“I see that the path of progress has never taken a straight line, but has always been a zigzag course amid the conflicting forces of right and wrong, truth and error, justice and injustice, cruelty and mercy.” Kelly Miller

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The SBC, fearing lawsuits, never wanted to manage its abuse database.

After speaking with many people in the SBC, I realized that the SBC is deathly afraid of lawsuits that could emerge from developing their database. The SBC was concerned that someone named on the database could sue the denomination of “autonomous” churches. It looked for outside firms to take on this task. This raises the question, “If a mistake is made on a new Ministry Safe entry, who gets sued?” I guess Guideposts or the SBC wouldn’t have contracted with them.

Here are the instructions for the Guidepost Solutions “Ministry Safe” from the SBC’s Sex Abuse Task Force (SATF.)

Why is the Ministry Check website necessary?

As explained by the SATF, “according to the U.S. Department of Justice, sexual offenders have an 80% recidivism rate. One of the problems in our churches is the ability of abusers to move from one church to another to perpetuate their abuse. This often happens because churches don’t have the means to communicate with one another. This recommendation is designed to give local churches and Baptist bodies a critical tool to identify sexual offenders and prevent sexual abuse; the effectiveness of Ministry Check depends upon the voluntary cooperation of churches and entities within the SBC.”

Who goes on the database?

Per the recommendation adopted by the Messengers, Pastors, denominational workers, ministry employees or volunteers who (1) have been associated with a cooperating Southern Baptist church or entity and (2) have been convicted or had a civil judgment against them for sexual abuse or confessed to committing sexual abuse in a non-privileged setting. Additionally, the name of a credibly accused individual may be listed on the database as a result of an independent third-party investigation commissioned by a church or other Baptist body, which determines based upon the legal standard required for a civil judgment that a pastor, denominational worker, or ministry employee or volunteer is credibly accused of sexual abuse.

• An SBC worker convicted of abuse or had a civil judgment rendered could be added.
• A pastor who confessed in a nonprivileged setting would be added.
• What is of note is that a name could be added to the database if an independent third-party investigation commissioned by a church or some “Baptist body” believed that the legal standard for a civil suit had been met. What does this mean? I am not a lawyer, but it seems that a Paul Pressler situation means he would not be added to the list unless I’m reading this wrong.

How did Guidepost Solutions get selected?

I think it is essential to understand that Guidepost Solutions is a for-profit company. Here is how they describe themselves on their website.

We provide solutions that help companies, government agencies, individuals, and their counsel solve problems, mitigate risks, and resolve disputes, and protect lives, assets, and reputations.  Our brand is built on the collective strength of our team, and is based on the experience and reputation of the individuals who make up that team.

Our team includes former federal prosecutors from several U.S. Attorney’s Offices, intelligence officers from the Central Intelligence Agency, former Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Secret Service. We also have others with proven backgrounds in security, investigations, technology, law enforcement, and public safety.

While we specialize in different fields, we collaborate and share learnings from across our diverse clients from multiple fields. This provides a significant advantage for clients seeking to leverage our considerable expertise in sensitive investigations, successful compliance programs and audits with our technology-focused culture and experience.

Guidepost Solutions maintains offices in key markets including Bogotá; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Honolulu; London; Los Angeles; Miami; New York; Palm Beach; Phoenix; San Francisco; Seattle; Singapore; Walnut Creek; and Washington, DC, and has resources across the globe.

Here is where it gets confusing for me. This company helps companies, etc. and individuals to protect their reputations. In 2021, I wrote Is Guidepost Solutions Really the Solution to Investigations in the SBC?

Here is an excerpt

Begin excerpt

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Julie Roys wrote a post that may answer my question—Red Flags Surface About Firm Hired to Investigate SBC’s Handling of Abuse. As usual, Roys has facts and questions as does Wade Mullen.

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is taking bold new steps to address its alleged mishandling of abuse, and yesterday voted to set up a task force to deal with the issue. At the same time, a leading abuse advocate is raising serious concerns about the firm the SBC Executive Committee has hired to investigate abuse issues—Guidepost Solutions.

In a series of recent tweets, author and seminary professor, Wade Mullen revealed several instances where Guidepost Solutions has not represented the best interests of victims, but instead has protected powerful clients. And as Mullen warned, if an investigation isn’t conducted properly, the result can be worse than the initial situation.

Is Guideposts really an organization that seeks to protect their clients who pay their not insignificant charges?

Let’s take a look at some of the concerns that Wade Mullenriased on Twitter.

Dee is somewhat dumbfounded! I followed the Strauss-Kahn case and was disturbed that he was not convicted of molesting the housemaid of the hotel. I

Delicate Matters is their thing!

Read Guidepost’s Delicate Matters page.

Prince: What services does your company provide for the wealthy?

O’Connell: Our private client protection program offers comprehensive investigation, security, risk mitigation and crisis management solutions tailored to the needs of high-net-worth and high-profile individuals and family offices.

We work on a lot of different concerns. For example, a serious trend we’re seeing are cases involving extortionate threats and demands against high-profile and high-net-worth executives, celebrities, athletes, entertainers and politicians. Basically, these people are money targets. Each of these cases is very sensitive and complex in nature, requiring the utmost in precision and discretion.

…Prince: Can you go into a little more detail?
O’Connell: Often, we’re hired by the attorneys or other advisors of those being extorted with matters ranging from inappropriate relationships to allegations of abuse to undesirable photos held as ransom. When we meet with these clients, they’re already in crisis mode and they just want their problem to go away.

We troubleshoot the issue and provide the best options based on the evidence we gather and the information revealed during our investigations. Because we’re former federal and state prosecutors and law enforcement officials, we have vast domestic and international resources. We know if and when to get law enforcement involved.

