Christian Cult Linked To String Of Sex Crimes At Church's Service Raves

A Christian cult in the United Kingdom largely known for appropriating rave culture into their preaching dynamics is being investigated as of Thursday for potential sexual assault, with at least two previous members being arrested in connection to the alleged offenses.

South Yorkshire Police confirmed that the Nine O’Clock Service, a Christian cult popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s for its rave-like services and which received praise from Anglican priests at the time like the Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, is being investigated for alleged sexual offenses, according to the Times.

A man and a woman, who have yet to be identified in public, have been arrested for their connection to the Nine O’Clock Service, which was notorious for its rave-like services that had some practices that many establishments found questionable at best, the Daily Beast reported.

“Two people, a man and a woman, have been arrested on suspicion of sexual offenses, alleged to have taken place in Sheffield between 1980 to 1995. They have since been released under investigation pending further inquiries,” a spokesperson for the police said.

While the rave-like services attracted younger individuals that normally did not go to church, they also attracted controversy for some of their practices which were deemed questionable. An incident occurred in 1992 where two bikini-clad women were performing “provocative bumps and grinds” during scheduled worship.

The cult was also well-known for practices like the “postmodern nuns,” where young women were recruited by the founder Chris Brain and allegedly performed sexual acts with him. The cult closed down in 1995 due to controversy about its practices as well as their finances.

South Yorkshire authorities reportedly started investigating in 2021 when former members of the cult came forward to report being sexually assaulted during their time in the church. Some of them have pushed forward civil suits while authorities investigate the case.

“Police have uncovered a lot of information but the investigation has become more complex,” a former member of the church said. “The length of time the investigation is taking has turned this into a terrible waiting game.”