SBC state conventions take steps to review sexual abuse policies, survivor care By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Christian Post Editor
Southern Baptist leaders in several states have taken proactive steps to address the issue of sexual abuse within the denomination, forming special committees to review their state conventions’ responses to allegation reporting, survivor care and prevention.
During its annual meeting on Monday, the Florida State Board of Missions approved a recommendation to create a special committee “to examine all policies and procedures governing sexual abuse allegation reporting, sexual abuse survivor care and sexual abuse prevention within the Florida Baptist State Convention.”
If approved by messengers, the committee will be composed of nine individuals — including at least four pastors and four female laypersons — all appointed by the newly-elected FBSC president.
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Specifically, the committee will review policies and procedures of the State Board of Missions, Florida Baptist Children’s Homes, Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center, The Baptist College of Florida, Florida Baptist Financial Services and any subsidiary organizations of each ministry.
Subsequently, the committee will provide a report to FBSC messengers gathered at an annual session next November regarding “the work of the committee and the committees’ recommendations (if any) for improvements.”
On Monday, the executive committee of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s board of directors unanimously approved a motion directing state convention officials to “conduct a comprehensive review of existing policies and procedures related to sexual abuse.”
The motion directs BSC Executive Director-Treasurer Todd Unzicker to conduct a review of the convention’s “policies, procedures and materials related to sexual abuse awareness, prevention and reporting.”
State convention president Micheal Pardue, who authored the motion, said the review is a proactive step to demonstrate the BSC’s commitment to taking matters of sexual abuse issues seriously. He is not aware of instances in which the state convention has mishandled cases of sexual abuse.
“This is not an issue that we can slack on,” Pardue said in a statement. “This will show that we are being proactive and ensure that we are doing everything we can to address this issue. We want to be very open to our convention and make sure that we are doing the best we can to protect people in our churches and hold people accountable.”
Florida and North Carolina join a handful of other state conventions in addressing the sexual abuse issue at their annual meetings. Others include Texas, Georgia, Kentucky, Arkansas and California.