It’s lawful and ethical to purchase documents, photographs and recordings, and oftentimes clients don’t want to involve law enforcement. They just want the problem to go away. We’re very good at making the problems go away with the least amount of repercussions for the client.

Wait a minute….this is who is investigating sex abuse allegations in the SBC? Is the SBC one of its wealthy clients?

End excerpt.

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Let’s add this short list to my post from Church Leaders in Survivor Advocates Have Words of Warning About SBC’s Investigative Firm–’Take Great Care’ to drive home my concern.

Mullen mentions several high-profile clients that have hired Guidepost to manage and respond to abuse allegations. These include Harvey Weinstein, a former movie mogul who was convicted of rape; Dominique Strauss-Kahn, a former head of the International Monetary Fund who was charged with but acquitted of sexual assault and prostitution; Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM), where whistleblowers were allegedly shunned; and The Summit Church in North Carolina, which was criticized for its vetting of Pastor Bryan Loritts, whose brother-in-law served jail time for sexual abuse.

Harvey Weinstein!!!? Did Guidepost Solutions manage his abuse allegations?   This guy was just convicted yesterday? Harvey Weinstein Sentenced To 16 Years Behind Bars In L.A. Rape Case; Producer Tells Court He Is “Innocent”

So, how did the SATF group select Guideposts?

They investigated 18 companies. Go to this page to see a list of qualifications the SATF sought. Look at the chart called the “Criteria for Evaluation.” Herein lies my confusion. Please note the Guidepost line on the left and the top line for “High profile defense work for abusers. What doe did it say?

No? Can anyone help me here? I have provided information to the contrary, or so it seems to this non-lawyer. I think it should be a “yes,’ but I bet they will have a bevy of corporate lawyers who will explain to me why the “yes” should be a “no.” I am terribly confused.

One possibility: Guidepost’s formed a new division to be handled by SBC’s Samantha Kilpatrick, but it is still part of Guidepost Solutions.

Let’s take a look at what is said about this. Baptist News posted SBC selects Guidepost Solutions to develop and administer clergy sexual abuse database.

Guidepost has altered its social media engagement protocols in light of the SBC’s concerns expressed last summer, he said, adding the company “assigned people of faith in Christ to work on our project.”

In fact, he announced Guidepost has established a “faith-based division,” Faith-Based Solutions, to manage the SBC project and others, he announced.

Samantha Kilpatrick, “an attorney of faith” who earned a counseling degree from the SBC’s Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, leads Faith-Based Solutions, he said. She helped create the SBC Caring Well curriculum and helped develop a church-training program for Southeastern Seminary.

Samantha Kilpatrick is leaving the past behind and forging ahead in this new venture. But is this enough? I’m not buying it. Is this merely putting a Bible and the Baptist Faith and Message on some desk in a new office and hoping people won’t look too closely?

Marshall Blalock, chair of the convention’s Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force, said, “Guidepost Solutions stood out among 18 firms the task force vetted for the assignment.” Note what he emphasized.

Guidepost has altered its social media engagement protocols in light of the SBC’s concerns expressed last summer, he said, adding the company “assigned people of faith in Christ to work on our project.”

…Guidepost scored well on all other vetting criteria, Blalock said. Some of those criteria include being licensed and capable of working in all 50 states and possessing legal expertise “to certify investigations are done correctly and reports meet civil-court standards.” Guidepost also possesses the cybersecurity proficiency to build and operate a safe and secure website, expertise in SBC culture and theology, a trauma-informed professional staff and “sufficient company bandwidth” to handle the project, he added.

Marshall Blalock, in a video on the SATF updates on 2/20/23 emphasizes that Faith-Based Solution is a division of Guidepost Solutions. Even he skips over the “high profile work ” category for the defense. You can watch the entire presentation on that website.

In his remarks, Chairman Blalock informed the SBC Executive Committee that after more than four months of work researching, examining, and interviewing 18 different law firms and organizations, the ARITF and SBC Credentials Committee jointly determined that Faith-Based Solutions–a division of Guidepost Solutions–will serve as the Ministry Check website administrator. As detailed below, potential firms were evaluated in at least 11 categories including operational capability, licensure, trauma-informed training, cybersecurity proficiency, legal expertise, and importantly whether potential firms offered direct or monetary support to causes contrary to the beliefs of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Why isn’t the SATF addressing Guidepost Solution’s work with defense work for abusers?

How much will this cost?

I guess that it will be very expensive. Blalock says it will be expensive. Of course it will be. The SBC is paying a lot to have Guidepost Solutions bear the risk. This risk is the main reason why a database was not developed earlier. Note this convo on Twitter with Bart Barber, the President of the SBC. Note his expressed concern. This is all about allocating risk to Guidepost Solutions.

Getting rid of female pastors takes precedence over sex abuse victims.

The action on the part of the E.C. pointed to their priority. There is no question that women in the pulpit strike such fear into the heart of the SBC that getting rid of female pastors appears to take precedence over sex abuse victims. I wrote about it in The SBC’s Executive Committee Ousts Five Churches That Have Lead/Senior Female Pastors and Obliviously Applauds Morris Chapman Who Is Mentioned In the Guidepost Investigation.

I know the tendency would be to say, “But they are moving towards a database.” The SBC is facing serious problems due to its sordid history of tolerating sexual abuse of children, molestation of women and men, and its tacit approval of domestic violence. They reacted in a “do something to prove we are doing something” fashion. Do not forget the DOJ is investigating the SBC. Taking care of sex abuse victims takes time and money. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Executive Committee also hires Guidepost Solutions to handle that as well..