“They then grilled [Jane Doe] questioning her veracity”

Reminiscent of Paige Patterson’s “Break her down!”

Sure, they’ll stand in front of crowds, cry their alligator tears, make empty promises, and spend the tithes and offerings ……. but nothing is ever going to change. The SBC has had three presidents since the Houston Chronicle article blew everything open, and what has been done?

Hmmmm, a fake hotline, the removal of churches with women pastors, the Mike Law amendment proposal, and a prestigious award for a lead pastor who was had a youth minister beneath him who molested 25 girls.
Isn’t it just grand, glorious, and godly how these champions of complementarianism are willing go to such lengths to protect the dignity of their women and girls?

It took me about 8 years to admit it and come to terms with it, but I walked away because I finally realized how little females are truly worth in SBC churches.

August 2023, Jarrett Stephens, senior pastor of Champion Forest Baptist Church, completed his year of service on the ‘Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force’:

https://thebaptistpaper.org/barber-announces-new-aritf-chairman-cooperation-group/

“[SBC President Bart] Barber posted…on Twitter Aug. 11, thanking Blalock and fellow outgoing task force members Cyndi Lott and Jarrett Stephens.”

May 2021 “Champion Forest Baptist Church welcomes new senior pastor Jarrett Stephens”

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/neighborhood/cyfair/article/Champion-Forest-Baptist-Church-welcomes-new-16123917.php

“Before stepping into his new role, he was at Prestonwood Baptist Church” where he “served alongside the senior pastor, leading the staff”.

Max:
“They then grilled [Jane Doe] questioning her veracity”

Reminiscent of Paige Patterson’s “Break her down!”

In the words of Your Friendly Neighborhood Russian, “Conscript them and send them to the Ukranian Front.”

Max,

That is my thought when I read it…. sigh, sigh…

Hotlines imply that someone is there. There isn’t. You must divulge information, and they will call back within 24 hours.

Not so hot line, more like cold shoulder for abuse victims.

Nancy2(aka Kevlar): It appears that good ole Bart Barber is just another card-carrying member of the Good Old Boyz network.

Yeah, you really can’t trust those boys who hang out over at SBC Voices … they speaketh out of both sides of their mouth.

Nancy2(aka Kevlar): It took me about 8 years to admit it and come to terms with it, but I walked away because I finally realized how little females are truly worth in SBC churches.

Like girl babies born in China during the times of the emperors, and even now, present day.

Muff Potter,

Child sex abuse is a FELONY in all 50 states.

can’t trust those boys who hang out over at SBC Voices
Max,

Yeah, in the most recent post, they’re singing praises to John MacArthur.

Muff Potter: CALL THE COPS FIRST!

Indeed! Southern Baptists need to chant: “Call COP, not SBC … Call COP, not SBC … Call COP, not SBC …”

So much off about this situation.

For starters, why hire an 18 yo to work with middle schoolers?? That just doesn’t seem wise to me, and not just because the 18 yo might be an abuser. Even if they’re a totally decent, trustworthy kid, it’s unfair to the 18 year old to give them paid employment as a spiritual authority figure over younger teens. An 18 yo needs to go be a freshman somewhere, even if they don’t literally go to college. Making that kid a big fish in a small pond is not helping anybody, even if there were no ill intent involved.

CMT: why hire an 18 yo to work with middle schoolers?? … as a spiritual authority figure over younger teens

In my humble (but accurate) opinion, the American church desperately needs to revisit its youth ministry model. Putting a flesh-baby over other flesh-babies is an accident waiting to happen. And how many youth pastors or youth volunteer leaders have you known that were “spiritual” and mature enough to guide young folks in the faith?! You will not find the office “Youth Pastor” in the New Testament. The Biblical model is for older saints to mentor young believers. During my long tenure in the SBC, the youth pastors I knew were essentially youth baby-sitters who entertained them with pizza parties and bowling/skating outings, in addition to taking them to summer youth camps (where anything could and does happen). Occasionally, we encountered a real-deal spiritually mature youth pastor who actually had a good working knowledge of the Bible and taught young folks truth. But, I think those are far and few between.

Chuckp,

What, having old fossils running the youth group?? No one would come!!

Chuckp: What about appointing an older couple who have married forever, have raised their children and maybe are even grandparents.

We actually did that at a rural church we attended years ago. We ran a bus ministry through a nearby coal mining town and brought 35 unchurched kids to church. They were a little unruly at first, but we assigned them “grandparents” to sit with in church, who also helped teach them in Sunday School. Forty years later, some of those kids have their own families and hold leadership positions in that church; three of the young men are in ministry. Bypassing the usual youth ministry model works if you have the right ingredients.

Jeffrey J Chalmers: “church as entertainment”

Great God Entertainment sits on the throne in much of the American church. A.W. Tozer put it this way:

“Today we have the astonishing spectacle of millions of dollars being poured into the unholy job of providing earthly entertainment for the so-call sons of heaven. Religious entertainment is in many places rapidly crowding out the serious things of God. Many churches these days have become little more than poor theaters where fifth-rate “producers” peddle their shoddy wares with the full approval of evangelical leaders who can even quote a holy text in defense of their delinquency. And hardly a man dares raise his voice against it.”

Max: But, for young folks who desire church as entertainment, those sorts of youth pastors will work for them.

I take some exception to this statement. There’s a bit of victim blaming that i’m picking up.

Whatever the activity, the adult is responsible for maintaining appropriate boundaries.

I was a swim instructor and lifeguard for my teen years. I was sixteen and teaching lessons to kids who were almost my own age.

I never ever considered my students “fair game”. It never crossed my mind.

But I’ll agree that good mentoring and training is key. The pool supervisor and head guards left by example.

Jack,

I have no idea how I embedded a reply in an already posted comment.

Jack: victim blaming

I was young and now am old. During my long tenure of doing church in America, I’ve observed a strange dynamic. Church leaders, in this era of being seeker-friendly, essentially ask the pew which way they want to go and then get out in front to lead them in that direction. “Pay me well and I’ll give you what you want” is an unholy alliance which has taken over some corners of the institutional church. That model was the success behind Bill Hybels’ Willow Creek church movement.

Max: Church leaders, in this era of being seeker-friendly, essentially ask the pew which way they want to go and then get out in front to lead them in that direction

So should leaders be “vision casting” and kicking folks off the bus who ask too many questions?

There are lots of things about modern American church culture that are seriously problematic. But too much consensus building doesn’t often seem to be one of them.

And what does this have to do with kids who get chewed up and spit out by predatory youth leaders? That doesn’t happen because those kids are so “unspiritual,” as I said above. And it doesn’t happen because the youth group is playing too many silly games and hosting too many events.

Max: Max wouldn’t do that … you and Jack have misinterpreted my comment.

I stand corrected. My apologies,Max.

Chuckp: I agree, why almost always a young guy or couple? What about appointing an older couple who have married forever, have raised their children and maybe are even grandparents. What wisdom a spiritual mature couple could bring to the table.

Sadly, ‘they aren’t fun’ and kids like games (according to adults). This has been my observation, and experience when attempting to influence youth groups toward a more biblical studies foundation vs. games.

Jes: ‘they aren’t fun’ and kids like games (according to adults).

That’s also why you get all those stupid Icebreakers.