The Bombshell That Rocked the Southern Baptist Convention
In the past month, a report released by the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has rocked the usually stable SBC. This report, which centered upon sexual abuse among the Executive Committee, painted a sad and solemn picture of harassment, intimidation, and sexual favors. It represents a bleak day among Southern Baptists. What should we as a church make of this? Is there any hope for the SBC? Before we gain conclusions, let us go back to the controversy’s inception.
After a number of tries to instigate the study at the SBC Convention, the Messengers finally over-ruled the ruling body. They (we) demanded the Executive Committee take account of many accusations hurled at them. Messengers at last year’s convention in Nashville, TN, voted to implement a “Sexual Abuse Task Force” (SATF) to report back to the 2022 SBC Convention in Anaheim, California, to detail any sexual abuse found amongst the Executive Committee since 2000. This report would not be overseen by the SBC, but by an independent, outside study group known as Guidestone Solutions.
First of all, who is the “Executive Committee (EC)? The EC is composed of 83 members who are appointed to 4-year terms to govern and direct the Southern Baptist Convention’s entities and heads. Most are God-fearing individuals who seek to serve in capacities with one goal - the Great Commission. The EC meets 3 times a year. The EC’s mission is 4-fold:
a. Coordination - working to hold the Annual Meetings as well as overseeing all financial transactions
b. Communication - providing thorough promotion of materials in the advancement of the Gospel
c. Consultation - assisting churches in whatever way possible
d. Collaboration - helping churches through promotion and cooperative giving and in stewardship education
These are very important positions which direct SBC life. For years, a Task Force has been proposed on the floor of the Convention, only to get declined or dismissed by the Chair. At last year’s Convention, the Messengers called for a ballot vote, and the Task Force was established. What the Task Force found shook the columns of every church and Convention establishment in the SBC.
Fast forward to May, 2022, with the report completed and released. The full report of 288 pages was startling. Personally, I did not know anyone implicated in the report; yet my heart was broken as I read countless numbers of allegations against “heroes” in the Convention. As I began to read, I became physically sick. I put it down for a day. The next day I started again, and had to stop reading again. Finally, on the third day, I finished. The report was startling, alarming, and humbling. It detailed sexual exploits, cover-ups, and non-Christlike behavior amongst members of the EC during these two decades. I will not delve into the details of this study. I will leave the reading to you. The study is posted at www.sataskforce.net. Click on “Guidepost Full Report.” There, you will see the complete 288-page findings.
Here are Guidepost’s recommendations: (1) Creating a permanent entity to oversee sexual abuse response and allegations. (2) Creating an “offender information system” composed of an online database churches can search to see if a potential candidate has official charges levied against him/her. (3) Facilitating programs for survivors to provide compensation from SBC to cover medical and psychological help. (4) Facilitating programs to assist survivors. (5) Issuing an apology to survivors. (6) Adding a Survivor Sunday to the SBC calendar. (7) Prohibiting nondisclosure agreements, except with requested by victims. (8) Requiring a code of conduct for entity employment of attending a seminary. (9) The recommendation of hiring a Chief Compliance Officer to the Executive Committee Staff.
These are the recommendations put forward by the work of the Task Force. Personally, I believe each recommendation to be needed and 100% support them. The church (our church) must be beyond reproach. I am thankful for the safeguards put in place by the church of yesteryear, but I want us to be proactive in pursuit of maintaining the church’s purity and example to a lost world. If the church (or the Convention heads) is not pure, then how can we expect it from its churches? Let us pray and work for God’s glory in our daily opportunities.