The Southern Baptist Convention ousts churches because pastors were on the registry
Shame on the Southern Baptist Convention for kicking out two of its affiliates because they employed pastors who were on the registry!
According to ABC News, West Side Baptist Church in Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, was ousted because it “knowingly employs as pastor a registered sex offender,” and Antioch Baptist Church in Sevierville, Tennessee, has a pastor who was convicted of statutory rape.
The pastor at West Side Baptist Church had a conviction from 1993, which they disclosed on their website, stating, “Over 29 years ago Pastor David lived as a great sinner and rebel,” the site says. “But Christ Jesus is a great Savior! Today Pastor David has gone from disgrace to amazing grace and now has served the Lord Jesus Christ at West Side for 18 years.” The pastor at Antioch Baptist Church had an offense from 1994,
What kind of a lesson does the SBC teach to its congregants by this action? That there is no hope for salvation? That if you sin, you might as well go on sinning because no level of repentance will ever earn you acceptance?
Despite the shameful action of the SBC, our support and congratulations go out to the two pastors who were able to turn their lives around, become better persons and live a meaningful life serving others.
As an important side note, the SBC also ousted two other churches because they were too welcoming of LGBTQ congregants. Totally shameful!
If anyone would like to contact the Southern Baptist Convention you can do so by writing to: info@sbc.net
Like Jesus once said in the Bible “Once a sinner, always a sinner”!
Oh wait, that is NOT what he said.
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
Romans 3:23
“Christ sacrificed his life’s blood to set us free, which means that our sins are now forgiven. “Ephesians 1:7
“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the board in your own eye?”
Matthew 7:3
Seems being Christlike is only applied as the Church sees fit. Although I am a strong Christian, this is one of the reasons I stopped going to church. So many finger pointers who do not take a look at their own issues.
Doesn’t surprise anyone on the RSO that tried to attend services at their local church after getting on the registry. I know Christ fellowship does not allow sex offenders to attend service and that was a church i was going to for 10 years before i caught my charge they all knew me. I called other places of worship after i found out their policy and many of the ones i called said they had the same policy. so much for being children of god. Most church’s come to find out are nothing but a fraud and care nothing about its flock
Not SBC’s fault. Official state policy says that the pastor IS a sex offender. Not was, is.
With the state designating him as such, what else is SBC supposed to do?
Nowhere in the article does SBC say that he is not worthy of forgiveness, or of salvation, or of joining in worship. It says that he cannot work for them as a pastor.
We should not be in the business of shaming religious organizations for not hiring sex offenders as pastors.
I realize that he is probably not a sex offender anymore. But tell that to the legislature, FDLE, and sheriff, all of whom designate him otherwise, and the courts who (so far) let them do so. SBC is not going to argue with any of them. That’s our job.
The solution is for there to be a path to registry removal once someone is no longer dangerous. Some states do this. In Florida it is going to take a long time, and patience. We need to to keep the pressure on in the courts and, when we can, Tallahassee.
But until we successfully pressure changes to the registry, there is little to be achieved by shaming religious groups for responding to what the state tells them about their pastor. Aren’t we barking up the wrong tree?
Overall, I like that there is more and more original FAC content. It’s great, and more news orgs should pick up on it. But if they did so in this case, imagine the disingenuous headline: “Sex Offender Advocates Want More Offenders to Work As Pastors” (that’s the type of headline that NARSOL would end up inciting, but FAC’s better than that).
It is SBC’s fault. Somebody has to have some sense and be strong. We can’t all pretend to believe the lies of big government and just all follow along. Some of us have to be strong and take some risk.
As an employer, I have to look at a person and their past and decide if I want the person working for me. I don’t have to pay attention to lies from big government. To be sure though, you are correct that because big government has labeled the person as something dangerous, a business has a real risk from just that alone. But you have risk with everyone. Someone has to be strong.
