Dear Arkansas Baptists,
We are saddened by what has been discovered and reported by Guidepost Solutions, a third-party investigative group commissioned by the messengers of the 2021 Annual Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, to investigate sexual abuse allegations within the SBC and the Executive Committee’s response to those allegations. The report is nothing short of heartbreaking. Its findings indicate that a problem exists at the highest level of the Southern Baptist Convention regarding the treatment of sexual abuse survivors within our denomination. We must do better! Our prayers are with survivors, and we are overwhelmed by their endurance and strength.
Arkansas Baptists have taken steps to ensure that our state convention and its entities represent Christ regarding handling sexual abuse. With unanimous support from the messengers at the 2021 ABSC Annual Meeting, the Arkansas Baptist Sexual Abuse Task Force was formed. We have been working ever since to ensure the policies and procedures of our state convention and its entities are above reproach.
We look forward to giving our report to the ABSC messengers in October 2022.
In Christ,
Brad Lewter – Chairman
Megan McFerron – Vice Chair
Matt Duran – Recording Secretary
David Mitchell
Betsy Danielson
Stephanie Davis
Chuck Graham