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Statement by Karen Hinkley, formerly Karen Root

Edmund Burke once said, The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for
good men to do nothing. After much prayer and consideration, I speak out today
because I must.
It would be hard to believe that the events of the past five months had happened
had I not experienced them myself. The discovery of Jordans pedophilia and use of
child pornography was an indescribable shock and triggered a thorough upheaval of
every aspect of my life. While I have been upheld by the grace of God every step of
the way, I have wondered many times whether it is possible to fully recover from
something like what has happened to me. And during these months, what has
become even more troubling than the issues that have come to light in Jordans life
has been the consistent refusal of the pastors and elders of The Village Church to
respond in a way that takes into account the seriousness of the situation at hand.
Jordans admitted pedophilia and use of child pornography over many years is no
small thing. The child pornography industry relies on the exploitation and abuse of
children and their bodies, and the use of child pornography harms children by
driving the demand for more. What is even more disturbing than his use of child
pornography is that throughout the duration of these years, Jordan sought and
gained access to a large number of children, many of whom represent some of the
most vulnerable populations of children in our society. His ability to successfully
manipulate others is evidenced by the complete trust that was placed in him by
many parents, companies, churches, and organizations over the course of these
years. It is my sincere hope that Jordan has not sexually abused any children, but I
believe the circumstances warrant his exposure so that any victims who might be
out there can be identified and given an opportunity for justice and healing.
The inclination towards minimization and secrecy that the pastors and elders of The
Village Church have displayed is inexcusable. And the spiritual abuse I have
experienced at their hands is unacceptable from those who would represent Jesus
Christ. Jesus cares deeply for the vulnerable and the voiceless. He speaks strongly
against those who would victimize children, and he went toe-to-toe with the
religious bullies of his day who tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on
other peoples shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move
them. (Matthew 23) The treatment of Jordan as the victim and me as the
perpetrator by the leadership of the church is an appalling reversal that evidences
priorities that are not in line with the Word of God.
Jordan, if you have acted out sexually in any way with any child, I urge you to
demonstrate the repentance you claim to be walking in by confessing to the
appropriate authorities and giving them the names of all children who were affected
so their parents can be informed and they can receive the care they need. I also
urge you to willingly seek out appropriate treatment for the nature and seriousness
of your issues.
Pastors and elders of The Village Church, I urge you to rethink your hasty and public
declaration of Jordans repentance and require him to seek out appropriate
treatment for the nature and seriousness of his issues. I also urge you to conduct a

thorough inquiry into how this situation unfolded and reform any policies and
practices that contributed to your failure to respond appropriately.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, I urge you to join me in holding the pastors and elders
of The Village Church accountable for repentance and reform. As the Body of Christ,
the Church should be the safest place on earth for the vulnerable and the
victimized, and we must join together in proactive unity if we desire for this to
become a reality.
In the Name of Jesus and for His Sake,
Karen Hinkley (formerly Karen Root)

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