Statement from the Reforming Session of Elders concerning Wycliffe Australia
Public Statement from the Session of Elders of Reforming Presbyterian Church Bendigo:
Disengagement from Wycliffe Australia Ministries
Published: 9th September 2026
The Session of Reforming Presbyterian Church (East Bendigo) has a primary, non-negotiable biblical and legal duty of care to protect the safety, spiritual well-being, and physical vulnerability of every person within our flock, particularly women, youth, and children.
Following clear evidence of institutional safeguarding failures, Session has resolved to completely and publicly disengage from all ministries, programs, and partnerships associated with Wycliffe Bible Translators Australia (WBTA).
Over the past month, our whistleblowing options were exhausted without adequate protective action from Wycliffe leadership. Instead, Wycliffe processes directly led to breaches of safety boundaries within our region and with communicant members of our church, under our care.
Parachurch organisations exist to serve ‘alongside’ the church, and ought to be accountable to the wider church. The Session of Reforming is disappointed that after continual communication with Wycliffe Australia about serious safeguarding concerns backed up with extensive evidence, that these concerns were not handled with transparency and accountability to a church (and churches) where communicant members of these churches are under the care of leadership ordained for godly governance.
If you have any pastoral questions or personal concerns regarding this statement, please reach out directly to the Session of Elders at Reforming: elders@reformingchurch.org
On behalf of Reforming Session,
Rory Weightman
(Session Clerk)
This Sunday we’ll hear a sermon on ‘Safeguarding the Flock of God’ (Mark 9:42—50), then we’ll return to our 1st Timothy series the following week.
You can see our preaching plan here.
