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Was Paul Hendrix Listed in Southern Baptist Convention List of Abusers?

In 2012, Paul “Kevin” Hendrix, a youth minister at the First Baptist Church in Cherokee Village, Arkansas, admitted to having sexual relations with a 14-year-old girl. He was fined $3,500, sentenced to 120 months probation, and ordered to register as a sex offender.

Southern Baptist Convention Sexual Abuse Helpline

Southern Baptist Convention Guidepost Report

According to the Washington Post, a 300-page report was released on Sunday, May 22, 2022. The report consists of scary brand-new information relating to particular abuse instances and clarify how denominational authorities actively hindered abuse prevention and reform for years.

Southern Baptist Convention leaders have actually revealed a substantial and independent third-party examination that discovered that abusers were frequently ignored, forgotten, and even criticized by upper-level congregation administrators from within this religious denomination of greater than 16 million people. Furthermore, it revealed these leaders often lied to their very own members to stop them from being aware of the widespread sexual misbehavior.

Click to read more on the Southern Baptist Convention Guidepost Report

A Story of Overlooked Mishandling

For nearly two decades, victims who were sexually abused sought to speak with the administration of the Southern Baptist Convention concerning the ministers and congregation staff members. Almost all of these revealed occurrences fell beyond the statutes of limitations, making it unclear the number of predators were actually charged. According to the document, a secret list was kept. Nonetheless, abuse victims’ cries for justice went ignored as leaders from companies and churches attempted to shield themselves rather than those who have actually been preyed on by sexual assault.

The report claims that a senior “SBC” official was credibly accused of sexual assault merely 1 month after finishing his two-year stretch as the convention’s president. Additionally, Johnny Hunt, a well-known Georgia Southern Baptist preacher and senior vice president of the SBC’s missions arm, was credibly implicated of assaulting a woman at a 2010 vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida. The North American Mission Board president declared he was unaware of the allegations prior to Hunt resigning on May 13. The report additionally names three previous presidents of the convention, a previous vice president, and the former head of the SBC’s administrative arm as prominent SBC leaders who aided in covering and even encouraged suspected abusers.

Responsibility in the Southern Baptist Convention

Russell Moore, the former head of the SBC’s policy arm, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, stated ‘this is not all Southern Baptists, look at all the good we do.’ The Report demonstrates a trend of stonewalling, retaliation, coverup, and intimidation.” He desires this report will bring much-needed change and hold those liable for their actions.

The document states that a leading Southern Baptist leader was credibly implicated of sexual abuse merely 1 month after completing his two-year term as the convention’s president. The report likewise names three prior presidents of the convention, a previous vice president, and the previous head of the SBC’s administrative council as notable SBC leaders who aided in protecting and even encouraged presumed abusers.

For more information about resources available to sexual abuse survivors in Arkansas, visit this link: https://abuseguardian.com/sexual-assault-lawyer/arkansas/sex-trauma-therapist-ar/

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