Grace Valley Christian Center was established in 1974 by Reverand PG Matthew and a small group of members. The church was founded on the “Sheparding Movement” which is the total control of the pastor over his congregation. Since then the church, aka cult, has grown to hundreds of members. The value of members is ranked by the money they make and children are pushed towards lucrative careers. 10% of all income goes to the church. This has made GVCC a rich and powerful organization.
The main church is connected to their own private school (grades 1-9) taught by mostly mothers of children attending. This school is militaristic and another way for the church to indoctrinate its members.
Members who commit themselves to GVCC are cut off from the rest of the world. Having friends outside of the church is prohibited for most members. If they attend a doctor, it is a doctor who is part of the church. If they go to school, it is in conjunction with other members. They are pushed to pursue careers and live near and with other members. Most are under constant watch by elders and other members.
Any misstep or unapproved action is quickly reported to leadership. When this happens, leaders will bring members as young as 10 into a private area to abusively “counsel” them. They are placed inside a small room and surrounded by the elders, assistant pastor, and pastor. The leaders will then scream at them for sometimes hours. Children, particularly girls, are shamed and degraded. They could be called all kinds of names, including “slut, whore, or dirty tampon”.
Within Grace Valley, there is a hierarchy with a group of men at the top and young girls and women at the bottom. Under the pastor and assistant pastor, there are 12 men called the elders. These elders each control their own group of members. They are free to terrorize any person under their authority, even to the point of suicide. Sexual abuse is a frequent theme within Grace Valley. The leaders groom children from birth, shaping them into the perfect victims.
The community is told that they must choose GVCC above their own children. If a member’s child leaves Grace Valley, that member is expected to proclaim their commitment to the church and abandon their child, leaving them to Satan. Without support, many excommunicated children do not do well on their own. A history of trauma and a submissive temperament that has been compounded on these kids adds incredible difficulty to their situation.
Leaders are completely trusted to be around children, despite instances of sexual abuse and misconduct.