Grace no longer appears on that list. Both ACBC and Grace ignored requests for comment, and the Christian Post first reported the removal.
Open Letter Demands Transparency
Former elder Hohn Cho praised the action but asked for public details, since the list is public. Cho wrote that the step followed three years of appeals, complaints, and advocacy. He also said the facts have sat on the record for years without rebuttal. Cho declined additional comment when reached.
Lawsuit and Counseling Complaints Add Pressure
A November lawsuit alleges church leaders discounted a woman’s warnings about child sexual abuse and domestic violence. The complaint says counselors pressured her to keep children in harm’s way and rebuked her for calling the police. It also claims leaders minimized the misconduct as “digital only” and urged submission despite fear. The suit says church leadership enabled alleged abuser Clinton Jung, and it cites a district attorney who said church interference muddled evidence.
The woman, listed as “Jane Doe,” filed an ACBC complaint in 2023 with three other women. They accused elder Bill Shannon, then over Grace’s counseling ministry, of mishandling abuse allegations. Cho said ACBC deemed the complaints credible, but Shannon refused substantive responses. Shannon resigned before the case closed, and ACBC removed him from its list of approved counselors. With Cho’s help, Doe asked ACBC to reopen the case in December 2025.
Broader Pattern Claims and Competing Concerns
A 2022 investigation reported John MacArthur publicly shamed a mother who separated from an abusive husband, and church leaders later faced police accusations in that case. Another lawsuit in 2024 alleges defamation stemming from church discipline and pressure to reconcile despite safety concerns. Grace Elder John Street, an ACBC board member, has taught that women should endure most abuse, but he advised calling the police only in imminent danger and warned against “secular” handling.
Supporters of the removal say ACBC drops Grace Community Church in line with long-standing, documented concerns about protecting women and children. Detractors worry that the unexplained move fuels uncertainty, so they want ACBC to clarify its standards and processes.
Grace Community Church no longer certified to train biblical counselors
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