Michael W. Smith Faces Backlash for Kanakuk Support
Singer appears in Kanakuk podcasts, other videos
Michael W. Smith, the beloved Christian music artist behind hits like “Place in This World,” is at the center of a storm on X, where survivors of abuse at Kanakuk Kamps and their supporters are pleading with him to stop his promotion of the troubled organization.
His support, including an appearance in the organization’s podcast and a video from May 3 wishing it a happy 100th anniversary, has sparked fierce criticism due to the camp’s troubling history of sexual abuse allegations. The outrage isn’t aimed at Kanakuk for convincing Smith to appear, but at the singer himself for choosing to align with an organization that has settled multiple lawsuits dealing with the sexual abuse of children.
.@michaelwsmith, please rethink your arrangements with Joe White. This is not an attack. This is a plea. https://t.co/9yCS4NGaqW pic.twitter.com/ZM0HmF8y0G
— David Dark’s Approval Rating (@DavidDark) June 24, 2025
The allegations trace back to Pete Newman, a former Kanakuk director now serving two life sentences plus 30 years for molesting campers. Court documents and survivor accounts estimate Newman abused between 57 and over 100 children from 1995 to 2009. At least eight civil lawsuits have been filed against Kanakuk, including a 2013 case, Doe IX v. Kanakuk, which resulted in a $20 million judgment, Missouri’s largest plaintiff award that year. More recent suits, including those from survivors Logan Yandell and Andrew Summersett, claim Kanakuk’s leadership and its CEO Joe White, knew of Newman’s inappropriate behavior as early as 1999 but failed to stop it.
In a startling 2023 court filing, Kanakuk admitted it withheld information from victims’ families. But it went on to shift blame to its insurer, ACE American, claiming it advised against disclosure to limit financial liability.
Criticism of Smith over Kanakuk
On X, the criticism of Smith is raw and personal. “@michaelwsmith, please pull out of the Kanakuk podcast,” urged @FactsAboutKanakuk, a survivor advocacy account highlighting the camp’s use of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) to silence victims.
Elizabeth Carlock Phillips, whose brother, Trey Carlock, a Kanakuk abuse survivor, took his own life in 2019, shared her pain: “My brother suffered at Kanakuk. Michael W. Smith, don’t give them a platform.” Her brother’s obituary tied his death to the trauma he endured at the camp.
Another user, @Justice4Kanakuk, wrote, “Michael W. Smith, your music inspired me, but siding with Kanakuk is a betrayal. Cancel the podcast.” Similarly, @SurvivorVoice22 tweeted, “Why would@michaelwsmith lend his name to Kanakuk? Survivors are begging him to back out.” Hashtags like #KanakukAbuse and #BoycottMWS have gained traction, reflecting fans’ disappointment in a singer long seen as a beacon of faith.
100th Anniversary
The backlash comes as Kanakuk promotes its 2025 centennial celebration, expecting 20,000 campers this summer, even as hundreds of churches have severed ties. Critics argue the camp is glossing over its past. “Kanakuk welcomes thousands of kids yearly, yet survivors are silenced,” said journalist Nancy French in a 2022 Good Faith podcast, where she detailed allegations of cover-ups. The camp insists it has reformed, pointing to a Child Protection Plan on its website and describing Newman as a “master of deception.” But for many, these measures ring hollow while survivors continue to demand accountability.
Adding to the context, Missouri passed “Trey’s Law”
https://t.co/hUBfvkJhCE pic.twitter.com/7TVWtb4wQ1
— Facts About Kanakuk (@KanakukFacts) June 3, 2024
This year, both Missouri and Texas passed “Trey’s Law”, named after Trey Carlock, banning NDAs in child sexual abuse settlements. At the bill’s Texas passage, Rep. Jeff Leach declared, “This gives survivors a voice.” The unanimous legislation aims to prevent institutions like Kanakuk from using legal tactics to quiet victims, a practice survivors say was common in settlements. Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed it into law June 10th.
Smith, who has not publicly addressed the criticism, faces mounting pressure to reconsider. For survivors and their allies on X, his decision to proceed with the podcast feels like a betrayal of the very values his music has long championed. As the debate unfolds, the question remains: will Smith listen to the voices pleading for him to walk away?
In April, another lawsuit was filed against the Kanakuk. This time in Missouri by a young women named only as “Jane Doe.” She alleges it concealed knowledge of her sexual abuse and failed to protect campers from harm.
The lawsuit says that years before Doe’s sexual abuse, a Kanakuk supervisor over Newman recommended that he be fired. Instead, he was promoted the following year.
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice
