A Response to the Report on Sexual Abuse in Southern Baptist Churches

By now many of you have heard of the release of a condemning report which details how the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) failed to respond properly to allegations of sexual abuse by numerous pastors and other church leaders over many years. According to the report, many such allegations were simply ignored, while others were covered up to protect the SBC and its leadership from liability. In some cases, the victims who raised such charges were shamed into silence. The report has understandably drawn widespread condemnation. It brings to light the incredible pain that survivors of abuse have endured and calls for a posture of humble repentance in the face of blatant sin.

Before I comment further on the implications this report has for us as a church, allow me to briefly explain who is who in this story for the benefit of those who may not be familiar with how the SBC is organized. For starters, every Southern Baptist church is independent and autonomous. For us, that means there is no organization or entity outside of Bonsack Baptist Church that has direct authority over us. We are free to govern ourselves in whatever way we choose. What makes us an SBC church is that we voluntarily choose to associate with the Southern Baptist Convention. This means we contribute financially through our regular budget and through various special offerings for the purpose of sharing resources with other churches to accomplish ministries and missions none of us could accomplish on our own.

In turn, every contributing church is offered a voice in the direction and function of the SBC by sending delegates, called messengers, to an annual meeting. One of the purposes of this meeting is to elect various officers. Among those elected is a body called the Executive Committee (EC). This group meets regularly throughout the year to oversee the operations of the SBC, including its various entities, agencies, and staff. It is that committee which as at the center of this scandal.

Here is the sequence of events in a nutshell. For the last few years there have been rumblings that the EC has, over time, been made aware of multiple cases in which leaders of different churches within the SBC network were accused of sexual sins. However, the prevailing attitude within the EC was that because every church in the SBC is independent and autonomous, it was not the place of the EC to dictate to any church what it should do about such allegations, so the committee did not share the information they received. The practical outcome is that when someone was accused of a sexual abuse at one church, they could simply resign their position and take a job at another church, and their new church would have no way of knowing about their past, resulting in even more victims.

Eventually, after a highly publicized news article about sexual abuse within SBC affiliated churches, the EC hired an outside firm called Guidepost to conduct an external investigation to their own handling of this issue. The initial plan was for Guidepost to provide the outcome of that investigation directly back to the EC, but a vote by the messengers at last year’s annual meeting of the SBC required the results to be shared directly with the public. That is the report which is now circulating through the media.

The report, which is over 300 pages long, goes into detail to describe both the methods and the outcomes of the investigation. (To read the report for yourself, go to https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6108172d83d55d3c9db4dd67/t/628bfccb599a375bece1f66c/1653341391218/Guidepost+Solutions+Independent+Investigation+Report_.pdf) The conclusions are gut wrenching. It would have been bad enough if the Committee had only failed to act properly in response to allegations of abuse, but the findings go further. While it is true that no agency of the SBC can control or dictate the decision of any local church, it is also true that over a period of more than 20 years, leaders in the EC knowingly mistreated or intimidated victims of sexual abuse, and actively resisted efforts to bring about reform to prevent further abuse. What makes it even more appalling is that such actions were taken under the claim that dealing with sexual abuse within the church was a distraction from the primary mission of proclaiming the gospel and calling people to salvation. The result is that victims of abuse have been further victimized by having their cries ignored and by being told that God has more important things to worry about than their pain at the hands of their spiritual leaders.

At this point I am going to resist the urge to voice outrage, not because outrage is wrong, but rather because there are plenty of other voices out there who have already spoken to the moral travesty of it all. Furthermore, I trust you don’t need me to tell you how dark and sinful this is. If you need a little guidance in organizing your thoughts, I suggest you turn to such passages as Isaiah 1:16-23, Psalm 82, Romans 12:9, or Matthew 5:17-20. This is just a sampling of what God has to say to us about matters of truth, righteousness, and goodness. Such virtues have clearly not been honored in this case.

The more immediate question many of you may be asking is what, if anything, all this has to do with us at Bonsack. Two thoughts come to mind.  First, for better or worse, we are affiliated with the SBC. We give tens of thousands of dollars a year to support the shared work of our denomination, and I believe we must remain committed to that work. The findings of this report are horrible and serve to remind us that our denomination is deeply flawed and must remain always ready to repent and return to the way of holiness, and yet the church is still the bride of Christ and the crown of God’s redemptive work in the world. There is no perfect church, and we must rely on God’s grace to continue using our imperfect ways to advance his kingdom. We should take some comfort in knowing that the same SBC which harbored this dark behavior is the same SBC which called it to light by demanding an accounting for it. Keep in mind that the reason this report is circulating through the media is that the messengers to last year’s meeting voted that this exactly what they wanted.  This push for transparency in the face of such failings is heartening. This in no way diminishes the tremendous suffering caused by the sinful actions detailed in this report, but it does at least hold out hope that a spirit of contrition and repentance is at work among us.

Second, I am pleased to remind you of the effort we made several years ago to institute a new set of robust policies to safeguard children, youth, and vulnerable adults. Instituting these policies has cost us considerable money and has imposed significant inconveniences in how we plan and staff the various programs and events, including the requirement that all volunteers must undergo a background search and that no adult ever be alone in a closed room with a minor. However, the current headlines only highlight how important and necessary these requirements are. (A complete listing of these policies are available in the church office if anyone would like to see them.) We must constantly renew our efforts to honor these safeguards. Something sacred is at stake, including the safety of our people and the integrity of our witness.

When it is all said and done, however, policies can only go so far in creating a culture of goodness. We must all search our hearts and repent of pride and arrogance and lust. We must all refrain from inappropriate comments, unwelcomed gestures, and unwanted touch. We must always honor the dignity of each individual in this church family and refuse to behave in ways that manipulate or abuse others for our own sinful purposes. Church should be the one place where everyone feels safe and welcomed, and we should always be ready to hear the voices of those who tell us we have failed to create such a place.

The fallout from this report will continue for a while to come. As it does, we must resist the effort to defend the indefensible or excuse the inexcusable. The light must shine into the darkness, even when the light is uncomfortably bright. In the meantime, we must pray for God’s healing mercies on the victims of these horrible crimes. And must pray for a spirit of humility as we seek to build a culture of righteousness, justice, and goodness within our own church family.

Grace and peace,

Chris Cadenhead