The claims Right of reply
Did Go Church respond to the VRT documentary’s questions before it aired?
Yes, Go Church answered VRT’s questions in writing on Monday 19 October 2026, two days before the broadcast, and VRT put one sentence of that answer on air. The church had already told VRT by email that it would not give a face-to-face interview, and VRT’s own reporter says at the church door that she knew a written reply was coming.
What the documentary said
On 5 October we first try to reach King. Voicemails, emails back and forth. No conversation. ‘There’s no urgency,’ King writes. A written response is being considered.
Op 5 oktober, ruim twee weken geleden, proberen we voor het eerst de Belgische leider, pastor King, te bereiken. We spreken voicemails in en mailen over en weer. Maar een gesprek komt er niet. Er is geen urgentie, schrijft King. Er wordt wel nagedacht over een geschreven reactie.
Dag Heward-Mills does not respond to the alleged abuse
Ook Dag Heward-Mills reageert niet op het vermeende seksuele misbruik.
Dag Heward-Mills does not respond, and neither does pastor King.
Dag Heward-Mills reageert niet, net zo min als pastor King, de leider van Go Church België.
We’d like to speak with pastor King. / We’ve already said it several times. … You emailed that a reply was still coming.
We zouden graag met pastor King spreken. / We hebben ‘t al meerdere keren gezegd. … Jullie mailden dat er nog een wederwoord zou komen.
Good afternoon. … We already said in a statement by email that we don’t want a one-to-one interview or a face-to-face conversation. That’s been said very clearly.
Goedemiddag. … We hebben al gezegd in een verklaring via e-mail dat we geen een-op-een-interview of fysiek gesprek willen hebben. Dat is al heel duidelijk gezegd.
While the young people hold our attention … A diversion … Both cars drive off at high speed in different directions.
Terwijl de jongeren onze aandacht opeisen … Een afleidingsmanoeuvre … Beide wagens rijden met hoge snelheid elk een andere kant uit.
Only the day before yesterday do we get answers. … King denies all allegations; “as for the abuse, we dealt with it”
Pas eergisteren krijgen we antwoorden op onze vragen. King ontkent daarin alle aantijgingen. Wat het misbruik betreft, dat hebben we aangepakt, klinkt het. Lees de integrale reactie van Go Church op vrtnws.be
Watch VRT at this point · VRT NWS Pano21:50 (opens the recording on YouTube at 21:50)
Go Church’s written answer
“No. Go Church Belgium is open to people of all ages and does not specifically target minors in its outreach.” “Members’ addresses are requested to allow pastoral visits, which take place with their consent. Where a member is a minor, parental consent is required for such visits.” “All church activities are voluntary … There is no obligation to attend every activity.” “This applies to adults and minors alike.”
Go Church written reply to VRT, published on vrtnws.be, 21 Oct 2026 (English translation of the Dutch; a selection of the answers that were not broadcast). VRT broadcast one sentence of the reply. Read the full reply in Dutch and English.
What the film left out
VRT first tried to reach Go Church’s Belgian leader on 5 October. By VRT’s own account he wrote back that a written reaction was being considered. On Sunday 18 October VRT went with a camera crew to the church in Merksem at the close of the afternoon service. At the door its reporter says to a member: “Jullie mailden dat er nog een wederwoord zou komen” (you emailed that a reply was still coming). A young member then tells the crew the church had already said by email that it would not do a one-to-one interview or a face-to-face conversation. VRT waited an hour at the back of the church and filmed two cars leaving.
The written answer reached VRT on Monday 19 October. It answered VRT’s questions one by one: on minors, on home visits, on whether activities are compulsory, on hobbies and friends. On air, the whole answer became one line: King denies everything and, on the abuse, “we dealt with it”. Viewers were told to read the rest on vrtnws.be.
At 42:06 the narrator says King “does not respond”, over a clip of Bishop Dag preaching. One minute and forty-one seconds later, at 43:47, the same narration reads out King’s written response.
The verdict
Go Church said in writing that it would answer in writing, and it did. VRT had the answers two days before the broadcast and gave them ten seconds.
Questions people ask
Did Bishop Dag Heward-Mills respond to VRT?
VRT says he did not. The same narration said pastor King “does not respond” one minute and forty-one seconds before it read out King’s written answer, so the film’s “does not respond” needs checking each time it is used.
Where can I read Go Church’s full reply to VRT?
VRT published it on its website on 21 October 2026, at vrt.be/vrtnws under “go-church-reactie-pano”. The broadcast pointed to it in one line.
Why did VRT film cars driving away from the church in Merksem?
VRT went to a Sunday service to ask for an interview the church had already declined by email. VRT’s own reporter says on camera that she knew a written reply was coming, and it arrived the next day.