Greg Laurie’s Harvest Christian Fellowship Accused of Operating a ‘Cover-Up Machine’ to Hide Abuse Allegations

Harvest Christian Fellowship, a California-based megachurch led by Pastor Greg Laurie, faces new allegations of institutional complicity in covering up child sexual abuse. A revised lawsuit filed last week claims that nearly two dozen plaintiffs were sexually abused by Paul Havsgaard, a former pastor at the church, while he worked at a Romanian orphanage. The lawsuit also names Harvest Christian Fellowship, Laurie, and former missions pastor Richard Schutte as defendants.

The complaint includes new allegations that two former Harvest pastors engaged in sexual misconduct with female staff members. These claims are presented as evidence of a broader pattern of institutional cover-up. The plaintiffs argue that Harvest leadership ignored red flags, failed to supervise Havsgaard, and did not act when presented with evidence of possible abuse.

Since September 2025, when two former orphanage residents first sued Havsgaard, more individuals have come forward to allege abuse. By December 2025, 12 separate lawsuits were in the works. On March 6, 2026, the law firm McAllister Olivarius filed a consolidated complaint in U.S. federal court in California, combining 22 lawsuits by men and women who claim Havsgaard sexually abused them at the orphanage.

The consolidated complaint alleges that Harvest and its founder, Greg Laurie, operated a “sophisticated ‘cover-up machine.’” It claims the church used internal surveillance, financial payoffs, and purged records to conceal child sexual abuse in its international operations. The lawsuit references two former Harvest pastors who were quietly fired in 2021 and 2022 amid allegations of sexual misconduct with church employees.

Harvest Christian Fellowship has previously stated that allegations of child abuse by Havsgaard are “serious and disturbing” but that suing the church is a “misplaced” legal action. The church also claimed it was a target of “financial extortion” by an “aggressive celebrity attorney.” Despite supporting the consolidation of the lawsuits, Harvest indicated it plans to argue that the case should be tried in Romania, not in the United States.

The allegations raise significant concerns about accountability and governance within Christian organizations that serve minors. As Proverbs 31:8-9 reminds us, we are called to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. The case underscores the need for transparency, justice, and a commitment to protecting the vulnerable.

Source: Read the original report