In the comments on the statement, survivors and SBC leaders were not having it. “Do you understand that many of us are praying for the removal of your leaders now?” asked Pastor Grant Gaines. “Just stop. Seriously,” said Lyell.
In a statement, SBC president Ed Litton said he was “grieved” by the result of the meeting: “As Task Force Chairman Bruce Frank made clear today, there is no question about whether the investigation will take place. The only question that remains is whether the Executive Committee will pledge its full support and cooperation to this process by adhering to the messengers’ direction.”
My statement on today’s SBC Executive Committee meeting. pic.twitter.com/CSBduP4i7v
— Ed Litton (@EdLitton) September 29, 2021
The SATF made as much clear in its update after Monday’s meeting, stating that if the EC failed to choose an option acceptable to the task force, “The Task Force intends to sign the contract and operate without EC approval but based on the authority given by the SBC motion.”
“This kind of mockery & cruelty would have shocked me 3 months ago…but not now.” – @BlalockMarshall (member #SBC sexual abuse task force)
Grateful people are finally seeing. Simultaneously, I grieve the cost of such long institutional blindness.
We fight on the side of truth. https://t.co/GjnqA5UuSj
— Christa Brown (@ChristaBrown777) September 29, 2021
The SATF posted another update Wednesday, Sept. 29, clarifying several of the circumstances from this week and points from Tuesday’s meeting, stating, “We are at an impasse.”
Author and Bible teacher Beth Moore responded to yesterday’s events, saying, “SBC exec committee, it will be a mistake not to have stood by survivors of the rampant sexual abuse within your own system. You have abused them again today. Have your privilege, dudes. But you have no honor.”
SBC seminary presidents Adam Greenway and Daniel Akin both criticized the meeting. Greenway said that “the present situation is inexcusable and unacceptable” and noted that he had been “seeing increasing calls” for the SBC’s Cooperative Program to be defunded. Akin called the situation “beyond disappointing and potentially damaging to the trust essential to the SBC.” New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary president Dr. Jamie Dew said the situation had “devolved into a full-blown crisis.”
Responses were similar at the local level. The Baptist State Convention of Michigan denounced the decision not to waive ACP and expressed its support for survivors.
A pastor in Texas tweeted, “I intend to lead our church to terminate funding for the ExComm at least until the Task Force report releases next May…Some churches seem likely to terminate all funding or leave the SBC altogether.”
Seeing quite a lot of this tonight.
Never seen anything even close to tonight’s reaction. Like, different stratosphere. https://t.co/XJX9q9p2LK
— Robert Downen (@RobDownenChron) September 29, 2021
EC members Dean Inserra and Adam Wyatt expressed their determination to continue fighting for survivors despite the discouragement they both were feeling.
I’ll be honest, I am so defeated right now. If I hadn’t have given my word to people like @freedomsbride @ThigpenTiffany @jenlyell and others, I think I would resign the @SBCExecComm. But, this is how evil wins.
— Adam Wyatt (@pastor_adam) September 29, 2021
“I want to quit this thing,” said Inserra. “But I looked survivors in the eyes and told them I’d fight. Being on this committee is miserable, but not even in the same universe compared to what they endured and how they were treated.”
This isn’t some fishing for likes tweet. Just being real.
I want to quit this thing. But I looked survivors in the eyes and told them I’d fight.
Being on this committee is miserable, but not even in the same universe compared to what they endured and how they were treated.
— Dean Inserra (@deaninserra) September 29, 2021
