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Many observers were troubled when Andy Savage, a pastor at Highpoint Church in Memphis, received a standing ovation from his congregation for his admission of a “sexual incident” with a 17-year-old high-school student when he was a youth leader at Woodlands Parkway Baptist Church in Texas. They have reason to be troubled.
Though the congregation was probably unaware that the woman involved described the “incident” as an assault, at least one pastor at Woodlands and the leaders of Highpoint were aware. The alleged victim claimed that Larry Cotton, an associate pastor of Woodlands at the time, urged her to stay quiet about what happened. And only after the alleged victim made the case public did Highpoint’s pastor Chris Conlee admit that …
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If you like this article, you might also be interested in:
- “The Hidden Sexism in the Church: Why “Benevolent” Sexism Does More Harm Than We Realize (guest post at Ashley Easter’s blog)
- “How Would You Respond to Sexual Harassment? Probably Not How You Think” (in The Washington Post)
for heavens sake…these are possible crimes & these religious leaders would be considered responsible to report any sexual abuse reported to them to the police. It’s not a pastors job to investigate & become a policeman…actually I don’t believe a pastor ever took a course in criminal behavior & investigstion that qualifies them to evaluate criminal complaints. The Catholic Church learned this lesson the hard way & now report all cases to police. Fortunstely society is learning how to spot & report abuse across the board cause it is everywhere & affects all social stratas.
There is some wise counsel in this article. I appreciate your efforts to clarify the confusion that exists among many churches. Should churches get outside help? Of course; to honors Christ, to support the victim(s), to promote transparency and healing, to stop ignorant or uninformed gossip, to point out the wickedness & consequences of sin, to restore the reputation of the church, to help the perpetrator by revealing the unacceptability (sinfulness) of his actions, etc. Also, (as you pointed out) when people instigating abuse know one another there is a natural bias. This was an excellent point in your article and one of the reasons I posted it on Facebook.
I liked the article, but as with the other commenters I’m kind of bothered that it didn’t mention mandatory reporting laws at all. In a significant majority of the states, clergy are required to report suspected abuse – full stop. And honestly, I feel like they need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law if they *don’t* report.
It is a crime,and we are to respond, as Paul points out; “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?” 1 Corinthians 5:11,12. “Extortioner” here as per the article, “The alleged victim claimed that Larry Cotton, an associate pastor of Woodlands at the time, urged her to stay quiet about what happened”, that’s extortion!.
Who is he talking about? Believers, as shown in verse 9 and 10, for here he speaks of the difference between the wicked of the world and the wicked of the church. The final verse shows that God judges those wicked in the world, but we judge those that are wicked in the church. Yes, putting them to shame, so as to bring them to repentance!
Case in point? is Hymenaeus and Alexande, “…whom (Paul said) I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.” 1 Timothy 1:20.
Which all goes along with Paul’s admonition of; “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” 2 Thessalonians 3:14,15.
Culminating with; “Them that sin rebuke before all (expose), that others also may fear.” 1 Timothy 5:20,and 2 Timothy 4:2, “reprove, rebuke, exhort”, a Christians duty! Thanks
Sexual abuse is a crime. It is important that all accusations of sexual abuse must be reported to the police. It is not just a matter of being impartial, it is a crime. Michael Falsia’s comment is spot on.
It is the duty of every Christian who hears of a criminal act, if indeed one was commited, to urge the complainant to file a police report. Sexual abuse regardless of what it is must be reported to the authorities. If the so called victim is making such an allegation to a member of a church or pastor that individual not only must advise the person to make a report they n must also inform them that having such information requires them as a citizen to do the same. This is not a church matter but a serious civil matter first and foremost. Church action will obviously follow from the consequence of such heinous and wicked behavior.