Chicago-Area Megachurch Sued in Sexual Abuse Case

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 By Kim Roberts - Posted at MinistryWatch:

Published October 31, 2025

Lawsuit alleges Chapelstreet failed to adequately supervise alleged perpetrator.

Plaintiff John Doe has sued First Baptist Church of Geneva, Ill., — also known as Chapelstreet Church — its interim pastor Brian Coffey, and the alleged abuser Don Vanthournout for the sexual abuse of a minor from 2011 to 2018.

According to the lawsuit, Vanthournout was placed in positions of leadership, such as youth leader and discipleship group leader at Chapelstreet, where he had access to children.

Chapelstreet is a multi-site megachurch in the suburbs. It has four campuses: three in Geneva and one in Aurora. Coffey is currently the interim pastor, but was the senior pastor for about 20 years before moving to a mentoring and training role, the court documents state. He was made interim pastor again in 2024.

Doe alleges that between 2011 and 2018, Vanthournout groomed and sexually abused Doe repeatedly by showering with him, touching his genitals, and anally penetrating him. The abuse is alleged to have occurred at Vanthournout’s residence.

Another victim—identified as Victim #1 in the lawsuit—alleges he was a previous victim of Vanthournout decades earlier and that he alerted Coffey and Chapelstreet leadership of Vanthournout’s “history of child sexual abuse.”