Sons of Patriarchy

Abuse in ACBC

Jul 10, 2025
An anonymous survivor shares her harrowing journey of childhood sexual abuse and her experiences with ACBC/NANC-style biblical counseling. She dives deep into ACBC's troubling history and highlights how the counseling approach often minimized her trauma, focusing instead on spiritual homework that downplayed her fears. The survivor reveals how institutional responses silenced her concerns and emphasizes the lasting impact of this harmful counseling on her mental health. Ultimately, she advocates for the integration of modern psychological care alongside faith.
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ANECDOTE

Counseling Prioritized Submission Over Safety

  • Anonymous Survivor described being counseled by Amy Baker with her mother always present and being told her anger proved a lack of trust in God.
  • The counselor assigned homework like listing how her father had blessed her life and prioritized ‘trusting God’ over safety concerns.
ANECDOTE

Public Repentance Meeting With Scripted Lines

  • The counselors staged a public “repentance meeting” where the father repeated lines provided by Bob Smith and the survivor was compelled to nod forgiveness.
  • They then demanded a threefold promise: never speak, never think, and never talk about the abuse again.
ANECDOTE

Reunification Based On Wife’s Sexual Duty

  • After the repentance meeting, counselors pushed family reunification using a booklet teaching wives must aggressively satisfy husbands’ sexual desires.
  • The survivor was told her mother’s sexual obedience would prevent the father’s temptations and thereby make the home safe.
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