The Russell Moore Show Should I Report Abuse in Church to the Police?
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Apr 13, 2026 A clear answer on whether suspected church abuse should be reported to police first. A look at why church-only reporting policies enable concealment. Discussion of misuse of Matthew 18 when criminal matters are involved. Practical advice for raising concerns about church policy wording without creating conflict.
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Clarify Ambiguous Church Reporting Policies
- Ask the church to clarify any policy that seems to require internal reporting before contacting police.
- Moore suggests framing it as seeking clarification and watching how leaders respond as a test of safety.
Bad Wording Can Enable Cover Up
- A badly worded policy can unintentionally enable cover-up even without malicious intent.
- Moore notes some churches copy policies without thinking through how wording could be interpreted to block police involvement.
Matthew 18 Does Not Replace Police
- Matthew 18's process addresses interpersonal offenses, not criminal abuse.
- Moore warns conflating private church discipline with criminal reporting has caused enormous harm in abuse cases.