"The inside story of how Kanakuk—one of America’s largest Christian camps—enabled horrific abuse."

"When a young victim wanted to be free to tell his story, the camp played hardball."

"Joe and Debbie-Jo White Paid $2.6-Million by Kanakuk from 2014-2017"

"Experts say the FBI should investigate possible child trafficking."

"Petition asks that victims be released from non-disclosure agreements"

"When asked why they would risk financial consequences by coming forward, one of them said, 'I have a story that I want to be told.' Another said, 'It’s a cry for justice.'"

"An anonymous 'John Doe' plaintiff has sued a former counselor of Kanakuk camp for civil damages. According to court documents and reports in the Springfield News-Leader, 'The plaintiff says he suffered sex abuse while he attended a Christian youth camp based near Branson.'"

"David and Nancy French note that the number of Kanakuk victims who have come forward remains unknown since many cases were settled with nondisclosure agreements. They explain the reason for their report: 'There is no statute of limitations on truth.'”

"Court Documents Suggest Nearly 60 Kanakuk Sex Abuse Victims"

"Joe White's decades-long cover-up of sexual abuse at Kanakuk Kamps is a horrific reminder of how institutional abuse persists when unaddressed."

"Why did so many Christian leaders look the other way?"

"We believe that to retract these articles, which are substantially true and provide valuable information, would be a disservice to the abuse victims and their families, a disservice to the public, and a disservice to the truth we are committed to uphold."

“What if an institution like Kanakuk decided to die? What if it decided that its continued existence was irrelevant compared to the necessity of repentance and justice, and it should close before it denied truth and restitution to the children who were so terribly...

"The PPP was designed to help organizations that would have to shut down or experience severe financial hardship during the pandemic. However, Kanakuk Kamps, in Missouri, didn’t shut down last summer. They operated a mostly full schedule all summer in 2020 – despite the fact that this decision led to an outbreak of COVID cases in August."

"The plaintiff, identified as "John Doe III," alleges that Newman molested him from age 10 to age 16, and that before he even attended Kanakuk Kamp, Kanakuk Ministries and its various affiliates had notice of Newman's inappropriate and predatory behavior."

"A major Christian camp has come under scrutiny years after its most popular and charismatic director was sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting an untold number of campers over many years."

A new report argues a yearslong abuse scandal from a prominent former director at Branson-area Kanakuk Kamps was more widespread and systemic than reported before.

"Former Kanakuk director Pete Newman has been in prison since 2010 for abusing boys from the popular Christian summer camp, but a recent report and petition say the public still doesn’t know the extent of the child sex abuse that went on there."

"The popular Christian summer camp Kanakuk near Branson is the subject of a scathing new report by journalists David and Nancy French, alleging that the leadership of the camp covered up for sexual abuse of campers by a former staffer that took place a...

"Dr. White, meanwhile, was sued in 2015 for being aware of sexual abuse taking place at his camp and doing nothing to stop or prevent it. A 50-page petition ... shares details of a case involving a previous camp director's guilty plea to statutory...

"In the lawsuit, the lawyers claimed Kanakuk's management was aware of inappropriate behavior involving Newman but was slow to act."

"The documents state that the defendants’ motivation for continuing to employ Newman was financial ‘in his reputation among kampers was such that it engendered return visits to kamp and more money for the defendants."

"Bradberry is the second counselor from the Branson camp to be sentenced to jail for sexually abusing campers in the past several years."

"I was not describing the evils of Jerry Sandusky, but those of former Kanakuk camp director Pete Newman, and the godlike figure is not the late Joe Paterno, but the very much still in control Joe White, a nationally known motivational speaker connected with...

"Kanakuk Heritage, Inc. and Kanakuk Ministries are named as defendants in case, along with Newman and Kanakuk Ministries CEO Joe White. In recent weeks, a state appeals court and the state supreme court have denied a request by the defense to prohibit the...

"A counselor fired from a Christian summer camp last summer has been charged with sexually abusing several campers — charges that come less than two years after another former counselor was sent to prison for life for sexually abusing children at the camp."

"The crux of the case against White centers on the allegation that the nationally renowned Christian leader swept reports of sexual misconduct under the rug for years before Newman was arrested."

"The lawsuits allege camp officials knew about the man’s troubling behavior, including swimming and riding four-wheelers in the nude with campers, but failed to remove him or keep him away from children."

"An amended petition filed late last month in a Kanakuk Kamps lawsuit alleges that both Kanakuk Kamps’ Kris Cooper and Joe White had knowledge of, and covered up, sexual abuse occurring at the camp."

"The camp has made few public statements about the outbreak, and its communications office did not respond to multiple interview requests."

"As the cases mounted, there was a notable lack of immediate communication about the severity of the COVID outbreak. The parent of a young staff member expressed a similar frustration with a lack of communication between the camp and parents."

"In the meeting, representative Taylor Broadbent said Camp War Eagle and Kanakuk Kamps have been involved in the appropriation of Native American culture, according to the American Indian Student Association."