Sexual Abuse Advocates Target SBC

In a story reported Feb. 21, 2007, CNN reports that the victims’ advocates group SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, now have their eyes set on the Southern Baptist Convention. Here is a link for the full story: Sex abuse victims’ advocates go after Southern Baptists.

I also found this web site directly targeting So. Baptist’s: Stop Baptist Predators.

Due to the world in which we live, I believe every church will deal with a sexual abuse situation at some time. I’ve tried to think of questions that parents might/will ask related to protecting their children. Here are a few I came up with:

• What steps have we taken to protect our children?
• What steps are in place to identify sex offenders?
• What steps are taken when we have identified a sex offender attending our church?
• What steps do we take when there are allegations of sexual abuse?
• What laws are in place regarding sexual abuse and how is our church adhering to these laws?
• Have we had incidents of sexual abuse in the church? What steps were taken in those instances?
• How have we ministered to the person who has been sexually abused and their family?
• Do we notify a neighboring church of a known sex offender if we are made aware of one that has previously attended our church?

Not too many will ask this question, but should:

• How can we minister to the sex offender and still protect those attending our church?

(For each question listed above the church should evaluate what they are currently doing and they need to do to protect their children)

Part of the problem with the situations that are just being made known is that there was not a plan (or didn’t follow the plan) to:

• protect children
• identify sex offenders
• report abuse
• minister to those abused in place prior to the abuse.

We MUST do better as the body of Christ to protect the innocent children that are being abused.

What are you doing to prevent sexual abuse in your church?