Southern Baptist Convention Lawsuit | Sexual Abuse in Southern Baptist Churches

The Southern Baptist Convention Sexual Abuse Lawsuit alleges that the organization did not adequately respond to confirmed sex abuse and sexual misconduct allegations by certain SBC members, and knowingly concealed the truth to avoid liability.

SBC leaders failed to protect vulnerable children and people involved in churches across the country. The church also ostracized, vilified, and attempted to silence victims out of fear of legal liability.

Sexual abuse has been all too common in the Southern Baptist Church, and it is time exact justice on those who allowed people to be abused and victims pleas for justice to go unheard.

A civil lawsuit against the SBC can award you compensation or financial recovery that a criminal lawsuit cannot.

Contacting a Law Firm and Hiring a Sexual Abuse Lawyer

The civil lawsuit process requires victims to be involved in legal proceedings, so it is best to have an experienced sexual assault lawyer at your service.

Legal proceedings are very tedious and can an added unnecessary stressor to those who are already dealing with the trauma that comes along with sexual assault.

Your sexual assault lawyer will help you to gather any evidence that supports your claim and assess any damages that were incurred as a result of the abuse, including medical costs, therapy costs, emotional damages, and more.

Sexual abuse, sexual assault, and sexual misconduct has been found to have occurred in SBC churches for decades. Victims have routinely pleaded with church officials and the executive committee to act, requesting that

Investigative reports have prompted the SBC Executive Committee to officially respond. At the 2019 Annual Meeting, the Executive Committee announced the formation of a team dedicated to investigating sexual abuse in the church.

The results of this effort were seen in May 2022, when the SBC Executive Committee released a list of staff, clergy, and church leaders involved in confirmed and alleged sexual abuse claims.

The Houston Chronicle: “Abuse of Faith”

The Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express News published an investigative series of articles and a database detailing sexual abuse and sexual misconduct allegations against a “disturbing number of Southern Baptists with formal church roles”.

Compiling cases of sexual abuse totaling over 700 victims (mostly children) and nearly 400 perpetrators since 1988, the Houston Chronicle first launched their database in February 2019 and have kept it updated ever since.

The investigative series found countless SBC members were charged by the police for sex crimes and SBC leaders tried their hardest to cover their tracks. Journalists sifted through court records, prison databases, news stories, and more, putting significant pressure on the SBC to respond.

Guidepost Solutions Independent Report on the SBC Executive Committee’s Response to Sexual Abuse Allegations

Guidepost Solutions was hired by the SBC Executive Committee to complete an external report on sexual abuse within Southern Baptist Churches across the country.

The Guidepost report analyzed hundreds of internal Southern Baptist Convention records and over 330 internal interviews recorded over seven months.

Subjects in the audit include:

• Background information on the SBC and how it is organized
• Methodology behind Guidepost’s audit and how they sought information
• Factual findings and an investigation into hundreds of sexual assault claims and convictions
• Evidence of intimidation of victims and concealment of claims by SBC staff
• An analysis of reform initiatives
• Recommendations to the Executive Committee on how to move forward

The SBC has had a number of pastors, clergy, ministry members, and more charged for sex crimes. From large churches to local churches, victims suffered abuse from people that were often looked at as trusted community members and strict followers of the religion.

Other cases involve SBC leaders concealing evidence, intimidating victims, and avoiding liability for the suffering of innocent church parishioners.

Examples of significant cases and convictions include:

• Mark Aderholt, was charged with four felony counts of sexual assault on a child. He later accepted a plea deal to reduce the charges and continued working for the SBC.
• Florida Pastor Darrell Gilyard was convicted of sex crimes against minors but returned to preaching just months after being released from prison.
• Paul Pressler, a Texas church leader, was named in a lawsuit alleging he sexually abused Gareld Duane Rollins Jr. The case has been allowed to proceed.
• Michael Lee Jones, a Texas pastor, pled guilty to sexually assaulting a 16 year-old nearly twenty years ago. The church he currently preaches at left the SBC.
• Ronnie Floyd, an Arkansas lead pastor and previously the SBC President on the Executive Committee, resigned from his post amidst the sex abuse inquiry. He was later named in the report under allegations that he opposed outside investigation into sex abuse.

Our law firm is currently investigating how to properly proceed with legal action against SBC for their role in allowing victims to be abused.

At TorHoerman Law, our attorneys are experienced in taking on complex cases against large companies and organizations who have harmed people. We understand the pain our clients have gone through and will work hard to achieve justice.

If you or a loved one have suffered abuse from a person associated with the Southern Baptist Convention, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit.

Contact us for a free, no-obligation case consultation to discuss your legal options or use the chatbot on this page to see if you instantly qualify for a lawsuit.

Don’t hesitate – reach out to us today. We’re here to help.