Curtis Jene Smith Named in Southern Baptist Convention List of Abusers

Was Curtis Jene Smith Listed in the SBC Abuse Investigation Report?

Curtis Jene Smith, a music director and Bible teacher at Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Waco, TX, pleaded guilty to child abuse in 2005 and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was convicted of sexual assault on two boys in 1991 and of failing to register as a sex offender in Burnet County in 2002. The church did not conduct a background check. He is currently on parole and is on the Texas Sex Offender Registry.

Southern Baptist Convention Guidepost Report

According to the Washington Post, a 300-page report was released on Sunday, May 22, 2022. The file includes horrifying brand-new details regarding specific abuse instances and clarify how denominational authorities actively resisted abuse prevention and change for decades.

Southern Baptist Convention leaders have actually revealed a comprehensive and independent 3rd party examination that discovered that abusers were often neglected, forgotten, or even denounced by upper-level congregation administrators from within this religious denomination of larger than 16 million individuals. Moreover, it exposed these leaders frequently lied to their very own members to stop them from understanding the widespread sexual misconduct.

Continue reading more about the Southern Baptist Convention Guidepost Report

A History of Dismissed Mishandling

Almost all of these disclosed occurrences occurred outside of the statute of limitations, making it uncertain how many predators were in fact charged. According to the report, an internal list of predators was kept.

The report states that an essential Southern Baptist leader was credibly implicated of sexual assault only one month after finishing his two-year term as the convention’s president. The report also names 3 previous presidents of the SBC, a previous vice president, and the former head of the SBC’s administrative arm as notable SBC leaders who aided in covering and even encouraged suspected abusers.

One victim detailed being treated with hostility as she claimed she was sexually abused by a youth pastor. The implicated pastor served in several Southern Baptist churches in several states. During a conference with the SBC leaders in 2007, a member of the Exec Board “turned his back to her during her speech and another chortled.”

Accountability in the Southern Baptist Church

Russell Moore, the former head of the SBC’s policy branch, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, mentioned ‘this is not all Southern Baptists, take a look at all the good we do.’ The bombshell report demonstrates a pattern of stonewalling, retaliation, coverup, and intimidation.” He desires this document will deliver much-needed change and hold those liable for their misconduct.

The report claims that a major Southern Baptist official was credibly accused of sexual abuse just one month after finishing his two-year term as the convention’s president. The report likewise names 3 prior presidents of the convention, a previous vice president, and the former head of the SBC’s administrative council as prominent SBC leaders who aided in covering up and even motivated presumed sexual predators.

He desires this report will be the catalyst for much-needed reform and hold those accountable for their misconduct.

For more information about resources available to survivors in Texas, visit our page: https://abuseguardian.com/sexual-assault-lawyer/texas/sex-trauma-therapist-tx/