Candidates backed by the CBN have lost the last two SBC elections.
Their opposition, which lacks a brand name, largely believes the SBC, which has experienced turmoil and membership decline in recent years, is generally headed in the right direction on issues of doctrine and mission.
The sharpest disagreement between the two candidates is seen in their views of abuse reform. Barber, in his role as president, appointed a task force charged with implementing a series of reforms, including setting up the “Ministry Check” website that will include the names of abusive pastors, providing more staffing to help the committee that deals with churches accused of mishandling abuse and creating resources to help churches better deal with the issue of abuse.
Newly elected SBC President Bart Barber speaks during a news conference at the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Anaheim, California, on June 15, 2022. RNS photo by Justin L. Stewart
Those reforms came on the heels of a major 2022 report on an investigation done by the consulting firm Guidepost Solutions, which found that Baptist leaders had mistreated abuse survivors for years and tried to downplay the issue of abuse in the SBC. That investigation and report had been authorized a year earlier by a vote of local church representatives, known as messengers, during the SBC annual meeting.
Among the leaders named in the report was Johnny Hunt, a former SBC president and megachurch pastor, who allegedly assaulted another pastor’s wife about a decade ago, according to Guidepost. Investigators from Guidepost interviewed Hunt as well as other witnesses and found the allegations credible. Hunt took time off from ministry and then made a comeback earlier this year, which Barber denounced.
Hunt has admitted misconduct but denied any abuse. He has since sued the SBC and Guidepost for mentioning his name in the report. A former seminary professor named in the report has also sued.
Complicating matters, Stone’s feud with Moore played a role in the creation of the Guidepost report. Local church pastors began calling for an investigation of SBC leaders after a letter from Moore, which detailed behind-the-scenes conflicts between those leaders, including Stone, over issues of race and abuse, became public.
Stone, a former chairman of the denomination’s Executive Committee, has argued that the Guidepost investigation was a mistake and the report flawed and unbiblical. The report, which mentions his name in connection to Moore’s letter, also includes complaints that Stone did not respond appropriately when made aware of another pastor’s alleged misconduct. Stone argues the report opened up the SBC to lawsuits and includes false information and argues the SBC should help churches handle cases of abuse instead of taking national action.
Stone has also denied any wrongdoing in regard to how he responded to alleged misconduct by his friend, who pastored at a different congregation.
Stone, along with other SBC leaders, especially at state conventions, has been critical of Guidepost’s support of LGBTQ rights. The task force charged with implementing abuse reforms had planned to use Guidepost to set up the Ministry Check website but later announced it was looking for other options.
In a recent interview with a Georgia Baptist newspaper, Stone did say the Guidepost report made people more aware of abuse.
“But overall, there is no question in my mind that we are worse off for engaging with Guidepost as we have,” he added.
