Editing River Road Fellowship (section)

=="Maidens" and abuse allegations==
In 2000, Barnard announced a new teaching in which he asked families to "sacrifice" their first-born daughters to God. Barnard chose ten girls and young women, referred to as "Maidens," to live in a secluded area of the compound, where they were subjected to Barnard's complete control.<ref name="APMay2014" /> Barnard allegedly told the girls that he represented Christ on earth and that sexual contact with him was a divine act of love.<ref name="NBC2014" />

Two of the victims later reported that Barnard began sexually assaulting them when they were 12 and 13 years old. The abuse continued for several years.<ref name="BBC2015">{{cite news |title=US sex abuse suspect detained in Brazil |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-31679476
 |work=BBC News |date=March 1, 2015 |access-date=24 October 2025}}</ref>