Dear friend,

The issue of sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention is one of urgent importance, and has been long before the release of the recent articles by the Houston Chronicle. The urgency of this issue is what led the SBC to create a Sexual Abuse Presidential Advisory Group last summer. 

Earlier this week, SBC President J.D. Greear addressed the SBC Executive Committee and shared 10 calls to action for Southern Baptists based on initial recommendations from the presidential advisory group. The group’s efforts are ongoing, and there will be more resources and responses released in the months to come. Greear called Southern Baptists to:

1. Enter a season of sorrow and repentance.
2. Embrace a new curriculum for holistic care in the early stages of learning of abuse.
3. Affirm three separate “Statement of Principles” documents. (SBC Seminaries, SBC State Conventions, SBC Associational Leaders)
4. Take immediate action on abuse prevention and care. 
5. Consider requiring background checks, at a minimum, for all SBC standing committees and trustee appointments. 
6. Reexamine the ordination process.
7. Update the Annual Church Profile to ask about abuse. 
8. Prepare to address abuse at the 2019 SBC Annual Meeting. 
9. Explore possibilities related to a database solution.
10. Request that the Executive Committee enhances governing documents on disfellowshipping churches and evaluates several churches. 

Read more information about these calls to action here. 

The SBC Executive Committee approved the following amended language to be added to Article 3 of the SBC Constitution which states the qualifications for churches to be deemed in friendly cooperation with the Convention:

(4) Has not been determined by the Executive Committee to have evidenced indifference in addressing sexual abuse that targets minors and other vulnerable persons and in caring for persons who have suffered because of sexual abuse. Indifference can be evidenced by, among other things, (a) employing a convicted sex offender, (b) allowing a convicted sex offender to work as a volunteer in contact with minors, (c) continuing to employ a person who unlawfully concealed from law enforcement information regarding the sexual abuse of any person by an employee or volunteer of the church, or (d) willfully disregarding compliance with mandatory child abuse reporting laws.

(5) Has not acted to affirm, approve, or endorse discriminatory behavior on the basis of ethnicity. In order for any constitutional amendment to become official, SBC messengers must vote to approve it in two consecutive SBC annual meetings. This means that, upon approval, this amendment will officially become part of the SBC Constitution at the 2020 SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando. 

How can Southern Baptists stay involved and connected to the advisory group? The advisory group wants to hear from you. If you have suggestions, questions, connections, or ideas, please send those to [email protected]. If you would like to receive updates regarding the new curriculum, you can sign up for updates here. You can also sign up to receive updates on the presidential advisory group here.

Sincerely,

Phillip Bethancourt
Executive Vice President
Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission