The Christian music world continues to reel after fresh allegations of sexual abuse surfaced against disgraced former Newsboys frontman Michael Tait. In a newly released recording obtained by The Roys Report, Tait is heard apologizing to one of his alleged victims and admitting to touching him “inappropriately.”

“When I first made the advances on you, touched you inappropriately, and it just bloomed out of control … it got the best of me,” Tait said in the 45-minute call recorded in July. “All I can say is, from my heart, I’m truly sorry, man.”

The man, identified under the pseudonym “Lucas,” said he first met Tait at a Christian music festival in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2000, when he was 19. Over the next decade, he claims Tait groomed, manipulated, and assaulted him while using his celebrity status and influence in the industry to maintain control. “Michael used his power and position in the industry to coerce me into situations that I always tried to get out of,” Lucas told The Roys Report.

A Decade of Alleged Abuse

According to Lucas, the assaults began after Tait invited him to his Brentwood, Tennessee, mansion in 2003. Lucas recalled waking up to find Tait sexually assaulting him: “I froze. I got in my car and drove home.” While Tait later apologized, Lucas said the abuse continued for several years until he married.

When the two reconnected this year, Tait admitted in the call that Lucas was not his only victim. “We’ve lost everything. The band’s done. Management’s done. But it took that to get me to my knees,” Tait said, adding that he had been clean and sober since January.

Lucas said he forgave Tait during the call but has since released the recording to prevent the singer from attempting a comeback. “He’s lived off the souls of other people for long enough. I’d like to see [Tait] in jail, to be honest,” he said.

Other Victims Come Forward

The allegations against Tait continue to grow. In August, Shawn Davis told People magazine that Tait raped him in 2003 after drugging him. Davis has been working with the Brentwood Police in Tennessee to build a criminal case. “Ultimately, in the end, the goal is to see him go to prison. We need every single victim possible to come forward,” he said.

The reports follow a confession letter Tait released earlier this year titled My Confession, in which he admitted to “unwanted sensual” touching and drug abuse, though he disputed some details.

Calls For Accountability in the Church

The scandal has shaken the Christian music industry. Skillet frontman John Cooper called it a “shame and a tragedy for the Church,” urging leaders to speak out. “We need a full-throated condemnation of these acts … unapologetically, we do not shrink back,” Cooper said.

For many, the case underscores the need for accountability in the Church and the Christian music community. While Tait has expressed regret, his alleged victims say real consequences must accompany repentance.

As investigations continue, the voices of survivors like Lucas and Davis are shedding light on abuse hidden in the shadows of fame, reminding the Church that protecting the vulnerable must always come before preserving reputation.