(ChurchLeaders) During last week’s annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), messengers determined that an independent task force would oversee Guidepost Solutions’ investigation into the denomination’s handling of sexual abuse allegations. Now some victim advocates are questioning how independent that pricey third-party firm really is—and whether it merely makes “delicate matters” go away.
Guidepost Solutions Investigated
Survivors of church-based sexual abuse claimed victory last week when the SBC, in a near-unanimous vote, decided to establish an independent task force to assess how it dealt with previous abuse claims. After the vote, the SBC’s Executive Committee indicated it is “confident” the investigation will result in the “ultimate blessing of removing all doubt in the minds of our community of Southern Baptists, allowing us to chart a more confident future together.”