Victims want church’s help

Two accused predators worked there

One’s in prison; the other’s at a different church

Self help group says “If you were hurt, come forward”

It also urges Houston congregation to “do outreach to others”

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will

--release a police report about an alleged predatory minister at a huge Houston church,

--urge victims of his – or of another predatory minister at the same church - to step forward, and

--beg anyone who many have seen or suspected crimes – by either man - to call police.

They will also prod current and former church officials to use pulpit announcements and website pleas to encourage anyone with knowledge of or suspicions about either minister to speak up.

WHEN

Thursday, Jan. 9 at 12:30 p.m.

WHERE

Outside a mega-church, Second Baptist, 6400 Woodway (corner of Voss) in Houston

WHO

Three members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, including a Missouri woman who is the organization’s assistant Midwest director

WHY

SNAP is worried about more possible victims two former Second Baptist ministers, both accused of crimes.

The first is Chad Foster, a young minister who was sentenced in April to five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to raping a 16-year-old girl in 2011 and soliciting another teen online.

http://www.khou.com/news/crime/Youth-pastor-accused-of-inappropriate-relationships-with-teen-girls-to-learn-fate-200922381.html

http://www.abpnews.com/archives/item/7018-former-staffer-at-sbc-mega-church-focus-of-abuse-investigation#.Us3RjH-9KSM

http://www.click2houston.com/news/Former-youth-minister-accused-of-exposing-self-to-teen/-/1735978/5841954/-/flfbvqz/-/index.html

The second is Eddie Struble, a music minister who faces no civil or criminal charges but is the subject of a Spring Valley police report accusing him of stalking a boy in 2009.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/87988694/Eddie-Struble-Spring-Valley-police-report-page-1

http://www.scribd.com/doc/88018095/Eddie-Struble-police-report-page-2

http://www.scribd.com/doc/97456914/Eddie-Struble-Houston-Police-Offense-Report

SNAP says that Struble abused a boy (roughly from ages 14-17) who Struble met at the church.

Struble now helps lead worship at Birchman Baptist church in Fort Worth, TX. He has also taught private voice lessons and worked as a vocal coach at Hits Theatre in Houston http://www.hitstheatre.org/

http://www.birchman.org/uploads/pdf/2013-10-09-musicmatters.pdf

After leaving Second Baptist Church, Struble worked at Humble Area First Baptist Church http://www.hafbc.com/ where he was reportedly asked to leave because of “suspicious behavior.”

(Source: phone call from Pastor Barry Jeffries to Amy Smith of SNAP, see Amy’s blog: http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2011/10/whats-at-stake-protecting-and.html)

Struble plays an active role in Southern Baptist Convention events. He was the worship leader for the NACBA (National Association of Church Business Administration) National Conference Planning Team in Houston in 2012. http://www.nacba.net/documents/annual%20report.pdf page 10

Last July, he led a session on “saving ministry dollars” at NACBA conference in Charlotte. http://www.nacba.net/Documents/2013_Conf_Brochure.pdf

Struble likely works for his father’s company: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/edward-struble/15/960/393

Or http://www.cordonline.com/sharedchurchservices/

SNAP believes that church officials have a moral and civic duty, when confronted with proof or credible allegations of wrongdoing, to aggressively seek out victims, witnesses and whistleblowers and beg them to call police and prosecuted so that those who commit or conceal crimes – especially against children – will be charged, convicted and jailed which prevents future crimes and cover ups.

CONTACT

Amy Smith, spacecitysnap@gmail.com, 281-748-4050 or Judy jones 636-433-2511,SNAPjudy@gmail.com