Thinking back on my childhood and youth in Southern Baptist churches, it is clear that I was terribly abused, but not sexually. But they are dealing with it in a typically ineffectual denominational way that fails to address the root causes, which are rampant unregeneracy among the membership, terrible worldliness, lack of courageous pastoral leadership, lack of serious discipleship, frightful biblical ignorance, and the near nonexistence of church discipline. Recent reports have found evidence of cover ups of sexual abuse in Southern Baptist congregations, and the Convention is trying to deal with it. An amendment was approved stating that sexual abuse is grounds for a church to be deemed “not in friendly cooperation” with the convention. “Southern Baptists acted in support of sexual abuse survivors, embraced ethnic and gender diversity and rallied around the Great Commission” (“Wrap-up: SBC supports survivors, embraced diversity,” Baptist Press, June 13, 2019). There were 8,183 messengers from associated churches (meaning churches that contribute to the SBC Cooperation Program). The 2019 annual Southern Baptist Convention was held in Birmingham, Alabama, June 11-12. I WAS ABUSED IN THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION And I have found those reasons more compelling every decade. I am thankful for the spiritual benefit I received growing up under the sound of the gospel and for the scriptural doctrine I was taught as a boy, and I am thankful for every good thing that God has done through the Convention, but there are some compelling biblical reasons why I never went back. I grew up in Southern Baptist churches and many of my friends and relatives are still a part of the Convention, but when I was converted in 1973, I searched for a biblical church and joined a sound fundamental Baptist congregation (not all fundamental Baptists are sound!). Independent Baptists Joining the Convention I Was Abused in the Southern Baptist Convention
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