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	Resolutions on Clergy Sexual Abuse to Be Introduced to the Southern Baptist Convention's Annual Meeting in June Tennessean April 29, 2007 http://www.dicksonherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070429/NEWS0201/704290428 Resolution to create a denominational database of sexual predators to be introduced by Oklahoma pastor Wade Burleson of Enid's Emmanuel Baptist Church: "I move that the Southern Baptist Convention requests the Executive Committee to conduct a feasibility study concerning the development of a database of Southern Baptist ministers who have been convicted of sexual harrassment and abuse, and that such a database be accessible to Southern Baptist churches seeking to maintain the highest standards of sexual ethics for its ministry candidates." Resolution on clergy sexual abuse by Texas pastor Benjamin Cole of Arlington's Parkview Church WHEREAS, the Lord Jesus Christ has instructed his church to exercise attentive care and prioritized concern for the well-being of children (Mark 10:14-16; Matthew 18:5-7), and WHEREAS, millions of children are mistreated each year in the United States by those who have been entrusted by God to care for them, and WHEREAS, God has designed the family and founded the church to be a place of safety and security for children to grow in a nurturing environment of spiritual wisdom and moral purity, and WHEREAS, the Bible calls upon ministers - whether they are pastors, counselors, educators, missionaries, chaplains, or others - to preserve the witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ by maintaining the highest standards of personal conduct as it relates to children, and WHEREAS, the tender consciences of little children are irreparably scarred by the negligence of Southern Baptist churches who fail to examine carefully the moral integrity and ethical history of ministry candidates, and WHEREAS, Southern Baptists have not fully explored every option to protect our churches and our children from the threat of potential victimization and abuse at the hands of predatory clergy; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in San Antonio, Texas, June 12-13, 2007, call upon our member churches to pursue every possible avenue in determining the moral character and ethical conduct of ministry candidates; and be it further RESOLVED, that we urge our convention agencies, institutions, and commissions to take bold steps to educate Southern Baptists concerning the indications associated with and the reporting of child victimization; and be it further RESOLVED, that we appeal to all churches dealing with the tragedy of negligent care for the interests of those abused by predatory clergy to address the growing crisis of child victimization by implementing ministries of pastoral care for victims of clergy abuse; and be it further RESOLVED, that we pray for those who have been harmed physically, emotionally, and spiritually by ministers in our own convention who have violated their innocence through evil acts of sexual sin against them; and be it finally RESOLVED, that we acknowledge the immediate need for our convention churches, agencies, institutions, and commissions to act with sincerity and urgency in this matter, sparing no effort to preserve the integrity of our witness and the security of our children from the tragic consequences of our potential neglect.
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