There is a growing trend among Southern Baptist churches to adopt an elder-based model over the traditional congregational model. In Baptist churches, the concept of elder-led polity refers to a specific form of church governance where elders play a central role in decision-making and…
Bart Barber, a unicorn among SBC presidents, reflects on the state of the SBC as his term concludes
Bart Barber is a unicorn among recent Southern Baptist Convention presidents. And now he’s a lame duck, too. To participate in our interview by Zoom, Barber had to travel away from his North Texas farm. This is unlike any of…
Twelve things the SBC should do now to address clergy sex abuse
The four of us have watched with dismay as Southern Baptist Convention officials repeatedly proclaim “progress” on sexual abuse reform while, at the same time, taking 10 steps backward. They bail with a thimble — and make a show of…
Barber apologizes for ‘Monopoly money’ quip while mission board presidents say they won’t give money to launch new commission
The $2.5 million to $5 million reportedly needed to launch an independent commission to address and prevent claims of sexual abuse in Southern Baptist Convention churches will not come from the SBC’s two mission boards, their presidents said Feb. 21….
SBC wants to create independent commission to address and prevent sexual abuse, but funding uncertain
The Southern Baptist Convention will create a new, independent nonprofit to address allegations and investigations of sexual abuse in SBC churches, according to the second task force assigned to figure out solutions. Josh Wester, chairman of the SBC’s Abuse Reform…
Kentucky Supreme Court denies abuse victim’s plea, siding with four SBC entities who were not parties to the case
The Kentucky Supreme Court has sided with four Southern Baptist Convention entities that — among others — sought to deny a sexual abuse victim an extension of the statute of limitations to file a claim against those she believes knew…
Every member of the SBC’s abuse reform task force should resign in protest
When a member of the Southern Baptist Convention’s prior Sexual Abuse Task Force emailed me to apologize, I felt grateful for the candor and honesty. “I want to personally apologize to you,” the person wrote, “if anything I did ever…
Three weeks later, four SBC entities are standing by their legal brief against a sexual abuse survivor
Three weeks after the Southern Baptist Convention and three of its entities were discovered to have signed an amicus brief in Kentucky arguing against the rights of sexual abuse survivors seeking justice, nothing has changed on the legal front. Neither…
SBC president apologizes for signing off on amicus brief
The president of the Southern Baptist Convention has apologized for signing off on an amicus brief in a Kentucky sexual abuse case — a brief that has ignited a firestorm of protest from sexual abuse survivors and their advocates, some…