Churches Known to Use NDAs

Submit a Church NDA

Transparency is where prevention begins.

At the Spiritual Abuse Institute, we believe the first step to preventing spiritual abuse is making hidden systems visible. One of the most concerning, and often unseen, tools used in some churches is the non-disclosure agreement (NDA).

NDAs are often used to restrict what former staff, volunteers, or members are allowed to say about a church or ministry (especially after they leave.) While not inherently abusive, NDAs can create cultures of secrecy that hinder accountability and silence important stories.

We invite you to help us document and track the use of NDAs in religious communities - not to accuse, but to inform. This is part of our prevention strategy, rooted in the belief that awareness and transparency empower people to make better decisions about where they work, worship, and serve.

What This Project Is - And What It’s Not

This initiative is focused on public transparency. We maintain a straightforward, fact-based list of churches where non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) have been reported and documented.

Being listed does not mean a church is abusive, unhealthy, or unsafe. It only means this: We received an anonymous copy of a document that meets our definition of an NDA and has been reported to be used by that church or ministry.

We make no assumptions or allegations about churches on this list. This is not a blacklist, a shame campaign, or an exposé. It’s a transparency resource - one that helps people ask better questions and make informed choices.

We do not publish or share NDA content. We verify existence and report only the church/ministry name and year submitted (never the document itself).

How to Submit an NDA

If you have access to a NDA from a church, you can share a copy with us anonymously and securely using ProtonMail.

We are only collecting NDAs and other silencing documents. (Find out more about what constitutes an NDA here.)

To protect those who submit documents and keep submissions anonymous and confidential, we ask that you do not tell your story, share your name, or share any personal information.

All submissions are 100% voluntary and unsolicited.

✅ Step 1: Create a Free ProtonMail Account

Go to https://proton.me/mail

Choose a username that doesn’t identify you.

Leave the recovery email and phone number blank (they’re optional.)

Save your password.

ProtonMail is a free, encrypted email platform that protects your identity.

✅ Step 2: Prepare Your Submission

Attach a copy of the NDA as a PDF or document file.

If the document contains a name or any personally identifiable information, please redact it to maintain anonymity.

You can include a brief note like:

“This NDA comes from [Church Name and location]. I’m submitting anonymously.”

We do not publish or share NDA content. We simply verify the document exists and note the name of the church reported to be using it.

✅ Step 3: Send the Document(s) via Secure Email

Use the button below to email us your document(s) via our ProtonMail address.

If you use a ProtonMail account to send your message, everything is end-to-end encrypted.

We will never share your name or email address.

🙏 Why This Matters

NDAs can create environments where people are afraid to speak honestly about their experiences. Even if the intent isn’t to harm, the outcome can be silence and confusion.

By anonymously submitting an NDA, you help shed light on the systems churches are using, so others can enter with informed eyes and ask the right questions.

This is prevention work.
This is transparency.
This is how change begins.

BY SUBMITTING A DOCUMENT OR OTHER MATERIALS TO THE SPIRITUAL ABUSE INSTITUTE,

YOU REPRESENT THAT YOU AGREE TO THE TERMS BELOW.

Submit An NDA HERE

Terms, Disclaimers, & Policies

DISCLAIMERS:

By submitting a document or other material through this proton mail account, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

1. By submitting any document or other material to the Spiritual Abuse Institute, you are authorized to do so and that your submission does not violate any laws, including any laws for the protection of the privacy of minors, or infringe upon the rights of any third parties;

2. Any document or other material that you submit may be reviewed, stored, studied internally for research purposes, or utilized for research and education related to the Spiritual Abuse Institute’s mission of addressing and preventing spiritual abuse;

3. Depending on the content of the document or other material that you submit, you understand that the Spiritual Abuse Institute may be required by law to report the submission to legal authorities, such as if documents implicate elder or minor abuse under an applicable statute; and

4. Even if you choose not to disclose your identity, the Spiritual Abuse Institute cannot guarantee the confidentiality of any document or other material that you submit and cannot guarantee that any document or other material that you submit does not contain information that could be used to identify you. You are solely responsible for ensuring that all personal data, sensitive information, or other information that could identify you or that you do not wish to be disclosed has been removed from any document or other material that you submit to the Spiritual Abuse Institute.

5. The Spiritual Abuse Institute is based in the United States. All submissions, use of this website, and any disputes arising from its content are governed solely by the laws of the United States and the State of Tennessee, regardless of where a user or church is located.

BY SUBMITTING A DOCUMENT OR OTHER MATERIALS TO THE SPIRITUAL ABUSE INSTITUTE, YOU REPRESENT THAT YOU AGREE TO THESE TERMS.

POLICIES:

Learn more about our detailed process for publishing churches to this database from start to finish by reviewing our NDA DISCLOSURE & PUBLISHING PROCESS.

See how we protect sensitive data in our DATA PROTECTION POLICY.