Jessica Morris, the Australian journalist behind the investigation into former Newsboys and DC Talk frontman Michael Tait, says her intent was never to dismantle the Christian music industry, but to help protect those within it.
“This wasn’t about a vendetta,” Morris told CHVN in a 27-minute interview recorded Monday, June 9. “It was about shining a light in the darkness.”
The interview came one day before Tait released a public statement acknowledging that the allegations were “sadly, largely true.”
‘We don’t want this to burn down’
Morris’s reporting, published by The Roys Report, contains sexual misconduct allegations from multiple men against Tait — allegations that, at the time of the interview, had not been tested in court. But they were the result of years of careful investigation and corroboration, she said.
“I caught up with some friends while I was in town [for the Dove Awards in 2022],” Morris said. “And they said to me, ‘We keep hearing stories about this person and no one's doing anything about it. Can you do anything about it as a journalist?’”
Her reporting led to more than 50 sources, many of whom shared strikingly similar experiences and patterns. “All of these men were 22 at the time... and they all happened in similar instances,” she said. “The reports weren’t surprising to the people who knew [Tait].”
Yet Morris emphasized that this story wasn’t about taking down Christian music, and urged listeners not to give up on the faith community because of the actions of a few.
“Please don’t. Please don’t,” she said, responding to those calling to walk away from the genre. “The reason I know there is a good, loving God through the process of this story is because I have talked to so many sources… They love God. They are passionate about people coming to know God.”
“They are the ones who have said to me, ‘Please, we don’t want this to burn down. But we need some justice. We need this called out so that we can move on and make this a safer place for other young, vulnerable people.’”
Watch the full 27-minute interview with Jessica Morris below:
In it, Morris goes deeper into how the story came to her, how she verified sources, and how she wrestled with her faith during the process.
A methodical, years-long process
Morris began with six leads. Over two and a half years, that number grew into more than 50 people who helped confirm or contextualize various accounts. “Not all of them have been published… Some of them ended up being dead leads,” she said.
Each story was vetted through questions like: “Who did you tell immediately after the event? Are there police reports? Text messages? Photos?”
All reporting was reviewed by The Roys Report’s legal team and subjected to journalistic standards both in Australia and the United States, where Morris is a member of respective professional guilds. “I am held to legal and ethical standards… I want to act with integrity,” she said. “That’s why this took so long.”
Silence from Tait, but a response from Newsboys
Neither Michael Tait nor his team responded to repeated requests for comment ahead of publication. “We reached out to him, his lawyer, and his management, three separate times,” Morris said. “We never heard back. But they’re welcome to respond if and when they choose to.”
She did, however, appreciate the Newsboys’ public statement. In it, the band said Tait had confessed to “living a double life” when he left the group in January. “If anything, that seemed to further verify our reporting,” Morris said. “I felt heartbroken for fans reading it.”
Navigating faith and journalism
Morris is not just a journalist, she’s also a Christian and host of The Between You & Me Podcast, which focuses on how Church culture impacts artists.
“I began that podcast because I was disillusioned by what I was seeing,” she said. “I wanted to have honest conversations about what hurts and heals us in the Church.”
“There is mercy and forgiveness for everyone, but justice and truth also need to happen.” — Jessica Morris
Balancing a story like this with her own convictions wasn’t easy.
“I’ve had to reckon with my own faith. Because I grew up on this music. And I still believe in a good, kind, loving God. But we have to be brave enough to admit that not everything done in His name reflects His will.”
Where things stand and what’s next
Since the story broke, Morris says she’s continued to receive more accounts, some from people with stories, others simply sharing context.
“There’s a potential that more will come. I’m still reporting. This story isn’t finished,” she said.
She’s also been in touch with the three men who came forward in the article. “They’re doing well,” she said. “They’re settled. They’ve done the healing work. Some of them even said, ‘Thank you.’ And to me, that meant I did my job.”
For fans still processing
To those who feel shaken by the story, Morris offered empathy and reassurance.
“It feels cliché to say that I feel for you… But I have experienced it myself,” she said. “Give yourself time and space to process. The actions of one person don’t change the nature of God. They don’t take away the good that might have come from the music.”
“Your identity in Christ and your position in the Church isn’t reliant on Michael Tait.”
Where to find Jessica Morris
You can read her reporting at julieroys.com and listen to The Between You & Me Podcast on all major platforms. More information is available at jessicamorris.net.