Brian Coffey, the interim lead pastor of the multi-campus Chapelstreet Church in Geneva, Illinois, has been accused in a lawsuit of knowingly allowing a former youth leader, who admitted to abusing a minor, to continue to work with children, resulting in the alleged sexual abuse of the son of two missionaries connected to the church.
The son of the missionaries, who is now a 21-year-old adult living in British Columbia, Canada, filed a 28-page lawsuit against Coffey last month in Kane County, Illinois. Also named in the lawsuit as defendants are the accused child abuser, Don Vanthournout, and Chapelstreet Church, which is officially recorded as First Baptist Church of Geneva.
Vanthournout could not be reached for comment.
The missionaries’ son, who is identified as John Doe in the lawsuit, alleges that between 2011, when he was a 7-year-old boy, and 2018, when he was about 14, Vanthournout repeatedly sexually abused him.
“Plaintiff was … made to take a shower in Vanthournout’s room, and on several occasions Vanthournout would join him in the shower naked. On several occasions, while either laying in the bed or standing in the shower, Vanthournout touched Plaintiff’s genitals, made Plaintiff touch his genitals, and anally penetrated Plaintiff,” the lawsuit claims.
John Doe is suing for no less than $50,000 in damages and accuses Vanthournout of child sexual abuse. He also charges Chapelstreet Church and Coffey with negligent retention of Vanthournout, as well as negligent supervision of the accused child abuser.
Chapelstreet Church staff said in a statement to The Christian Post on Monday that they take the allegations seriously, but that the church was “inappropriately” included in the case because Vanthournout was not acting under its authority.
“Chapelstreet Church takes this matter seriously, and remains committed to truth, transparency, and the safety of all individuals in its care. Chapelstreet Church has been named as a defendant in a recently filed lawsuit in Kane County, Illinois,” the statement to CP explains.
“The Church has been inappropriately included in this case, and it intends to vigorously defend itself through the legal process. The lawsuit centers on allegations of misconduct by an individual who, while a member of the congregation, was not acting on behalf of or under the authority of Chapelstreet Church,” it adds. “Out of respect for the ongoing legal proceedings and those involved, the Church will not be providing additional comment at this time.”
According to the lawsuit, Coffey served as the church’s lead pastor from the mid-1990s until 2016, when he transitioned to a mentoring and training role. In 2024, he was appointed “Interim Lead Pastor.”
John Doe alleges the abuse took place at Vanthournout’s residence in Kane County, where his missionary parents, who received financial support from his alleged abuser, stayed with his parents and older brother during visits to the area. He said his parents even allowed him and his older brother, Doe-2, to stay with Vanthournout alone in the summer of 2017 at the request of the alleged abuser, who was presented to congregants as a respected youth leader and role model.
He argued that Coffey and Chapelstreet Church should have warned congregants about Vanthournout because another victim, identified as Victim #1, reported to Coffey years earlier that Vanthournout had sexually abused him when he was 14, in 1983.
“In the summer of 1983, Vanthournout obtained permission from Victim #1’s father to take Victim #1 to a cabin in Harris Park, Colorado. The trip lasted approximately one week. Victim #1 and Vanthournout stayed at the cabin together, with Vanthournout having primary care, custody, and control of Victim #1,” the lawsuit says.
“On one occasion, Victim #1, and Vanthournout each went to their separate rooms in the cabin to sleep for the night. Vanthournout asked Victim #1 to join him in his (Vanthournout’s) bed, which Victim #1 declined. After Victim #1 declined Vanthournout’s invitation to bed, Vanthournout responded by relentlessly shaming Victim #1,” it continues.
“Feeling scared and helpless, Victim #1 surrendered to Vanthournout’s pressure and laid in the bed. As he laid down in the bed, Vanthournout pulled Victim #1 close enough to him that he could feel Vanthournout’s erection pressing against his buttocks. Vanthournout then proceeded to touch Victim #1’s genitals. When Victim #1 tried to remove Vanthournout’s hand, the adult overpowered the 14-year-old and continued touching his genitals.”
Victim #1 said he confronted Vanthournout about the abuse in August 2007 in writing. He said Vanthournout acknowledged his actions in a response letter and offered to pay him for his pain and suffering.
When Victim #1 learned that Vanthournout was still involved with youth at Chapelstreet Church, he said he reached out to Coffey in April 2010.
“Wanting to ensure that Vanthournout did not have the opportunity to harm any other children, Victim #1 reached out to then Lead Pastor, Defendant Coffey. In a series of email exchanges between April 7, 2010, and April 12, 2010, Victim #1 and Coffey arranged to meet confidentially to discuss Vanthournout,” the lawsuit says.
Victim #1 said he met with Coffey at Chapelstreet’s east campus on April 16, 2010, and shared his story of abuse, including Vanthournout’s admission of guilt in his letter.
“Coffey assured Victim #1 that he will bring the issue to the attention of Chapelstreet’s ‘Senior Elders,’” the lawsuit states. But he did not appear to do so as Vanthournout remained in ministry.
“Despite Coffey’s promise to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of the children within Chapelstreet, Coffey took no meaningful steps to warn members of the congregation about the dangerous sexual propensities of Vanthournout,” John Doe alleges.
“Despite Coffey’s promise to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety [of] the children within Chapelstreet, Coffey took no meaningful steps to supervise Vanthournout’s activities performed on behalf of Chapelstreet that brought him into contact with children.”
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