Tennessee Southern Baptists vote to oppose, work for eradication of sexual abuse

Tennessee Southern Baptists Wednesday voted to condemn sexual abuse and to encourage their churches and institutions to implement resources on the prevention of abuse.

The resolution “on sexual abuse” was approved in what appeared to be a unanimous vote of 841 registered messengers — or voting delegates — who met this week at Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova for the group’s annual meeting.

The Tennessee Baptist Convention is the body of messengers that meets for a two-day annual gathering called the “Summit.” It is a state association of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the

United States.

Messengers, through their resolution, encouraged churches “to have absolute integrity in their hiring practices, doing due diligence pertaining to sexual abusers” and to “review the safety and care they provide.” Resolutions are nonbinding on Southern Baptist churches, but represent the views of the messengers present at that year’s convention.

A day before messengers passed that resolution, members of the convention’s sexual abuse task force presented a booklet of resources for churches and organizations that, along with an interactive website, provides practical guidance for preventing and dealing with sexual abuse. It includes sample guidelines and procedures that churches can themselves adapt and a checklist for how church leaders should respond upon hearing of an allegation.

Heath Smith, chair of the resolutions committee and pastor of Mcpheeters Bend Missionary Baptist Church, said the committee wanted to show its support for the task force.

“We had considered their report and we want to make sure as well that we were promoting the resources that were provided. I think a resolution is a great way to do that, to make it aware to the messengers and all Tennessee Baptist churches that those are there and should be utilized.”

The Southern Baptist Convention as a whole has grappled with the issue of sexual abuse for years, with attention on the issue increasing after a Houston Chronicle investigation in 2019 that found more than 700 sexual abuse victims in Southern Baptist churches since 1998. After the Houston Chronicle investigation, the Tennessee Baptist Mission

Board created a previous task force to evaluate sexual abuse response and prevention policies.

The task force that presented Tuesday was created last year.

“Resolved, that we will pray and pursue, as God’s people, the eradication of sexual abuse,” reads Wednesday’s resolution.

Also Wednesday, messengers gathered at Bellevue approved resolutions calling for personal and collective revival “to stay acutely focused on our purpose resulting in winning our world to Jesus Christ,” a resolution opposing gender transition treatment and a resolution opposing casinos in Tennessee.

Katherine Burgess covers county government and religion. She can be reached at katherine.burgess@commercialappeal.com or followed on Twitter @kathsburgess.