Our Abuser Remains President of Circle C Ranch

Guest Bios Show Transcript Sixteen women say Pastor Wayne Aarum sexually abused them. Still, he remains the president of the well-known Circle C Ranch in Western New York. In this podcast, two of his alleged victims speak out. On this episode of The Roys Report, the women—Joy McCullough and Michelle Poulsen—explain how Aarum systematically groomed them in the 1990s at both Circle C and The Chapel, a megachurch where Aarum served as the youth pastor. The women say Aarum touched them inappropriately. And, they describe how that abuse has had a devastating impact on their lives, which they're continuing to process today.  According to an exposé by USA Today, the alleged abuse by Aarum spanned decades, even though victims repeatedly reported Aarum's misconduct to both the leaders at Circle C Ranch and The Chapel. However, in 2020, The Chapel hired MinistrySafe to conduct an investigation which confirmed Aarum’s ongoing patterns of grooming and abuse. Despite this outside firm's report, and the women's testimony, Aarum remains at Circle C with the apparent support of his board. Aarum has consistently denied all claims of inappropriate conduct, stating via e-mail: “I have never had any sexual interaction with anyone other than my wife. I have never touched anyone with any inappropriate motive.” Both Joy and Michelle say they're speaking out now to protect anyone else from becoming Aarum's victim. Their first-hand accounts also equip listeners to better understand the deceptive practices of predators.  The powerful stories of these two women are difficult and involve mature subject matter, so listener discretion is advised. This Weeks Guests Joy McCullough Joy McCullough, is a wife and mother of 4 who grew up in Buffalo, N.Y., and currently resides in the St. Louis area. Joy earned a BA in Speech Communication from Greenville University and an MA in Professional Counseling from Liberty University. She has a passion for Jesus and a heart for helping others. She is advocating for healing and justice by shedding light on the truth of her own story of abuse in hopes of clearing a path for others. Michelle Poulsen Michelle Poulsen is a 38-year-old mom of 4.  She grew up and lives in a suburb outside the Buffalo area.  She earned a Master's degree in Special Education. Michelle has been married to her loving husband for 13 years.  Her heart is to see justice and accountability for those who have been harmed by wolves in sheep’s clothing within the Church.   Show Transcript SPEAKERS JULIE ROYS, MICHELLE POULSEN, WAYNE AARUM, JOY MCCULLOUGH This transcript has been edited slightly for continuity. JULIE ROYS Sixteen women say Pastor Wayne Aarum sexually abused them. Still, he remains the president of a major Christian camp in Western New York. But today, two of his victims speak out. Welcome to The Roys Report—a podcast dedicated to reporting the truth and restoring the church. I’m Julie Roys. Just last week, USA Today ran a cover story documenting the alleged abuse by Wayne Aarum. Aarum is the president of the well-known Circle C Ranch near Buffalo, New York. He also is a former youth pastor at The Chapel, a multi-site megachurch in the Buffalo area. These women say Aarum systematically groomed them, and then touched them inappropriately. Nineteen others told USA Today that they either witnessed or heard about Aarum’s actions. Yet for decades this alleged abuse continued—even though leadership at both The Chapel and Circle C Ranch were confronted about Aarum’s conduct at least 20 times in the past 24 years. But in 2020, something changed. After hearing a report of abuse by a former staffer at the Circle C Ranch, The Chapel hired Ministry Safe to conduct an investigation. That investigation found evidence of an ongoing pattern of manipulation and intimacy between Aarum and teenage girls. Yet despite this report—and the women’s testimonies—Wayne Aarum remains in his position at Circle C. And apparently,