Also, I think the real issue is rarely the person’s actual conviction. The real issue is the public listing on the Hit Lists and the associated legal risk. That is the problem. Not the old conviction.
And obviously, any pastor could commit a sex offense. That is what must be protected against. Not against one person who did it years ago. If all they do is exclude “sex offenders”, then they haven’t changed their risk at all.
You said, “The solution …”. That’s not the solution. The solution is to destroy the Hit Lists. Is there anyone with any sense that thinks they’ve been worth what they do? Really? I would be shocked.
As long as the Hit Lists exist, America as a whole is going to suffer and every single person in the country is going to live in more danger.
for Jacob;
Very well thought out comments, Sir, but who is going to begin to point out the fallacies in the way registrants are portrayed and treated if not the followers of Christ (who died for our forgiveness)? If everyone is excused from acts of prejudice and ostracism because our government practices it how will this ever change?
So, no redemption from the Baptists…very ironic considering their dogma.
Christianity ain’t what it used to be. On second thought, perhaps it is given our Puritan and Calvinist history. It seems that many of their descendants have migrated to other denominations.
I’m sorry to hear that RSOs or gays are shunned by many congregations. When I spoke with the monsignor at my church regarding my registration status, I was told “the Catholic church is about redemption.” After a somewhat sordid history in that regard, I hope the church at large has taken that sentiment to heart.
Veritas.
That has been my own experience in the parish I attend.
It seems many or most of the “organized” religions have abandoned their biblical principles. Any church that lacks the will to stand up to discrimination and oppression is not a true church.
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
— Galatians 3:28
Amen, JZ. Thanks for posting
“… convicted of statutory rape.”
In simpler, less violent sounding terms; Had a consensual relationship with someone that was not too far under the age of consent but was not of the age of consent.
They need to change that damn wording from “statutory rape” to something like “sexual misconduct” because that’s exactly what it is.
Or get Elvis Presley the hell out of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and off the cover of Time Magazine every year!!
“What kind of a lesson does the SBC teach to its congregants by this action? That there is no hope for salvation? That if you sin, you might as well go on sinning because no level of repentance will ever earn you acceptance?”
This is EXACTLY what the message they are conveying. I’ve had several arguments on social media with “Christians” who leave very vile comments on any posted articles about sex offenses. They literally have said they pick and choose who to forgive. This is not the main reason I got away from religion but it’s up there in the top 5 reasons.
Yeah, but you might remind them of the passages I cited above and James 2:13 For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
Sad indeed…
I am so glad that true Salvation comes from God and not man and that His grace and mercy embraces all repenting hearts.
For an organization that professes to follow Christ it has to make one wonder… When Christ has said, Matthew 7:12 “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.” and The Pharisees of his day said things like Luke 15:1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
And then again, so much for the transforming us into a new creation, 2n Corinthians 5:17 So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.
Feel free to remind them of all this if you write to them as i intend to. Obviously profession is one thing and living it out is very much another.
Glad I’m not Baptist, but then there’s a lot of professing people who shun us like the plague. Make me thing of Doc Holiday’s line from Tombstone about hypocrisy knowing no bounds…
This is the Southern Baptist Convention and does not speak for all Baptists. You’ll find that there are many independent Baptist churches who do not share the Convention’s views on many topics.
I bet Ron and Lauren Books are rejoicing…..
What if a sex offender wants to attend your church?
https://baptistnews.com/article/what-should-you-do-if-a-sex-offender-wants-to-attend-your-church/#.YSwxsSX3aEc
Jacob
Every church that I have attended was a big church. I went to services but never got involved in extended activities and was just a face in crowd. It is when you attend smaller “Gossipy” churches or get involved in after church activities where people start wanting to know all your business.
Some of the things in the article were disturbing. I mean I have seen former murders get asked up on stage to give their testimony and people clap and give standing ovations. If you did that with an ex sex offender, the church would burn to the ground from an instant bolt of lightning according to some in attendance.