The details of the full story are even more depressing.
"The church members who gave Savage a standing ovation for his statement presumably did so because they assumed he was being honest. He wasn’t. Savage shouldn’t have been given a standing ovation regardless—an admission of sexual assault isn’t exactly praiseworthy—but the applause (one can assume) came in response to Savage’s claim that responded in a proper and biblical manner, taking full responsibility for his actions.
However, according to Woodson, he did nothing of the sort.
We really should be past taking predators at their word. At the very least, Savage’s congregation should have fact-checked before assuming he was being truthful, and applauding his testimony. De facto assuming that a person who sexually assaulted a child under their authority is going to tell the truth about the aftermath of that incident is a bad idea—and that’s putting it mildly. Their account is essentially always going to be spin.
Let’s return to Woodson. What happened when she could no longer keep the secret and went to her pastor and assistant pastor about it? Before we turn to that let’s review Savage’s claim, in his statement to his congregation:
“I took every step to respond in a biblical way,” Savage said, reading from a prepared statement. “I resigned from ministry and moved back home to Memphis. I accepted full responsibility for my actions.”
According to Woodson, Savage told her not to tell anyone that he had assaulted and molested her. As long as she kept silent, he did too. So much for taking responsibility! Finally, Woodson went to associate pastor Larry Cotton (head pastor Steve Bradley was unavailable). Savage worked at the same church; he was the youth pastor.
“Just as I had finished telling my story, Larry immediately spoke up and asked me to clarify. He said something to the effect of, ‘So you’re telling me you participated?’” she recalled. What followed was a “wave of shame” come over her.
She was told that the associate pastor would inform the head pastor and the church would deal with the situation. In the days that followed Savage went on as though nothing was outside of the norm. In fact, he even taught a workshop titled “True Love Waits” about sexual purity and abstinence. The workshop wasn’t merely about sexual abstinence, it was a full-force, no kissing, no touching form of abstinence workshop.
In other words, nothing happened. Nothing. Savage did not take responsibility for his actions. He did not resign. In fact, he went on teaching workshops on sexual abstinence, as if he hadn’t just sexually assaulted a child.
Woodson fell deeper and deeper into a depression. She ultimately confided to her women’s discipleship group.
“Looking back now, I know without a doubt, it was a cry for help. Tears ran down my cheeks. I remember feeling a slight sense of relief as this was no longer just a secret between myself, Andy, Larry and Steve,” she said. “However, I too remember feeling as though I had just played my last card. I knew I had broken the rules of silence and that there would be consequences to my actions.”
The rules of silence.
But no! Full responsibility! Biblical response!
When word got back to the head pastors they were forced to act. Savage was removed from a youth group trip skiing and rumors were beginning to spread. Still, the church never told the congregation about what happened.
“Instead, they held a going away reception for Andy at the church in which he was allowed to simply say that he had made a poor decision and that it was time for him to move on from our church,” Woodson recalled.
Biblical response! Full responsibility!
She later learned that her parents never even knew what happened so Woodson told them."
