Ministry Sexual Abuse

“Southern Baptists initiated the work of sexual abuse reform not in response to criminal inquiries or threats of lawsuits but due to an increasing burden and awareness that vulnerable people were suffering harm in many of our churches and institutions, which were vastly under resourced to care for and protect them.” - BPNews

Executive Committee: “While we are grateful for closure on this particular matter, we recognize that sexual abuse reform efforts must continue to be implemented across the Convention” - The Baptist Paper

Reasons included appointing women as pastors and failure to cooperate with the Credentials Committee in doctrinal and sexual abuse inquiries. - BPNews

“ ‘The Abuse Response Commission (ARC) is…. being started by a group of concerned, individual Southern Baptists’ who are current and former members of the ARITF.” - BPNews

“It’s time to take whatever monies are left & put them into a fund for those whose lives have been wrecked” - CPost

“A pair of new lawsuits, including one that includes civil RICO claims, come at a time when the SBC Executive Committee faces a fiscal and leadership crisis.” - RNS

“Journalist Rob Downen posted the email, which is contained in the filings of a now-settled lawsuit against Paul Pressler, the Southern Baptist Convention, the SBC Executive Committee and First Baptist Church in Houston.” - BPNews

“Ministry leaders should recognize that after CPS has been notified, it is important to continue support to a victim and their caretaker by ensuring that the victim still feels welcomed by the church community.” - Baptist Press

Statement: “The Southern Baptist Convention and its Executive Committee were each fully prepared to proceed to trial…. However, several factors ultimately made settlement the more prudent choice.” - BPNews

“Greg Love, co-founder of MinistrySafe, says most state Baptist conventions are following two pathways in helping their churches protect themselves from sexual abuse.” - BPNews