In his earlier address, Frank stressed to fellow pastors that abuse is not something they can ignore. “If you’re not consistently examining how you’re structured, you can get internal and self-protective,” Frank said. The new SBC president will serve a vital role in naming those to the ARITF. In a press conference following the vote with the SATF, Frank stated his hope that Southern Baptist churches will continue in ministering to the vulnerable. They wrote that: “Filing a lawsuit, criminal charges without conviction, or an allegation not investigated by a qualified third party, will not meet this standard.”įrank, reiterating what the footnotes said, told messengers that “the third-party firm maintaining the database will review all submissions to ensure they meet the proper evidentiary standard.”ĭiscussion on both motions lasted roughly 35 minutes before the vote to approve them. It goes on to say that an “independent third party commissioned by a local church or other Baptist body may determine, by preponderance of the evidence following an inquiry, that a person is credibly accused.” Names listed on the website will be people who have been “credibly accused”, according to the recommendation.Ī footnote to the recommendation defines those “credibly accused” as a “pastor, denominational worker, or ministry employee or volunteer … who has confessed to sexual abuse in a non-privileged setting, who has been convicted in a court of law, or who has had a civil judgment rendered against them.” The “Ministry Check” website, which was the focus of the second recommendation, will be “established and maintained by an independent contractor, with the ARITF to oversee and report back to the Convention on feasibility, effectiveness and costs.” The language referenced the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force (ARITF) and stated it would operate in accordance to “best practices in keeping with Southern Baptist church polity” rather than through recommendations provided by Guidepost Solutions. The first recommendation received what was considered a friendly amendment.

The task force recommended the formation of an Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force to be appointed by newly elected SBC President Bart Barber and the development of a “Ministry Check” website to share “properly vetted information.”

Denhollander, who served as an advisor, is joined by the members of the task force. Sexual abuse survivor and survivor advocate Rachael Denhollander, speaking, answers a question at a press conference following the adoption of the recommendations of the SBC’s Sexual Abuse Task Force Tuesday, June 14.

Kairos moment