On 8/18/21, we received credible reports at the end of the Wednesday night service, the live stream was turned off, non "family" was barred from the auditorium, and Pastor Kingsbury announced his intent to resign from both NLBC and the RU Ministry. There was no apology or plan to curb abuse put forth.
The Rockford Register Star reports, "North Love Baptist Church and Independence Village of Rockford, had knowledge of the continuous abuse and kept him (John Neece) on as an employee."
John Neese is not the first North Love Baptist Church employee to be named in a sexual abuse case. In March 2018, another employee, Charles Tucker of Machesney Park, was found guilty of four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child under 13 years of age and nine counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. The charges stem from a 2013 investigation by the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department. Tucker, now 53, is serving a life sentence in the Menard Correctional Center.
After reality star Josh Dugger received treatment through the RU program in 2015, the national spotlight was turned to this ministry. This shed light on the drugs, financial impropriaties, abuse, and sexual crimes covered in the name of recovery. Several previous graduates from the RU program have come forward with their stories of rampant drug use and abuse from the leaders of the home.
Please pray that the Lord's Will be done in this matter. Let justice be served and His name be glorified.