To Our Neighbors in Hamilton,

The leadership of The Ramp would like to communicate our commitment to the City of Hamilton and its people.

Hamilton is our home, and we love this city. We are grateful to live here, worship here, work here, raise families here, and welcome people from across the nation and beyond into this beautiful place. We believe God has great plans to use Hamilton for the good of every citizen. We want to play a part in that plan with humility, integrity, and love. We would like to take a moment to provide some clarity.

Q. Are there any known child-safety concerns involving current or former personnel of the Ramp?

We released an official statement in March of this year that a former employee was terminated and a report was immediately made to the appropriate local authorities. Based on the information known to us, this did not occur on Ramp property or in relation to Ramp University. The Ramp is working openly and transparently with proper authorities, who have requested that we not comment further on this case.

Q. Has Karen Wheaton been involved in a cover up of this or any case?

Karen Wheaton personally shared with the appropriate legal authorities all information known to her and the specific timelines by which she was made aware of that information. She has been requested by law enforcement to make no further comments while they continue their investigation.

Apart from the above case that has been reported, Karen Wheaton and The Ramp are unaware of any case of child abuse by a person while employed by the Ramp. We take child protection very seriously. If anyone is aware of any such occurrence, we urge you in the interest of child protection to make a report with the appropriate authorities. Public rumors and online speculation do not protect children, but responsible reporting can.

Q. What is The Ramp doing to keep children, students, and attendees safe?

The Ramp is deeply committed to child safety and the wellbeing of all those entrusted to our care. Our leadership team is continually reviewing current policies and providing training to ensure child safety and a safe culture for all employees, students, church members, and event attendees.

Q. What is the Ramp and what does it actually do?

The Ramp is a nondenominational Christian ministry based out of Hamilton, Alabama. For more than 25 years, we have ministered with a focus on teaching young people that Jesus is real and that being a Christian is more than just going to church; it is giving your whole life to love and follow Jesus Christ by loving and serving your community. The Ramp has three main ministries in Hamilton:

• Ramp Church: Our local church family that meets Sunday mornings
• Ramp University: A ministry training school that teaches young people the fundamentals of the Bible and prayer, as well as equipping students for ministry leadership, worship leading, missionary work, and preaching the gospel through the arts.
• Ramp Conferences: We host a number of conferences each year where people come to worship, hear the gospel, encounter the presence of God and be strengthened in their faith and calling. Over the years, we have welcomed hundreds of thousands of people to our city and have seen many lives transformed by the power of Jesus.

Q: Does The Ramp charge to attend services?

Ramp Church

The weekly Ramp Church services have always been and will always be free of charge.

Ramp Conferences

The Ramp hosts many youth conferences each year, all of which are free of charge. Donations made during the registration process are optional.

Occasionally, the Ramp hosts an event that includes lunch or other features, which incurs additional expenses in renting tents, chairs, inflatables, tables, and providing food. For these events, a registration fee is requested to cover the cost of those extra expenses. However, we make every reasonable effort to provide a way for those who wish to attend but can not afford the registration fee. We believe money should never be a barrier to those who desire to worship God in fellowship with other believers. Due to our commitment to free registration events, we could not continue hosting conferences without the support of voluntary donations.

Our commitment to Hamilton:

We are grateful for our neighbors, the local churches of Hamilton, our civic leaders and law enforcement, business owners, families, and the many people who make Hamilton such a wonderful and meaningful place to call home. We are committed to walking with integrity, cooperating with proper authorities, protecting people, serving this city well, and continuing the work God has called us to do.

With gratitude and respect,

The Leadership of The Ramp