An Open Letter to Our Church
May 24, 2022
Church Family,
It is with a heavy heart I write this letter to you all. As many of you know, an investigative report was released on Sunday, May 22, 2022, that outlined in great detail the neglect and cover up of numerous sexual abuse victims within Southern Baptist Convention Churches throughout the nation. As many as 700 pastors had their name on “secret” lists among certain Executive Committee members as potential or, in some cases, convicted abusers. The global spotlight is shining directly on the Southern Baptist Convention in this moment awaiting our response. Unwillingness to act is in itself a mode of action. It would be the same mode of action that this report pinpoints and exposes to the whole world for the grievous sin that is! It seems that the Executive Committee’s legal counsel pushed those on the committee to inaction because of liability issues and the autonomy of the local churches who govern themselves.
We must not make excuses and point fingers at other churches for their neglect and inaction if we, as a local church full of Ambassadors for Jesus, are not willing to take action right now. We are an autonomous church and we, by the grace of God, are responsible for paving the path forward from this moment. Autonomy comes with great responsibility, and churches who take pride in their autonomy while neglecting church discipline are a danger to themselves and their respective communities. Furthermore, autonomous churches who neglect church discipline can quickly bring shame and reproach upon the Holy Name of Jesus! May we strive to not be that! May we rise above complacency and act in a manner that shows our resolve, not our cowardice, when faced with tumultuous times as we have found ourselves in now.
As Christians, we stand for truth, even when the truth hurts, and we stand up for the vulnerable! We stand for truth, even when it costs us dearly. We stand for truth, even when we do not want to hear it. That is the nature of our lives in Jesus Christ. I hope and pray that TRUTH will set the Southern Baptist Convention free in the months and years ahead, but we must be willing to accept the truth of our predicament if we are going to enjoy the freedom it allots. The world is watching. Our little community is watching!
Therefore, I have instructed our Secretary Treasurer to withhold all funds from the State and National Conventions until we have a better idea of exactly how the SBC plans to move forward in response to this devastating report. I would hope other churches will follow suit, allowing our voices to be heard in a manner that would ultimately rock the Convention to its core. The heart of the South Baptist Convention are the small rural churches, not the megachurches with in-house celebrity pastors. If our convention is going to have a proper heartbeat once more, it will come from us taking a definitive stand against sin and complacency in our church. The Name of Jesus means far more than any earthly affiliation! May God’s will be done!
Pastor Chris
