SBC Voices

Editor's Note: The following is a prayer of lament Mary Demuth prayed 3 years ago at the SBC annual meeting. It is reposted here with her permission   Our majestic, sovereign, empathetic, beautiful Father in heaven, we repent of how we have failed to love those who struggle in our midst, and we recognize your holy rumblings in this midst of the sexual abuse crisis. We have not always wept with those who weep. We have not always crossed the street with the Good Samaritan, inconveniencing ourselves for those who bleed. We have sometimes preferred our institutions and systems to … [Read more...] about A prayer of lament for the SBC

I sat and listened, a few years ago, as a couple of angry trustees of SWBTS tried to remove my friend Bart Barber and the rest of the officers of the SWBTS BoT after they courageously removed Paige Patterson from office for insubordination, misconduct, and other offenses. I was on Bart's side of that issue and strongly opposed, with about 97% of the room, the removal motion. Last year, I was discussing with a group of people the idea of a motion to remove at least one EC trustee, possibly more. I know that Bart disagreed with the actions, attitudes, and positions of these trustees, but when … [Read more...] about Removing Trustees: Is This a Dam to Breach?

To My Fellow Southern Baptists: My name is Jessica Alldredge. I am a survivor of sexual abuse within the SBC. My situation as a survivor is a bit different from some of the other stories you have heard. So many of my brothers and sisters suffered abuse and then faced terrible treatment by those in the SBC when they tried to report what happened to them. However, I never needed to report. My mom was paying attention, she could tell something was off and kept her guard up. She ended up catching the perpetrator, Dennis Hale, in the act of abuse. Because my mom was aware, she was able to … [Read more...] about My Statement on the Guideposts/SATF Report (Jessica Alldredge)

The following video is from a non-SBC church service on May 22, 2022, recorded on Facebook Live. Evidently, the church cut its live feed when this took place. While it is not an SBC church, the 14 minutes or so seem to be a parable illustrating all that has gone on in the SBC World during the sexual abuse scandal. (if the link doesn't pop up immediately - it works for me - try this hyperlink) (I retried this video in a different format - hopefully this will work better). Consider the following: 1. The abusive pastor minimized his sin while confessing.  After the service, … [Read more...] about A Real-life #SBCtoo Parable

I was at the convention in 1995 when we came face to face with the grievous sin we'd committed for 140 years, a sin that was at the root of the founding of our convention - racism. We stood as one to recognize this sin, to admit that slavery, segregation, racism, and white supremacy which had been such a part of the SBC since the days of its Founders were evil, a wickedness that shamed the name of Christ, hindered the Gospel, and had no place in the life of a community of believers. We did the only thing that we could do when such sin is realized. We repented. It is an argument for another day … [Read more...] about There’s Only One Thing We Can Do

I am the son of a Baptist pastor who faithfully preached God's word until health problems robbed him of the ability to do so. He still studied his Bible and prayed through the night for his kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, and a long list of other spiritual issues. To the best of my knowledge, he died having been faithful to one wife and been a godly leader at every church that called him to preach. When I read the Houston Chronicle's reports a few years back, I was sickened. I make no claim to being above sin - I know that I am a man of flesh and blood. Still, having been raised in the … [Read more...] about Can You Feel the Tremors in the SBC World?

This is shaping up to be a momentous weekend in Southern Baptist life. On Sunday, at 4 PM Eastern, the Sexual Abuse Task Force will be releasing its report and all indications are that the effects will be nuclear. There are reports that the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe vs. Wade may be released on Monday and that eruption will make Mount St. Helens look like a firecracker. I am on vacation in Virginia with family and have been sent into isolation because of a COVID infection, so I have time to share my opinions on some of these matters. I know you have been on pins and needles, waiting … [Read more...] about On Roe v. Wade and the SBC