SBC and the Crisis of Trust
One problem with the Southern Baptist report on the cover up of sexual abuse, is much of it is unsubstantiated hearsay, without any cross examination, that frames the issues from a slant of a certain political agenda. However, there are many things that should be noted:
Two things can be true at the same time: there are legitimate cases of abuse that have not been handled properly; and some survivors are being platformed to advance some preferred agendas. Also, there should have been no secret list to begin with.
What kind of “survivors” are in the report? Do they include only certain ones that are deemed “acceptable”. Which ones are being platformed and is there a common link?
The Guild, who has allegedly ignored and contributed to the problem, now want more money, resources, and bureaucracy so they can “solve” the problem.
Are only certain people named or is it a comprehensive list? Does it leave certain people out to advance a certain narrative?
The stealing of Cooperative Program money to cover legal liabilities of the so called “elite” of the SBC is unbiblical theft and dishonesty. Cooperative Program dollars are for missions and not to cover the legal liabilities of the SBC. The SBC has chosen to pursue worldly methods to try and solve this. It will end up producing more worldly leaders.
The report, troubling as it is, reveals that the problem is not systemic, as some of our more progressive politicos and “brethren” would have us believe. This is simple math that even an average seventh grade math student should be able to figure out.
The report plays on real hurt and trauma, albeit much of it alleged, to throw shade on certain people and hide certain people from shade being thrown. It seems only certain “survivors” are acceptable and is framed in such a way that the “survivors” are being used to frame issues in certain ways that are not altogether honest. Not to mention the danger of “survivorship” being turned into an idolatrous progressive cult. It also seems to mention only leadership that is conducive to the narrative of The Platform, who of course wish to remain in power to solve the problems that they, themselves, helped to create.
The big takeaway however, is the lack of church discipline within the denomination that has allowed things like this to fester, because we don’t want to offend and we “want to be there for people”. What gets lost in the “being there for people” is there is no concurrent commitment to truth or repentance.
So keep this in mind when reading the report. It has an agenda. The people who commissioned it have an agenda, and the people who took our money to craft a narrative also have an agenda. Much of it is alleged, but may be legit, but what is glaringly obvious is the SBC has obviously no intention of following church discipline as laid out in Scripture. And much of what is laid out is old news at that.
Point number four, however, is the biggest indicator that the denomination has run off the rails. They are stealing money to cover their own prestige and positions, without any requirement that pastors honestly explain this to their congregations. My own pastor stated several weeks ago that we remain in the SBC because we have the most orthodox statement of faith. However, it is clear that it does not drive orthopraxy within the convention in the least. The SBC, and there are many who I have heard wave this “we have this orthodox statement of faith” card, is like the prostitute who waves around the virgin card of orthodox statements to keep people while sleeping around, and then saying “we have the best statement of faith”. Sorry, but that isn’t going to cut it anymore. The shameful attempt to legitimize theft and dishonesty is something I cannot support. It’s time for some tough love.
And finally, people who should not be listened to at all on this subject, or least be taken with a grain of salt.
Those who haven’t taught or spoken against lockdowns (and/or repented of ) or the Great Reset. If you can’t be against something this fundamental, and can’t exposit Scripture and reason to this, how on earth are you going to be trusted with anything else?
Those who advocated that it is okay for a Christian to vote for a Party, whose platform is literally antichrist from top to bottom.
Those who have winked and nodded at either themselves or others (especially family members) who have unbiblical views on immodesty such as “I can wear what I want, it’s all the other persons fault (usually directed at men)”.
It’s time to clean out the offices in Nashville, start from scratch and getting back to basics. Cooperate only for missions. With the tech available now, we don’t need a large bureaucracy, staff, and offices. Decentralization, and not globalization, is the biblical model, both for governments and the church. That’s how you smash the idols. But I suspect many don’t want their idols smashed.
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