ST. CHARLES – The Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) Sexual Abuse Response Team (SART) submitted a written report to The Pathway, related to a preliminary report by SART co-chair George Fulgham to MBC messengers gathered here, Oct. 24-25. To learn more about the MBC’s response to sexual abuse issues, visit https://mobaptist.org/sexual-abuse-response/. The SART’s written report follows immediately below:
• One in 10 children experience sexual abuse before their 18th birthday.
• One in 4 women and 1 in 6 men will be sexually abused at some point in their lifetime.
• You already are connected with these survivors even if they have not revealed their abuse.
• Most of us have had little to no training on learning the facts, minimizing the opportunity, honestly talking about it, recognizing the signs, and reacting responsibly.
The Southern Baptist Convention met for one of its most consequential annual meetings earlier this year in Anaheim, Calif. The SBC approved sexual abuse reform recommendations and resolution apologizing to abuse survivors. In response to the recommendation that state conventions create related frameworks for response, the MBC launched its own Sexual Abuse Response Team (SART).
Members of the MBC’s SART were recruited from various Missouri Baptist churches and ministries already invested in prevention and response efforts across the state. They include John Yeats, MBC executive director; Jon Nelson, MBC president (co-chair); George Fulgham, church engagement catalyst, MBCH Children & Family Ministries (co-chair); Mike Leake, Pam Lilly, Heather Kuenzle and Becky Moyer.
After several meetings, the SART outlined the mission of the team, reviewed the offering of several organizations already invested in the business of training and equipping church members on education, prevention, reporting, responding and policies that help the faith-based community to keep children safe and are trauma friendly to survivors.
Citing John 8:32, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” our brief study came to these conclusions:
• Lack of Knowledge and awareness has kept us from recognizing the signs of sexual abuse and how pervasive it is;
• Few of us has been trained on how to minimize the opportunity or recognizing predators in the midst of our flocks;
• There is confusion on the best Christ-honoring and legal response to abuse, made in a responsible fashion.
We observed the harsh, but necessary published revelations and responses by faith-based institutions of sexual abuse as a result of a natural desire to avoid embarrassment and costly consequences. Yet this ignores the wisdom of Proverbs 22:3 that states, “A sensible person sees danger and takes cover, but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.” Going forward, we want Missouri Baptists to see the danger of ignoring this spiritual blight and protect our vulnerable ones by equipping all of us to take positive action to prevent them from being harmed, even if we feel uncomfortable learning how to take action or admitting that there is a need.
In our draft proposal to the MBC Executive Board on August 29, 2022, we included our initial reviews of several available resources to prevent and/or respond to sexual abuse in children.
The Caring Well Challenge
8 Steps:
• Commit to the Challenge (as a church online);
• Build a Caring Well Team;
• Launch the Caring Well Challenge;
• Train Your Team;
• Equip Leaders with video lessons;
• Prepare policies, procedures and practices for prevention;
• Share the learnings with the church;
• Reflect on successes and opportunities.
MinistrySafe
• Top Notch training to identify predators;
• $250 year for the church;
• plus $10/person for sexual abuse training;
• $100/person for skillful screening training;
• Create church database of trained staff/volunteers;
• Focuses on institutional protection versus survivor care.
Darkness to Light (Stewards of Children)
• Phenomenal survivor-centered, trauma informed training;
• High quality Stewards of Children workshop in-person/virtual;
• Free (grant from MOKIDSFirst);
• Positive ratings from thousands of Missouri Baptist church members past five years to: Learn the Facts; Minimize Opportunity; Talk About it; Recognize the Signs; and React Responsibly;
• Basic components of abuse prevention, response policy, procedures, code of conduct.
Grace – Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment
• Church Level Services
• In person, expert training for every level of the church: Leadership, Adults, Youth, and Children;
• Establishing a Safeguarding Team to help implement all policy “best practices” customized to your church’s ministry;
• Providing an on-site building risk assessment;
• Implementing specific steps to create a healing environment for survivors;
• Could be very expensive for smaller churches.
While these are great resources for equipping your church to honor Christ and protect children well, many Christians need to know how to get help if you or someone that you know has suffered sexual abuse. The short answer is to find help.
Find Help
CALL TO REPORT ABUSE:
• Contact Children Protective Services at 1-800-392-3738 or any Law
• Enforcement Agency at 911. You are not required to provide proof.
• Anyone who makes a good faith report based on reasonable grounds is immune from prosecution.
• Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, call or text 1-800-4-A-CHILD
• Cyber Tipline: 1-800-THE-LOST
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
• Legal Help – Missouri Legal Services http://www.lsmo.org
• Victim Advocacy – Missouri Crime Victim Services: 573-526-1464
• Treatment Providers – Dept. of Mental Health: 1-800-364-9687
• Children’s Advocacy Center – http://www.nationalcac.org/find-a-cac
Check this week’s Convention schedule for the Sexual Abuse Response Team summary report, and the Ministry Safe presentations. Feel free to stop by the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home Booth for information on scheduling free training from Darkness to Light for your church. Ask for David Burch David.burch@mbch.org or George Fulgham, George.fulgham@mbch.org.
Finally, pray for the safety of our children. Pray for the healing of survivors of sexual abuse of every generation. Make a plan to take advantage of the training/equipping opportunity that best fits your faith family. Every local flock needs vigilant sheepdog Christians to keep them safe. Is God calling you?