A Statement from the Pastors on the SBC Resolutions and Motion from the Sexual Abuse Task Force
Dear Redeemer,
We wanted to talk with you about the latest happenings in our denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, as it relates to the issue of sexual abuse in several churches. At last year’s convention, the Messengers (representatives sent from our churches) made a resounding vote to have a third party investigation done into allegations of sexual abuse. This was a historic and extremely encouraging move, as the Executive Committee (which is not authoritative over our denomination, but sets the direction of it) was reluctant to have such a report done—presumably to protect the denomination from public scandal. On May 22, 2022 that third party report by Guidepost Solutions was released.
Since that time, we have been reading the report and waiting to see what would be done with the report. To be clear, the lion’s share of churches and leaders did not know the scale to which these abuses were. Since our churches are autonomous and link arms for the sake of mission, there has not been a centralized authority responsible for defrocking ministers. Rather, this is supposed to be handled by each local church. Unbeknownst to us, as well as the majority of pastors in the denomination, there actually was a catalog of perpetrators reported to the denomination.
As a matter of course, the report is simply that, a report. The tell-tale sign of the health of our denomination and its future direction was dependent upon how our churches responded to that report. Would we turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the many cases of sexual abuse or would we be willing to accept the discomfort and embarrassment and have the courage to address these heinous acts?
On June 12-13, 2022, the Southern Baptist Convention convened. The denomination overwhelmingly received and sought to put into motion the recommendations of the report. Instead of explaining away issues that have been deeply rooted, our churches made the following SBC Resolution on Lament and Repentance for Sexual Abuse.
Additionally, the convention assembled a Sexual Abuse Task Force that is commissioned with implementing for our denomination and recommending for our local churches how to be proactive in remedying these issues. The words here are important. As pertains to the denomination’s staff, the Task Force can issue measures that need to be adopted (like a “Ministry Check” website). As pertains to the local church, it is up to each local congregation who they will guard against and handle such issues. You can read their recommendations and motion to the convention here.
As it relates to our local church, we want to make a few statements:
1) We mourn and ought to lament as a church for the hypocrisy and pain suffered in our local churches. While these took place in other churches and, fortunately not ours, we are united in name and creed with them. As we are called to weep with those who weep, we want to do so. Anytime God’s people bring shame upon his Name, we ought to grieve. We will have a time to corporately do so together in our worship gathering next week. Doing so does not confess that we are guilty of another’s sin or crimes. Rather, like Isaiah who confessed that he was a man of unclean lips and dwelt among a people of unclean lips and like God’s people through generations have corporately confessed their sin as a people, we want to also confess our need of repentance and faith.
2) The report is extremely saddening. You can read the full report here. If you choose to, we would ask you to read in a spirit of prayer and humility. Please pause to pray for the victims. Pause to pray for true repentance in the perpetrators. Pray for justice to be meted out. Pray that God would protect our congregation from such heinous acts.
3) We are greatly encouraged by the Messengers’ courage to act upon the recommendations of the report. Instead of hedging or explaining away, they rightly saw the path forward is to do the hard work of seeking forgiveness and restitution. Pray that God would continue to embolden our churches to advocate for the vulnerable and pursue righteousness.
4) The elders have intentionally waited to see how the convention responded to the report before speaking about this issue. This is due to the nature of a report and subsequent action. Since the investigation had no authority over the denomination but sought to serve and make recommendations, it was incumbent upon the churches to decide what steps they would take to make things right. The timing of our response was also informed by an effort to not be reactionary until findings and subsequent actions became clear. Thank you for your patience as we have sought to be slow to speak and quick to listen.
5) The hypocrisy that persisted in several of our churches and the leadership reveals a sickness in how we understand the mission of the Church. There seems to be a prevalent attitude in American Christianity that defaults to protect the institution. When this happens, people become commodities. Further, in an effort to help people, victim and perpetrator dynamics were not figured into the equation of what it means to do justice, love mercy, and to walk humbly. There also exists a strange dynamic of authoritarianism that ought not to be.
This abuse of authority can be exhibited in the Church as well as in the home. Submission to husbands is not a total submission. If a husband is verbally or emotionally abusive or manipulative, wives and children, please reach out to the elders to help intervene.
Paul admonishes us to be mutually submissive to one another (Eph. 5.21). To consider the other more important (Phil 2.3). Sometimes that takes the courage to call sin sin and to seek correction and discipline in the way of the Cross. Therefore, as a church we want to guard against any kind of totalitarianism in our homes that would treat wives and children as property or as less-than the co-heirs that they are.
6) As a rule, if someone commits a criminal act we are required by law—both civil and God’s—to report such activity to law enforcement. While we will seek to minister to both victim and perpetrator, we will default to take the path of protecting the vulnerable.
7) As a church, we exhort each of you to re-commit yourself to guarding against pride in your hearts toward your spouses and children. We admonish each of you to review our Child Protection Policies and Nursery Policies Summary and to honor them. We exhort you to pursue purity of what you watch with your eyes and do with your hands.
With gratitude and love and fear,
Matt and Russell