Religion · Myrtle Beach, SC Metro · August 12, 2026
SC Church Closes Academy Amid Sex Offender Investigation
According to The Roys Report, Pawleys Island Community Church in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, has closed its affiliated academy amid a sex offender investigation. Based solely on the available headline, this alert cannot confirm the identity of the individual under investigation, whether the offender was a staff member, volunteer, or otherwise connected to the school, the nature or timeline of the alleged offenses, when church or academy leadership became aware of any concern, or whether law enforcement, licensing bodies, or denominational oversight has been involved. It is also not confirmed whether the closure was voluntary, ordered by authorities, or prompted by parental or public pressure. Readers should treat this as a developing story: what is established is the academy's closure and its stated connection to a sex offender investigation; what is not established is any specific wrongdoing, cover-up, or institutional failure. This alert will be updated as verified reporting from The Roys Report or other credible outlets becomes available.
Source: The Roys Report
Why Bible-Believing Christians Should Care
Even with limited confirmed facts, any report tying a Christian school's closure to a sex offender investigation demands sober attention from Bible-believing Christians. Scripture places severe weight on the protection of children, and churches bear a God-given duty to shield the vulnerable rather than shield an institution's reputation. Christians should not rush to conclusions before facts are verified, but neither should they assume 'no cover-up' by default. Parents entrusting children to any church-affiliated school should know exactly what safeguarding policies, background-check procedures, and reporting protocols are in place — and should expect transparency, not silence, from leadership when serious allegations surface.
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. — Matthew 18:6
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From the book
See Ch. 17, The Mountain of Religion: Defending and Reclaiming Churches and Spiritual Organizations.
Get the BookIf this is your mountain
- Contact Pawleys Island Community Church leadership directly and request a written, public statement on what occurred and what steps have been taken.
- Ask any church-affiliated school your family attends to produce its written child-safety policy, including background-check and reporting procedures.
- Wait for verified details from law enforcement or credible reporting before drawing conclusions about individual guilt or institutional cover-up.
- Follow The Roys Report and local South Carolina outlets for updates, and document the official timeline as it becomes available.
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