Your Voice

Safety, restoration of trust must be priorities

By J.D. Greear and Brad Hambrick
The Summit Church, Durham, N.C.

It is easy for church leaders to become self-centered and self-protective when news of churches’ failures come to light. But it would be another tragedy and a reinforcement of the problem if we allow that to happen.

People in our churches and community need to know that we are concerned about their safety, not about our reputation. Until that confidence is restored, no one who has been abused will feel safe in our churches. The way we respond in this moment — either in protecting and caring for victims, or defending ourselves and our institutions — will either obscure or adorn the gospel we claim to preach.

Pastors, let us also remember to be patient with those who are understandably slow to trust. Even if we are not individually guilty of the things being discussed, people in our roles who said the kind of things we say are guilty of these very things. For those who have been abused or are close to a survivor, trust will come slowly.

As leaders, we need to remember that trust should not be an assumed entitlement for those who hold positions of authority. When situations are suspicious, then mistrust is not a sin. It is, in fact, wisdom rather than vice. For those who have suffered injustice and great harm from ministry leaders, their mistrust is something to be honored, not rushed.

Imagine it this way, if your child was abused by a teacher, wouldn’t you want your child’s next teacher to be patient with your child’s fear? Sure, the teacher could easily personalize that fear as mistrust and respond defensively. But the only appropriate response — the one you would want for your child — is one of patience.

And one final word, this time to everyone: While it is not enough to “just pray,” we absolutely should be praying for those who have been abused. Praying for the 700 people in the Houston Chronicle article. Praying for the many, many other victims who have not yet come forward. Praying for the abused in our very churches.

In addition to grieving and praying, we need to make sure, to the best of our ability, that those who are hurting in silence are cared for. 

EDITOR’S NOTE — An excerpt from “700 is not the total number: How to get help,” a blog post by J.D. Greear and Brad Hambrick. Greear serves as president of the Southern Baptist Convention and is pastor of The Summit Church. Hambrick is pastor of counseling at The Summit and an instructor of biblical counseling at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

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Impacting the future

We understand your need to impact the world for Christ. That’s why we empower families like yours with multiple giving vehicles to do just that. At The Baptist Foundation of Alabama (TBFA), our passion is to help you connect the resources God has given you to the purposes He has laid on your heart. For many, that passion is to support the next generation of Christian leaders.  

Through our scholarship funds at the Foundation, thousands of young, Christian leaders have been sent into the harvest field to advance the gospel. During last year alone, we were privileged to award over $500,000 to more than 550 students on behalf of generous Alabama Baptists. 

As a result, these students are able to graduate and enter into the ministry the Lord has called them to, with less debt and more time to focus on becoming a world-changer for Christ.  

Imagine the Kingdom impact you could have.  

If your heart is to leave a legacy and contribute workers to the harvest, we can help. Give us a call at 334-394-2000. 

TBFA is currently accepting scholarship applications through March, 31. Visit https://tbfa.org/scholarships/ to apply.

—Barry Bledsoe
President of The Baptist Foundation of Alabama

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A lot of people don’t come to church because they don’t know anyone there. They don’t feel loved. My job as pastor is to teach people to love people. We stress the importance of loving, so love them, and invite them.

Jared Johnson, pastor
The Woodbridge Church, Ranger, Texas

We can only build a world face-to-face, working as real neighbors to solve our problems. 

Joshua Mitchell
Professor of political theory, Georgetown University

The gospel eradicates racist ideas and prevents all forms of avarice and victimization from poisoning our hearts.

Curtis A. Woods
Assistant professor of applied theology, Southern Seminary

Jesus does not need the church to protect His reputation.

Russell Moore
Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Strive to enter the presence of God on a regular basis. Surrender your entire life to God. Seek the Father through prayer and study of His Word. Be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Obediently pursue His will with passion. Make disciples of Jesus who live on mission.

Sandy Wisdom-Martin
Executive director, national WMU

As a Christian, I am commanded by God to forgive, and I do. I encourage others to forgive. Forgiveness doesn’t mean that we forget, but we choose not to retaliate. Somedays it is hard to be a Christian. But, even as bad as this transgression is, I am still reminded of the great forgiveness that we experience in Jesus Christ. I think there will be a special crown in heaven for those of us who forgive others. But in the meantime, I hope we learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others. 

Pastor Marshal Ausberry
President, National African American Fellowship, SBC 

Five questions I ask myself most days to keep my life on POINT:

P: Who am I PARTNERING with today? Growing is not a solo effort.

O: How am I OWNING Christ’s mission today? I must honor Christ and make his mission my mission.

I: How am I INVESTING in myself? I need to be learning so that I have something valuable to offer others.

N: Who am I NURTURING in discipleship? Every Paul needs a Timothy.

T: Am I being TEACHABLE? Pride is the gateway to ruin.

Chris Crain
Executive director of missions, Birmingham Metro Baptist Association 

We try to make sure clients feel loved and valued and that they know they are loved by Jesus. We use food and clothes to open the door for these conversations. We often get the opportunity to pray with clients as we’re serving them, and make it a priority to share the gospel with everyone who comes in.

Josh Howell
Director Tuscaloosa Baptist Association Christian Ministry Center

[Jesus] wants us to experience the joy of the journey with Him.

Kevin Blackwell
Director, Ministry Training Institute at Samford University

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From the Twitterverse

@EdLitton
Lets be as serious as Jesus about the abuse of innocence. Matt. 18:6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones — those who believe in me — to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

@NationalWMU
No eloquently worded statement can assuage the grief of trauma endured at the hands of an abuser. Do whatever it takes to protect those entrusted to your care.

@rcollingsworth
Since @HoustonChron dropped their article Sat. night on sexual abuse in SBC churches, I’ve tried to reflect and listen. To survivors, who have spoken out in gratitude that their stories are finally being heard — and to leaders, who have condemned this behavior and promised change.

@drjamesmerritt
The Southern Baptist Convention faces a crisis as great as any in our history. Now we must weep over the @HoustonChron article on sexual abuse and its coverup in our churches, repent and raise our membership standards to preclude churches who foment racism &   ignore sexual abuse.

@marycwiley
Studying Southern Baptist History and Heritage this semester. It’s been fascinating to read of early Baptist’s unwavering commitment to purity and church discipline — and by it accountability — while also reading heartbreaking news of abuse and complete lack of these foundations.

@DianeLangberg
Myth: Most abusers are not like us. They are strangers, odd, mean, monsters, and certainly not Christian, let alone in a leadership position. Truth: The majority of abuse victims know and trust the person who commits the abuse.

@jasonkeithallen
After 9/11 President Bush declared, “We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.” Perhaps this should be our response to clergy sex-abuse, seeking justice & punishment for perpetrators AND those who enable / cover it up.

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Letters to the Editor

Thank you, Martha Simmons, for writing the articles on Extended Family for the Jan. 31, 2019, issue of The Alabama Baptist to cover the important topic of families of prisoners, their children and returning citizens. 

We appreciate your help in passing on the Extended Family purpose — teaching families of prisoners how to successfully adjust to a new way of life. 

Laure E. Clemons
Executive Director
Extended Family
ExtendedFamilyHelp.org

EDITOR’S NOTE — The 10-part series, “A look at incarceration in Alabama,” is now available as a downloadable resource so readers can share the information with local law enforcement officers, family members of the incarcerated, those involved in prison ministries and others who are interested in learning more about imprisonment, recidivism and efforts to help prisoners and their families in our state. To download the complete series go to www.TheAlabamaBaptist.org/resources.