Comments on: Today We Celebrate A New Baptist Covenant http://www.thebigdaddyweave.com/2008/01/today-we-celebrate-a-new-baptist-covenant.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=today-we-celebrate-a-new-baptist-covenant News & Commentary About All Things Baptist Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:32:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Christa Brown http://www.thebigdaddyweave.com/2008/01/today-we-celebrate-a-new-baptist-covenant.html#comment-1834 Christa Brown Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:14:00 +0000 http://www.thebigdaddyweave.com/?p=384#comment-1834 If Charles Wade really wanted to denounce "evil men and women who exploit children," he could start by making public the names of the child-molesting ministers reported to the BGCT by churches and for whom the BGCT determined there was "substantial evidence the abuse took place," in accordance with the BGCT's own published policy at the time. The fact that the BGCT has such a file is no secret - it's been written about in numerous published articles and in the BGCT's own brochure, "Broken Trust." But the names within that file - names of ministers for whom there is "substantial evidence" of having molested kids - are kept secret from the people who most need to know - people in the pews. <br/><br/>My own perpetrator was in that file at the BGCT, and he continued to work in children's ministry in Florida. And Charles Wade received my substantiated report of childhood abuse by certified mail, as shown by a signed return receipt. And the BGCT's response was to send its own long-time attorney out to help my childhood church, and he immediately threatened to sue ME. How many more clergy abuse victims do you think have been silenced by such bald intimidation tactics inflicted by the BGCT's lawyer? Meanwhile, my perpetrator continued to work in children's ministry, and no one at the BGCT did diddly-squat to help me or to warn parents in Florida. The details of my own case have been reported far and wide, but I'm far from the only one who has had similar experiences with the BGCT. <br/><br/>Easy enough for Wade to talk about "evil men who exploit children." But it's just talk. Where are the deeds? If Charles Wade really wanted to denounce “evil men and women who exploit children,” he could start by making public the names of the child-molesting ministers reported to the BGCT by churches and for whom the BGCT determined there was “substantial evidence the abuse took place,” in accordance with the BGCT’s own published policy at the time. The fact that the BGCT has such a file is no secret – it’s been written about in numerous published articles and in the BGCT’s own brochure, “Broken Trust.” But the names within that file – names of ministers for whom there is “substantial evidence” of having molested kids – are kept secret from the people who most need to know – people in the pews.

My own perpetrator was in that file at the BGCT, and he continued to work in children’s ministry in Florida. And Charles Wade received my substantiated report of childhood abuse by certified mail, as shown by a signed return receipt. And the BGCT’s response was to send its own long-time attorney out to help my childhood church, and he immediately threatened to sue ME. How many more clergy abuse victims do you think have been silenced by such bald intimidation tactics inflicted by the BGCT’s lawyer? Meanwhile, my perpetrator continued to work in children’s ministry, and no one at the BGCT did diddly-squat to help me or to warn parents in Florida. The details of my own case have been reported far and wide, but I’m far from the only one who has had similar experiences with the BGCT.

Easy enough for Wade to talk about “evil men who exploit children.” But it’s just talk. Where are the deeds?

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