Southern Baptist leaders covered up sex abuse, kept secret database, report says

[Terraceth]

Interesting. Never heard of that branch. I've only ever heard of ELCA, WELS, and LCMS, and knew ELCA as the flaming libs. Both Lutheran churches in my little borough are ELCA, and my college roomie took his meteorology degree and became an ELCA pastor halfway across the Commonwealth.

Well, the NALC (North American Lutheran Church) is fairly new, having split from the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) only a little more than a decade ago, and they aren't as big as the ELCA, WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod), and LCMS (Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod), so I can see why they wouldn't get that much attention compared to them.

I looked more into it, though, and it looks like I erred when I said NALC was the fourth largest. If we're counting by number of congregations, as noted, the order is ELCA, LCMS, and WELS, but after that it looks like there's the LCMC (Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ) which, like the NALC, split from the ELCA due to its liberal drift, though it did so about a decade earlier (I believe the NALC is the largest after the LCMC). In regards to the question of "what conservative churches ordain women?" it seems to fall into the same category as NALC, where it depends a bit on how you define conservative--I can say that both reject same-sex marriage at least, and both ordain women. I'm not sure if there's much theologically that divides NALC and LCMC--it may be structural issues that have kept them from joining together, as the LCMC went fully congregational after the split with the ELCA whereas the NALC has maintained the mixture of episcopal and congregational structure that the ELCA had.

[Gondwanaland]

Interesting. Never heard of that branch. I've only ever heard of ELCA, WELS, and LCMS, and knew ELCA as the flaming libs. Both Lutheran churches in my little borough are ELCA, and my college roomie took his meteorology degree and became an ELCA pastor halfway across the Commonwealth.

Yep, ELCA are flaming libs and WELS (which I grew up in and nearly became a pastor in before becoming atheist) is absurdly conservative (like, women can't vote in voters and congregational meetings and in some congregations aren't even allowed to speak in such meetings in addition to the voting)

[Cow Poke]

Did I mention, having spent time with him, I really like our new SBC President?
And the fact that he's active in the Southern Baptists of TEXAS convention is a huge plus.

[Cow Poke]

Might I kindly suggest that you gentlemen take this "nobody's gonna win" argument elsewhere, and allow this thread to go back to SBC-ness?

Thanks.

[Cow Poke]

So, back on topic, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (as opposed to the Southern Baptist Convention itself) is moving very purposefully on the sex abuse response.

Here is an article that the report will be presented at the annual meeting this month (which it was) but I can't find anything about the report being unanimously approved (which it was).

The Recommendations

Recognizing that each church is autonomous and controls its own ministry, activities and staff, the Advisory Committee recommends these steps in connection with their assignment from the 2021 Annual Meeting messenger body.

1. We recommend the SBTC contract with a designated consultant(s) and/or organization(s) to aid the convention and its member churches regarding matters of sexual abuse.
2. We recommend the SBTC, in consultation with experts in the field, develop a church resource guide for (a) assisting churches in training their congregations for sexual abuse prevention, (b) ministering to sexual abuse survivors and their families, (c) protocols for sexual abusers and accused sexual abusers in the church, and (d) appropriate reporting of suspected sexual abuse in accordance with state law.
3. We recommend affiliated churches and SBTC staff cooperate with the Southern Baptist Convention’s “Ministry Check” effort.
4. We recommend the SBTC strengthen its internal policies and practices regarding reporting sexual abuse, accessibility of resources to affiliated churches, and informing staff of available resources and services.

[Cow Poke]

None of these selective references justifies an argument that St. Augustine supported any sort of 'Old Earth' beyond thousands of years. Your 'arguing from ignorance' with subjective vague references and not considering ALL of St. Augustine's citations on the Biblical Creation narrative on the age of the earth and humanity.

Rogue has acknowledged my request to take this battle elsewhere, Frank, and, in fairness, I would have expected you to be allowed one reply.

You have.

Elsewhere, pretty please with ice cream, chocolate fudge, whipped cream and a cherry on top?

