On Monday, I had an opportunity to speak with Christian Talk-show host, Janet Mefferd, about the resolution against the sexual abuse of children passed at this year's Southern Baptist Convention. For those of you who did not listen in, below is the brief interview1:
As I indicated in the interview2 I have no plans to allow this issue to drop. Already, I have verbal interest or commitment from pastors or churchmen/churchwomen in several states including North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, and of course Georgia to present either the same resolution against the sexual abuse of children we passed at the Southern Baptist Convention or even penning a stronger one for state conventions to consider. Southern Baptists must speak both boldly and imminently on an issue which affects so significantly the protection of those whom our Lord repeatedly spoke in one way or another, "Suffer little children...to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Mark 10:14).
My goal is to have at least half of our state conventions meeting in 2013, passing either the identical resolution against the sexual abuse of children we adopted in Houston or an even stronger resolution, calling for and encouraging tangible accountability at all levels of convention cooperation.
In addition, I am also in dialog with theologians, SBC statesmen, and policy experts exploring ways Southern Baptists may tangibly (i.e. "officially") redress our policy deficiencies pertaining to protecting our children from the thousands of abusive predators who potentially may mole-up in our churches while we fervently continue guarding our free church heritage. Our mistake seems to have been to cite the "autonomy of the local church" as reasonable reluctance to proactively address this mounting social concern all the while sitting comfortable in Zion. Amos' words sting us hard: "Woe to them that are at ease in Zion...but are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph" (6:1, 6).
May our Lord forgive our comfortable apathy and raise up His standard among us.
1the full clip is found on Janet Mefferd's site
2at least one verbal correction in the discussion needs address. I mentioned in the course of conversation I'd never spoken on the floor of the SBC. That was incorrect. Two years ago, I asked a question of the president of Southern seminary, and last year I asked a question of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary president. In my mind I was thinking of arguing for a position as the resolution required and had never done so. Nevertheless, I still spoke on the convention floor. Hence, I offer my deepest apologies to Janet Mefferd and her listeners as well as SBC Tomorrow's readership for the lapse in factual expression.





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