SELLERSBURG, Ind. — Less than two weeks after he was arrested, Pastor Gerald “Jerry” Harris stood before his shrunken congregation and spoke of mercy.
He did not talk about the charges against him — beating and neglecting children in the Well of Grace Boarding Academy, which he oversaw.
Instead, he stood at the pulpit, shifting his weight and tugging his lapels. He alluded to his tarnished reputation and spoke of mankind’s need for grace.
“Mercy is not getting what I deserve,” said Harris, 47. “I deserve a place in hell.”
Two weeks ago, police officers and Child Protective Services visited the boarding school at Crossroads Baptist Church, 6109 Appleleaf Lane.
After Harris welcomed them, they interviewed children ranging in age from 8 to 19. Several of the children showed the officers severe bruising on their buttocks and legs, which they attributed to punishments from Harris and Christopher Williams, 21, a student coordinator at the school.
One child said Williams beat him with a wooden paddle after he wet the bed.
Another said the boys were prohibited from using the bathroom after lights were turned out and ordered to relieve themselves before bedtime or after they woke up.
One said Harris hit him with the paddle in front of other students during class, because Harris thought the boy was smirking while reading the Bible.
Another claimed Williams tied a rope around his waist and jerked him around, as punishment for disobedience.
Harris and Williams were arrested on felony counts of battery on a child younger than 14 and criminal neglect of a
dependent.
They were both released on $15,000 bonds. The two men plead not guilty to the charges in court Sept. 8. Now, they await their Jan. 26 trial date.
After the arrest, the boarding school was officially shut down by the Clarksville building commissioner, because it was not equipped to house its 20-some students — most from out of state — in the permanent dormitories
behind the church.
During his sermon Sunday morning, Harris addressed a congregation of just 20 people.
Those in attendance provided support for their pastor, crying generous amens with hands high above their heads.
Red faced, with his glasses in hand, Harris spoke of his upbringing — how he was shuffled through 17 foster homes in 10 years and eventually found salvation in an Oklahoma boy’s home at the age of 15.
Harris told his audience that those who most need God’s love often are the hardest to reach.
“If children are being rebellious or disrespectful, you don’t want to do anything for them,” Harris said. “The moment they are corrected and they change is the moment you start wanting to help them.”
Well-mannered and well-behaved, the boys of Well of Grace Boarding Academy seemed to reflect such corrections, said Bob Sutherland, owner of the neighboring Southern Indiana Tennis Center.
“They always seemed very well-disciplined,” Sutherland said. “I don’t know about how they’re being raised, but they were always very polite.”
Until the recent allegations, Well of Grace Boarding Academy had drawn scant attention. Pastor Ric Catlett of nearby Covenant Life Church said he wasn’t even aware that Crossroads had a boarding school on its property until he heard the tales of abuse.
Catlett said the case at Crossroads raises questions for other churches, especially in regard to how well they screen their personnel and their accountability for their members.
“It keeps us understanding the importance of safety, especially in our day cares,” Catlett said. “We have to do background checks, we have to be thorough with our employees. We have to do what’s right.”
Behind him, the marquee read, “God still heals!”
During the service on the other side of town, Harris trembled while he told his congregation about the struggle to constantly serve God.
It can’t be an occasional effort. It should be constant and exhaustive, Harris said.
In front of miniature American flags that bristled in the air conditioning, beneath the glow of the church lights, Harris admitted even man’s greatest efforts cannot eclipse their flaws.
“Often, when I try the hardest to serve God is when I fail the most,” Harris said.
