Bruxa Cavey’s Frmr Megachurch suspends ministry after insurer ends fraud protection

Canadian megachurch The Meeting House has announced a near-complete cessation of ministry activities after the church’s insurer failed to renew its malpractice insurance, according to a statement on its website and an email sent in mid-June.

Church officials said they were unable to obtain malpractice or employment practices liability insurance from their current insurer or any other organization before their June 30 renewal date.

The news comes two years after The Meeting House, one of Canada’s largest churches, faced a church-wide abuse scandal. The church’s former lead pastor, Bruxy Cavey, was arrested and charged with sexual assault, Roys Report (TRR) reported. Three other pastors have also been credibly accused of sexual misconduct, and two of them received convictions.

“The historic incidents and allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse at The Meeting House continue to impact our church in many ways, including how insurance carriers view us,” church officials wrote in an email to congregants.

The leaders said they had sought insurance from “all available insurers in Canada — and some international ones — that work with churches,” but were unsuccessful, according to the email.

Currently, without the abuse coverage, the church has suspended all in-person ministries, including Sunday and midweek meetings, children’s and youth programs, online and in-person home church, and pastoral counseling, according to an email. The church officially suspended those activities on June 30.

“We do not believe there is a safe and feasible way to return to ministry,” the Transition Council and Network Leaders said on the church’s website.

According to its website, the church only offers “curated teachings and worship services” on its YouTube channel and weekly worship services on its podcast channels.

“We know this will be another difficult challenge for us, and we are saddened by the need to interrupt ministry as a church,” the church leader said in an email. “At the same time, we feel God is moving among us in powerful ways, and we have great hope in the process of submission and listening to the leading of the Spirit as we discern where He is leading us now.”

The leaders added that they feel called to pause ministry in July to discern what next steps God intends to take in the future.

At its peak, Pastor Cavey grew the church to 5,000 people in 19 locations, TRR reported. The church now attracts about 1,500 people in 12 locations, Christianity Today reports.

If the church cannot receive support in its current form, its leaders can consider “new and promising ways to be churches together in the future,” the email said.

Church leaders encouraged members to continue to prioritize spiritual community during this break. If members want to attend other churches during the break, leaders said pastors can make recommendations.

“We are reminded and grateful that ‘church’ is not an organization or a legal entity; it is people gathered for a purpose, with Jesus at the center,” leaders wrote on the website. “People in the community may connect socially as individuals during this break. However, all involved must understand that these social activities will not be organized, sanctioned, endorsed, or underwritten by The Meeting House.”

Church leaders said they will provide an update on next steps by the end of July.

Outside group uncovers 38 reports of abuse at church

The church’s history of abuse began in March 2022, when church leadership asked Cavey to resign as lead pastor amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Two months later, police in the Canadian city of Hamilton charged him with one count of sexual assault.

Then in August, an independent investigation by The Meeting substantiated multiple allegations of sexual harassment against Cavey, including one involving a minor.

Cavey is currently awaiting trial on a total of three sexual assault charges, CBC News reports. He maintains his innocence.

In the summer of 2022, church elders revealed that three other pastors had received credible reports of sexual harassment.

In addition, the church’s independent victim advocate discovered 38 reports of sexual misconduct that largely went unreported to the congregation. TRR reported. Many of these reports occurred years earlier.

According to The Walrus, there are at least three multi-million dollar lawsuits pending at the Meeting House related to sexual abuse.

During a 2022 city council meeting, Church leaders said that in the past, the Church often focused on the offender before addressing the victim.

However, in a recent email, church leaders said they are taking steps to “address systemic risk, help prevent abuse, and create a safe environment for staff, volunteers, and worshipers.”

According to the email, these actions included implementing new policies and procedures to address conflict and abuse, restructuring management, appointing new leadership and improving volunteer training and monitoring.

While leaders say they have received positive feedback from insurers and experts on the actions they have taken, the steps taken were still not enough to renew the insurance.

During the church’s last meeting on June 23, interim pastor Chris Chase shared his surprise at the news delivered via online broadcast.

“When I heard the news, I was just stunned,” Chase said. “I couldn’t believe it because we’d been through so much and you think, ‘Oh, we’re finally through the valley, we’re at the top of the mountain,’ and then you realize you’re still in the valley.”

One viewer responded in a comment: “I’m heartbroken that the previous leaders put the current leaders in this position.”

Chase asked viewers to pray for a miracle, for insurance to cover medical expenses, for leaders who have to make difficult decisions and for church members who have faced challenges over the years.

“Pray for each other because for some this is as much as they can bear,” he said. “They’ve been through this and this may be their breaking point.”

Liz Lykins, a freelance journalist, writes for WORLD Magazine, Christianity Today, Ministry Watch, and other publications.