Cybercrime Tragedy Halts Church Construction

On November 7th, 2022, Elkin Valley Baptist was the victim of a tragic cybercrime. The thief created an exact replica of our contractor's invoice, compromised a staffer’s computer and as a result $793,848.10 was wired by our church to the scammer's bank account.

The FBI is actively investigating the crime. However, to date no funds have been recovered.

Our church prayerfully saved toward a new worship center for over ten years. Six years ago, we outgrew our sanctuary and now meet in our gymnasium, requiring multiple Sunday services to accommodate all those who wish to worship. For two months each year, we squeeze into the old sanctuary to make room in the gym for the 120+ boys and girls who participate in our Veritas basketball outreach program. It’s an amazing opportunity to minister the love of Christ through competition and sportsmanship. This is one of the many reasons why we need a permanent worship center.

With construction underway and half of the raised funds now gone, we’ve had to take out a costly loan for the construction to continue.

Proverbs 24:10 teaches us, “If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!” So while the loss is great and the task large, through the grace of God and the kindness of so many - we will overcome and emerge stronger.

Elkin Valley strives to be a place of grace that simply preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people. Our church is located in the small town of Elkin, North Carolina (pop: 4000) made up of working-class people who care for our community. We ask that you prayerfully consider helping us recover these stolen funds. Elkin Valley is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are tax-deductible.