Testimonies
Some testimonies may not have names or have names blurred out due to privacy for the victims. This list will be updated as we get the information. The pictures attached are from the church.
Abreia A - "I wasn’t molested but I was mentally abused, me and my siblings lived in one bedroom in a house with four other families. we spent all day long at church and all night woke up and did it all over again. when we left and went to regular school I was in 7th grade but had a 2nd grader level of academic training. We were there from 2001 - 2007. We lived in multiple places under the church we lived inside the actual church with some other families putting together some chairs and making a pallet and then when we opened we went in the bathroom got ready for school then went to school. my Mom worked for Chaney in the media department. He got a kick out of tazing women and was gonna pay me ($50) to let him taze me."
Jai - "FACT: From 2001-2005 me, my parents & sister were all homeless because of this church heres a thread. Fast forward ... year later my sister was born . My dad joins deacon board which he didn’t know involved illegal activities. All while Chaney slept with [note: this was rape] underage girls, women of the church & even men. He ate off sensitive minds & made them believe if they didnt sleep with him. They wouldn’t be accepted by the church because of the such strong power he had over them. Anyways my sister & i went to the school/daycare ran by the church. Hence we never went outside the church for anything. Because most of the members there were homeless the church owned houses where 3-5 FAMILIES lived in ONE house. No one had cars we took the church van. Every woman dressed in long jean skirts & tshirts ... thinking about it is actually creepy because everyone wore the same style clothes & the same 3 hair styles. I dont think there was much choice on what you can wear. When the first women Chaney’s victims spoke up on the new about her story, he did everything in his power to ruin her life. He had the whole church hating her , he ruined alot for her because of this no one really spoke about it. The breaking point for my mom to leave was when she actually physically saw Chaney having sex with [raping] a young girl. She tried telling my dad but he didn’t believe her . Calling her all types of names all while she was pregnant with my little sister. It took for my dad to see Chaney sexualizing a young girl before he actually believed her. Meanwhile my mom was pregnant & had two young kids by herself homeless in the world & the whole church hating her & calling her a liar .... & that was the end of us at Believers House World Wide Ministries."
ARTICLE FROM NEWS CHANNEL 3: SINCE BEEN DELETED.
EXCLUSIVE: Local TV Minister Accused Of Sex Abuse
Feb 28, 2006, 09:19 AM EST Site Features
“Religion, Sex and a Lawsuit
A local TV minister is accused of sexual abuse by a former member of his congregation. It's a NewsChannel 3 exclusive.
"He used my heart for God and my will to do right for his own pleasure," said Desirrae Johnson.
Johnson has filed a civil suit against Bishop Bernard Chaney, and his church, Believer's House International in Norfolk. It's important to note this is not a criminal case. The lawsuit alleges a pattern of emotional and sexual abuse that lasted 18 months."This is gonna be affecting me the rest of my life," said Johnson.
Desirrae Johnson joined Believer's House in 2002. Within months, she looked to Bishop Bernard Chaney as her spiritual mentor. But a year later, Johnson says Bishop Chaney called upon her to become a member of what Johnson calls the Bishop's 'inner circle.' Johnson says the sexual abuse began with an encounter in the Bishop's office.
That's when he told me I needed to come over and perform oral sex on him so he could know he could trust me and I could fulfill what God wanted me to do
Johnson says she was often in a group of 'inner circle' women who would spend the night at the Bishop's Chesapeake home to protect him while he slept.
Johnson says the sexual abuse continued. When she refused, Johnson says Bishop Chaney would use a stun gun.
"He wanted me to take care of him," Johnson said. "I told him no. He was upset and he took a stun gun and would sting me on my arm or leg."
We tried to speak with Bishop Chaney, but inside and outside the East Little Creek Road Church, we were confronted by members of the Bishop Chaney's staff.
"Our attorney is Bob Morecock and you can speak with him," said a man identified on the church website as Evangelist Rodney Crouch.
When we got Mr. Morecock on the phone, he told us the case was headed to court and wouldn't comment further.
But Johnson is speaking out.
"There are so many victims. There are so many women that are going through this. And have gone through this and that's why I'm here. To tell the story," Johnson said.
Desirrae Johnson came forward, now we want to hear from you. If you may have had a similar experience, call our news desk at 757-446-1372.
Bishop Bernard Chaney has no criminal record in Hampton Roads. He has no other pending civil lawsuits in Hampton Roads either.
Bishop Chaney also has another church in Fayetville, North Carolina.
Johnson's attorney will be serving the lawsuit to Chaney this week.”
Shajuana Coleman - “I was not there but I can confirm with other people that this was done. Somebody in particular that had accusations against the church- excuse me, against the pastor, and he actually had leadership go out there and pray death on the children. I can't remember all the details but they went out there and prayed death on children."
Click for Facebook livestream from Jaye Cole, a former member, now lawyer.
Click for Facebook livestream from Shiree McClendon
Click for a link to Shajuana’s podcast about the Church, “Different Dimensions”
Eyewitness Testimony from 6/26/20: "It was after 9PM, they had t least 6 NPD and 3 sherrifs people. And the Sheriffs were inside of the church. 4 squad cars at least. A fuck load of vans 5 of which left the property when we were there. And several big ass uhauls."
They were loading people and items inside of the uhauls. We have pictures of the license plates from those specific cars as well as one of the white vans. Inside the van from what was visible were boxes, suitcases, lamps, and blankets. These items most likely belong to church members.
