Refuge Church of the Assemblies of God Sex Abuse Lawsuit Filed by Two Sisters

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A sex abuse lawsuit has been filed against Refuge Church of the Assemblies of God, alleging that church leaders failed to protect two sisters from sexual abuse and then concealed what occurred after the abuse was reported.

The lawsuit, filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court, names Refuge Church, formerly known as Jonesboro First Assembly of God, its former senior pastor Charles Michael “Mike” Glover, and governing bodies within the Assemblies of God denomination as defendants.

According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege they were sexually abused as children by a former youth minister while attending the church. That minister later pleaded guilty to rape and has been serving a life sentence since 2016. He is not named as a defendant in the civil lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges that church leadership became aware of the abuse years before the criminal case but failed to report it to law enforcement or the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline, as required by state law. Instead, the complaint claims, the minister was allowed to continue working with children and retained access to church facilities where abuse allegedly occurred.

“When children report sexual abuse, the law is clear about what must happen next,” said attorney Josh Gillispie, who represents the sisters. “This case is not just about what was done to these two sisters, but about what church leaders failed to do after the abuse was brought to their attention.”

The complaint outlines an incident in the mid-2000s when the sisters and their mother reported the abuse to church leadership. According to the lawsuit, church officials had access to statements from the girls and physical evidence but chose not to involve authorities.

Rather than removing the minister from contact with children, the lawsuit alleges that leadership imposed a brief internal suspension and later allowed him to resume overseeing a homeschool program operated on the church campus.

The complaint further alleges that hidden cameras placed in bathrooms used by young girls were not removed and that recorded footage was not confiscated, allowing the abuse to continue for years after it was first reported.

“Survivors often come forward believing that telling the truth will stop the harm,” Gillispie said. “When those reports are ignored or handled internally instead of being reported as required by law, the damage doesn’t end — it multiplies.”

In addition to claims of negligent hiring, supervision, and retention, the lawsuit alleges violations of Arkansas’s mandatory-reporting laws. The plaintiffs claim church leadership failed to act in order to protect the reputation of the church and the denomination.

The lawsuit also names the Arkansas District Council of the Assemblies of God and the General Council of the Assemblies of God, alleging broader failures in oversight and accountability within the denomination’s leadership structure.

The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

About the Gillispie Law Firm

The Gillispie Law Firm, based in Little Rock, represents survivors and families in cases involving sexual abuse, institutional negligence, wrongful death, and serious injury across Arkansas. The firm regularly handles cases involving churches, schools, youth programs, and other organizations entrusted with the care of children.