By Bob Allen A former Tennessee Baptist youth minister avoided a maximum 20-year sentence for child pornography found on his cell phone during an investigation of his previous arrest on charges of statutory rape and sexual battery. U.S. District Judge…
Old abuse accusations resurface with recent arrest
By Bob Allen Leaders of a Baptist association in Alabama investigated questions raised in recent media reports about a director of mission’s handling of alleged child sex abuse decades ago in 2009 and found no evidence of cover-up, according to…
Former assistant pastor charged with abuse
By Bob Allen A former staff member at a Southern Baptist church in Alabama was arrested June 5 after two individuals came forward claiming they were sexually abused as children. Jay Strickland, 50, a nurse anesthetist, paramedic and a former…
SNAP leader says police should investigate alleged abuse cover-up by DOM
By Bob Allen An advocate for clergy abuse victims said July 2 that police should investigate whether a Southern Baptist director of missions concealed molestation by the youth minister at a church he previously served as pastor. Mack Allen Davis,…
Seminary cuts ties with embattled SGM
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist Convention seminary has broken off its formal relationship with a church-starting network that has become a lightning rod since a former leader admitted under oath that he failed to report child sex abuse to…
Mohler says call 911 at first report of abuse
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist leader criticized for supporting a ministry colleague accused of covering up child sex abuse advised pastors June 10 to immediately dial 911 at the first report of any abuse. “Know beforehand that if you…
Protestors say Southern Baptists not taking clergy sex abuse seriously
By Bob Allen The mother of a child sex abuse victim who is suing a Maryland ministry with ties to leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention said June 11 that a “good-old-boy” network among evangelical preachers is just as effective…
SNAP seeks independent review of abuse handling by prominent SBC churches
By Bob Allen A support group for survivors of clergy sexual abuse is asking the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee to hire an independent consultant to investigate two churches’ handling of confessions by a former staff member subsequently convicted of…
Church sued for abuse that occurred at VBS
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist church in Tennessee is being sued for $2 million by a mother whose 10-year-old daughter was sexually abused while attending Vacation Bible School in 2009. The girl, now 15, and her mother both use…