Posted on 03/09/2019 12:04:52 PM PST by robowombat
ASHBURN, Ga. (BP) -- A Georgia pastor has confirmed the termination of a church staff member who allegedly "admitted to assaulting several young people years ago." The pastor also apologized to the Southern Baptist Convention and SBC President J.D. Greear for having "failed my duty as a pastor in not taking action sooner."
"My greatest failure during this time has been to the God I serve who gave His Son for me," Pastor Rodney Brown of Trinity Baptist Church in Ashburn, Ga., said March 7 in a statement to Georgia Baptists' Christian Index newsjournal. "This situation has greatly changed my thinking as pastor. I realize that friendship can never override the duties God has given me to protect those we serve in His name. My prayer is for God's mercy and healing for the victims of these terrible [alleged] acts and for any churches affected." Trinity Baptist was among 10 churches named by Greear in a Feb. 18 report on sexual abuse to the SBC Executive Committee. Following Greear's report, Brown told Baptist Press he felt "shock" and "disappointment" because Greear had not contacted the church before naming it publicly.
Brown also told BP following Greear's report the church's minister of music allegedly confessed in 2013 or 2014 he had molested a "young teen" decades earlier and had repented. In response, Brown "fired him right there on the spot." The man continued to attend the church, Brown said, though he was never allowed to be alone with children. At church leaders' request, the church reinstated the man as minister of music, Brown said, adding the church felt the man was gifted for ministry.
Brown also said following Greear's report that Trinity performed background checks on volunteers and staff and was "doing everything we can" to protect children.
A week later, Georgia Baptist Mission Board Executive Director Thomas Hammond released a statement alleging Brown had fired the staff member at issue.
Brown confirmed the termination in his March 7 statement and said the former staff member "was also asked to immediately resign his church membership, which he did. He has been directed not to return to Trinity."
"Recently I have come to realize that I failed my duty as pastor in not taking action against an individual who had been accused of child abuse in the past at another church. This was because of my long standing friendship with the accused," Brown said.
"Other victims have now come forward naming this person and he has admitted to assaulting several young people many years ago. I now realize that what I first thought was an isolated incident was much more. I should have understood that earlier and not doing so was a great mistake on my part. I cannot apologize enough for my actions," Brown said.
Trinity is not aware of any abuse committed by the staff member at issue while he attended the church, Brown said.
Still, alleged "victims of the accused" have said Brown's actions "injured" them, the pastor stated. As a result, "I have spent much time before God repenting for my actions."
Brown apologized to the alleged victims, Greear, the SBC and the Georgia Baptist Convention, stating he "acted irresponsibly" and feels "deep sorrow."
"I pray we can heal and become stronger in the protection of our children," Brown said.
David Roach is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service. BP reports on missions, ministry and witness advanced through the Cooperative Program and on news related to Southern Baptists' concerns nationally and globally.
“admitted to assaulting several young people years ago.”
If this involved the Catholic Church there would be 300 people signing on for a payout.
Satan attends church regularly just waiting for his chance.
This doesn't seem to be the proper response in keeping with scripture where an elder needs to be above reproach. The man might have a gift for music, and perhaps could be used from time to time, but he has disqualified himself to be a leader in the church. He should never have been reinstated as a minister.
There’s a special place in hell for those men in a position of trust - priests And ministers, teachers , police officers , firefighters , Cub Scout leaders who use that power to try to fulfill their perverted sexual desires
Luck if you’re confused and think you’re gay or whatever fine and dandy just take your thing and do it with adults OK ? thanks
The Catholic church is Satan’s example.
I agree. That is where this church and the Catholic church are similar.
Their leadership is always “good to go again.”
From the article we are posting about:
- The pastor also apologized to the Southern Baptist Convention and SBC President J.D. Greear for having “failed my duty as a pastor in not taking action sooner.”
Your reply is not based in reality because with the Catholic Church it has become public.
Satanic, is smearing the whole of the Church created by Jesus because of abuse from homosexuals that didn’t belong.
If you you want to talk SATA
...Satan, that is.
The pastor is also supposed to be above reproach and failed. He should be removed from ministry.
It is thoroughly unacceptable to see molestation of a child as an isolated incident. Ever.
I volunteer in youth ministry. We are constantly vigilant and need to remain that way.
Oh dear Lord, back in the horse and buggy days when I was growing up, you’d have the cops called on you in a second if this happened. This preacher has to work it out with the Lord and never preach again!! No excuses!
In Central America, every small town has a “child of the priest.” A single lady with a kid who stays close to the priest. Some celibacy there, if you ask me.
The Catholic church hides its perverts and keeps them from authorities.
The Catholic church is the church Satan most loves, it appears.
Now, go pray to Mary and she if she can save you.
Something like that does far m,ore spiritual damage than most people would realize, on several fronts.
The abuse itself allows the entry of demonic influences into a person's life, but also the betrayal by a person in a spiritual position of leadership can cause untold spiritual damage as well.
You are right, we Catholics are some really bad sinners, some unrepentant, and we need to repent and clean ourselves up with the help of God. No dispute there. I hope this paster and congregation can do the same. We must love and be ever vigilant against satan’s push, and true, the Catholic Church is satan’s favorite to go after, being His Church, the apostolic church to break.
You are a day late and a dollar short. The Catholic Church has long become aware they can and need to report on these crimes and still forgive the sinner. This has been a big focus of the Church for years now.
I’ll pray through Mary, The Mother of God, for you. To remove the hate in your heart and crazed rants against the Church of Jesus.
-You are right, we Catholics are some really bad sinners, some unrepentant, and we need to repent and clean ourselves up with the help of God.
He is saying all, as in the whole Church, not just some. He then belittles Mary The Mother of God. Has nothing to say at all about this Georgia pastor though who admits he did not act because the abuser “was his friend”. What the heck is THAT. That’s Satan right there.
I am only deriding Catholic lay people to the extent they support the evil in their church.
The Catholic leadership, from nuns and priests, on up, are overwhelmingly corrupt, with no ability to change it, by design. In most non-Catholic churches, the lay people have elders agreed to by the lay people with whom their ministers are accountable to, with the elders being accountable to the Bible and the lay people and each other. It follows what is said in the Bible.
In the Catholic church, people are appointed from the Deep State that reports to no one but the Deep State. Any decisions affecting the church body, down to who is the priest at a given location at a given day, is directed by the Deep State. If parishioners don’t like it, well, nothing can be done. Period.
As Titus says, elders are to be above reproach and to be the husbands of only one wife (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus+1%3A6-9&version=ESV). Not a single person in such a role exists in the Catholic church ANYWHERE.
The converted disciples of each church were responsible for choosing their elders in the true New Testament church, according to Acts 14:20-23 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+14&version=ESV). Again, the Catholic church provably is not Scriptural, as this is not done in the Catholic church ANYWHERE.
That, guys, is insane and shows at fundamental levels the type of evil underpinnings you each support. Catholics support things very much not of God.
- In the Catholic church, people are appointed from the Deep State that reports to no one but the Deep State.
I get it. The mere mention of the Catholic Church has triggered you.
Now you are busy digging, your eternal grave. Because you, and Satan, know better than Christ.
Have a good time with that.
Your own Bible condemns your church’s practices.
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