[Cow Poke]

Place the argument where ever rogue06 or you choose. A shell game of moving here or elsewhere does not change the argument when he is only arguing for ignorance as'' 'leaves room' for St Augustine believing in the possibility of an 'Old earth' beyond thousands of years.

I asked politely that you to take this elsewhere, Frank. It really has nothing to do with the SBC, and goes against your supposed objection to off-topic remarks.

Please?

[shunyadragon]

I asked politely that you to take this elsewhere, Frank. It really has nothing to do with the SBC, and goes against your supposed objection to off-topic remarks.

Please?

Rogue06 made the request it is up to him to present his argument elsewhere. In the past you have been loosy-goosy about off topic discussion.

[Cow Poke]

Rogue06 made the request it is up to him to present his argument elsewhere. In the past you have been loosy-goosy about off topic discussion.

Jesse chastised me for the way I have treated you - I'm changing that. You're not helping.

One more time, I'm asking you very politely to take this battle elsewhere.

[rogue06]

Jesse chastised me for the way I have treated you - I'm changing that. You're not helping.

One more time, I'm asking you very politely to take this battle elsewhere.

The Elsewhere

[Cow Poke]

OK, My bad!!! I thought this was a thread I had started, but it was actually started by Gondy.

Even though I was asking politely, it's not my place to do so. My apologies.

Commence the battle if you so choose, and I'll leave the concern over the direction of the thread to Gondy.


ETA: I see Rogue has provided an alternate universe into which this battle may advance.

[rogue06]

OK, My bad!!! I thought this was a thread I had started, but it was actually started by Gondy.

Even though I was asking politely, it's not my place to do so. My apologies.

Commence the battle if you so choose, and I'll leave the concern over the direction of the thread to Gondy.


ETA: I see Rogue has provided an alternate universe into which this battle may advance.

1/ No worries


B. Someone else did the move, I just pointed it out

III) Thread Nanny

[Bill the Cat]

The Elsewhere

You're welcome

[Bill the Cat]

1/ No worries


B. Someone else did the move, I just pointed it out

III) Thread Nanny

Moderated By: BTC

That'd be me. Now please return to your regularly scheduled SBC discussion

***If you wish to take issue with this notice DO NOT do so in this thread.***
Contact the forum moderator or an administrator in Private Message or email instead. If you feel you must publicly complain or whine, please take it to the Padded Room unless told otherwise.

[Cow Poke]

Former Texas student minister gets five years in guilty sex abuse plea

Editor’s Note: In support of the sixth strategic action of Vision 2025 adopted by messengers to the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting, Baptist Press will continue to report every instance of sexual abuse related to Southern Baptist churches or leaders of which we are made aware.

HOUSTON (BP) — A former Southern Baptist student minister has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to four charges related to online sexual abuse of a minor, Harris County Criminal Court records show.

Timothy Jason Jeltema, 31, pleaded guilty Nov. 17 to two counts of online solicitation of a minor, one charge of indecency with a child and one charge of sexual performance by a child.

The charges date to 2018 and were filed a month after Champion Forest Baptist Church fired Jeltema for violating the church’s communications policy in an unrelated case with an 18-year-old, the church said Nov. 17 in a public statement.

“Timothy Jeltema, a former minister to students at the North Klein campus of Champion Forest Baptist Church was terminated on May 15, 2018, the same day he was accused of and admitted to improper contact via social media with an 18-year-old member of our church,” the church said. “Though no laws were known to have been broken, he was immediately dismissed for a clear violation of the church’s written code of conduct and his admission that he did not follow long-established Champion Forest regulations that pastors of students and adult volunteers must never communicate electronically one-on-one with students. Champion Forest has zero tolerance for a lack of adherence to this policy.”

Weeks later, on June 12, 2018, a 13-year-old victim came forward and accused Jeltema of online sexual misconduct. The church immediately reported the accusation to the Tomball Police Department, which arrested Jeltema and charged him with online solicitation of a minor.

And Champion Forest Baptist Church is an important hub for many SBC churches around here, and I've been there numerous times for training sessions, CEUs, fellowships...