Forsyth County curriculum group faces fallout from misconduct probe

A Cumming-based Christian curriculum organization is facing a sharp loss of trust after a 14-month outside investigation found founder Reggie Joiner concealed multiple sexual relationships and misled leaders who depended on the ministry’s work. For families, churches and schools that have long used Orange resources, the findings put fresh attention on who knew what, when they knew it, and why safeguards failed inside a nationally influential Forsyth County organization.

The reThink Group said its board learned of the allegations in April 2024, just before the annual Orange Conference, and that Joiner and CEO Kristen Ivy resigned after admitting to a past sexual relationship. The board said it hired Castañeda + Heidelman LLP, a firm it described as trauma-trained and experienced in faith-based investigations, after consulting abuse-advocacy experts and dozens of pastors and church leaders.

The inquiry was broad in scope. reThink said the investigators reviewed thousands of documents spanning several decades and used digital forensics to examine emails, text messages, personal files stored on company-owned computers, calendar entries and travel histories. The firm interviewed more than 40 people, and Joiner participated in multiple days of questioning.

According to the findings summarized by the board and by MinistryWatch, the investigation identified misconduct involving six women. Four worked for Joiner, and two were under his pastoral care at North Point Community Church. One of those women was 19 when the conduct began. MinistryWatch also reported that Joiner engaged in six extramarital relationships and concealed all of them.

reThink said Joiner admitted to other past sexual relationships after being confronted. The board also said Ivy first described the relationship as consensual in her resignation letter, later changed her account to one of abuse, and submitted written statements rather than appearing for an in-person interview. At the same time, the board said there was no evidence that any management team member or board member knew about Joiner’s sexual relationships beyond the Ivy matter.

The organization’s decision not to release the full report, even in redacted form, has left local partners to judge the fallout without seeing the complete record. The board said a public version could identify people who do not want their stories made public.

Orange, founded in 1996, said it partnered with about 10,000 ministry leaders during 2022-23 and has long been part of the metro Atlanta faith and education landscape. Its spring conference had been scheduled for April 23-25, 2024, in Duluth, a reminder of how far its influence reached from its Cumming base. The board’s own lessons now point to the central failure exposed by the probe: ministries need human-resources oversight strong enough to hold senior leaders accountable, along with clear non-fraternization, sexual harassment and reporting policies before trust can be rebuilt.