Note: This article was updated at 1 p.m. Eastern time June 21 to include additional charges filed against Luke Cunningham. Luke Cunningham, a former youth pastor at four Texas churches, was arrested June 19 by United States marshals in…
Ben Mandrell should take humility lessons from Bart Barber
I thought I had seen arrogance in Southern Baptist Convention agency heads in my 62 years of living, but I had not heard from Ben Mandrell until today. His cold-hearted arrogance speaking before the SBC annual meeting today is in…
A call for state AG investigations of sexual abuse in the SBC
As the Southern Baptist Convention prepares for its annual gathering next week in Indianapolis, few in the abuse survivor community hold any expectation that it will make meaningful progress toward protecting kids and congregants against clergy sex abuse. It’s now…
Former Christian school employee and Kanakuk staffer Matthew Harmon arrested for child sexual assault
On May 28, after a yearlong investigation, the Dallas Police Child Exploitation Squad arrested Matthew Harmon, 46, on charges of sexual assault of a child for an offense that allegedly occurred in 2007. The alleged incident involved a victim Harmon…
Notes from the abused at Kamp Kanakuk: ‘You know what Satan is doing, but you still let him in’
Editor’s note: Names of some survivors are omitted to respect their privacy. Since the exposure of sex abuser Pete Newman at Kanakuk Kamps in 2009, a growing community of child sex abuse survivors and justice advocates has formed. In interviews…
Dockery comments on indictment, names two other employees involved
The president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has weighed in with a public statement identifying the two other employees mentioned but not named in a federal indictment. In a May 29 release, President David Dockery identified Terri Stovall, longtime-serving dean…
Former seminary administrator pleads not guilty, is placed on leave by his NC church
The former seminary administrator indicted last week on charges of obstruction of justice in a sexual abuse case has been placed on administrative leave by his church. Matt Queen also last week pleaded not guilty to the federal charges. Friendly…
Former Southwestern administrator indicted for falsifying sexual abuse records
A Southern Baptist pastor who previously served as a seminary administrator has been indicted in federal court on one charge of falsifying records to cover up a report of sexual abuse. This is the first indictment of a Southern Baptist…
New data show SBC not really reckoning with sexual abuse
According to the Southern Baptist Convention’s latest statistical report, the SBC has lost more than 3.3 million members since 2006, which happens to be the year I did my first sidewalk press conference outside SBC headquarters, talking about clergy sex…