The state conventions in cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention are committed to partnering with the Sexual Abuse Presidential Study Group to equip churches and ministries in our respective states to engage the issue of abuse with compassion and care. Our desire is for the churches and ministries in our states to become safe for survivors and safe from abuse. We also want our state conventions to be a model for compassionate care. To this end, our state conventions collectively commit to continue and expand our existing efforts and to the following shared statement of principles:
Our state conventions will continue to address sexual abuse issues
We will educate affiliate churches and ministries in our state to understand abuse by:
- Raising awareness: We will raise awareness about the issue of abuse through state convention outlets and events, including a commitment to address abuse at our 2019 annual meetings
- Sharing resources: We will share resources about the issue of abuse to the churches and ministries we serve
- Partnering with the study group: We will partner with the Sexual Abuse Presidential Study Group to develop and seek ways to support its efforts and initiatives
Our state conventions will care for abuse survivors
We will equip churches and ministries in our state to care well for abuse survivors by:
- Encouraging resource development: We encourage the effort of the Sexual Abuse Presidential Study Group to develop the resource Becoming a Church that Cares Well for Abuse
- Providing staff training: We will provide training to our state convention staff on how to provide highly effective resourcing in caring for survivors of abuse
- Promoting church training: We will promote training on how to care for survivors of abuse to the churches and ministries we serve
Our state conventions will continue to prepare for abuse prevention
We will support churches and ministries in our state to prepare to prevent abuse by:
- Enhancing prevention practices: We will encourage churches and ministries to enhance their abuse prevention policies and practices
- Providing staff training: We will provide training to our state convention staff on abuse prevention
- Promoting church training: We will promote training on abuse prevention to the churches and ministries we serve
