Thread by @RobDownenChron

Just arrived at Southern Baptist HQ, where president @jdgreear will unveil reforms re: sexual abuse. #SBCtoo #churchtoo

Stay tuned... gotta feeling there’s a few newsworthy things coming 😬😬

Here’s a teaser of 3 of 10 reforms that I wrote this morning. We will update this link after Greear speaks #SBCtoo #Churchtoo

chron.com/news/houston-t…

.@acwhit leading prayer.

"we come before you tonight with heavy hearts, letting so much sink in particularly from the past week" but from before as well #SBCtoo #churchtoo

"I confess that over the years I have heard stories and felt sorrow and then moved to the next thing on my list .I confess that I have had questions in my mind" but didn't ask them #SBCtoo #churchtoo

-@acwhit

"There are no deeds hidden in darkness where you will not shine light.... We ask you to turn on the lights, Lord."

-@acwhit #SBCtoo #churchtoo

Speaker notes that the WiFi password is Romans818

"That's Romans: R-O-M-A-N-S-8-1-8," he says.

Crowd goes nuts. #SBCtoo #Churchtoo

Speaker is back up.

Clarifies himself on password.

Crowd has now turned. Chaos. This could get violent. Clearly they preferred the other WiFi password.

.@jdgreear about to speak. Same shirt/tie/jacket combo that he wore on CNN this morning, in case anyone was wondering. #SBCtoo #churchtoo

Not even Intelligence can make up for times to stop and listen...I’ve spent several months just listening--trying to listen to God, to other leaders, and to spirit-filled men and some in our Convention to figure out the steps we need to take.

-@JDGreear #SBCtoo #churchtoo

The Southern Baptist convention is built on the premise that we can do more together than we can do separately

-@JDGreear #SBCtoo #churchtoo

IM afraid that people dont think about the Gospel when they think about us right now

-@JDGreear #SBCtoo #churchtoo

(should note that Im not direct-quoting in some of these Tweets... Dude talks...fast, and so Im paraphrasing)

Greear cites figure saying there are 15 million SBC members, then says "lets be honest" that's not actually how many there are #SBCtoo #Churchtoo

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

We're about to get into his report on sexual abuse. #SBCtoo #churchtoo

Brothers and sisters, there is a problem. This is not a fabricated story made up by people with a secular agenda. We’ve not taken reports of abuse in our churches as seriously as our gospel demands & sometimes even worse, outright ignored or silenced victims

-@JDGreear #SBCtoo

And it’s time we backup our words with actions that demonstrate our commitment to this... that demonstrate with our lives and our habits the message we proclaim with our lives

-@JDGreear #SBCtoo #churchtoo

Brothers and sisters, we serve a God who laid down his life to protect
the vulnerable. How dare we proclaim that gospel with our mouths and
turn a blind eye when the vulnerable in our midst cry out for help?

-@JDGreear #SBCtoo #churchtoo

Didn’t Jesus say that for whomever causes one of these little ones who believe
in me to fall away--it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung
around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.

-@JDGreear #SBCtoo #churchtoo

Point 1 in @jdgreear response (which he notes are just start): We need to repent for a decades of inaction. I’m calling for a season of lament, sorrow, and repentance... We need to repent of any hint of blaming victims for their abuse... of a frankly unbiblical approach to grace

No. 2: Group has been working on a 12 lesson, 20-minute training resource called "Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused."

It includes numerous activists/experts, including @R_Denhollander & @DianeLangberg #SBCtoo #churchtoo #CSA

We recognize that education is not the answer because ignorance is not the
problem. But we must eliminate ignorance as an excuse.

-@jdgreear #SBCtoo #churchtoo

Our strategy is to make this kind of training standard for all entities that
wear the name “Southern Baptist.”

-@jdgreear #SBCtoo #churchtoo

.@jdgreear says seminaries are on board for training standards #SBCtoo #churchtoo

I am announcing tonight that all six seminaries, the officers of the SBC Associational Leaders, and (all) the state conventions have agreed to three “Statement of Principles on Abuse” documents

-@jdgreear #SBCtoo #churchtoo

I am asking that churches, associations, conventions, and entities take immediate
action to review their policies and procedures... for Executive Committee to strongly consider requiring background checks, at a minimum, for all SBC standing committees and trustee appointments

On ordination, @jdgreear joins other leaders in call to strengthen processes #sbctoo #churchtoo

BIG BIG BIG: @jdgreear is asking for inquiries into whether Sovereign Grace and Second Baptist of Houston -- which has 65,000 members -- "meet the standards" of the SBC's "faith and practice" #SBCtoo #Churchtoo

Eight other churches also listed.

.@jdgreear doesn't commit to database, but says all options are on the table. Says they're going everything they can do to evaluate it as an option. #SBCtoo #churchtoo

To "amens," @jdgreear calls for changes to SBC bylaws that would deem churches with "wanton" disregard for sexual abuse not in friendly cooperation #churchtoo

"We would rightly begin to ask questions immediately" if church endorsed gay or female pastors.

We must make our position on abuse equally clear

-@jdgreear #SBCtoo #Churchtoo

.@jdgreear says allegations in our series warrant "due diligence to verify whether or not these churches" actually "seek to provide" for the abused #churchtoo #SBCtoo

.@jdgreear says SBC needs to confront truths even if they're uncomfortable, says media - AND THOSE WHO'VE BEEN SPEAKING OUT ABOUT ABUSE FOR DECADES -- are not the enemy.

Says job of Southern Baptists is not to protect their image. #SBCtoo #churchtoo

Alright guys that's it for now. Press conference coming after this speech. We'll have a story up at @HoustonChron in a few. #SBCtoo #churchtoo

NVM it's here now:

#SBCtoo #Churchtoo
houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-t…