Joshua Sanftner

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

Since 2020, I have stood—and continue to stand—in solidarity with the survivors of child sexual abuse from North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara, California, and First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana. These prominent megachurches have faced serious accusations of prioritizing their ministries and reputations over protecting vulnerable children, with reports of abuse by staff members and alleged institutional cover-ups. In time, those responsible for enabling or concealing child sexual abuse will face justice.

https://t.co/aT0XspQOnd

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

Church Elders/Deacons being sued for CSA coverup.

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

@joekent16jan19 🔥

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

@realDonaldTrump I support Thomas Massie, I voted for Trump but I stopped supporting Trump when I found out he was in the Epstein files.

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

@MHTruthUltra 🔥🔥🔥 @MarioNawfal

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

Unbelievable C//S//A cover up 🚩🚩🚩

I was born in 1984 at North Valley Baptist Church (NVBC) in Santa Clara, California.(moved to Wisconsin 12/2015)

Around that time, Mike Strouf (who grew up in Racine, WI) became the youth pastor at NVBC. He is the brother-in-law of NVBC’s longtime senior pastor, Jack Trieber (born in Milwaukee, WI), and has connections to Berean Baptist Church as well.

Mike Strouf has faced multiple credible accusations of grooming and abusing teenage girls across several churches.

In the late 1980s at NVBC, allegations state that Strouf groomed and impregnated at least one teenage girl. Pastor Jack Trieber reportedly met with the victim’s parents and survivors at a hotel. Instead of full accountability, the pregnant teen was reportedly blamed for the pregnancy and sent out of state. A former NVBC deacon has recounted that Strouf stood before the NVBC church in tears, claiming it was a consensual “affair.”

In the 1990s, Pastor Trieber reportedly moved (“shuffled”) Strouf to Cornerstone Baptist Church in Colorado Springs (pastored by Dean Miller Sr. at the time). That church has faced its own lawsuits and name changes, with concerning Google reviews still visible. Strouf allegedly got into trouble there again and was then moved back to Berean Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois (under Pastor Melvin Swanson).

After the statute of limitations had expired, Strouf returned to NVBC around 1998–1999. He remained there for about 25 years. Pastor Trieber reportedly wanted his brother-in-law back. During this time, Strouf became a highly successful realtor in Santa Clara, selling homes to many NVBC members—including the house of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick at the peak of his career, along with properties for other 49ers players.
(Note: Please do not harass Strouf’s real estate business or employees—many are connected to NVBC. Direct concerns to church leadership instead.)

In recent years, two brave survivors came forward and filed a lawsuit against North Valley Baptist Church to address what they described as a systematic cover-up of c//s//a. In March 2024, Pastor Trieber and the church reportedly settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount. Shortly after, Strouf was allegedly shuffled out of state again—this time to Victory Baptist Church in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, under Pastor Jeremy Kobernat (a former vice president and (my) professor at Golden State Baptist College, NVBC’s affiliated school).

Meanwhile, at Berean Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois, current pastor Mark Swanson (son of former pastor Melvin Swanson) brought in Dan Kobernat. Dan Kobernat faces credible accusations and is named as a defendant in lawsuits related to Faith Baptist Church and Academy in Spokane, Washington, along with other staff. He has worked at multiple churches prior to these allegations.

This pattern of moving accused individuals between churches—often without warning congregations or involving law enforcement—raises serious questions about systemic cover-ups of c//s//a in these interconnected church circles.

Do you see the pattern?

North Valley Baptist Church Santa Clara, California

Cornerstone Baptist Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Berean Baptist Church Rockford Illinois

Victory Baptist Church (I have been blocked)
Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina

(A like-minded church located about 7.5 miles from Berean Baptist Church in the Rockford, Illinois area—formerly known as North Love Baptist Church—faced multiple civil lawsuits (more than 10 reported in connection with allegations) involving C//S//A. Following the scandals, the church rebranded and now operates as Woodlands Baptist Church.
Both churches have historical ties to the movement influenced by Jack Hyles and First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana.)

Lawsuit
Doe 1 North Valley Baptist Church
Doe 2 Mike Strouf Sr, Youth Pastor

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

C//S//A coverup 🚩🚩
Influence of Berean Baptist Church (Rockford, Illinois) on North Valley Baptist Church (Santa Clara, California)

In the 1970s, Pastor Robert R. Knight served as a youth pastor at Berean Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois. Multiple survivors from that time have come forward alleging that Knight preyed upon and groomed them while in that position. According to accounts, survivors were blamed rather than supported, and they state they never received justice.

Pastor Melvin Gustav Swanson (father-in-law to Jack Trieber) was reportedly involved in covering up the situation. Knight was subsequently transferred to another location rather than facing accountability. At the time, a young Jack Trieber (in his 20s) served on staff at Berean Baptist Church before moving to the Santa Clara, California area, where he became pastor of North Valley Baptist Church in 1976. Both Pastor Swanson and Jack Trieber are alleged to have failed to report the C//S/A to authorities.

P.S.
This raises questions about whether a broader pattern exists within certain Independent Baptist church networks regarding the handling of abuse allegations — including the transfer of accused individuals instead of transparent accountability, the blaming of victims, and the failure to involve law enforcement.

The intent here is protective, not vindictive: to help safeguard current and future generations of young people in these congregations. Many current and former members, staff, and deacons are reportedly frustrated with ongoing patterns of cover-up and are tired of seeing survivors forced to file lawsuits simply to stop the internal “shuffling” of predators from one church or ministry to another.

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

@reachjulieroys @WheatonCollege Praying 🙏🏽 for the survivors.

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

@jkbjournalist 🔥

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

@AmberWoods100 💯

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

@MikeWingerii God may we repent, God please send revival to America.

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

🚨 The root? Berean Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois — they blamed the female victim. Justice is coming. I have not forgotten about her.
Multiple predators have deep connections to BBC. The young Pastor Jack Trieber was on staff there (his father-in-law was the pastor). Pastor Trieber witnessed the C/S/A cover-up as a young staff member and then repeated the same pattern at North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara, California.
Decades of NVBC C/S/A cover-up. Will all 50 deacons and 100 staff members be sued for the cover-up? Wake up Deacons and Staff!

[Julie Roys @reachjulieroys]

A woman in Spokane has sued Faith Baptist Church, its school & 2 frmr staff, alleging abuse & negligence when she was a student.

The woman, 29, says frmr Faith Baptist Academy Principal Dan Kobernat used his position to sexually assault her multiple times
https://t.co/TG0WCWXZA0

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

@BeyondPartidos @RepNancyMace Ivan, give her time. The dominos are slowly falling.

All Republicans & Democrats that R. need to be brought to justice.

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

@RepNancyMace 📢 👌🏽🔥💯

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

North Valley Baptist Church - special meeting, live stream cut off

https://t.co/UBmHjAFexV

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

@JesseBWatters Finally Fox News Jesse got the green light to expose this….

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

Are you referring to another C//S//A lawsuit? Church members need to know that their tithes and offerings are covering the legal bills and funding the lawsuit’s defense. Additionally, in the last lawsuit, 45 out of 50 deacons were not allowed to read the lawsuit documents.

March 22, 2026
North Valley Baptist Church
Pastor Jack Trieber

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

@elonmusk Epstein post are being censored. Why?

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

If you have any information regarding an alleged (CSA) cover-up involving a member, attendee, or staff member of a church in Santa Clara California, please contact the Santa Clara Police Department immediately.

[Joshua Sanftner @JoshuaSanftner]

Is Your Tithe Paying for Church Lawsuits?
Time to question where the money actually goes… ⛪💰🚨