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By proceeding, you are agreeing to the following: 1) The resources provided here are NOT intended to be used for legal advice and are NOT considered to be helpful in court matters. 2) The information can be customized for all Louisiana Baptist churches accordingly. 3) To NOT hold the Louisiana Baptist Convention liable for any and all information provided.
How can we respond?
As I read the report of the SBC’s Sexual Abuse Task Force last May, I began to pray, “How can we as Louisiana Baptists respond to this issue?” Like many of you, I felt grief, anger, lament and more as I processed the information contained in the report. However, I knew those emotions were not sufficient. I believed the Lord wanted us to do something.
Following that conviction, I formed our own Sexual Abuse Response Council comprised of members of our State Missions Services staff. This group was tasked with researching and recommending resources for Louisiana Baptist churches to access in order to prayerfully prevent and respond to instances of sexual abuse in their congregations.
Below you’ll find links that will lead you to some of the resources the Council has discovered. Our prayer is these will be a starting place for every church regardless of size and location. I encourage you to review and adapt these resources as desired. If you need additional resources or would like to speak to one of the members of the Response Council, follow the instructions on the website.
In what we call “The Lord’s Prayer,” Jesus taught us to pray for the Father to “deliver us from evil.” Please join me in praying God will deliver Louisiana Baptists from the evil of sexual abuse as we seek to fulfill His great commission.
Keep Looking Up,
Steve Horn
Executive Director
Louisiana Baptists
Sexual Abuse Response Council
Ray Swift (Chair)
Jessica Fontenot
Christine Gill
Jeff Ingram
Mark Robinson
Jeannie Saylor
Available Resources
Biblical Pursuit for Righteousness
A church’s desire to pursue righteousness begins with a biblical understanding of who God is.
Proactive Sexual Abuse Checklist
Churches must be proactive in efforts to prevent and respond correctly to sexual abuse.
Sexual Abuse Definitions and Louisiana Statutes
Learn more about how sexual abuse is defined, punished, and the organizations to contact.
Protection Methods for Minors
Here are 12 things church leaders can do to help protect minors in their care.
Responding to an Allegation
How to communicate to attorneys, law enforcement, churches, and the public when an allegation occurs.
Confidential Reporting Agencies
A short list of agencies dedicated to receiving reports of sexual abuse with your privacy in mind.
Resources for Sexual Abuse Prevention
Need help with prevention training, resources, and background screening?