Thread by @JennMGreenberg

One reason we have denominations - SBC, PCA, UMC, etc - is so you can find a church most closely adhering to your understanding of Scripture. Joining a church you disagree with on a major doctrinal issue and expecting them to change is goofy. #ChurchToo #MeToo

~ A Thread ~

Since the @HoustonChron published their distrubing article documenting abuse in the #SBC, I've seen quite a number of people trying to say that "If the SBC had women pastors this would not happen." As a survivor (#MeToo #ChurchToo) I find this extremely insulting. Here's why:

1. Taking advantage of a tragedy in order to push a social or political agenda is tacky. You want female pastors? That's fine. But you chould join a church that ordains women. However, when you join that church, don't be shocked when you find abuse there too. It's everywhere.

2. Abuse is evil. Abuse happens in churches when evil people go unchecked and good people are either unaware or negligent. The way to counter abuse then is to increase awareness, accountability, and sound biblical teaching. People with a healthy awe of God despise abuse.

3. The idea, "Had women been involved abuse wouldn't happen," is nonsense. There were women involved. They may not have been pastors, but they were there. My abuse was hushed up by ... wait for it ... women. Giving female abuse enablers titles isn't going to change what they are.

4.A. Abusers don't become evil overnight. They take a smaller sin (often lust) and they feed it until it grows into a massive, complex, all-consuming depravity. They've had a multitude of opportunities to repent or get help. They chose not to.

4.B. Abusers were likely already nurturing their sin before they graduated high school. Becoming a pastor in a predominately male-lead church didn't make them this way. They were evil, they sought out a vulnerable congregation, wormed their way into authority, and chose to sin.

I'm reminded of those who said, "If catholic priests weren't celibate they wouldn't abuse little boys." I'm not catholic and prefer my pastors to be married, but there are plenty of unmarried people who don't abuse kids. Singleness doesn't cause pedophilia. Stop implying it does.

Off the top of my head I know of survivors abused in Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Methodist, Calvary Chapel, Pentacostal, Catholic, Baptist, and indie churches. This is not an exclusively #SBC problem. Don't let your guard down. Where there are people, there is evil.

Again, pick a church whose understanding of the Bible most closely aligns with your own. If you want female pastors, join a church that ordains women. Joining the SBC when you have such a fundamental disagreement and then expecting them to change a staple theology is silly.

This sort of thing happens in the OPC too. Every so often someone whose been a member for a year+ expresses shock that we baptize babies. I want to ask, "Where have you been? Why are you here? Surely, this was covered in your new members class? Have you not read our church docs?"

But I digress. In any organization - regardless of governmental structure - abuse can be prevented by awareness, education, accountability, common sense measures, and love of God. People - whether male or female - who love God do not tolerate the abuse of his children.

Do I think women should have influence and a voice in the church? Absolutely. But I'm not under any delusion that women aren't just as sinful as men. Giving someone a title doesn't make them righteous or courageous, as the Houston Chronicle article clearly demonstrated.

"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters ... You brood of vipers! ... A good man brings good out of the good things stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him." Matthew 12:30-35