Abreia A - "I wasn’t molested but I was mentally abused, me and my siblings lived in one bedroom in a house with four other families. we spent all day long at church and all night woke up and did it all over again. when we left and went to regular school I was in 7th grade but had a 2nd grader level of academic training. We were there from 2001 - 2007. We lived in multiple places under the church we lived inside the actual church with some other families putting together some chairs and making a pallet and then when we opened we went in the bathroom got ready for school then went to school. my Mom worked for Chaney in the media department. He got a kick out of tazing women and was gonna pay me ($50) to let him taze me."
Jai - "FACT: From 2001-2005 me, my parents & sister were all homeless because of this church heres a thread. Fast forward ... year later my sister was born . My dad joins deacon board which he didn’t know involved illegal activities. All while Chaney slept with [note: this was rape] underage girls, women of the church & even men. He ate off sensitive minds & made them believe if they didnt sleep with him. They wouldn’t be accepted by the church because of the such strong power he had over them. Anyways my sister & i went to the school/daycare ran by the church. Hence we never went outside the church for anything. Because most of the members there were homeless the church owned houses where 3-5 FAMILIES lived in ONE house. No one had cars we took the church van. Every woman dressed in long jean skirts & tshirts ... thinking about it is actually creepy because everyone wore the same style clothes & the same 3 hair styles. I dont think there was much choice on what you can wear. When the first women Chaney’s victims spoke up on the new about her story, he did everything in his power to ruin her life. He had the whole church hating her , he ruined alot for her because of this no one really spoke about it. The breaking point for my mom to leave was when she actually physically saw Chaney having sex with [raping] a young girl. She tried telling my dad but he didn’t believe her . Calling her all types of names all while she was pregnant with my little sister. It took for my dad to see Chaney sexualizing a young girl before he actually believed her. Meanwhile my mom was pregnant & had two young kids by herself homeless in the world & the whole church hating her & calling her a liar .... & that was the end of us at Believers House World Wide Ministries."
ARTICLE FROM NEWS CHANNEL 3: SINCE BEEN DELETED.
EXCLUSIVE: Local TV Minister Accused Of Sex Abuse
Feb 28, 2006, 09:19 AM EST Site Features
“Religion, Sex and a Lawsuit
A local TV minister is accused of sexual abuse by a former member of his congregation. It's a NewsChannel 3 exclusive.
"He used my heart for God and my will to do right for his own pleasure," said Desirrae Johnson.
Johnson has filed a civil suit against Bishop Bernard Chaney, and his church, Believer's House International in Norfolk. It's important to note this is not a criminal case. The lawsuit alleges a pattern of emotional and sexual abuse that lasted 18 months."This is gonna be affecting me the rest of my life," said Johnson.
Desirrae Johnson joined Believer's House in 2002. Within months, she looked to Bishop Bernard Chaney as her spiritual mentor. But a year later, Johnson says Bishop Chaney called upon her to become a member of what Johnson calls the Bishop's 'inner circle.' Johnson says the sexual abuse began with an encounter in the Bishop's office.
That's when he told me I needed to come over and perform oral sex on him so he could know he could trust me and I could fulfill what God wanted me to do
Johnson says she was often in a group of 'inner circle' women who would spend the night at the Bishop's Chesapeake home to protect him while he slept.
Johnson says the sexual abuse continued. When she refused, Johnson says Bishop Chaney would use a stun gun.
"He wanted me to take care of him," Johnson said. "I told him no. He was upset and he took a stun gun and would sting me on my arm or leg."
We tried to speak with Bishop Chaney, but inside and outside the East Little Creek Road Church, we were confronted by members of the Bishop Chaney's staff.
"Our attorney is Bob Morecock and you can speak with him," said a man identified on the church website as Evangelist Rodney Crouch.
When we got Mr. Morecock on the phone, he told us the case was headed to court and wouldn't comment further.
But Johnson is speaking out.
"There are so many victims. There are so many women that are going through this. And have gone through this and that's why I'm here. To tell the story," Johnson said.
Desirrae Johnson came forward, now we want to hear from you. If you may have had a similar experience, call our news desk at 757-446-1372.
Bishop Bernard Chaney has no criminal record in Hampton Roads. He has no other pending civil lawsuits in Hampton Roads either.
Bishop Chaney also has another church in Fayetville, North Carolina.
Johnson's attorney will be serving the lawsuit to Chaney this week.”
Shajuana Coleman - “I was not there but I can confirm with other people that this was done. Somebody in particular that had accusations against the church- excuse me, against the pastor, and he actually had leadership go out there and pray death on the children. I can't remember all the details but they went out there and prayed death on children."
Click for Facebook livestream from Jaye Cole, a former member, now lawyer.
Click for Facebook livestream from Shiree McClendon
Click for a link to Shajuana’s podcast about the Church, “Different Dimensions”
Eyewitness Testimony from 6/26/20: "It was after 9PM, they had t least 6 NPD and 3 sherrifs people. And the Sheriffs were inside of the church. 4 squad cars at least. A fuck load of vans 5 of which left the property when we were there. And several big ass uhauls."
They were loading people and items inside of the uhauls. We have pictures of the license plates from those specific cars as well as one of the white vans. Inside the van from what was visible were boxes, suitcases, lamps, and blankets. These items most likely belong to church members.