Half a decade after Steve Timmins, 68, was removed from his position as CEO of ACTS 29 over accusations that he was engaging in patterns of abusive leadership, he and his wife, Janet, 61, have been charged with eight counts of rape dating back to an incident nearly 20 years ago.
According to a statement from South Yorkshire Police:
The charges are in connection with offences alleged to have taken place between May and September 2008, while Stephen Timmis was a church leader at the Crowded House Church, in Sheffield.
The pair have been bailed to appear at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on 1 December 2026.
They added:
Our enquiries have led us to believe there may be individuals in the community, who may have previously been members of the church, with information which could be relevant to our investigation.
We are appealing for anyone with concerns or information to come forward. Anyone with information will be offered appropriate support as required…You can access online reporting here – Report | South Yorkshire Police
Timmins founded Crowded House Church in 1996 but resigned shortly after he was fired from Acts 29.
While at the time his tenure with storied organization was viewed as a success, including doubling the number of Acts 29 church partners worldwide, he was dogged by allegations of hard shepherding and a “pattern of spiritual abuse through bullying and intimidation, overbearing demands in the name of mission and discipline, rejection of critical feedback, and an expectation of unconditional loyalty,” according to a profile in Christianity Today.
Likewise, a 98-page report on The Crowded House surmises:
“There is sufficient evidence for the reviewers to conclude that whether intentionally or unintentionally the culture at The Crowded House was one in which some instances of emotional and/or psychological abuse took place as a result of persistent coercive and controlling behaviour in the name of Christian vision and ministry.”
