ARITF President Josh Wester, standing with fellow Task Force members, announces the upcoming launch of an Abuse Response Committee to oversee further work in addressing sexual assault reform at the Southern Baptist Convention. Wester made the announcement at the opening plenary session of the Executive Committee on Monday evening, February 19.
NASHVILLE (BP) — It was meant to be a brief moment, one that signaled the current financial challenges the Southern Baptist Convention faces amid a desire to continue responding to sexual assault reform that first gained a foothold on the Executive Committee five years ago.
Instead, it became an awkward introduction that left questions.
Before delivering the President's address at the European Commission meeting on 19 February, Bart Barber called Josh Wester to the podium.
Wester, Chair of the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force, has just announced the upcoming launch of the Abuse Response Commission. Wester said the decision was made in consultation with SBC leaders like Barber, who also announced that ARITF is asking these individuals to “assist … in securing the financial resources necessary to launch this new organization.”
Now with the microphone, Barber turned to Wester.
“I couldn't help but notice that in the report you just submitted, you mentioned me, among others, for providing financial support. …Do you realize that the Southern Baptist Convention actually has no money at all?” Asked.
“I'm going to pay you money from my wallet and say, 'Chief Barber has done his part,'” Barber said, reaching into his jacket pocket. “Thank you, Josh.”
Barber continued his message, but criticism followed that he did not treat the ARC announcement with the appropriate gravity. A joking comment from the EC crowd as Wester left the stage said the bill was Monopoly money, which Barber repeated.
Wester later told reporters that he gave Barber a (real) $100 bill. Wester then spoke of the SBC president's “strong commitment” to the cause of sexual assault reform and “willingness to call people together.”
“There has been no greater friend or champion of this cause than President Barber,” Wester said.
For his part, Barber owned the moment in his social media posts.
“I just got back to the hotel room and discovered that what I said about the Monopoly money tonight was really poor judgment on my part and didn't quite convey my seriousness about this mission,” he wrote, later adding that “sometimes, my sense of humor isn't great.”
He later added: “It is my sense of duty that drives me to see abuse reform through to true achievement.”
About $2.5. $1 million in start-up funds is being sought for ARC, which will be incorporated in South Carolina as a 501(C)(3). Full details on the financing will emerge in the coming months, Wester said. He added that he is encouraged by the support he has received from SBC entity leaders and Barber, who became the first public donor.
Submit a statement of relief issues
Ahead of the SBC's 2022 Annual Meeting, Send Relief has committed $3 million to sexual violence reforms before providing another $1 million in “seed funding” for survivor care.
Relief Mission is a collaborative effort between the International Mission Board (IMB) of the SBC and the North American Mission Board (NAMB) that provides a gospel-centered ministry of mercy.
Today, Send Relief issued a statement reaffirming the original intent of the $3 million gift to come from unallocated funds, not Cooperative Program donations or gifts to the Annie Armstrong easter Offer® or the Lottie Moon Christmas Offer®.
“The funds will not be used to fund an organization outside the Sudan Broadcasting Corporation… such as the Violations Response Committee,” the statement read.
NAMB President Kevin Ezell, IMB President Paul Chitwood and Relief Dispatch President Bryant Wright issued a joint statement.
“While we share a desire to support abuse reforms, many details remain unclear about the proposed ARC’s mission, legal structure, leadership, and accountability,” the statement said. “Although relief dispatch funds are not available to a non-SBC organization, they remain available to ARITF for their assigned work within the SBC.”
ERLC to discuss proposal on future role in sexual assault care
Last summer at the SBC Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Maryland Pastor Keith Meyer introduced a motion to amend the SBC Organization Handbook to add a ministry mission so that the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission could assist churches and entities in responding to abuses. The proposal has been referred to the ERLC and will be discussed at the trustee meeting on March 21, Baptist Press has confirmed.
“I was encouraged to know that it would be discussed,” Mayer told BP. “I have some ideas about structural components that are not within the design scope — as I know it — of the ARC but are in the ERLC.
“I would be happy to speak with the Board or Brent Leatherwood about ways I feel the ERLC can raise awareness about abuse, help train our churches to be safer, and equip us to care for those who have been harmed.”
(Editor's note (Scott Barclay is the national correspondent for Baptist Press.)
