Pastor & Church Sued Over Grooming & “Counseling” Adult Women For Sex

A lawsuit was recently filed in Delaware County
Court of Common Pleas by Charles Boyk Law
Oces on behalf of two women and one spouse
against the former Vineyard Church of Delaware
County pastor Daniel Meyer, Vineyard Church of
Delaware County, Vineyard USA, and Gospel of
Wholeness, LLC. According to the Complaint,
Meyer allegedly used his position as a pastor,
spiritual advisor and counselor to cultivate relationships with vulnerable women and engage in
years of sexual exploitation under the guise of pastoral counseling.

Boyk Law Attorney Angela Hartford was interviewed by Columbus area media regarding the
lawsuit. She told a reporter from WSYX ABC 6 News, “The defendant has had this counselor role
with the church for over a decade, so we don’t believe it is an isolated incident.”

The lawsuit alleges that Meyer identified women experiencing emotional vulnerability, invited them into counseling relationships, and developed dependency-based “father-daughter” dynamics that ultimately led to sexual misconduct. Plaintiffs further allege that the abuse continued for years and was facilitated by the trust and authority associated with Meyer’s role as a pastor.

“Trauma responses are definitely complex,” said Hartford. “I think for each of them, it took a long time to fully process what had actually happened and to recognize what the abuse was in reality.”
From a legal perspective, the case raises important questions regarding institutional oversight. The
Complaint alleges that Vineyard USA and its local affiliates failed to implement adequate safeguards,
supervision, and accountability measures despite prior reports of clergy misconduct within Vineyard-affiliated churches. Plaintiffs contend that the organizations knew or should have known of the risks associated with pastoral counseling relationships and failed to take reasonable steps to protect vulnerable congregants.

Cases involving religious institutions present unique legal challenges because they require courts to balance respect for religious organizations with the fundamental duty to protect individuals from foreseeable harm. The lawsuit highlights an increasingly important area of civil litigation: whether institutions can be held accountable when individuals entrusted with authority allegedly misuse their positions to cause harm.

As the case proceeds, it may offer important guidance on organizational responsibility, risk management, and the safeguards necessary to protect vulnerable individuals seeking counseling, support, and guidance from trusted leaders.

Attorney Angela Hartford says, “What our clients would like to see really is accountability, acknowledgment by the church and the national organization that runs it, as well as accountability for the individual himself, and hopefully change, so this doesn’t happen again in the future.”