"This is the first case I know of where a church has been hit with liability involving a rank-and-file member,"
This glosses over the point that written policies from WTBTS headquarters tell the BOE report to the lawyers at Bethel first, rather than to the legal authorities, and to do as little as possible to comply with the "mandatory reporting" laws (use a pay phone, don't give a name, etc.) rather than cooperating fully with the investigators. The direct consequence of that written policy was that Kendrick was able to continue his crimes, leading to further harm to plaintiff and other victims. That WTBS policy of negligence is what the case is about, and the jury agreed with the claim.
Besides, don't they say that all baptized publishers are "ordained ministers", and that they don't have any special "clergy class?"