Thank you for reporting on this. I used to live in Tulsa, where I taught school children. I can too easily see this happening to any of them. This is sickening.
The SBC does not have any control over who a pastor of a church is, they have no ability to force a pastor from a pulpit for any reason. The most they could do would be to kick the congregation out of the convention, something that would require a vote at the National Convention.
Inola Oklahoma has a population of less than 2000, I would imagine the church described is incredibly small. This man was arrested in May of 2020, during the height of Covid and a year when the SBC convention was cancelled. I am not sure this case rises to something of national importance that needs to be addressed at the annual convention. Because the SBC is a convention and not a denomination this is simply something not in the purview of the larger organization. Autonomy of the local church is the entire reason for the existence of the SBC as a convention. There are also minimum requirements of participation for churches which means this church may not have been plugged into or done much with the SBC at any level other than giving to specific ministries and agreeing to certain theological doctrines.
On a local level I would have strongly disagreed with the decision to let him remain in the pulpit, it is something I would willingly leave a church over. Having said that I’m not sure on a national organizational level I would want to take action against people or congregations based on allegations as opposed to convictions. Now he’s convicted but since he’s going to jail there really isn’t any way for the SBC to impose any church discipline on him.
Inola is a small town, everyone in town and the surrounding area knew what this guy was arrested for and what he was charged with. Everyone in that church definitely knew. I don’t see how anyone except the parents who continued to attend with their children should be held accountable for endangering children. This is a very different story than a cover up or the transferring of predators to unsuspecting communities.
The most the SBC could have done was threatened to revoke the church’s membership from the convention if they didn’t find a new pastor. That is the only “punishment” the SBC can levy. I will guarantee that church has more loyalty to the pastor than to the SBC and that they would simply have left the SBC. While some people might consider that worthwhile and a victory it would be opening a can of worms for the SBC and it would be entering new territory as far as the reach of the SBC national convention, territory not many want explored.
The SBC simply did not have the authority to do anything to protect anyone in this situation. The police and DA had the authority to arrest and try and convict this turd which they did. The church had the authority to boot him from the pulpit which they chose not to do. Parents with half a brain cell had the authority to choose a different church for their family which I suspect some did. The SBC didn’t have any authority or any ability to protect anyone or enforce anything.
The SBC has no control over who pastors individual churches. Having said that there is no special carve out for religious freedom to expose children to pedophiles so if CPS was concerned children in the church were at risk or danger they have the same ability to intervene as in any other setting. Having said that given that at the time he was accused and not convicted even CPS had limited options and probably couldn’t get anywhere with a case in which children were only around him in a group setting like those pictured. Typically scumbags get to reserve their rights until they become convicted scumbags. The local church showed very poor discernment in this situation.
Thank you for continuing to share these stories!
UGH.
Thank you for reporting on this. I used to live in Tulsa, where I taught school children. I can too easily see this happening to any of them. This is sickening.
As an SBC pastor this appalls me. But it doesn’t surprise me. Nothing in our denomination does anymore.
So disheartening. 🥹
The SBC does not have any control over who a pastor of a church is, they have no ability to force a pastor from a pulpit for any reason. The most they could do would be to kick the congregation out of the convention, something that would require a vote at the National Convention.
Inola Oklahoma has a population of less than 2000, I would imagine the church described is incredibly small. This man was arrested in May of 2020, during the height of Covid and a year when the SBC convention was cancelled. I am not sure this case rises to something of national importance that needs to be addressed at the annual convention. Because the SBC is a convention and not a denomination this is simply something not in the purview of the larger organization. Autonomy of the local church is the entire reason for the existence of the SBC as a convention. There are also minimum requirements of participation for churches which means this church may not have been plugged into or done much with the SBC at any level other than giving to specific ministries and agreeing to certain theological doctrines.
On a local level I would have strongly disagreed with the decision to let him remain in the pulpit, it is something I would willingly leave a church over. Having said that I’m not sure on a national organizational level I would want to take action against people or congregations based on allegations as opposed to convictions. Now he’s convicted but since he’s going to jail there really isn’t any way for the SBC to impose any church discipline on him.
Inola is a small town, everyone in town and the surrounding area knew what this guy was arrested for and what he was charged with. Everyone in that church definitely knew. I don’t see how anyone except the parents who continued to attend with their children should be held accountable for endangering children. This is a very different story than a cover up or the transferring of predators to unsuspecting communities.
The most the SBC could have done was threatened to revoke the church’s membership from the convention if they didn’t find a new pastor. That is the only “punishment” the SBC can levy. I will guarantee that church has more loyalty to the pastor than to the SBC and that they would simply have left the SBC. While some people might consider that worthwhile and a victory it would be opening a can of worms for the SBC and it would be entering new territory as far as the reach of the SBC national convention, territory not many want explored.
The SBC simply did not have the authority to do anything to protect anyone in this situation. The police and DA had the authority to arrest and try and convict this turd which they did. The church had the authority to boot him from the pulpit which they chose not to do. Parents with half a brain cell had the authority to choose a different church for their family which I suspect some did. The SBC didn’t have any authority or any ability to protect anyone or enforce anything.
Even with proof they do. not. care.
The SBC has no control over who pastors individual churches. Having said that there is no special carve out for religious freedom to expose children to pedophiles so if CPS was concerned children in the church were at risk or danger they have the same ability to intervene as in any other setting. Having said that given that at the time he was accused and not convicted even CPS had limited options and probably couldn’t get anywhere with a case in which children were only around him in a group setting like those pictured. Typically scumbags get to reserve their rights until they become convicted scumbags. The local church showed very poor discernment in this situation.