The Southern Baptist abuse crisis, two steps God is calling all Christians to take today.

This is Dr. Jim Dinnisans, the Daily Article podcast, for Monday, June 10th, 2019.

We want our churches to be as safe as possible, as soon as possible.

This is the goal of the Southern Baptist Convention,

according to its president, J.D. Greer. Ahead of the SBC's annual meeting that begins

tomorrow in Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. Greer and other Southern Baptist leaders are responding

to an unprecedented sexual abuse crisis facing their denomination. They are seeking ways to hold churches more accountable

for allowing such abuse and to keep people and their churches safe. This crisis was catalyzed

by a report last February presenting information on 380 credibly accused Southern Baptist leaders,

including pastors, deacons, Sunday school teachers,

and volunteers. Reporters discovered that at least 35 church pastors, employees, and volunteers

who exhibited predatory behavior were nonetheless able to find jobs at churches over the last

two decades. In some cases, church leaders apparently

fail to alert law enforcement or warn others in the congregation. The stories are horrific.

Victims as young as three were reportedly molested inside pastor's studies in Sunday school

classrooms. Adults seeking pastoral guidance say they were seduced or sexually assaulted.

As I wrote at the time, these tragedies occurred in a very small number of the 47,000 Baptist

churches in the United States. The vast majority of the Southern Baptist leaders are committed

to personal integrity. The vast majority of the Southern Baptist churches

are safe places for children and their families. But as SBC leaders who would agree, one sexual

abuse victim is too many. As the SBC begins its meetings, I'd like to consider the crisis

they're confronting as a larger issue for Christians in America.

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