In Cypress, California, Seacoast megachurch and the former youth pastor settled a $2.5 million lawsuit brought by sexual assault victims from the '70s and '80s.
Now, the new California Assembly Bill 218 is open for victims of all ages to sue their abusers.
Sexually Assaulted by Youth Pastor
The 11-year-old Julie Lusk was able to find a group of friends at the former North Long Beach Brethren Church (Now Seacoast Church) after her family's mess, which she described as a "disaster."
The rapport had been destroyed after the charming youth pastor, Kevin McCall, 27, was accused of having a long-term sexual relationship with Lusk when she was just 16 years old.
McCall resigned from the church after the complaint was made. Some parishioners were likewise enraged by Lusk's actions.
According to the Orange County Register, Lusk, now 55, vividly remembers a woman telling her, "You are the Devil."
During her junior year at Lakewood High, Lusk was outcast by old friends who sat in the bleachers with the 20-something man they believed she had mistreated.
North Long Beach Brethren merged with a Los Alamitos congregation in 1987, forming SeaCoast Grace in Cypress.
Now, SeaCoast is paying for Brethren's previous youth pastor's sexual activities.
In February, the church paid $2,250,000 to Lusk and two other women. McCall owes $250,000 more.
Legislation passed in 2019 temporarily suspends the statute of limitations for claims of childhood sexual abuse, allowing for the filing of a lawsuit. Victims of all ages in California can now sue their abusers for up to three years under California Assembly Bill 218.
Orange County Register also stated that multiple requests to SeaCoast's attorney went unanswered. In a phone call with McCall's attorney, he said that neither he nor his client would be commenting on this subject.
After leaving the church on short notice, McCall found work in commercial real estate. Eventually, he became the director of Mustard Seed Ranch, a faith-based equestrian program for foster children.
For nearly a decade, he was in charge of the nonprofit's San Juan Capistrano location before being forced to resign in 2020 due to a lawsuit filed by Lusk and others.
There were no cases of sexual abuse against Mustard Seed Ranch for public records and court searches.
About Seacoast Church
Seacoast Church is a nondenominational church located in Cypress, California.
Seacoast Grace Church makes a difference in the lives of individuals by introducing them to Jesus Christ and His teachings at whatever stage of their spiritual journey they are at when they come to church.
Seacoast offers Junior High Ministry, which exists to raise the next generation in a God-honoring manner.
According to the church's website, they are a group that is centered on experiencing Jesus in a fun and exciting way through pertinent preaching, crazy activities, tons of sweets, and high-energy worship.
The church also offers High School Ministry. As the church sees it, high school is a particularly difficult time to navigate on one's own, and they want to provide a haven for students to meet one another and, more importantly, God.
They believe that going to church should be a joyful, transformative experience. To that end, the core values of HSM are rooted in the teachings of the Bible, praise, and service to others.
