The Week Southern Baptists Felt The Weight Of Bad Decisions on “Sexual Abuse”

The manner in which the Southern Baptist Convention’s leadership chose to handle the “sexual abuse” crisis was controversial from the outset. Their solution took away the autonomy of local churches, and presumed certain of the men accused to be guilty.

Megan Basham devoted over forty pages of her book to this topic. She related the public pressure over the last couple of decades to deal with these issues. The secular/leftist point of view is that men have disproportionate power over women, are oppressors, and are prone to abuse.

But she also pointed out the following:

• That the women involved often were not passive victims, but instead were involved in situations because of their own sinfulness;
• That sometimes women lie in order to exact revenge over having been jilted, or over some other issue;
• That in some cases, the women involved are as old or older than the man involved;
• That looking at this issue through the lens of “power” dynamics is not biblical;
• That examining these cases outside the criminal legal system means that men are subject to an unfair burden of proof, and are deprived of their right to due process and the presumption of innocence. This does NOT represent biblical justice;
• That those within the Southern Baptist Convention who advanced this issue were attempting to grab power and stigmatize their opponents within the Convention;
• That conservatives were treated more severely than moderate/ liberal folks within the Convention, and that J.D. Greear was part of this situation;
• That Russell Moore leaked information to the media repeatedly, taped certain folks, and pressured the Executive Committee to handle these matters a certain way;
• That an investigation firm recommended by the #MeToo crusaders was retained by the Convention, and that firm produced a report that was inflammatory but in many cases devoid of substance;
• That the investigation firm and the Convention were sued for defamation by some of the men accused;
• That the aftermath of the release of the report resulted in conservatives on the Convention’s Executive Committee being pushed out;
• That a “hotline” was established by the Convention that hooked up women calling the hotline with legal firms that specialize in sexual abuse;
• That a special course at Southeastern Seminary was implemented on sexual abuse that presented the issue through the lens of oppressor, oppressed and power dynamics;
• That a database was developed by the Convention of men determined to be abusers using the above flawed process;
• That some within the Convention used the issue to boost their own profile.

She pointed out the system often failed to differentiate between mutually sinful relationships, unwelcome sexual overtures and actual assault.

What happened this week?

First, it was revealed that the above sexual abuse approach has cost the Convention more than $12 million in legal fees. The lefty investigation firm that is deeply enmeshed in #MeToo– Guidepost Solutions– has received $3 million from the Convention. The Convention has inappropriately assumed that firm’s legal liability in these matters. There have been other expenses also to the Convention.

The 24 hour hotline established to enable victims to report abuse reportedly costs $36,000 per month.

Second, the Convention made the decision to sell its Nashville headquarters this week amid declining income and costs associated with the sexual abuse process.

What is the big deal?

First, the lack of sobriety and Godly wisdom handling this issue has been horrendous. That the Convention’s leadership was so eager to jump aboard one of the left’s crusades is terribly disappointing. But it has also immensely harmed the denomination.

But more importantly, the resources the Convention holds at the national level is the result of individual Southern Baptists and churches sacrificially giving and tithing. They do this because they perceive a duty to support missions and also education for upcoming pastors.

Money that is supposed to go to missions is instead being used for all of this mess.

The Convention’s headquarters in Nashville was built decades ago with those monies sacrificially given. The money the leadership spent on this nonsensical approach to “sexual abuse” was also sacrificially given.

This is a breach of trust, pure and simple.

For more resources, check here and here. In particular, read this article written by Jon Whitehead who serves as a trustee for one of the Convention’s entities.