By Shauw Chin Capps In the early years of my social work career, I started volunteering at a rape crisis center in Louisville, Kentucky. I would be on call and respond to hospital calls whenever they had a rape victim walk into their ER. I went on to become a therapist, providing counseling for survivors … Continue reading
By Curtis Freeman Not all that long ago in America the ministry was a respected profession. Now trust in pastors as people of moral character is at an all-time low. High profile scandals involving sexual misconduct by clergy have contributed to the gradual erosion of public confidence. Yet too often these bad examples have been … Continue reading
By David K. Pooler I’m struck by the frequency that some Christians label any sexual activity between a married pastor and an adult congregant who is not their spouse: an affair. It is no accident that people easily go there. The fact that it is so easy to go there has deep roots in the … Continue reading
CBF Executive Coordinator Paul Baxley preached the following sermon on World Communion Sunday, October 7, 2018, while serving as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Athens, Ga. This sermon is part of a special series of the Clergy Sexual Misconduct Task Force, a joint project of CBF and Baptist Women in Ministry focused on the … Continue reading
A Sermon by Micah Pritchett Opening Welcome to Worship We are taking on a difficult subject this morning. The #metoo movement has shown a bright, bright light on our culture’s acceptance of demeaning and sometimes violent treatment of women. Institutions have been rocked. Careers ended. Horrific truths revealed. As the #metoo movement has captured the … Continue reading
By Jenny Hodge Last month in an article for Ethics Daily, Pam Durso wrote about her experience with the #MeToo and #ChurchToo movements. Her call to action at the end was to push readers to make space for the voices of survivors. As a survivor and member of Baptist Women in Ministry and the Cooperative … Continue reading
By Amy Violette Dear Friends, In September 2012, we drove to Mississippi for the trial. We arrived the day before it started and met the district attorney at the courthouse around 4:00 in the afternoon. Courtrooms are built to be intimidating, and I didn’t want my first day in court to be the day I … Continue reading
By Amy Violette Dear Friends, Nothing prepares you for the moment when your life changes forever. There are no flashing signs saying, “This is it!” It just happens. In a split second the veil is lifted, reality shifts, and you can no longer deny the truth. It is the moment when every benefit of the … Continue reading
We read yesterday with deep sadness the article in the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News reporting on their investigation of sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches. Our hearts break for the victims and survivors of this abuse and for the trauma that has been inflicted. We are grateful for the bravery of survivors coming … Continue reading
El día de ayer leímos con profunda tristeza el artículo en Houston Chronicle y San Antonio Express-News que informa sobre la investigación de abuso sexual en las Iglesias Bautistas del Sur. Nuestros corazones se quiebran por las víctimas y sobrevivientes de este abuso y por el trauma que se ha infligido. Estamos agradecidos por … Continue reading
